Chinese SARS whistle-blower to skip peace prize ceremony

0 Comments | Asian Political News, August 30, 2004

MANILA, Aug. 26 Kyodo

A retired Chinese military doctor named a winner of the 2004 Ramon Magsaysay award, Asia's most prestigious prize, for exposing China's coverup of its SARS outbreak will likely not attend the award ceremony, the award-giving body said Thursday.

Jiang Yanyong, 72, whose revelation last year about the prevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome in China led to comprehensive monitoring of the virus, will probably skip Tuesday's ceremony in Manila, said Lourdes Mercado-Balbin, spokeswoman of the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation.

''He is unable to come at this time...I don't have specifics,'' Balbin said.

She said she does not know whether Jiang was denied travel papers, as was the case for last year's Chinese awardee, gynecologist Gao Yaojie, who was denied a passport.

Balbin said it is uncertain who will receive the award, considered Asia's equivalent of the Nobel prize, on Jiang's behalf, although his absence does not cause forfeiture of the prize.

Jiang, who signed his name to a letter to the press saying how many people are affected with SARS, is being cited for Public Service.

''A small dose of truth can sometimes make all the difference, especially in societies where speaking out is not the norm,'' the Magsaysay Foundation said in its citation for Jiang.

He is one of seven winners of the 2004 Ramon Magsaysay awards for excellence. The other awardees from Thailand, Bangladesh, India and Pakistan have begun arriving in Manila.

Haydee Yorac, chief of a Philippine government agency tasked to recover the ill-gotten wealth of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos and his family, is being recognized for Government Service.

Another Filipino, Benjamin Abadiano, is being cited for his work with indigenous peoples. He is the Magsaysay Awardee for Emergent Leadership.

Prayong Ronnarong, a farmer from Thailand, is being cited for Community Leadership, and Abdullah Abu Sayeed of Bangladesh for Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts.

Laxminarayan Ramdas of India and Ibn Abdur Rehman of Pakistan, both of the Pakistan-India Peoples' Forum for Peace and Democracy, will each receive the award in the Peace and International Understanding category.

The Magsaysay Award, named after the Philippines' third president, is annually given to outstanding individuals or organizations in Asia that have manifested greatness of spirit in helping the community.

Each awardee is also given $50,000.