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13-year-old boy with a tail worshipped as a god

By
Kaniva Staff
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By DANYAL HUSSAIN FOR MAILONLINE

A teenage Muslim boy born with a one-and-a-half foot long ‘tail’ is revered by Hindus in an Indian village who see him as an incarnation of the monkey god Lord Hanuman.

Sohail Shah, 13, was born in a small village near Madhya Pradesh, central India with a patch of thick hair on his lower back that has grown long and matted together into a tail.

His strange growth has earned him the name of Bajrangi Bhaijan- or the God brother by the villagers.

He is so popular that people from far off villages flock to him every other day to be blessed.

They bring a bag full of fruits such as bananas and mangoes for Sohail in exchange for the blessings.

The schoolboy is also revered at school, particularly by teachers who never scold him in fear of upsetting the God.

It is unclear why the boy has developed the growth, but it is likely a result of a neural tube deformity.

During the first month of life, an embryo grows a structure called the neural tube that will eventually form the spine and nervous system.

Sohail could have been born with a tail due to a neural tube defect known as spina bifida, where the spine doesn’t develop properly.

Sohail himself says he enjoys the love and attention he gets because of his tail and never wants to of cut it off.

The teen said: ‘I am not at all embarrassed because of my tail. I was born with this and it is very much part of my life now.

‘I have seen people treating me like God since my birth so it is not new for me.

‘They call me Hanuman and touch my feet for blessings.

‘If I am walking on road, they come to me and join their hands asking for blessings. Some give me bananas and mangoes-my favourite fruits.

‘I am treated specially by everyone in the village be it Muslims or Hindus and I feel fantastic about it.

‘I do not face any physical problems because of the tail and so I don’t intend to get rid of it ever.

‘I do feel I am special and that I am blessed by Lord Hanuman because I get so much love by the people.’

Sohail’s family also believe that he is truly God’s gift and say they have only experienced love, peace and prosperity since he was born.

His grandfather Ashiq Shah, 60, said: ‘We have been blessed with peace and prosperity since his birth. He has brought good luck to all of us.

‘He is a wonderful boy and is very peaceful and intelligent and caring. He treats everyone with love and respect.’

Since Sohail is a Muslim, his grandfather said there were hermits who wanted to adopt him.

They requested that the family hand over Sohail but were refused.

‘They feared we will marry him off but we refused to give him up, instead we have raised him with lots of love and care.’

According to mythology, Lord Hanuman was the ultimate bachelor and life-long celibate who devoted his life to his lord Rama.

Grandfather Mr Shah said: ‘We have accepted Sohail with his tail and we believe that he is a special child.

‘Even though we are Muslims, we respect the feelings of our Hindu brethren in the village who see him as Hanuman.

‘He has brought harmony in the village.

‘If someone bumps into him in the morning, they say their day is going to be good as they have seen the god’s face.

‘They all call him Hanuman and brings food for him. We never object to that.. In fact, we also call him hanuman at times.’

His parents, father Sadiq Shah, 32, a daily wage labour and mother Nazma, 30, also believe that Sohail’s tail is God’s gift and removing it will bring bad omens.

His mother said: ‘I was shocked to see the patch of hair in his back. But soon people in the village started saying he was incarnation of the Hindu god. We too started believing he is special.

‘We are poor but all our worries and sorrows have vanished since his birth. There is always happiness and peace in the family.

‘We never wish to get his tail removed because he was born like this.’

5-year-old critical after being hit by car in Tongatapu

By
Kaniva Staff
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A girl is in a critical condition after being hit by a car in the Tongatapu town of Kolofo’ou, reports said.

Nuku’alofa police said the incident happened on Mateialona Road on April 24 at around 9pm.

Local news reported that a 34-year-old male driver from Puke was in Police custody after he was charged with reckless driving causing grievous bodily harm.

The girl sustained serious injuries in Vaiola Hospital.

No arrests in Pahu and Pili robberies  

By
Kaniva Staff
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No arrests have been made in relation to the shop robbery in Pahu last week.

Police said the two masked robbers who were armed with an iron rod took around $10,000 pa’anga and other goods from a Chinese shop on April 20.

