Our Humanitarian Work
Over half a million people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance after fleeing violence in Myanmar to seek safety in Bangladesh. We at New Hope are raising the awareness to the whole world seeking to fund a project that would provide short-term assistance to refugee children (around 1300 are estimated to be orphans) in Bangladesh with the long-term aim of returning to their country of birth.
Arakan, the homeland of Rohingyas, was an independent state. Muslim rule was established in 1430 in the present Rakhain province, which lasted for more than 200 years. From 1631 to 1635 there was a severe famine in Arakan. Then the Muslim rule came to an end. In 1784, King Bodpaya of Burma captured it and turned it into a taxation state under Burma. He discriminated against Muslims and was responsible for their genocide. English occupation of Burma in 1828, changed the situation slightly. But after the autonomy of Burma in 1937, communal riots took a massive form and at least 3 million Muslims were martyred.
Burma gained independence in 1948. But there was no change in the fate of the Muslims. The government of the independent country has not yet given their citizens and human rights. In the face of torture, tyranny and deportation, many Rohingya have been forced to take refuge in many countries of the world including Bangladesh. They are the world's non-citizens.
In 1982, the Burmese citizenship law mentioned three types of citizens and Rohingya do not fall in any of these. They do not have constitutional and socioeconomic rights. They are detained in the sense that they cannot go anywhere in Myanmar without the permission of the authorities. Once upon a time, Arakan was Muslim, now Rakhine settlement has been turned into a minority.
New Hope has been addressing community problems of those who are disadvantaged in our society by providing comprehensive guidance and training to excel as individuals and families. New Hope's charity mission does not end with only community support. It is now focussing on the humanitarian and environmental issues in Bangladesh. The Chairman of New Hope, Mr Mohammed Foiz Uddin MBE is engaged in raising awareness of the crises through his dynamic leadership and prudence. He has drawn the attention of the British Prime Minister, Parliamentary members, and European Parliamentary members including the United Nations to the Rohingya issues. The future plan of New Hope is to help out the destitute children from Myanmar who had flown to Bangladesh with or without parents. With this goal in mind, New Hope is accumulating funds to launch a full-scale humanitarian response in Bangladesh.
Response to the appeal for Rohingya Refugee Crisis by Mohammed Foiz Uddin MBE