Older News Stories
Older news regarding Right Livelihood Award Recipients:
Ladakh Ecological Development Group (India, RLA 1986)
2008-05 Update Report.
Since LEDeG received the Right Livelihood Award in 1986, the group has continued its development programs, introducing appropriate and renewable energy technologies in Ladakh. Time to take a look at their recent achievements.
Click here for LEDeG's update report
Tony Clarke (Canada, RLA 2005)
2008-05-22 Boiling Point. Polaris Institute, Canada.
Assembly of First Nations, Polaris Institute and Canadian Labour Congress released Boiling Point, a publication on the water crisis facing First Nation communities in Canada.
Boiling Point, written by the Polaris Institute of which Tony Clarke is Executive Director, showcases six First Nation communities that have and continue to face water crises including contaminated source, well and tap water and long-standing boil water advisories.
Maude Barlow (Canada, RLA 2005) and José Antonio Abreu (Venezuela, RLA 2001)
2008-05 Maude Barlow and Youth & Children Orchestra of Venezuela receive awards.
Maude Barlow will receive this year's Canadian Environment Awards Citation of Lifetime Achievement.
The Youth & Children Orchestra of Venezuela, founded by our 2001 Laureate José Antonio Abreu, wins the Prince of Asturias Arts Award.
First People of the Kalahari (Botswana, RLA 2005)
2008-04-22 Botswana Bushmen refused borehole. BBC News, UK.
The government of Botswana is refusing to allow Kalahari bushmen access to a water borehole in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve.
In 2006, the Bushmen won a landmark legal victory against the government allowing them to return to their ancestral lands in the reserve.
Christopher Weeramantry (Sri Lanka, RLA 2007)
2008-04-12 Judge Christopher Weeramantry Receives NAPF Lifetime Achievement Award. Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, USA.
The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation presented a Lifetime Achievement Award for Distinguished Peace Leadership to Judge Christopher Weeramantry.
The Lifetime Achievement Award of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation is presented to “outstanding individuals who have made significant long-term contributions to building a more peaceful world.”
Hermann Scheer (Germany, RLA 1999)
2008-04-16 Endless Possibility. Guardian, UK.
Hermann Scheer is on his way to the UK to try to persuade Britain that old technologies are best left in the past and to convince the British government to invest into renewable energy.
Vandana Shiva (India, RLA 1993)
2008-04-11 The recipe for food rights. Al Jazeera.net.
"The Third World does not need charity; the Third World needs food sovereignty."
Vandana Shiva has warned for years of how globalisation affects farmers and ordinary people in India. Now, with biofuels and the rising demand for meat in countries like China driving up food prices worldwide, her appeals seem more relevant than ever.
Wangari Maathai (Kenya, RLA 1984)
2008-04-11 Kenya's Nobel Laureate withdraws from Olympic torch relay. International Herald Tribune.
Wangari Maathai says she has pulled out of the Olympic torch relay this weekend in Tanzania to protest human rights abuses.
2008-04-09 Written declaration on the murder of the human rights activist Munir Said Thalib adopted. European Parliament, EU.
EP President Hans-Gert Pöttering announced the adoption of a written declaration on the murder of the human rights activist Munir Said Thalib.
The declaration, signed by 412 out of 785 MEPs so far, calls on the Indonesian authorities to take all necessary action to ensure that those responsible for the murder at all levels are brought to trial and justice is delivered as quickly as possible.
Tony Clarke (Canada, RLA 2005)
2008-04-03 Protect Canada's water, Ottawa urged. The Star, Canada.
A study authored by Polaris Insitute challenges "myths" about Canadian abundance and describes how the country lost control of its water to U.S. interests under the terms of binding trade deals.
Tony Clarke urged the Canadian government to take action. "We as Canadians must become good stewards of our water – or our freshwater supplies will continue to dwindle."
Wangari Maathai (Kenya, RLA 1984)
2008-04-02 Maathai teargassed over 'lean' government. The Standard, Kenya.
Barely 90 days after losing her parliamentary seat, Prof Wangari Maathai was teargassed at Uhuru Park’s Freedom Corner, Nairobi.
Maathai had accompanied civil society activists protesting against a proposal for a 44-member Cabinet, which they said would drain public coffers by "up to Sh387 billion" annually.
Maude Barlow (Canada, RLA 2005) and Percy Schmeiser (Canada, RLA 2007)
2008-03-20 Water, the blood of the earth / Monsanto pays Percy Schmeiser. Deconstructing Dinner, Canada.