The man allegedly raided the shop at midnight. No injuries reported.

Meanwhile, Police were still looking for thieves who escaped with electronic goods worth over $9,000 pa’anga from a home at Pili on Sunday night.

It is not clear whether the two robberies were related.

Police investigation continues.

Ha’apai woman dies in suspected suicide

By
Kaniva Staff
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A woman has died in Niu’ui hospital on April 24 in a suspected suicide, reports said.

The 20-year-old was found in a serious condition in a home in Lifuka island on Monday night 23.

She was rushed to hospital before she died the following day.

Police investigation continues.

Father-of-nine is convicted of raping his girlfriend

By
Kaniva Staff
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A married man who has nine children had been convicted after he was found guilty Monday for raping his 20-year-old girlfriend.

Talanoa Fainu, who was in his 40s, was convicted of rape on two occasions and is remanded in custody for sentence. A probation report was ordered after he committed the crime on 15 May 2017 at Houma.

The Supreme Court heard the pair had consensual sex on some occasions after the rape.

They previously had consensual sexual foreplay but no intercourse involved as the complainant wanted to preserve her virginity, the court was told.

On the night of the crime the complainant’s parents went looking for her and found the accused’s vehicle near their home. The accused and the complainant were inside the car.

The complainant noticed her parents and asked the accused to drive them away because she was afraid of her father if he caught her.

The accused drove at speed to a bush area where, at one stage, in the rear seat of the vehicle, sexual intercourse took place on two occasions. The victim alleged that this was not consensual.

The complainant’s parents finally found her in the accused’s workplace the following morning.

The court was told that at one stage after they found her the mother intervened to prevent her husband assaulting the accused.

Justice Cato said the complainant was giving her account honestly.

“I accept her evidence that she was a virgin and wanted to remain so until she was 21, and that the experience was painful. She also admitted that a third act of intercourse which occurred later at the accused’s workplace when she was cold and the accused had suggested to have sexual intercourse to warm her up was consensual.”

Mr. Cato said he had some concern about the possibility that the complainant had lied on the issue of whether the sexual intercourse that took place in the bush was non-consensual because she was very frightened of her father and may have falsely made a complaint of rape to placate her father.

“If that were the case and she had made a false complaint to the police then her evidence could have been tailored to advance the false complaint.”

Justice Cato said: “I am satisfied, however, on all the evidence I have heard that beyond any reasonable doubt A did not consent to intercourse on the two occasions alleged and that the accused must have known this.”

Mr. Cato said, he did not believe in Fainu in his voluntary statement that the intercourse was consensual.

Tonga’s press freedom ranking drops in aftermath of Pohiva’s clashes with media

By
Philip Cass
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Tonga has dropped two places in this year’s international press freedom rankings from Reporters Sans frontiers.

It is now listed as 51st out of 180 countries.

This places it ahead of the two other Pacific nations listed by the RSF: Papua New Guinea, which has dropped two places to 53rd and Fiji, which has risen by 10 places to 57th.

The RSF report said the re-election of Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva’s party in November 2017 was accompanied by growing tension between the government and journalists.

Hon. Pohiva has had a tempestuous relationship with the kingdom’s media and his constant clashes with the Tongan Broadcasting Commission have particularly drawn attention

The International Federation of Journalists reported last November that news editor Laumanu Petelō and news manager Viola Ulakai were removed from their positions as part of the clash with the Prime Minister.

The TBC’s board chair and the general manager were also removed.

Hon. Pohiva described the state broadcaster as “an enemy of government.”

“They claim the freedom of media should be allowed, should be the same with any other media in Tonga but they should understand there is a basic difference between a private media and also government media. Their main role, to me, is to facilitate the work of the government.”

The RSF noted that some politicians have sued media outlets, exposing them to the risk of heavy damages awards. Some journalists reported they were forced to censor themselves because of the threat of being bankrupted.

However, it noted that independent media outlets have increasingly assumed a watchdog role since the first democratic elections in 2010.

