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Anna Lindh award for NDD Chairman Daw Khin Ohnmar |
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by Phanidar
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Tuesday, 03 June 2008 22:06 |
A Burmese woman activist and leader, Daw Khin Ohnmar, fighting for human rights on the Thai-Burma border has been awarded the Sweden Human Rights prize.
Daw Khin Ohnmar, Chairman of 'Network for Democracy and Development' (NDD), was awarded the Anna Lindh prize, named after the late Swedish Foreign Minister. This prize is awarded annually to human rights activists and organisations around the world struggling assiduously for democracy and human rights.
"The international community always and continuously encourages human rights and democratic movements in Burma. I feel happy and proud to be awarded. But I think and feel that this prize is for our entire democratic and human rights movement though it has been given to me," Daw Khin Ohnmar, the prize winner said.
The award carries prize money of USD 42,000. The award ceremony will be held on June 18 in Stockholm, Sweden. Daw Khin Ohnmar will attend the ceremony and receive the prize.
This prize is being awarded since 2004 and is named after the Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh who was assassinated in 2003.
"Anna Lindh was famous among political leaders. She was also a democracy and human rights activist. She stood for truth. She was a brilliant woman leader on the world stage and I was sad when I heard of her tragic and untimely demise. I feel proud of being awarded the prize named after the brilliant woman leader," Daw Khin Ohnmar told Mizzima.
Daw Khin Ohnmar was also awarded the '1997 Capital Area Peace Maker Award', the 'New York Refugee Women and Children Commission' award and the '2008 Global Leadership Awards' awarded by NGO 'Vital Voices Global Partnership'.
"Our struggle is just and is being encouraged and assisted by the international community. I feel happy and thank them. I think the prize is recognition of our right and just struggle by the international community for all democracy and human right activists at home and abroad. I am proud of them too. I am encouraged to continue my ongoing task of democratic and human rights struggle," she said.
She is lobbying for democracy for Burma at both the regional and UN level and also focusing on women's empowerment programmes for Burmese women living along the Thai-Burma border.
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