Victor.

Photo: Steve Gumaer, 2008, Rohingya boys in a internment camp surrounded by barbed wire outside Sittwe. We at Novi work for the health and futures of children like them.

#Rohingya #HumanRights #EndRacism #JusticeForAll #StopOppression #SpeakTruth #Novi #TheNoviCommunity

To him, the Rohingya weren’t people with histories, dreams, and dignity. They were a problem to be contained. And once you start seeing people as problems, you can justify almost anything.

Racism does that. It blinds a person to their own moral disfigurement. It allows a government to lock away families—mothers, fathers, children—and believe they are doing the right thing. It rewires the conscience, so that oppression looks like security, and dehumanization feels like governance.

He wasn’t foaming at the mouth with hatred. He wasn’t yelling racial slurs. He was calm, rational, even polite. But his logic was twisted beyond recognition, corrupted by a belief so deep that he could no longer see its cruelty.

The parable of the Good Samaritan calls us to care for those left behind when others walk away. Governments may step back, but together, we can step forward. Stand with Novi and act today—because the time to help is now.

In 2024, The Novi Community helped over 100,000 children in war-torn communities with food, education, and trauma support. But with government aid gone, these children are running out of time. We must act now.

Reading his acceptance speech will give you a sense of the courage, tenacity and humility he and his team excercise under incredible risk and danger every day.

While we discussed the strategic and life saving importance of this work on International Human Rights day, he was on stage with Anthony Blinken being recognized for doing it with excellence.

CHRO staff risk their lives and even give it away entirely in pursuit of their mission. Their sacrifice moved me deeply.

On the final day of our gathering, Salai Mang Hre Lian was Honored with the U.S Department of State Global Human Rights Defenders.