Vishwa Kalyan Award
(VKA)
2022
Padmini Arhant
Due to the corona virus pandemic in 2020, 2021 – the Vishwa Kalyan Award (VKA) was paused during that time.
However, the work of many tireless activists sacrificing their precious life, time and scarce resources in improving and uplifting human rights, environment protection, pro-democracy movement, veterans in war zone defending their sovereignty…are few examples among several causes that merit recognition and extensive support in achieving their respective legitimate goals.
Human rights, individual liberty, peace and justice remaining the primary target for authoritarian systems and institutions behind oppression, persecution and marginalization of fellow human beings based on race, religion, gender and other classifications,
The activism by courageous souls and members in different society worldwide are extraordinary and deserve honorable acknowledgment.
Accordingly, the first category in Vishwa Kalyan Award 2022 is human rights, independence, peace and justice.
The recipients of Vishwa Kalyan Award 2022 for human rights, freedom, peace and justice are as follows:
1. Palestine – The young, dynamic and committed Palestinian Rights Defender till her last breath – Suha Jarrar – sadly died at age mere 31 in Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The posthumous recognition of the brave Suha Jarrar will be received by her surviving mother – Mrs. Khalida Jarrar .
According to Human Rights Watch reports from Israel and Palestine Director, Middle East and North Africa Division – Omar Shakir. Thank you.
“Suha conducted innovative research on the environmental impacts of the Israeli occupation, including a 2019 report arguing that discriminatory Israeli policies and practices impede the ability of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank to adapt to climate change. As point person on gender issues for al-Haq, she represented the organization when the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women deliberated on the situation of women in Palestine. She researched, advocated and fearlessly pushed to mainstream within Palestinian civil society the full range of rights issues related to gender and sexuality, even where perilous and proscribed.
Suha Jarrar died without her mother nearby, since Khalida Jarrar sits in an Israeli jail. For most of the last six years, Israeli authorities have detained Khalida, a 58-year-old elected member of the Palestine Legislative Council, over her political activism with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).”
From Palestine – Yet another recipient of Vishwa Kalyan Award 2022 is Issa Amro.
News Report – Forum ZFD – February 12, 2021.
Issa Amro is a Palestinian Human Rights Defender from Hebron. He has been internationally recognized for his activism and dedication to non-violent resistance in Palestine. As a founding member of “Youth against Settlements,” he continues to advocate for the rights of Palestinian residents of Hebron, who are deeply impacted by settler violence and restrictions to their ability to move freely in their city.
2. Afghanistan – Women’s Rights Activist Munesa Mubarez defending women rights and human dignity increasingly denied under Taliban government in Kabul. Munesa Mubarez is actively engaged in defending Afghan women basic rights to education, health, social justice and economic opportunity in entirety excluded for women under Taliban rule since takeover in 2021.
3. Sri Lanka – Kanapathipillai Kumanan,
Kanapathipillai Kumanan is a Tamil journalist and human rights defender based in Mullaitivu, Sri Lanka. He is a photo journalist and an activist covering violations against Tamil civilians by security forces in the heavily militarised North and East Sri Lanka.
Following the end of the armed conflict in May 2009, Kanapathipillai Kumanan has played a key role in covering issues including enforced disappearances, military land acquisition and environmental crimes. He also supports the campaigns of survivor defender communities for truth, justice and redress.
Courtesy – Front Line Defenders Report. Thank you.
“On 7 June 2022, Kanapathipillai Kumanan, a human rights defender and independent journalist based in Mullaitivu, was intimidated by the Sri Lanka Police and Sri Lanka Navy personnel while he was covering a protest against forcible acquisition of land by the Sri Lanka Navy in Vattuvakkal, Mullivaikkal. Kumanan was blocked from covering the protest, threatened with arrest and physically removed from the protest site.”
4. Hong Kong – Pro-democracy activists – Joshua Wong, Agnes Chow, Benny Tai, a legal scholar; Au Nok-hin, a former legislator; Chiu Ka-yin and Chung Kam-lun, former district council members; and Gordon Ng Ching-hang, an activist.
All of these members have been subject and / or face harsh conditions, imprisonment and Beijing authorized trials denying them due process.
5. Tibet – A-Nya Sengdra. Chime (Jigme) Namgyal and Rinchen Samdrup.
A-Nya Sengdra is a Tibetan human rights defender and climate activist working on anti-corruption and environment issues in Chinese-occupied Tibet.
The two environmentalists, Chime (Jigme) Namgyal and Rinchen Samdrup, have been in detention in Tibet since August 2009.
6. Xinjiang Province (Autonomous), China – Yidiresi Aishan, also known as Idris Hasan – Uyghur activist, remains under threat of extradition from Morocco to China, where there are substantial grounds to believe that he would be in danger of being subjected to torture and life sentence in prison.
7. Taiwan – Lee Ming-che and Yang Chih-yuen
Lee Ming-che – the pro-democracy and independent Taiwan activist was arrested by Chinese authorities in 2017 and charged with subversion of state power. The activist recently returned home on April 15, 2022 after serving five-year black jail term (extreme conditions) in China.
Yang Chih-yuen was arrested by state security police in Zhejiang’s Wenzhou city, state broadcaster CCTV cited a police statement as accusing Yang of having founded the pro-independence Taiwan National Party, with the aim of “promoting Taiwan to join the United Nations as a sovereign and independent country.” Credit: CCTV
8. India – Professor. Sudha Bharadwaj and Peace and Justice Activist Teesta Setalvad.
Professor Sudha Bharadwaj – Legal counsel and land rights activist serving and representing the indigenous Adi Vasi tribes in Chattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, India.
Professor Sudha Bharadwaj was denied due process and bail. The life long legal activist representing the cause and land rights of tribal community – Adi Vasis in Central India jailed to 3 years and three months imprisonment in Central Jail – federal prison and solitary confinement in a cell meant for death row prisoners until released on bail in December 2021 from Byculla prison, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
Professor Sudha Bharadwaj representing Adi Vasis against land seizure and illegal confiscation by India’s leading oligarch – the Adani Groups mining company under the ownership of Gautam Adani, the principal beneficiary of India and Indian sub-continent economic resources and lucrative contracts aided and facilitated by the ruling BJP government and executive branch in New Delhi, Indian Prime Minister in particular as the oligarchs’ main loyalist and fiduciary at the expense of vast majority of population in India and Indian sub-continent.
Peace and Justice Activist – Mrs. Teesta Setalvad.
The peace and justice activist Teesta Setalvad is long known for her commitment and relentless efforts to assist the victims of Godhra pogrom in 2002. Then Gujarat state authorized communal violence in 2002 under the leadership of the current Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah as the former Chief Minister and Home Minister of the state of Gujarat.
The Godhra violence in Gujarat in 2002 marking India’s dark history post independence consumed thousands of innocent lives with muslims in large numbers along with the so-called dalits, Gujrati Hindus and other minority fell victims to the horrific massacre and carnage.
The human rights activist Teesta Setalvad was arrested in June 2022 following New Delhi Central government organized decree accusing Teesta Setalvad on unsubstantiated charges and subsequently sentenced to jail term in June 2022 and lately released on bail.
9. Ukraine – The Vishwa Kalyan Award 2022 honors collectively the valiant men, women and children of Ukraine defending their national sovereignty and territorial integrity from Russian invasion in February 2022 with the war continued until now in Eastern Europe.
The other category philanthropy will be announced shortly.
The formal virtual ceremony in recognition of all the above recipients selfless contributions and dedications will be presented in due course.
Padmini Arhant
Author & Presenter
PadminiArhant.com
Prakrithi.PadminiArhant.com
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