PHUKETWAN reporters have shared an important prize at the 14th Human Rights Press Awards in Hong Kong. The announcement was made on Saturday.
The 'South China Morning Post' newspaper reported: ''The team of Alan Morison, Chutima Sidasathian and Maseeh Rahman, former international editor Ian Young and chief Asia correspondent Greg Torode won the general news prize for exposing a secret Thai army policy of detaining Rohingya boatpeople from Myanmar [Burma], towing them to sea and abandoning them.''
Phuketwan journalists Alan Morison and Chutima Sidasathian, having reported that the boatpeople were being held in secret on an island off the Andaman coast north of Phuket, turned to the newspaper to help complete the investigation.
The Post won a record 14 prizes and special merits, beating major international news weeklies and agencies, as well as local and regional newspapers.
''The awards, co-organised by Amnesty International, the Foreign Correspondents Club and the Hong Kong Journalists' Association, recognise the work of 58 journalists, photo journalists and news organisations,'' the Post reported. ''Amnesty International Hong Kong's chairwoman, Mabel Au, said the awards brought to the fore once more stories that had been forgotten.''
Francis Moriarty, of the Foreign Correspondents' Club, said the awards were dedicated to the memory of 32 journalists who were among 57 people killed in November during an ambush in Maguindanao in the southern Philippines.
Special guest was Myrna Reblando of the Justice Now! movement. Her husband, journalist Alejandro Reblando of 'The Manila Bulletin', was among the journalists murdered.
In an emotional speech in both English and Tagalog, Reblando appealed for help to bring the perpetrators of the massacre to justice.
Phuketwan editor Alan Morison said today he was delighted that the plight of the Rohingya continued to be recognised. ''If only Thailand would put some pressure on Burma to solve the issue,'' he said.
''The world can see how badly these people are treated, but governments are blind to abuse.'' He said it was the role of good journalists to open the eyes of authorities, and to right ''human wrongs.''
''Even on a holiday island like Phuket, there is much that needs to change,'' he said. ''And being a local news outlet doesn't mean we can ignore global issues.''
Earlier this year, Phuketwan reporters shared the Scoop of the Year 2009 award for their exclusive reports in the Post on the Rohingya.
Phuket Team Scoops Top Award for ReportingThe 'South China Morning Post' newspaper reported: ''The team of Alan Morison, Chutima Sidasathian and Maseeh Rahman, former international editor Ian Young and chief Asia correspondent Greg Torode won the general news prize for exposing a secret Thai army policy of detaining Rohingya boatpeople from Myanmar [Burma], towing them to sea and abandoning them.''
Phuketwan journalists Alan Morison and Chutima Sidasathian, having reported that the boatpeople were being held in secret on an island off the Andaman coast north of Phuket, turned to the newspaper to help complete the investigation.
The Post won a record 14 prizes and special merits, beating major international news weeklies and agencies, as well as local and regional newspapers.
''The awards, co-organised by Amnesty International, the Foreign Correspondents Club and the Hong Kong Journalists' Association, recognise the work of 58 journalists, photo journalists and news organisations,'' the Post reported. ''Amnesty International Hong Kong's chairwoman, Mabel Au, said the awards brought to the fore once more stories that had been forgotten.''
Francis Moriarty, of the Foreign Correspondents' Club, said the awards were dedicated to the memory of 32 journalists who were among 57 people killed in November during an ambush in Maguindanao in the southern Philippines.
Special guest was Myrna Reblando of the Justice Now! movement. Her husband, journalist Alejandro Reblando of 'The Manila Bulletin', was among the journalists murdered.
In an emotional speech in both English and Tagalog, Reblando appealed for help to bring the perpetrators of the massacre to justice.
Phuketwan editor Alan Morison said today he was delighted that the plight of the Rohingya continued to be recognised. ''If only Thailand would put some pressure on Burma to solve the issue,'' he said.
''The world can see how badly these people are treated, but governments are blind to abuse.'' He said it was the role of good journalists to open the eyes of authorities, and to right ''human wrongs.''
''Even on a holiday island like Phuket, there is much that needs to change,'' he said. ''And being a local news outlet doesn't mean we can ignore global issues.''
Earlier this year, Phuketwan reporters shared the Scoop of the Year 2009 award for their exclusive reports in the Post on the Rohingya.
Latest Phuketwan has picked up a top news award as part of the team that broke the Scoop of the Year 2009. Coincidentally, the award comes amid reports of boatpeople near Phuket.
Phuket Team Scoops Top Award for Reporting
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Well done to you and your team.
This is a great award for Phuketwan.
I say again, well done.
Posted by Graham on April 18, 2010 11:46