World
Rohingyas finding ways to flee Myanmar despite dangers
Naypyidaw: Rohingyas living mainly in Myanmar’s western Rakhine state, continue to find ways to leave the country despite the risks of being abandoned at sea and tighter border controls, a media report said on Thursday.
Over 5,000 Rohingyas have disembarked in Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Thailand in May after their boats were abandoned by human-traffickers in the Bay of Bengal after Thailand cracked down on them.
Some monitoring agencies suggest that another 2,000 people might still be out at sea, Channel News Asia reported.
Rohingyas are neither accepted as citizens in Myanmar, where some million of them reside, nor in Bangladesh where around 30,000 live in refugee camps.
Many in Myanmar claim to be aware of the dangers of travelling with human traffickers but in taking the risk they are at least offered a glimmer of hope.
“Our lives will be worse if we stay here. We leave because we can expect a more comfortable life elsewhere,” said Eleias, a Rohingya in Rakhine State.
“The authorities threaten us saying that we don’t belong here, we cannot stay here, we are intruders. They are threatening us many times, including threats to our village leader. Our daily life is difficult for us.”
Eleias highlighted how the Rohingyas live every day in fear, saying Rakhine people burned down a Rohingya shop.
“There are security forces in front of the market. They are looking but don’t catch the Rakhine people. They know it, they’re seeing what they did and they set the fire and steal all the goods from ten other shops, nothing was left.”
But his accusations were completely rejected by Rakhine’s Chief Minister Maung Ohn.
“It doesn’t make sense, I don’t accept it. In Maungdaw, about 97 percent population are Bengalis. Only three percent are Rakhine people,” Maung said.
“You have to ask why the majority would be afraid of the Rakhine minority,” he added.
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.