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UN Agencies Fear About 70 Missing Or Dead From Capsized Rohingya Refugee Boat

Published

8 months ago

2024-03-22

MEULABOH, Indonesia

According to U.N. officials, approximately 70 Muslim Rohingya migrants are missing or presumed dead from a boat that crashed off the coast of Indonesia this week after an arduous sea passage from Bangladesh, leaving 75 survivors.

The International Office for Migration, or IOM, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, or UNHCR, stated in a joint statement that they were “extremely concerned about the scale of potential loss of life,” citing survivors’ accounts that there were initially about 150 people aboard.

UN Agencies Fear About 70 Missing Or Dead From Capsized Rohingya Refugee Boat

This would have included a crew of roughly five persons, who appear to have abandoned the vessel and are still unknown. On Friday, two survivors told The Associated Press that when the refugee vessel began to sink, the captain and four crew abandoned it for another.

Indonesian fisherman raised the alert about the troubled vessel on Wednesday when they began rescuing its passengers, and an Indonesian search and rescue ship retrieved the remaining occupants from the overturned hull on Thursday, around 22 kilometres (14 miles) off the western coast of Indonesia’s Aceh province.

The United Nations joint statement did not identify the exact number of persons feared lost, but a UNHCR website said 75 people were “reported dead or missing” from a boat whose features matched the one that overturned on Wednesday.

“If confirmed, this would be the largest loss of life so far this year,” the statement stated, referring to a regular stream of boats carrying Rohingya attempting to flee overcrowded refugee camps in Bangladesh and Myanmar.

Over the last year, the number of Rohingya refugees who have arrived in Indonesia has increased significantly. According to the statement, the 2,300 refugees who arrived in 2023 outnumbered those in the preceding four years combined.

UN Agencies Fear About 70 Missing Or Dead From Capsized Rohingya Refugee Boat

The boat survivors include 44 men, 22 women, and nine children. A handful were sent to a nearby hospital for treatment, but most were relocated to a temporary shelter in Aceh’s Barat district. Several people told UNHCR personnel that they had lost family members along the trek.

“In one case, there was a child whose parents and siblings died during the trip,” said Faisal Rahman, a UNHCR staff member in Aceh, on Friday. “There was another case with a husband whose wife and child perished. Additionally, children whose mothers have died. Several families reported that their relatives had disappeared or died at sea.

Soliya Begum, an 18-year-old survivor, told The Associated Press that when the boat began to take on water, the commander scuttled it and escaped to another with his crew. Her account could not readily be corroborated. Sometimes, people intentionally destroy refugee boats to force rescuers from destination countries to bring the passengers ashore. However, this is usually done closer to land.

Another survivor, Akram Ullah, 30, told the Associated Press that the boat left Bangladesh on March 9 and that the skipper and at least some of the crew were Indonesian. He also stated that the captain and four other crew members abandoned the boat as it began to sink.

Approximately one million Rohingya from Myanmar are refugees in Bangladesh. They include around 740,000 people who fled in 2017 to escape a savage counterinsurgency campaign by Myanmar security forces, who were accused of widespread rapes and deaths, as well as the burning of thousands of homes. The Rohingya minority in Myanmar experiences pervasive discrimination, and the majority are denied citizenship.

UN Agencies Fear About 70 Missing Or Dead From Capsized Rohingya Refugee Boat

Life in Bangladesh’s refugee camps is difficult due to a lack of clean water, sanitation, and healthcare, which are prone to fire, flooding, and disease outbreaks. There are limited prospects for meaningful labour, and vicious criminal gangs harass the community.

According to the relief charity Save the Children, the ongoing sea excursions reflect the grave circumstances in Bangladesh’s camps. It stated that 250 unaccompanied children were among the Rohingya who landed in Indonesia in the final three months of last year.

“The presence of unaccompanied children in Aceh is alarming and suggests that Rohingya families are desperate enough to send their children away in search of a better life,” said Dessy Kurwiany Ukar, the group’s interim Indonesia head.

The group stated that other nations in the area, besides Indonesia, should take responsibility for accepting Rohingya refugees.

SOURCE – (AP)

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Trudeau Accused of Sowing Divisions Between Sikhs and Hindus

Published

2 days ago

2024-11-06

Geoff Thomas

Pierre Poilievre, the Conservative Leader, has accused Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of sowing “divisions” that culminated in the violent altercation between Sikh separatists and Hindu devotees outside a Hindu temple in Brampton, Ontario.