The RSF index ranks 180 countries according to the level of freedom available to journalists. It is a snapshot of the media freedom situation based on an evaluation of pluralism, independence of the media, quality of legislative framework and safety of journalists in each country.

In other international rankings, the US-based Freedom House listed the Tongan media as free in 2017. On a scale of one (most free) to 7 (least free) it ranked the kingdom  as 2/7 for political rights and civil liberties.

Elsewhere in the Pacific, RSF reported that while Papua New Guinea’s media enjoyed a relatively free environment, journalists were still subject to violence. There were several cases in 2017 of journalists being the targets of police violence and some officials directly threatened journalists whose articles criticize them.

The authorities repeatedly prevented the media and citizen-journalists from freely covering the elections in June and July 2017.

In Fiji, the RSF said the adoption of a new constitution in 2013 and the ensuing parliamentary elections in September 2014 had a positive effect on access to information. This could be seen in the public debate and pluralistic coverage during the election itself despite some problems in the run-up, the RSF said.

However, the media were still restricted by the 2010 Media Industry Development Decree and the Media Industry Development Authority. The RSF said the ruling Fiji First party were hostile to Fijian journalists.

National Reserve Bank assesses state of economy in aftermath of Cyclone Gita

By
Philip Cass
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Cyclone Gita has had a major impact on Tonga’s economy.

According to the National Reserve Bank it will reduce financial growth in the short term, but will also boost foreign reserves.

The Governor of the Reserve Bank, Dr. Sione Ngongo Kioa told the bank’s board of directors’ meeting earlier this month that domestic economic activities in February 2018 were affected by the devastation by tropical cyclone Gita.

Kioa said this would also be reflected in the economic activities of upcoming months.

Foreign reserves increased to $448 million in February 2018, driven by higher receipts of Government grants and cyclone relief funds from development partners and insurance payouts.

Economic indicators were mixed.  Agricultural exports declined, mainly driven by the decrease in the volume of root crops such as cassava and giant taro. Exported marine products, particularly tuna, rose.

Individual housing and business construction loans remained positive despite the decline in business manufacturing loans.

However, container registrations decreased as both business and private containers fell. Vehicle registrations for cars and other light vehicles also fell. There was also decline in air arrivals.

The Reserve Bank said foreign aid and higher levels of remittance meant levels of foreign reserves would remain at comfortable levels.

The Bank warned that this would be offset by the beginning of the government’s repayment of the principal loan to China’s Export-Import Bank.

The Bank’s board of directors said it would maintain its current monetary policy measures of encouraging further lending to the growth sectors, in order to support economic growth and the recovery from Tropical Cyclone Gita.

The Economist Intelligence Unit predicted that reconstruction work would boost economic activity in Tonga into next year. However, this would be  offset by the loss of crops and a fall-of in tourism.

The International Monetary Fund said economic damage from Cyclone Gita equalled about 30 percent of GDP, particularly in the agriculture and tourism sectors.

The main points

  • Cyclone Gita has had a major impact on Tonga’s economy.
  • According to the National Reserve Bank it will reduce financial growth in the short term, but will also boost foreign reserves.
  • The Governor of the Reserve Bank, Sione Ngongo Kioa told the bank’s board of directors’ meeting earlier this month that domestic economic activities in February 2018 were affected by the devastation by tropical cyclone Gita.

For more information

Cyclone Gita devastates Tonga (The Economist)

Asia and Pacific Small States Monitor (IMF)

King attends ANZAC dawn service in Nuku’alofa

By
Kaniva Staff
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His Majesty King Tupou VI has honoured Australia and New Zealand’s war dead at a dawn service in Nuku’alofa this morning.

The king attended the Anzac Day service at the Pangai Lahi cenotaph, organised by the Australian and New Zealand High Commissions.

Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva was also in attendance including Members of Parliament, Ministers of the Crown, officers from the Australian and New Zealand armed forces, foreign diplomats and some members of the public.

A statement from the New Zealand High Commission in Tonga said: “On ANZAC day, we remember all Australian and New Zealand veterans of all conflicts. We acknowledge the sacrifice of all those who have died in conflict, and the contribution of all those who have served.”