Listen to a radio broadcast on Deconstructing Dinner featuring Maude Barlow and Percy Schmeiser.
Percy Schmeiser (Canada, RLA 2007)
2008-03-21 Grain farmer claims moral victory in seed battle. Environmental News Network.
In an out of court settlement, 2007 Right Livelihood Award Recipient Percy Schmeiser has settled his lawsuit with Monsanto. Monsanto has agreed to pay all the clean-up costs of genetically modified canola that contaminated Schmeiser's fields.
Maude Barlow (Canada, RLA 2005)
2008-03-17 Harper government blocks UN resolution on right to water. CNW Group, Canada.
The Council of Canadians, chaired by Maude Barlow, is calling on the Canadian government to stop blocking a resolution tabled by Germany and Spain at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva on March 10 that calls for water and sanitation to be recognized as a human right.
2008-03-13 MOSOP alleges plot by Shell to return to Ogoni illegally - It is not true - Shell. Nigerian Tribune.
The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has raised the alarm over moves of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) to return to Ogoniland through the back door.
Cary Fowler (Norway, RLA 1985)
2008-02-27 Doomsday vault for world's seeds is opened under Arctic mountain. Times, UK.
In a ceremony attended by Wangari Maathai and Norway's Prime Minister, the so-called "Doomsday Vault" was opened on February 27. The first day’s deposits comprised 268,000 samples and filled 676 boxes.
The collection and maintenance of the seeds has been co-ordinated by the Global Crop Diversity Trust, of which Cary Fowler is Executive Director.
Wangari Maathai (Kenya, RLA 1984)
2008-02-20 Kenya's Nobel winner Wangari Maathai receives death threats. Reuters.
Wangari Maathai has received death threats after her appeal to Kenyan leaders to reach a peaceful agreement.
"Because of your opposing the government at all times ... we have decided to look for your head very soon," said one of the messages Wangari Maathai read to reporters. She urged the government to restore bodyguards whom she says it recently recalled.
2008-02-11 Ex-Garuda boss jailed over murder. BBC.
An Indonesian court has sentenced the former boss of the national airline to one year in jail for his part in the murder of Munir.
Baba Amte dies at 94
As became known on Saturday, 9 February 2008, Baba Amte, who received the Right Livelihood Award in 1991 together with Medha Patkar and the Narmada Bachao Andolan, died at the age of 94.
Apart from his fight against the Narmada Valley dams project Baba Amte devoted his life to the care and non-discrimination of leprosy patients. India is in grief about the passing away of this popular Gandhian leader.
Cary Fowler (Norway, RLA 1985)
2008-01-31 "Doomsday" seeds arrive in Norway. BBC, UK.
The so-called "Doomsday Vault", constructed to preserve the world's most valuable seed heritage, is scheduled to be opened on February 26.
The first 7,000 seed samples from 36 African nations have already arrived in Norway. Other crop collections from all over the world, including India and South-American countries, are already being shipped to Svalbard, too.
Medha Patkar (India, RLA 1991)
2008-02-05 Medha to up ante in anti-SEZ fight. The Economic Times, India.
Medha Patkar intensifies her campaing against India's special economic zones (SEZ), taking stand against farm land acquisition, environmental destruction and socio-economic costs of SEZs.
2008-01-26 Indonesia Sentences Pilot in 2004 Murder of Activist. Washington Post, USA.
Indonesia's Supreme Court on Friday sentenced a former pilot to 20 years in prison for the murder of Munir.
Dekha Ibrahim Abdi (Kenya, RLA 2007)
2008-01 Violence in Kenya
Dekha has been called to Nairobi, where she spent the last week holding meetings, working with peace networks, the media council and others, taking action for dialogue and "harvesting ideas".
It is important for her to send out the message that there is not only the violence shown on global television, but there are a lot of committed and concerned Kenyan citizens striving for peace, too.
More information:
2008-01-10 Peace lobby offers seven-point guide. Daily Nation, Kenya.
2008-01-17 Spy agency's top officials linked to activist's murder. Sidney Morning Herald, Australia.
Fresh evidence has emerged that ties Indonesia's Intelligence Agency (BIN) to the poisoning of human rights activist Munir, indicating top officials lied to court hearings about the 2004 murder.
2008-01-05 50 people to save the planet. The Guardian, UK.
The Guardian has published a list of 50 "people who could save the planet". Among them are four Right Livelihood Award Recipients:
Tewolde Egziabher
Amory Lovins
Wangari Maathai
Hermann Scheer
The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (Nigeria, RLA 1994)
2007-12-12 Ogoni: Protests at Shell Headquarters. UNPO.