Justin Trudeau initiated the question period by condemning Poilievre’s reticence regarding the violence in South Asian communities as “deafening.”

Poilievre refuted the assertion by accusing Trudeau of exploiting the matter to divert attention from domestic economic concerns.

“Consequently, he implements divisions in his residence.” Poilievre stated, “These divisions are the consequence of his actions.”

“Currently, sectarian riots are occurring on the streets of Brampton.” This has never occurred before the tenure of this prime minister. Is he accountable for the divisions he has incited and the ensuing violence?

Trudeau Must Assume Responsibility

Mr. Pierre Poilievre, the Conservative Leader, requested that the Prime Minister assume responsibility for the divisions and violence in Canada. In response, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressed Poilievre’s refusal to obtain security clearance to review foreign interference documents.

Trudeau, who has frequently employed a phrase in the question period recently, urged Poilievre to undergo the security clearance procedure to receive a briefing from Canada’s intelligence and security agencies regarding potential threats to the country.

Trudeau’s remarks exacerbate an already precarious police situation, which has the potential to further deteriorate the diplomatic relationship between Canada and India.

Police dispersed a second day of demonstrations outside a Hindu temple in Brampton, Ontario, on Monday. The temple has been the site of violent clashes that have resulted in arrests and a public safety alert.

During the Indian consular officials’ visit to the Hindu Sabha Mandir temple in Brampton on Sunday at midday, violence erupted.

Peel Regional Police issued a public safety alert on Monday evening regarding the presence of weapons at a demonstration near a Hindu temple in Brampton, Ont. The demonstration had been the site of violent clashes between demonstrators the previous day.

Canada India Tensions

Social media videos depict demonstrators holding banners in support of Pro-Khalistan separatism, a proposed independent Sikh homeland in northern India, and engaging in physical altercations with other individuals, some of whom are holding India’s national flag.

Later, an off-duty Sergeant of the Peel police in Brampton, Ontario, was identified as one of the pro-Khalistan protesters.

In the interim, the violence prompted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make a rare comment during a period of escalating diplomatic tensions between the two countries.

“I unequivocally condemn the intentional destruction of a Hindu temple in Canada.” “The cowardly attempts to intimidate our diplomats are equally appalling,” he shared on social media.

No amount of violence will ever undermine India’s resolve. We anticipate that the Canadian government will maintain the rule of law and ensure justice.

Last September, Trudeau expressed that there were credible allegations that the Indian government was involved in the assassination of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada, which marked the beginning of the deterioration of relations between the two countries. India has vigorously denied the charge.

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Police Officer Suspended for Joining Pro-Khalistan Protest

Published

2 days ago

2024-11-06

Geoff Thomas

A Brampton, Ontario, police officer was suspended on Monday following the viralization of a video on social media that showed him participating in a pro-Khalistan protest outside a Hindu temple.

According to CBC News, the suspended Peel Regional Police officer, Harinder Sohi, was videotaped brandishing a Khalistan flag while other participants in the protest chanted anti-India slogans. He was not wearing a police uniform.

Sohi served as a Sergeant for the Peel Regional Police.

In an email to CBC News, Media Relations Officer Richard Chin informed the organization that it is “aware of a video circulating on social media that depicts an off-duty Peel Police officer participating in a demonstration.”

“This officer has since been suspended in accordance with the Community Safety and Policing Act,” according to him.

“We are investigating the circumstances in totality depicted in the video and are unable to provide further information until this investigation is complete.”

Peel Regional Police have previously stated that three individuals have been charged in connection with the violence that occurred during the visit of Indian consular officials to the Hindu Sabha Mandir temple on Sunday.

Social media videos appear to depict demonstrators holding banners in support of Khalistan, a proposed independent Sikh homeland in northern India, and engaging in a physical altercation with other individuals, some of whom are holding India’s national flag.

The videos appear to depict fist battles and individuals striking each other with poles on the grounds outside the Hindu Sabha Mandir temple.

According to Peel police, the event was ultimately relocated to two additional locations in the neighboring city of Mississauga, where additional demonstrations were also conducted.

Peel police acknowledged the protest on Sunday at noon and announced that they had increased their presence at the Hindu Sabha Mandir temple to preserve public safety and order.

