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Asian Nobel Prize Winners Announced

03/08/09August 3, 2009

The Ramon Magsaysay foundation announced its list of winners for the year 2009 on Monday. Every year, the Ramon Magsaysay Awards foundation presents awards in six categories: government service; public service; community leadership; journalism, literature and creative communication arts; peace and international understanding; and emergent leadership. The awards are named after the late president of the Philippines, Ramon Magsaysay, who died in a plane crash in 1957.

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Ka Hsaw Wa won the award for promoting non-violent opposition
Ka Hsaw Wa won the award for promoting non-violent oppositionImage: rmaf

The Indian Deep Joshi has won the Magsaysay award, which honours champions of human development in Asia, for bringing professionalism to the NGO movement in his country.

Despite a business background, Joshi decided to work for the disadvantaged sections of Indian society. The 62-year-old believes in combining head and heart to bring professionalism to the NGO movement.

“The idea of developing or helping other human beings requires an interest in the people that you are working with. So you have to be motivated to give part of your life and of yourself for the good of other people,” he explained.

“You need that because you are creating opportunities in rural India -- it’s a challenging enterprise. You need empathy, a certain amount of commitment for people who are left out. You also need to help them make a better world for themselves -- that’s the meaning of ‘head and heart’.”

Acknowledged for defending non-violence

Ka Hsaw Wa, who was born in Myanmar also known as Burma, is now in exile in the US and Thailand, won the award for pursuing non-violent channels for the defence of human rights and democracy.

As a 17-year-old student, Wa participated in the pro-democracy protests in 1988. After being arrested and tortured, he was able to flee Myanmar.

Today, Wa says his inspiration are “the people who are victims of human rights violations in Burma and the people who do not fear their lives. A lot of people would say that they derive their inspiration from some leader or some great man. Mine comes from people who continue to suffer human rights violations. When I look at the situation, I say: ‘If I don’t do this, who will do this job?’ I cannot give up.”

Wa is also hopeful about a better future for his country, despite the current delay of the verdict in the case of pro-democracy leader Aung San Su Kyi. He thinks that “they are thinking of how to deal with her because one way or another, they are holding a tiger’s tail. If they release it, they’ll be in trouble, if they don’t release it, it’s going to bite them back. It is not about law -- this is about a group of military dictators. Finally, non-violence and people’s power will take over from the military power.”

Awarded for improving the world creatively

Other winners of the awards include the Thai Krisana Kraisintu for her dedication to producing much-needed generic drugs.

Zu Xiogang from China has been recognised for shaping developmental projects for people displaced by dams.

Whilst Ma Jun, also from China, has been acknowledged for her work on water problems.

Antonio Oposa Junior got the award for his educational campaigns raising awareness about the environment in the Philippines.

The official Ramon Magsaysay Awards ceremony will take place on Aug. 31st.

Author: Pukhraj Choudhary
Editor: Anne Thomas