“I asked for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and I met her son in Rome. I have proposed to the Vatican to give her shelter on our territory,” the pope said according to an account of meetings with Jesuits in Asia during his trip there earlier this month.
The Corriere della Sera daily published an article by Italian priest Antonio Spadaro giving extracts from these private meetings, which took place in Indonesia, East Timor and Singapore between Sept 2 and 13.
“We cannot stay silent about the situation in Myanmar today. We must do something,” the pope is reported as saying.
“The future of your country should be one of peace based on respect for the dignity and rights of everyone and respect for a democratic system that enables everyone to contribute to the common good.”
Suu Kyi, 78, is serving a 27-year prison sentence on charges ranging from corruption to not respecting COVID pandemic restrictions.
In 2015, her National League for Democracy won Myanmar’s first democratic election in 25 years.