Gwangju: Human rights activist Dr Binayak Sen, who is out on bail in Chhattisgarh, has been honoured with the Gwangju human rights award, South Korea's highest civilian award for democratic rights activists of Asia.
High school students in Gwangju have an unusual class for high school students for this is what happened to those who protested against dictatorial rule by then President Chung Doo-Hwan thirty years ago on May 18. Gwangju wants to make sure that its young grow up to respect their history and human rights of others.
Gwangju, which has experienced the horrors of dictatorship, is a UN designated city for human rights. It dreams of becoming a global lightpost in human rights. To realise this, it is even developing its own human rights index.
As it remembers and respects those who died, what is moving is its resolve to respect those across the world.
This year the city honoured Dr Binayak Sen and a special prize was given to those building bridges in Isreal and Palestine.
Mazen Faraj and Daniela Kitain of the Parents Circle Families Forum narrated their own personal tale of tragedy.
Mazen Faraj said, "A seven-year-old child, I began to ask why we live under these inhuman conditions. What is behind all the pain and suffering we endure daily? What is the reason for us not having water for most of the summer, or electricity in winter? Those are called human rights which are so distant from Palestinian people."
Special Prize Laureate Daniela Kitain said, "14 years ago, my beautiful boy Tom, my first born, was killed during his compulsory service in the Israeli army. He was killed exactly one month before his 21st birthday. He was travelling by helicopter with 72 other soldiers to their post in South Lebanon."
These winners perhaps embody the spirit of Gwangju, the struggle peace, justice and reconciliation.
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