‘Covid, conflict, lack of food shattering Myanmar’

Cardinal Charles Bo, the Archbishop of Yangon, spoke to on the situation in Myanmar, which is under army rule.

Since 1 February 2021, His Eminence Cardinal Charles Maung Bo has been a steady voice advocating democracy and a peaceful solution to the turmoil in Myanmar. Cardinal Bo has shown courage in speaking out candidly against merciless injustices and in support of the most vulnerable. His prayers and sermons have offered comfort and hope to the community.

Born in the Archdiocese of Mandalay, Cardinal Bo was made Cardinal by Pope Francis in 2015. Earlier, he was appointed as Bishop of Pathein by Pope John Paul II on 13 March 1996. He served as president of the Catholic

Bishops’ Conference of Myanmar from 2000 to 2006. On 14 July 2018, the Holy Father Francis appointed him President Delegate of the XV Ordinary General Assembly on “Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment” (October 2018). As of 1 January 2019, he is the President of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences. Cardinal Bo answered some questions from The Sunday Guardian:

Q: Your Eminence has spoken up for democracy on numerous occasions. Why is democracy so important and what is the future of democracy in Myanmar? A: Democracy is the participation of the people, mostly the weak and the vulnerable. Democracy continues to be our people’s dream. Myanmar has sailed through the stormy seas of many conflicts. The nation building and state building exercises of the last seven decades have not brought comprehensive peace. This is mostly due to the various sections of the population feeling excluded in the nation building process. Many felt it was based on an exclusivist, majoritarian discourse. Many ethnic groups sought armed response. But as history shows there are no conclusive military victories. The conflicts are not solved, but managed. The democratic interlude proposed greater devolution of power and a true federalism. Sadly, that experiment remains aborted.

The Sunday Guardian

Artists apply henna on the hands of women on the eve of Raksha Bandhan festival, at Sarojini Nagar market, in New Delhi on Saturday.