“We acknowledge the right to peacefully and safely protest; however, we will not tolerate criminal activities or violence,” stated Chief Nishan Duraiappah in response to the videos’ dissemination.

“Those that do participate in this activity will be pursued, arrested, and charged.”

The violence elicited condemnations from Canadian political leaders at all levels of government and also prompted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make a rare comment during a period of escalating diplomatic tensions between the two countries.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his concern regarding the “deliberate attack” and requested accountability from the Canadian government, which Justin Trudeau heads. He anticipated that the government would uphold the rule of law and ensure justice.

PM Modi expressed his strong condemnation of the deliberately targeted assault on a Hindu temple in Canada in a post on X. The contemptible endeavors to intimidate our diplomats are equally repulsive. No amount of violence will ever be able to undermine India’s resolve.

In the interim, the Minister of External Affairs (MEA) expressed its “profound concern” regarding the safety and security of Indian nationals in Canada, and it anticipates that those who engage in violence will be prosecuted.

The Hindu Sabha Temple in Brampton, Ontario, was the site of violent acts committed by separatists and extremists yesterday. We condemn these actions. “We urge the Canadian government to guarantee that all places of worship are safeguarded from such attacks,” stated Randhir Jaiswal, the spokesperson for the MEA.

India Slams Trudeau Over Pro-Khalistani Sikhs Attack

India Slams Trudeau Over Pro-Khalistani Sikhs Attacking Canadian Hindus

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Pro-Khalistanis Sikhs Attack Hindu Temple in Brampton

Published

4 days ago

2024-11-04

Geoff Thomas

Pro-Khalistanis Sikhs, Hindu Temple, Brampton, Ontario

Pro-Khalistanis Sikhs attack Hindu Temple in Bramption Ontario.

Police in Brampton, Ontario, were summoned to the Hindu Temple after a group of pro-Khalistanis Sikhs attacked Hindu worshipers on Sunday. According to the Hindu Canadian Foundation, supporters of the Khalistaani movement in Canada helped to carry out the “attack.”

Following its posting on X, a video of the attack with demonstrators brandishing Khalistan flags at the Hindu Temple’s front entrance quickly became viral, inciting indignation among the Hindu community in Canada and India.

Chandra Arya, a Liberal MP from Canada, denounced the violence and claimed that under the country’s “freedom of expression,” extremists are getting away with it.

According to Arya, he began to think there might be some truth to the claims that Khalistanis have successfully infiltrated Canada’s law enforcement forces and political machinery.

Today, Canadian Khalistani fanatics have crossed a line. The attack by Khalistanis on Hindu-Canadian worshipers within the Hindu Sabha temple’s grounds demonstrates the extent and blatantness of Khalistani violent extremism in Canada.

In a post on X, he stated, “I start to believe that there is a sliver of truth in the reports that Khalistanis have successfully infiltrated not only our political apparatus but also our law enforcement agencies.”

It is understandable why Khalistani fanatics are receiving a free pass in Canada under the guise of “freedom of expression.” As I’ve been saying for a while, Hindu Canadians must stand up, defend their rights, and hold politicians responsible for the safety and security of our community,” he continued.

Peel Regional Police said they were aware of the demonstration in the city’s northeast and are investigating the situation.

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms states, “We respect the individual right to protest, but it is still our duty and responsibility to maintain public order and ensure everyone’s safety. ” Therefore, we request the public’s help participating in and supporting a nonviolent and legal protest.

Peel police warned that any acts of violence, threats of violence, or vandalism would be looked into and said they would be more visible and present to keep an eye on the situation.

Taking his X account, Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown also conveyed his dissatisfaction after learning of the “acts of violence” outside the Hindu Sabha.

“In Canada, religious freedom is a fundamental virtue. In their house of worship, everyone ought to feel secure. Brown stated in his letter that he is “completely confident that Peel police will do everything in their authority to keep the peace and hold those accountable who commit acts of violence.” “I strongly condemn any acts of violence outside of a place of worship,” Brown added.

“The violence at the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton was unacceptable,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also posted on X.

Every Canadian has the right to freely and securely follow their religion. “Swiftly responding to protect the community and investigate this incident” was how he praised the cops.

As Ottawa frequently rejected New Delhi’s demands for tough measures against Khalistani radicals in Canada, the incident took place during a time of poor relations between India and Canada. Instead, it sparked a huge diplomatic dispute by accusing India of targeting Khalistani people inside its borders.