Vatican urges Myanmar to uphold religious freedom

Mgr Gallagher in UN

Speaking at the United Nations on 30 September, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States, called for urgent action to protect the Rohingya and other vulnerable minorities in Myanmar, warning that access to healthcare, food and education remains dangerously limited.

Addressing a high-level conference in New York, Gallagher highlighted the plight of over 1.2 million displaced and stateless Rohingya, with nearly 89% seeking asylum in Bangladesh. Despite what he described as “generous responses” from neighbouring countries, women and children continue to live in overcrowded camps in Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char.

He also drew attention to the estimated 630,000 Rohingya still in Myanmar’s western Rakhine State, who remain stateless and face military conscription, discrimination, hunger and persecution by armed groups and government forces.

Gallagher stressed that current humanitarian funding is insufficient and warned that the lack of access to essential services could open the door to organised crime and human trafficking. He urged all actors to ensure “unrestricted and non-discriminatory access to humanitarian aid.”

Looking ahead, he called for long-term solutions that reduce dependency on international aid and address the root causes of the crisis. “Reconciliation and national integration” must be prioritised, he said, adding that religious differences should not fuel division but instead foster unity, forgiveness and nation-building.

Gallagher also emphasised the role of religion in promoting peace, justice and dialogue, and in giving voice to those who suffer. He called for full respect of religious freedom in every country and condemned all forms of discrimination, persecution and violence based on ethnicity or faith.

Concluding his remarks, he urged all parties to uphold international human rights and take concrete steps to protect ethnic and religious minorities — echoing Pope Leo XIV’s recent appeal for inclusive dialogue as the only path toward lasting peace.

-2025-10-02