Monsignor Charles Bo, the Archbishop of Rangoon, has urged the Burmese government to recognize Rohingya Muslims born in Burma as citizens, reports the official Roman Catholic news agency AsiaNews.it. In his New Year’s address to Burma’s Roman Catholics, the archbishop applauded the country’s opening over the past two years, but said “some have taken advantage of [this freedom ] to spread hatred and foment violence against our Muslim brothers and sisters .” He also urged the government and the international community to “resolve the issues related to citizenship,” according to the principle that “every person born in Myanmar should be recognized as a citizen” of the country.