World
Myanmar imposing apartheid system on Rohingyas: Amnesty
Nay Pyi Taw, Nov 21 (IANS) Amnesty International on Tuesday accused Myanmar of imposing a system of apartheid on the Rohingya Muslim minority, saying that an institutionalised system of discrimination constitutes a crime against humanity.
The human rights group released a report after a two-year investigation of the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar’s Rakhine state, reports Efe news.
Amnesty said the Rohingya were “trapped in a vicious system of state-sponsored, institutionalised discrimination” that “severely restricts virtually all aspects of Rohingyas’ lives”, including confining them to a “ghetto-like existence”.
“The Myanmar authorities are keeping Rohingya women, men and children segregated and cowed in a dehumanising system of apartheid,” Anna Neistat, Amnesty International’s Senior Director for Research, said in a statement.
The organisation noted that the repression against the Rohingyas has intensified “dramatically” since 2012 when the sectarian conflict between the Buddhist and Rohingya communities broke out in Rakhine.
The state-sponsored discriminatory measures involve “an intricate web of national laws” that restrict Rohingyas rights to freedom of movement, hinder their access to employment, healthcare or education, and deny them citizenship and necessary identification documents.
The rights group added that such measures prevent the Rohingyas, who fled the country, from returning to Myanmar, including about 700,000 Rohingyas who sought refuge in Bangladesh after the Myanmar military carried out several operations in 2016 and 2017 in Rakhine in response to the Rohingya insurgents’ attacks.
“This system appears designed to make Rohingyas’ lives as hopeless and humiliating as possible,” Neistat added in the note, describing the military campaign as “ethnic cleansing”.
According to the human rights NGO, the Myanmar authorities are legally obliged to dismantle the apartheid system, which is considered a crime against humanity, and bring those responsible for such acts to justice.
Amnesty International’s latest statement echoes the international outcry including that of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights that described the situation as a “textbook example of ethnic cleansing”.
About a million Rohingyas lived in Rakhine before the recent military operations that led to their exodus to refugee camps in Bangladesh.
–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.