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ailed Myanmar journalist awarded Fo
- Subject: ailed Myanmar journalist awarded Fo
- From: darnott@xxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 09 Dec 1999 06:41:00
Jailed Myanmar journalist awarded Fondation de France prize
AFP, Paris, 9 December 1999. Jailed journalist and novelist San San Nweh
of Myanmar was awarded the annual Reporters Sans Frontieres
(Reporters Without Borders) prize Friday for her devotion to press freedom.
The Fondation de France award, worth 50,000 francs (about 8,000 dollars),
was to be received Friday on behalf of San San by another dissident from
Myanmar living in France, Aung Ko, known for his part in John Boorman's
film "Rangoon".
Myanmar was formerly known as Burma.
San San was arrested in Rangoon in August 1994 and sentenced two months
later to 10 years in prison for "publishing information harmful to the state."
Prior to her arrest she edited several woman's magazines and was politically
active in the National League for Democracy, led by Nobel Peace prize winner
Aung San Suu Kyi.
The 55-year-old reporter, who has also published 12 novels as well as short
stories and poems, has struggled against illness and isolation since her
imprisonment, Reporters Sans Frontieres said.
"She is suffering from liver disease, eye problems because of the very harsh
conditions in prison and the torture she has endured," the press watchdog
said.
"Friends and relatives who have tried to bring food or money for her
have been threatened by Myanmar's secret service."
It added that apart from San San, 13 journalists are currently imprisoned
in Myanmar in appalling conditions, including well-known journalist
Win Tin, who is reportedly dying.
"Since 1962, the junta, outlawed by the rest of the world, has consistently
and with exceptional violence crushed the slightest attempt to launch a free
press," it said.
Previous winners of the annual prize have included Bosnian journalist
Zlatko Dizdarevic, Chinese journalist Wang Juntao and Syrian journalist
Nizar Nayyouf.
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