Photos of Burma's highest Catholic prelate, Cardinal Charles Bo, sharing a Christmas cake with the head of the military junta leading a bloody crackdown on dissent sparked outrage among Internet users on Friday, December 24.
Cardinal Bo met with junta leader General Min Aung Hlaing on Thursday to listen to Christmas carols and "
talk about peaceful and prosperous affairs
," the government newspaper New Light of Myanmar reported.
Read also In Burma, the junta undermined by the defections of its soldiers
The prelate, created a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2015, later posted on his Twitter account a photo of him and the general, all smiles, cutting a Christmas cake together.
Another image released by state media showed the two men chatting at the foot of a small Christmas tree while sharing food.
"Why are you cutting a cake with such a murderer?"
Burma has fallen into a serious crisis since the coup to overthrow Aung San Suu Kyi in February. The crackdown that followed left more than 1,300 people dead, according to a non-governmental human rights organization. Several armed militias opposed to the junta have appeared across the country. Some of the deadliest fighting has taken place in predominantly Christian areas, such as Chin state, where the US government in October reported the burning of around 100 homes and churches.
"
The churches of Christians are set on fire, and despite this he agrees to meet the other,
" commented a user on social networks, referring to the cardinal and the general.
“
People shouldn't go to pray where he lives,
” he added.
“
This does not represent Catholics.
Why are you cutting a cake with such a murderer?
Another asked.