ARRESTED BUSHMEN WIN 'ALTERNATIVE NOBEL PRIZE'
A big success for Roy Sesana, the organization First People of the Kalahari (FPK), all the Gana and Gwi people and their supporters - and a big shame for the Botswana overlord governance.
ARRESTED BUSHMEN WIN 'ALTERNATIVE NOBEL PRIZE'
29 September 2005
Five days after their leaders were arrested and beaten, there was a dramatic turnaround today in the fortunes of the Kalahari Bushmen as they learnt they have won the 'Alternative Nobel Prize'.
First People of the Kalahari (FPK), the grass-roots organisation of the Gana and Gwi Bushmen of Botswana, who are fighting for their right to return to their ancestral homeland, today won Sweden's Right Livelihood Award, known as the 'Alternative Nobel Prize'.
The award has been given for the Bushmen's 'resolute resistance against eviction from their ancestral lands, and for upholding the right to their traditional way of life.'
Five days ago the FPK leaders were amongst a group of 28 Bushmen who were arrested by police firing tear gas and rubber bullets. The Bushmen were attempting to take food and water to their relatives still inside the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, from which most of the Bushmen have been evicted. The Bushmen leaders were badly beaten after being handcuffed.
FPK has been fighting a long battle for the right of the Gana and Gwi Bushmen to live peacefully inside the reserve, which is their ancestral homeland. The reserve's rich diamond deposits have been widely blamed for the government's expulsion of the Bushmen. De Beers, which runs all Botswana's diamond mines, is now the subject of a global boycott.
Past winners of the Prize include Kenyan environmentalist Wangari Maathai, and Nigerian Ken Saro-Wiwa.
The FPK's leader Roy Sesana is the first Botswana-born winner of the prize. For more information about the award go to: http://www.rightlivelihood.org/news/event05.htm
SURVIVAL INTERNATIONAL PRESS RELEASE Read this press release online: http://www.survival-international.org/news.php?id=1065 For more information about the Bushmen please contact Miriam Ross on (020) 7687 8731, email mr@survival-international.org or see: http://www.khoisanpeoples.org
2005 RIGHT LIVELIHOOD AWARDS HONOUR PIONEERS FOR JUSTICE, FAIR TRADE AND CULTURAL RENEWAL Alternative Nobel Prize honours bushwo/men
29. Sept. 2005
The 2005 Honorary Right Livelihood Award goes to one of Mexico’s greatest living artists and community philanthropists, Franscisco Toledo.
The SEK 2 million Award is shared by Maude Barlow and Tony Clarke from Canada, Irene Fernandez from Malaysia, and the organisation First People of the Kalahari, and its founder Roy Sesana, from Botswana.
The Jury’s citations in respect of the 2005 Right Livelihood Awards are as follows:
Francisco Toledo (Mexico) - … for devoting himself and his art to the protection, enhancement and renewal of the architectural and cultural heritage, natural environment and community life of his native Oaxaca.
Maude Barlow and Tony Clarke (Canada) - … for their exemplary and longstanding worldwide work for trade justice and the recognition of the fundamental human right to water.
Irene Fernandez (Malaysia) - … for her outstanding and courageous work to stop violence against women and abuses of migrant and poor workers.
The organization First People of the Kalahari, and its founder Roy Sesana (Botswana) - … for resolute resistance against eviction from their ancestral lands, and for upholding the right to their traditional way of life.
Founded in 1980 the Right Livelihood Awards are presented annually in the Swedish Parliament and are often referred to as “Alternative Nobel Prizes”. They were introduced “to honour and support those offering practical and exemplary answers to the most urgent challenges facing us today”.
Jakob von Uexkull, a Swedish-German philatelic expert, sold his valuable postage stamps to provide the original endowment. Alfred Nobel wanted to honour those whose work “brought the greatest benefit to humanity”. Von Uexkull felt that the Nobel Prizes today ignore much work and knowledge vital for our world and future.
A press conference with the recipients will be held in Stockholm on Wednesday, December 7th. The award presentation ceremony in the Swedish Parliament will be held on December 9th.
There were 77 candidates from 39 countries on the confidential list of nominations this year: 4 from Africa, 4 from the Arab world, 20 from Asia, 1 from Australia, 26 from Europe, 12 from Latin America and 10 from North America.
Further information on the new recipients can be downloaded from http://www.rightlivelihood.org
For more information: Kerstin Bennett, Administrative Director Right Livelihood Award, Stockholm. Tel: +46-8-702 03 40 Fax: +46-8-702 03 38 E-mail: info @ rightlivelihood.org Website: http://www.rightlivelihood.org
ECOTERRA Intl.