MOSOP marched to Shell Headquarters for the first time in three years opposing the abuses of the oil company in Ogoniland.
First People of the Kalahari / Roy Sesana (Botswana, RLA 2005)
2007-12-04 Botswana: San still waiting to return to ancestral land. All Africa.com.
One year after the Kalahari Bushmen's landmark victory in the Botswana High Court to be allowed to return to a game reserve that had been their home for centuries, Roy Sesana and his organisation First People of the Kalahari still languish in resettlement camps outside the park.
Christopher Weeramantry (Sri Lanka, RLA 2007)
2007-12-01 Two distinguished Lankans to receive Sri Lankabhimanya award. Ceylon Daily News, Sri Lanka.
Judge Christopher Weeramantry is awarded Sri Lanka's highest honour, Sri Lankabhimanya, by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Dekha Ibrahim Abdi (Kenya, RLA 2007)
2007-11-29 Kenya's "Alternative Nobel" winner pledges cash for peace. Reuters, South Africa.
Dekha Ibrahim Abdi announces to use her $77,000 prize money to found a "Peace University" in Wajir.
Amory Lovins (USA, RLA 1983) and Wangari Maathai (Kenya, RLA 1984)
2007-10 TIME has named Amory Lovins and Wangari Maathai 2007 "Heroes of the Environment".
Sulak Sivaraksa (Thailand, RLA 1995)
2007-10-04 Book on democracy banned. Bangkok Post, Thailand.
The Special Branch Police has banned a book on Thai democracy written by Sulak Sivaraksa. They claim the book ''undermines social order and public morals".
Survival International ( UK, RLA 1989)
2007-09-13 Indigenous rights outlined by UN. BBC News, UK.
After 22 years of debate and negotiation, the UN General Assembly finally approves the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
John Gofman (USA, RLA 1992)
Gofman dies at 88
John Gofman, who received the Right Livelihood Award in 1992 together with Alla Yaroshinskaya, passed away in August 2007, at the age of 88.
MST (Brazil, RLA 1991)
2007-08-23 Creating the basis for a new world. Americas/IRC, USA.
During its 5th Congress in June 2007, Brazil's biggest landless movement decided that agrarian reform will no longer be its principal demand. Instead, MST is going to focus now on fighting against agribusiness multinationals. This implies a shift toward environmental defense and for the protection of the poor against neoliberal policies.
Juan Pablo Orrego (Chile, RLA 1998)
2007-07-22 Chile dam opponents: The looting of Patagonia has begun. The Patagonia Times, Chile.
Juan Pablo Orrego opposes a large dam project that threatens Patagonia's pristine wilderness and culture.
Mordechai Vanunu (Israel, RLA 1987)
2007-07-08 Vanunu suffers yet another sentence. Times Online, UK.
On Monday, June 30, an Israeli court ordered nuclear whistleblower Vanunu to return to jail for 6 months for speaking to international media.
Amory Lovins (USA, RLA 1983)
2007-07-06 Coloradan awarded Blue Planet prize. Denver Post, USA.
Amory Lovins receives the Blue Planet prize. The prize's sponsor, Japan's Asahi Glass Foundation, said Lovins was selected "for his contributions to leading global energy strategy for protection of the global environment by efficient utilization of energy." The award is worth $407,000.
Cary Fowler (Norway, RLA 1985)
2007-05-28 UK grants 10m towards seed bank projects. Food Navigator, Europe.
Cary Fowler and his Global Crop Diversity Trust have succeeded in receiving major funds for their Arctic Seed Vault - a unique seed bank to preserve global food sources and crop diversity.
First People of the Kalahari / Roy Sesana (Botswana, RLA 2005)
2006-12-13 Botswana Bushmen win land ruling. BBC News, UK.
Roy Sesana and his organisation First People of the Kalahari win a landmark case that allows the San Bushmen to return to the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. They had previously been forcibly evicted by cutting off their water supplies, and had been moved to resettlement camps outside their ancestral lands.
Daniel Ellsberg (USA, RLA 2006)
2006-10 The next war. Harper's Magazine. USA
A hidden crisis is under way ...
Learn what Daniel Ellsberg says about Iran.
Munir (Indonesia, RLA 2000)
2006-10-04 Munir murder conviction quashed. BBC News, UK.
In 2004, Indonesia's prominent human rights activist Munir was poisoned. Former pilot Pollycarpus Priyanto was found guilty of his murder. Now the Supreme Court ruled that there was not enough evidence to convict him.
