Burmese democracy activist nominated for UNESCO prize ( AP ) October4, 2002


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Burmese democracy activist nominated for UNESCO prize

PARIS (AP)

Democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi of Myanmar was nominated Friday for the UNESCO Nadanjeet Singh Prize for the Promotion of Tolerance and Non-Violence.

The four-member jury also recommended honorable mentions to slain U.S. journalist Daniel Pearl, nine journalists killed in Afghanistan, Nazi-hunter Simon Wisenthal, an Indian newspaper and a Canadian youth group.

The US$100,000 top prize will be awarded in November in Paris after the recommendations are approved by Koichiro Matsuura, director-general of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. The prize is awarded every two years.

Suu Kyi won the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize for her support of democracy in Myanmar, also known as Burma. Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy won 1990 elections by a landslide, but the military government refused to recognize the results.Suu Kyi was released from 19 months under house arrest in May. She began reconciliation talks with the junta in October 2000, but she is yet to hold direct talks with the generals.

"An international symbol of peaceful resistance to oppression, she is still pursuing her non-violent struggle for democracy and tolerance in Myanmar," the jury said in a statement.The statement said that if Suu Kyi is unable to travel to Paris to receive the award, a UNESCO official should go to Myanmar to present it to her.

The jury also said Pearl, a reporter with the Wall Street Journal, "lost his life for having attempted to denounce injustice in all its forms." Pearl was kidnapped and killed by suspected Islamic extremists in Pakistan.

The award is funded by Singh, imprisoned during Mohandas Gandhi's non- violent movement, and a former Indian ambassador.

The Indian newspaper nominated for honorable mention was Ramakrishna Mission, and the Canadian group is called Kids Can Free the Children.

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