Myanmar journalist Ko Swe Win, editor in chief of the news agency Myanmar Now, was among this year’s recipients of the EU’s Schuman Award for human rights for his untiring efforts in covering human rights violations in his investigative stories.
Ko Swe Win was also cited for his unwavering fight for freedom of expression in Myanmar.
“He is one of those who puts his finger where it hurts. He uncovered human rights cases that involved physical injury and death; unlawful detention and miscarriages of justice” said France’s Ambassador to Myanmar Olivier Richard during the award ceremony on Thursday.
Prior to receiving the Schuman Award, he received the President’s Certificate of Hounour from the Ministry of Information for exposing the abuse of two teenage maids by their employers in a tailor shop in Yangon in 2016.
Ko Swe Win said human rights must always reflect the timeless universal values of humanity.
“One of the growing difficulties these days is intolerance and hostility towards different races and nationalities being exploited as a political weapon – a very potent as well as very dangerous political weapon, I would say,” he said. “Only the promotion of human rights can help us contain this deplorable trend.”
The Schuman awards honour and recognize the important work of Myanmar personalities in defending fundamental and universal values. It aims at raising public awareness and reinforcing the important messages the awardees sent out in their communities.
The two other recipients of this year’s Schuman Award were Daw Khin Than Htwe and Cheery Zahau.
Daw Khin Than Htwe, a women’s rights defender from Mon State, was cited for her exceptional achievements in supporting survivors of gender-based violence and defending women’s rights.
Cheery Zahau, a human rights activist from Chin State, was honoured for her outstanding work in human rights, women participation and gender equality in her community and beyond.
The Schuman Awards were first given in Myanmar in 2017.
The first awardees were NLD lawyer U Ko Ni (posthumously), Director of the Nyein (Shalom) Foundation Daw Ja Nan Lataw, and U Aung Myo Min, executive director of Equality Myanmar.
