World
British Foreign Secretary meets Suu Kyi
Nay Pyi Taw, Feb 11 (IANS) British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson on Sunday met his Myanmar counterpart and de facto leader Aung Sang Suu Kyi here, a day after his visit to refugee camps in east Bangladesh sheltering around 690,000 Rohingya refugees.
In a statement ahead of the visit, the British Foreign Secretary said he would be “talking to State Counsellor Suu Kyi and other regional leaders about how we can work together to resolve this appalling crisis”, reports Efe news.
On Saturday, Johnson visited Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh to hear first hand accounts of suffering by the members of the mostly Muslim minority at the hands of Myanmar security forces.
He described the current situation as “one of the most shocking humanitarian disasters of our time” and said his aim was to achieve a “safe, dignified return” for the Rohingya refugees.
Human rights organisations have documented widespread abuse by the Myanmar Army against the Rohingya, including murders and rapes, during its military campaign against the minority, which the UN has described as a “textbook example of ethnic cleansing”.
The Myanmar Army denies the allegations, although in January it admitted to a case of extrajudicial killings of Rohingya, who were buried in a mass grave in Rakhine state where the minority has been living for centuries.
In November, Bangladesh and Myanmar signed an agreement to begin repatriating Rohingya refugees by the end of January, but Dhaka suspended it at the last minute.
Members of the mostly Muslim minority community are not recognized by Myanmar’s authorities, who consider them Bengali migrants and refuse to grant them citizenship.
–IANS
ksk/mr
National
Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.