Pope is preparing to visit Myanmar and Bangladesh

Arakan News Agency
The pope is almost certain to visit Myanmar and Bangladesh, two countries experiencing a crisis over the Muslim minority  Rohingya, before the end of the year, a senior Vatican source said on Wednesday.
The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the visit was likely to be formally announced before the end of August.
He said the visit would likely take place between the end of November and the beginning of December but it would certainly be before Christmas. So far, the Vatican has officially said the pope’s visit to the two countries was “under study”.
A Vatican team is visiting the two countries to study details and report to the pope who will make the final decision.
Myanmar faces international scrutiny for atrocities against the Rohingya. In February, the Pope sharply criticized the treatment of the minority, saying they faced torture and murder just because they wanted to live their culture and their Islamic religion.
Some 1.1 million Rohingya live in Myanmar’s Arakan state but are stateless and subject to strict travel restrictions. Many Buddhists across Myanmar regard them as illegal immigrants from neighboring Bangladesh.