Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Fiji’s Shamima Ali wins Amnesty Human Rights Defender award

Posted at 22:28 on 10 December, 2009 UTC

Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand has named Fiji activist, Shamima Ali, as its first ever Human Rights Defender.

Ms Ali is executive director of the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre in Suva and was given the award for her contribution towards improving women’s rights in Fiji and throughout the Pacific.

The chief executive of Amnesty New Zealand, Patrick Holmes, says it saluted Ms Ali for the immense courage she has shown in challenging the 2006 military coup and in continuing, despite threats and intimidation, to document its impact on the people of Fiji.

Ms Ali says there are many human rights defenders throughout the Pacific, but this recognition is very important in Fiji where there is such a violation of human rights.

“To tell the regime that the human rights work continues carry on, it carries on. And also the fact that this kind of award encourages both myself and other human rights defenders, you know protectors and promoters of human rights in Fiji and the Pacific, to stick in there a little longer and continue the work.”