Just before dawn on this day in 1915, Australian and New Zealand troops landed under fire on the beaches of the Gallipoli Peninsula of Turkey with a large number of casualties. It was then, and in the battles that followed, that the Australian and New Zealand Army Coprs – the ANZAC – tradition was formed, based on courage, bravery, compassion and comradery.

Shortly after the Gallipoli campaign, the New Zealand Expeditionary Force began to seek Polynesian volunteers from across the South Pacific. These volunteers served mainly in Māori units. In this way, soldiers recruited from the Kingdom of Tonga joined the fraternity of the ANZACs and service in Western Europe and Palestine.

All of our countries were relatively small players in these great clashes of nations. As small countries, the sacrifice of life and limb was keenly felt at home. This was true whether home was Tonga, New Zealand or Australia. All around New Zealand and Australia and across the world, services like this one are being held to commemorate ANZAC Day.

“We will remember them.”

At the New Zealand commemorations today, Associate Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Grant Robertson said: “It was on the Western Front where New Zealand made its most significant contribution to the First World War, and also where New Zealand suffered the greatest loss of life. More than 12,000 New Zealanders died in France and Belgium between 1916 and 1919.

Caritas, Habitat for Humanity working on housing project in wake of Cyclone Gita

By
Philip Cass
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Catholic NGO Caritas and the American-based organisation Habitat for Humanity are working together to build new homes in Tonga to replace homes destroyed  by Cyclone Gita.

The NGOs are working with the Tongan government on the project.

Amelia Ma’afu, Acting Director of Caritas Tonga, said cyclone resistant family houses built in 2016-2017 through a Caritas Tonga/Habitat for Humanity housing programme came through Cyclone Gita with hardly any damage.

A total of eight one bedroom wooden houses were built as a pilot project in a few weeks from materials shipped in by Habitat for Humanity by people who had lost their homes and volunteers.

Cyclone Gita struck Tonga on the night of 12-13 February, destroying more than 4500 houses.

Tonga staff and volunteers, working closely with the Tongan National Youth Council, distributed tarpaulins, water, hygiene and kitchen sets, in the days immediately following the cyclone.

It is now concentrating on helping people rebuild homes and provide psychosocial support.

The rebuilding project with Habitat for Humanity aims to rebuild 500 homes.

A campaign is underway in New Zealand to raise NZ$1 million to fund the project.

Habitat for Humanity Chief executive Claire Szabo said the money raised would include money from the community and businesses lending financial support, tools and tradespeople.

“The locals are very involved,” she told Radio New Zealand.

“We have engineers and builders that are involved in supervision both here in New Zealand and up in Tonga. So there’s a whole crew of people to get involved to make our model happen.”

Tonga to issue ‘visa on arrival’ to Emiratis

By
Kalino Latu
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Tonga has allowed visas on arrival for Emiratis who came to Tonga on diplomatic, VIP, special mission and ordinary passports.

This was confirmed in an agreement which would take effect in May 24.

The Emiratis, after being issued with visas at Tonga international airport, could stay in the kingdom for up to 60 days during each visit.

The Gulf News report has quoted Ahmad Alham Al Daheri, the United Arab Emirates’ Assistant Undersecretary for Consular Affairs, as saying the move came “following the signing of a memorandum of understanding in this regard by the governments of the two countries on Monday, following a joint committee meeting in Abu Dhabi.”

Tongan passport holders could now travel to the United Arab Emirates on visa on arrival. They could also travel to countries such as China, Barbados, Dominica, United Kingdom, Peru, Fiji, Bahamas, Ireland, Hong Kong, Kenya and Bangladesh without getting a visa before their trip.

As Kaniva News reported in 2016, the Tonga government signed an agreement with the Chinese government in June to allow Chinese nationals to come to Tonga on visa on arrival.

They were allowed to stay in the country for a period not exceeding 30 days.

Other Pacific Island countries which have visa on arrival agreement included Fiji,  Palau, Samoa and Vanuatu.

The Prime Minister’s office was contacted for comment.

For further information:

Chinese tourists enter Tonga on “visa on arrival” not “without visa” government clarifies

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