National
Rohingya crisis: Can India play a role?
By Aroonim Bhuyan
New Delhi, Oct 22 (IANS) As Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s begins her visit to Bangladesh, experts are of the view that it is high time India mediated to find a solution to the burning Rohingya refugee crisis.
“I am optimistic (about Sushma Swaraj’s visit) as India enjoys cordial relations with Myanmar and has cooperative and friendly ties with Bangladesh,” Rajiv Bhatia, former Indian Ambassador to Myanmar, told IANS.
“Our very wise Foreign Minister has a role to play and a sustainable solution should be found for the Rohingyas,” he stated.
According to the latest figures issued by the UN office in Bangladesh, over 600,000 refugees have entered the country since August 25 after the Myanmarese army launched a crackdown on the minority Rohingya community following a series of attacks on security personnel in Myanmar’s Rakhine state.
The Rohingyas do not enjoy citizenship status in Myanmar and are sparingly given refugee status in Bangladesh.
Bhatia added at the same time that since the problem arose on Myanmar soil, the solution too should come from there.
“The Myanmar government should create conditions for the safe return of the Rohingya refugees,” he said.
Khin Zaw Win, Director of the Yangon-based Tampadipa Institute that works on policy advocacy and capacity-building in Myanmar, too is of the view that India should play a role.
“The first thing New Delhi can do is to convene a tripartite meeting of India, Bangladesh and Myanmar,” Win said over phone from Yangon while pointing out that India and Myanmar enjoyed good ties.
“China is trying to mediate, but I would rather prefer India to handle the matter. Remember there is no Rohingya in China, but they are there in India.”
There are around 40,000 Rohingya refugees in India, but the government has sent a clear message that it was not willing to accept them because of security concerns.
The Supreme Court on October 13 asked the Centre to strike a balance between national security, economic interests and humanitarian considerations with regard to Rohingya women, children, old, sick and infirm, and listed the next hearing of the matter for November 21.
Earlier this month, in an interaction with the media here, Bangladesh High Commissioner Syed Muazzem Ali said that India, as the prime mover of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec), should take greater initiatives to resolve the Rohingya crisis.
The Bimstec regional bloc comprises Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
On his part, Bhatia said that India should lend support to the recommendations made in the report submitted by former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan-led Advisory Commission on Rakhine State to deal with the sectarian violence in Rakhine and foster development in the region.
“India is sensitive to the issue and the report is very balanced,” the former Ambassador said.
Win too said that he supported the Kofi Annan report, but added: “I am doubtful about the (Myanmar) government’s response.”
Noting that Rohingya refugees were spread across Bangladesh, India, Malaysia and Thailand, he said: “Those refugees who have now gone to Bangladesh must be accepted back by Myanmar.”
At the same time, Win dismissed the Union Enterprise for Humanitarian Assistance, Resettlement and Development in Rakhine set up by Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi that calls for the Myanmar government, people, the private sector, local NGOs and civil society organisations, friendly countries and UN agencies to work together in cooperation.
“This is not a solution. The refugees will not return if they are not assured of their security,” he said. “Suu Kyi should have the guts and should assure the refugees of their security.”
Win also added that settling the refugees back in Rakhine in camps with barbed wires was not a solution either.
K. Yhome, Research Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation think tank and the author of “Myanmar: Can the Generals Resist Change”, has a different view on India’s role.
“India must first find out whether an external power’s role is acceptable to both Myanmar and Bangladesh. Otherwise, offering to mediate now will be more of a knee-jerk reaction after China’s offer,” Yhome said.
He said that what India can continue doing now is to go the extra mile and help Bangladesh in handling the crisis.
Starting from the middle of last month India has sent relief material for the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.
Yhome, however, added that he was was sure that the Rohingya issue will be “centrestage” in the talks during Sushma Swaraj’s visit to Bangladesh.
(Aroonim Bhuyan can be contacted at [email protected])
–IANS
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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.