ARRESTED BUSHMEN WIN 'ALTERNATIVE NOBEL PRIZE'
29 September 2005
Five days after their leaders were arrested and beaten, there was a dramatic turnaround today in the fortunes of the Kalahari Bushmen as they learnt they have won the 'Alternative Nobel Prize'.
First People of the Kalahari (FPK), the grass-roots organisation of the Gana and Gwi Bushmen of Botswana, who are fighting for their right to return to their ancestral homeland, today won Sweden's Right Livelihood Award, known as the 'Alternative Nobel Prize'.
The award has been given for the Bushmen's 'resolute resistance against eviction from their ancestral lands, and for upholding the right to their traditional way of life.'
Five days ago the FPK leaders were amongst a group of 28 Bushmen who were arrested by police firing tear gas and rubber bullets. The Bushmen were attempting to take food and water to their relatives still inside the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, from which most of the Bushmen have been evicted. The Bushmen leaders were badly beaten after being handcuffed.
FPK has been fighting a long battle for the right of the Gana and Gwi Bushmen to live peacefully inside the reserve, which is their ancestral homeland. The reserve's rich diamond deposits have been widely blamed for the government's expulsion of the Bushmen. De Beers, which runs all Botswana's diamond mines, is now the subject of a global boycott.
Past winners of the Prize include Kenyan environmentalist Wangari Maathai, and Nigerian Ken Saro-Wiwa.
The FPK's leader Roy Sesana is the first Botswana-born winner of the prize. For more information about the award go to: http://www.rightlivelihood.org/news/event05.htm
SURVIVAL INTERNATIONAL PRESS RELEASE Read this press release online: http://www.survival-international.org/news.php?id=1065 For more information about the Bushmen please contact Miriam Ross on (020) 7687 8731, email mr@survival-international.org or see: http://www.khoisanpeoples.org
2005 RIGHT LIVELIHOOD AWARDS HONOUR PIONEERS FOR JUSTICE, FAIR TRADE AND CULTURAL RENEWAL Alternative Nobel Prize honours bushwo/men
29. Sept. 2005
The 2005 Honorary Right Livelihood Award goes to one of Mexico’s greatest living artists and community philanthropists, Franscisco Toledo.
The SEK 2 million Award is shared by Maude Barlow and Tony Clarke from Canada, Irene Fernandez from Malaysia, and the organisation First People of the Kalahari, and its founder Roy Sesana, from Botswana.
The Jury’s citations in respect of the 2005 Right Livelihood Awards are as follows:
Francisco Toledo (Mexico) - … for devoting himself and his art to the protection, enhancement and renewal of the architectural and cultural heritage, natural environment and community life of his native Oaxaca.
Maude Barlow and Tony Clarke (Canada) - … for their exemplary and longstanding worldwide work for trade justice and the recognition of the fundamental human right to water.
Irene Fernandez (Malaysia) - … for her outstanding and courageous work to stop violence against women and abuses of migrant and poor workers.
The organization First People of the Kalahari, and its founder Roy Sesana (Botswana) - … for resolute resistance against eviction from their ancestral lands, and for upholding the right to their traditional way of life.
Founded in 1980 the Right Livelihood Awards are presented annually in the Swedish Parliament and are often referred to as “Alternative Nobel Prizes”. They were introduced “to honour and support those offering practical and exemplary answers to the most urgent challenges facing us today”.
Jakob von Uexkull, a Swedish-German philatelic expert, sold his valuable postage stamps to provide the original endowment. Alfred Nobel wanted to honour those whose work “brought the greatest benefit to humanity”. Von Uexkull felt that the Nobel Prizes today ignore much work and knowledge vital for our world and future.
A press conference with the recipients will be held in Stockholm on Wednesday, December 7th. The award presentation ceremony in the Swedish Parliament will be held on December 9th.
There were 77 candidates from 39 countries on the confidential list of nominations this year: 4 from Africa, 4 from the Arab world, 20 from Asia, 1 from Australia, 26 from Europe, 12 from Latin America and 10 from North America.
Further information on the new recipients can be downloaded from http://www.rightlivelihood.org
For more information: Kerstin Bennett, Administrative Director Right Livelihood Award, Stockholm. Tel: +46-8-702 03 40 Fax: +46-8-702 03 38 E-mail: info @ rightlivelihood.org Website: http://www.rightlivelihood.org
ECOTERRA Intl.
Starmail - 29. Sep, 19:46
