No Peace Prize for butcher of Gujarat!
Seoul Peace Prize Cultural Foundation should withdraw the award to Mr. Modi!

On 24 October 2018 Seoul Peace Prize Cultural Foundation announced that Mr. Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India was chosen to be the 14th recipient of the Seoul Peace Prize with monetary award of US$ 200,000. Mr. Modi was selected as the winner in recognition of “his contribution and dedication to improving human development of the people of India as well as raising global economic growth and world peace based on international cooperation”. The foundation’s selection committee also appraised Modi’s efforts to achieve “India’s social inclusion and high economic growth” while he proactively engaged with global communities.

South Korean civil society organizations are appalled by this decision as Mr. Modi was alleged involved in the 2002 Gujarat massacre. Victims’ family and Indian CSOs sought the criminal trial of Mr. Modi, then the Chief Minister of Gujarat for complicity in the massacre which more than 2,000 people, mostly Muslim minorities, had been killed. Due to Mr. Modi’s failure to actively stop anti-Muslim massacre in Gujarat, he was not welcomed by UK, US and several European Union countries as he was renowned as an anti-human rights and religious freedom politician.

The justification to award the prize to Mr. Modi is preposterous. It would be as shameful as if Doo-Hwan Chun, former dictator and responsible to massacre during the Gwangju Uprising, was a recipient of any kind of “Peace” prize.

Furthermore, Mr. Modi’s award is disrespectful to past Seoul Peace Prize laureates such as Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany (2014), Dr. Denis Mukwege (2016), Nobel Peace laureate 2018 and Doctors Without Borders (1996). This shocking decision to give the Seoul Peace Prize to Mr. Modi would be offensive to former Seoul Peace Prize winners. Mr. Modi urged not to host Rohingya refugees in India and forcefully deport them back to Myanmar. In addition, Mr Modi's rise to power has also gone hand in hand with growing Hindu extremism and hatred against Muslim minorities in India.
In January 2018, an eight-year old Muslim girl in Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir was raped and murdered. When lawyers tried to prevent the police from filing the charge sheet against the accused persons at a Court in Jammu, it triggered massive public resentment and outrage. The accused were allegedly supported by Ministers of the ruling party.

The Seoul Peace Prize is not well-known among South Korean citizen and is a private foundation. Although the Foundation is not related to neither Korean government nor Seoul Metro City government, Mr. Modi’s award covered headlines of many Indian media. Even Mr. Modi tweeted about the Prize and shared his appreciation to the Foundation. However there are complicated circumstances for India’s high economic growth. Lenient labor laws and easy dismissal of workers lie the beneath of the dark side of the growth. In addition, harassment and intimidation against Indian CSOs and dissent voices have been intensified and democratic values in the country are under attack. Although Mr. Modi’s case on the Gujarat massacre was acquitted, his anti-human rights and repressive policies during his term as Prime Minister should raise a valid concern about the Peace Prize award. 
In addition, there is no monitoring and engagement among Seoul citizen, CSOs and Seoul Peace Prize Cultural Foundation. As a result, Seoul Peace Prize Selection Committee lack diversity and democratic process in the selection. Some of the Committee members were allegedly accused of abusing his power and position while others were allegedly against labor union or involved in corruption ‘revolving-door employment’. These members also have a close relationship with previous Lee and Park’s administration. The selection Committee lacks peace and human rights sensitivity as well as gender sensitivity since there is no female or youth member within the Committee.

In this regard, South Korean CSOs are gravely concerned about the decision of the Seoul Peace Prize Cultural Foundation to award the Prize to Mr. Modi. South Korean CSOs raise serious concern on the legitimacy of the Foundation’s decision. South Korean CSOs also strongly urge the Foundation to withdraw the Prize from Mr. Modi. The Seoul Peace Prize Cultural Foundation should take the responsibility for the incident and all Selection Committee members should step down immediately.

26 October 2018 
Activists group for Human Rights 'BARAM’
Advocates for Public Interest Law (APIL)
Asian Dignity Initiative
Buddhism Human Rights Committee,
Catholic Human Rights Committee
Committee to Support Imprisoned Workers
Cultural Action
Dasan Human Rights Center
Gwang-Ju Human Rights Center 'Hwal JJak'
Human Rights Movement Space 'Hwal'
Incheon Human Rights Film Festival
Incorporated Organization Silcheon Bulgyo
Jeju peace human rights institute WHAT
Jeju Peace Human rights Center
Korean Lawyers for Public Interest and Human Rights
Korean House for International Solidarity
National Solidarity against Sexual Exploitation of Women
NANCEN, Refugee Rights Center
New Bodhisattva Network
Palestine Peace & Solidarity in South Korea
PINKS : SOLIDARITY FOR SEXUAL MINORITY CULTURES & HUMAN RIGHTS
Sarangbang Group for Human Rights
Seoul Human Rights Film Festival
Solidarity for Peace & Human Rights
Solidarity for Peace & Human Rights of Asia
Truth Foundation
(Total 26 Korean Civil Society Organizations)
Contact: Mr. Hyunpil Na, Executive Director of Korean House for International Solidarity
Khis21@hanmail.net