World
Ban calls for new probe into 1961 plane crash of UN chief
United Nations: There is sufficient reason to investigate if the aircraft carrying then UN secretary-general Dag Hammarskjold on an African peace mission in 1961 was shot down by another plane, killing all aboard, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon has said.
A panel, which Ban Ki-moon set up in March to examine new allegations regarding the crash, near Ndola in Northern Rhodesia, now Zambia, of the Swedish-operated Douglas DC6 carrying Hammarskjold and 15 others, recently sent its finding to the secretary-general.
On Monday, he sent the report to the 193-member UN General Assembly along with his recommendations to investigate some of the allegations further, a news agency reported.
However, Ban said on Monday the panel determined Hammarskjold was not assassinated after surviving the crash and that there was no hijacking or sabotage. The panel found Hammarskjold and 14 other passengers died on the night of September 17-18, 1961, crash of the propeller-driven aircraft, registered as SE-BDY, and the 16th victim died five days later.
Hammarskjold, the second UN secretary-general, was trying to negotiate a ceasefire involving secessionists from Katanga province of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“The panel assigned moderate probative value” to “new information relevant to the hypothesis of an aerial attack or other interference as a possible cause or causes of the crash”, Ban said in his letter to General Assembly President Sam Kutesa.
“Nine new eyewitness accounts that they observed more than one aircraft in the air at the same time as SE-BDY made its approach to Ndola, and that any additional aircraft were jets, or that SE-BDY was on fire before it impacted the ground or that it was fired upon or otherwise actively engaged by other aircraft present,” he said.
There were also claims two persons hearing alleged intercepts or reading transcripts of intercepts of radio transmissions relating to a possible aerial or ground attack on SE-BDY and there was additional information that has emerged on the air capability of the provincial government of Katanga province in 1961 and its use of foreign military and paramilitary personnel, the secretary-general said.
Additionally, the panel also found “moderate probative value” to allegations encrypted communications from the Hammarskjold aircraft were intercepted and that crew fatigue could have been “a contributing factor to the crash”, he said.
The report also said new information it considered “calls into question the official account of the time of discovery of the crash site and the behaviour of various officials and local authorities”.
“It is my view that a further inquiry or investigation would be necessary to finally establish the facts,” Ban said, urging member states “to disclose, declassify or otherwise allow privileged access to information that they may have in their possession related to the circumstances and conditions resulting in the deaths of the passengers of SE-BDY”.
He urged “any relevant records that remain classified more than 50 years after the fact, are declassified or otherwise made available for review… by any eminent person or persons whom the Assembly may wish to entrust with this mandate”.
“I consider this our solemn duty to my illustrious and distinguished predecessor, Dag Hammarskjold, to the other members of the party accompanying him and to their families,” Ban said.
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.
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