The Hindu : Front Page : `Unceasing work for social justice, communal harmony'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Sep 21, 2004

Front Page

Front Page

`Unceasing work for social justice, communal harmony'

By Our Staff Reporter

Asghar Ali Engineer

HYDERABAD, SEPT. 20. Swami Agnivesh, social activist, and Asghar Ali Engineer, scholar and activist, have been jointly selected for this year's prestigious Right Livelihood Honorary Award in recognition of their ``unceasing work for social justice and communal harmony.''

Strong commitment

Reading from the citation, Baron Jakob von Uexkull, Founder-Chairman, Right Livelihood Award Foundation, said the award was given ``for their strong commitment and cooperation over many years to promote the values of coexistence, tolerance and understanding in India and between the countries of South Asia.''

Meeting for the first time outside Stockholm, the jury also selected the Russian human rights organisation `Memorial', the celebrity campaigner for the disadvantaged Bianca Jagger from Nicaragua, and the Argentine scientist and activist, Raul Montenegro, for the awards.

The Swedish Parliament Speaker presents the Right Livelihood Award, which is popularly known as the ``Alternative Nobel,'' a day before the Nobel Prize is given.

Award on December 9

This year, the award will be presented on December 9 in the Swedish Parliament.

Dr. Engineer and Swami Agnivesh thanked the Right Livelihood Foundation for the ``recognition'' granted to their work.

Speaking to The Hindu , Dr. Engineer and Swami Agnivesh thanked the Right Livelihood Foundation for the ``recognition.''

Dr. Engineer said he was working on promoting communal harmony among teachers, journalists, police, youth and students who were social groups central to preventing the spread of communal ideas and communal violence.

Swami Agnivesh said the award would give him an opportunity to rededicate himself to work for communal harmony and to build bridges of friendship between the peoples and countries of South Asia. He said he shared the award not only with Dr. Engineer but also with all his friends and colleagues, who had worked on the agendas of communal harmony, liberation of bonded labour and gender equality.

Unique work

Dr. Uexkull said the award for `Memorial', its members and staff was for their unique and exemplary work to document past human rights abuses and protect civil liberties in Russia and surrounding countries. This work was done under very difficult conditions and with great personal courage.

Regarding Bianca Jagger, Dr. Uexkull said she had used her celebrity status for helping the exploited and disadvantaged through her campaigns on a wide range of issues.

These included human rights, social justice, environmental protection, abolition of death penalty, prevention of child abuse, the rights of indigenous peoples and the prevention and healing of armed conflicts.

Swami Agnivesh

Mr. Montenegro is a professor of evolutionary biology in the University of Cordoba and founder of the Environment Defence Foundation.

The award recognises his contribution to the anti-nuclear campaigns, against the dumping of toxic wastes and pollution by chemicals and high voltage power lines and to protecting forests, wildlife and biodiversity.

The award for `Memorial,' Ms. Jagger and Mr. Montenegro totals two million Swedish kronor.

Our Mumbai Special Correspondent writes:

Dr. Engineer is known for his attempt to interpret Islam for a larger lay audience and for his work to build communal harmony over the last three decades.

He has established the Institute of Islamic Studies and the Centre for Study of Society and Secularism in Mumbai. He has also authored over 47 books.

Dr. Engineer first came into prominence when he questioned the head of the Dawoodi Bohra community at a meeting in Udaipur in 1977 and for this he was ostracised and ex-communicated.

A civil engineer by training, he worked for many years with the Municipal Corporation of Mumbai before becoming involved with the reform movement within the Dawoodi Bohra community.

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