25 Myanmarese Muslims seek refuge in Hyderabad

July 31, 2012

Bangladesh

Hyderabad, July 31: Persecuted in their own country, a group of 25 Muslims from Myanmar have reached Hyderabad to take refuge here.

The group, fled Myanmar to escape ethnic violence in Rakhine state, have taken shelter at a 'dargah' at Balapur in the old city and were waiting to be recognized as refugees by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).

The Confederation of Voluntary Organisations (COVA), which works with UNHRC, said it would help the refugees in acquiring the refugee status from the UN body's office in New Delhi.

COVA executive director Mazhar Hussain told IANS that the group has joined 100 to 125 Myanmarese refugees who have been living in Hyderabad for the last two years.

"Most of the refugees already living here work as daily labourers," said Hussain. The city has about 500 refugees from eight countries. COVA works among refugees to address their legal problems, sensitise police towards the rights of refugees and provide medical assistance.

However, the arrival of the latest group of Myanmar has attracted attention in view of the situation prevailing in that country.

Muslim organizations and individuals are competing with each other to express solidarity and help Rohingyas, as the Muslims from Myanmar are called.

Safa Baitulmal, a Muslim socio-religious group, was first to reach Balapur with food, clothes and other essential items. "We are trying to see that they get some employment and don't become beggars," Safa Baitulmal president Gyas Ahmed Rashadi told IANS.

He, however, said after providing relief during last couple of days, they stopped the work in view of the police objections over some issue. The organization will resume the assistance after the group gets refugee status.

Zahid Ali Khan, editor of Urdu daily 'Siasat', visited the refugees and participated in the Iftar with them. He distributed ration among the families and assured all possible assistance to them.

Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM), the powerful Muslim political party in Hyderabad, has also come forward with a helping hand. MIM legislator Ahmed Balala met the refugees and assured all help on behalf of the party.

The refugees alleged that Buddhist groups were butchering Muslims for refusing to renounce Islam. The eight families fled Rakhine state to reach Bangladesh and via West Bengal arrived in Hyderabad.

The United Nations and the Amnesty International have already voiced concern over reports of killings of Rohingya people by both Buddhists and the security forces.

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News Network
January 6,2020

Hyderabad, Jan 6: AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday expressed solidarity with students of Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi, following violence in the campus and said the "cruel attack" was meant to "punish"the students as they "dared to stand up".

"In solidarity with the brave students of JNU. This cruel attack is meant to 'punish' JNU students because they dared to stand up. It's so bad that even Union Ministers are tweeting helplessly. Modi Sarkar must answer why cops aresiding with goons," the Hyderabad MP tweeted.

The AIMIM has also tweeted expressing solidarity with the "students of JNU". "AIMIM stands in solidarity with the students of Jawaharlal Nehru University. Who feels threatened by the voice of students?," the party said in a tweet.

Violence broke out at the JNU on Sunday night as masked men armed with sticks and rods attacked students and teachers and damaged property on the campus, prompting the administration to call in police which conducted a flag march.

At least 28 people, including JNU Students' Union president Aishe Ghosh, were injured as chaos reigned on the campus for nearly two hours.

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Agencies
June 2,2020

Lucknow, Jun 2: Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Tuesday said protests in the US after the death of George Floyd, an African-American man, is a clear message to the world that a common man's life has value.

She said this is also guaranteed by the India Constitution, but the governments don't follow it, resulting in the current plight of migrants workers.

Floyd, a 46-year-old restaurant worker from Houston, died in Minneapolis on Monday after a white police officer pinned him to the ground. Video footage showed the officer kneeling on Floyd's neck as he gasped for breath, sparking widespread protests across the US.

"Floyd's killing by police and the 'Black lives matter' agitation in the US have given a clear message to the world that a common man's life has value and it should not be taken for granted," Mayawati said in a tweet in Hindi.

"India's constitution guarantees independence, security, self-respect and pride and governments should give special attention to it. If it was followed, crores of migrants labourers would not have to witness such bad days," she added.

She also demanded better coordination between states to check the spread of coronavirus and said Centre should intervene.

"While coronavirus patients are rising, there is lack of coordination between states and with the Centre, and allegation and counter-allegations are going on and sealing of state borders is unjustified and it is weakening the fight against the virus.  The Centre should intervene," she said in a separate tweet.

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Agencies
May 17,2020

Mumbai, May 17: Much on expected lines, Maharashtra, on Sunday, extended the coronavirus lockdown till May 31, in order to control the spread of the virus, under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, the state government said in a statement.

On Sunday afternoon, Chief Secretary Ajoy Mehta, in a notification said: "It is further directed that all earlier orders shall be aligned with this order and remain in force up to and inclusive of May 31, 2020. The calibrated phase-wise relaxation or lifting of lockdown orders will be notified in due course."

"Lockdown 3.0 ends today. Lockdown 4.0 will come into effect tomorrow and will be valid till May 31. There will be some relaxations in the fourth phase," he said.

"The green and orange zones will get more relaxations, in terms of starting more services. As of now only essential services are operational, he said.

Maharashtra has recorded 30,706 COVID-19 cases of which 22,479 are active. The death toll is 1135, while 7,088 patients have been discharged after recovery.

In exercise of the powers conferred under Section 2 of the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1898 and the powers, conferred under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the Chairperson, State Executive Committee, issued direction to extend the lockdown till 31 May 2020 for containment of COVID-19 epidemic in the State and all Departments of Government of Maharashtra shall strictly implement the guidelines issued earlier form time to time, according to the statement.

Over the last two days,  Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray held a series of meetings with his ministerial colleagues, senior leaders including NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and top officials. 

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