2022 GPHR Winner Announcement

The 2022 Gwangju Prize for the Human Rights Selection Committee has selected Cynthia Maung (refugee from Myanmar), founder of and doctor at the Mae Tao Clinic, located in a refugee camp on the border of Myanmar and Thailand, as the recipient of the 2022 Gwangju Prize for Human Rights.

Cynthia Maung took part in the 8888 People Power Uprising for Myanmars democracy in 1988 and eventually moved to the Myanmar Thailand border area, Mae Sot, in order to escape from the oppression of the Myanmar military.

In 1989, Cynthia Maung founded the Mae Tao Clinic, also known as the students hospital, in the Mae Sot region in order to provide medical assistance to Myanmar refugees who fled to the Thai border due to the brutal oppression of the Myanmar military regime.

Thanks to Cynthia Maungs dedication, the Mae Tao Clinic functions as a haven and shelter for refugees, and it has made it possible to provide medical support and various protection services for persecuted people based on cooperation with other institutions.

Moreover, Cynthia Maung attempted to strengthen its partnership with the international community by raising awareness of social and educational issues, in addition to medical support (e.g., capacity-building projects), to encourage and grow the next generation of leaders and to prepare for Myanmars future.

Through her works at the Mae Tao Clinic and related activities, Cynthia Maung is dreaming of a sustainable community for refugees from Myanmar while also trying to overcome the uncertainty of the future. Her humanitarian work for refugees saves lives and serves as a seed of hope for Myanmars future.

The 2022 Gwangju Prize for the Human Rights Selection Committee would like to pay tribute to and actively support Cynthia Maung and the Mae Tao Clinic, which is led by Cynthia Maung, for overcoming financial and institutional difficulties and transforming the lives of thousands of marginalized Myanmar refugees and appointing them as actors of social transformation.

We note that peoples resistance to the military coup is an important source of overcoming the crisis in Myanmar. We hope that our interest and support will be of little help on the arduous journey for democratization in Myanmar, and we appeal to the international community for support, cooperation, and solidarity.

The 2022 Gwangju Prize for the Human Rights Selection Committee considered that the May 18 Spirit is being realized through Cynthia Maungs activities. The Committee highly valued the fact that Cynthia Maungs continuous dedication and effort for the pro-democracy and human rights movement and humanitarian practice, despite the oppression of the Myanmar military regime and threats to her personal life, have become a great example for human rights activists and citizens around the world who aspire for a democratic society.

The 2022 Gwangju Prize for the Human Rights Selection Committee believes this decision will be a starting point in moving toward the advancement of democracy and the promotion of human rights and peace by strengthening cooperation and solidarity with many activities and citizens who are currently struggling in Myanmar, as well as with pro-democracy and human rights activists in Asia and throughout the world.

2022 Gwangju Prize for the Human Rights Selection Committee (* Names are in Korean alphabetical order)

Chairperson:

Seonggu Kang (Vice President, Korea Democracy Foundation)

Committee:

Jin Park (Secretery General, National Human Rights Commission of Korea)
Jean Ahn (Professor, Law School, Chonnam National University)
Taeho Lee (Head of operation for the Peoples Solidarity for Participatory Democracy)
Oseop Jo (Member of the National Assembly of Korea)
Jeseong Jeon (Director, Institute for Southeast Asian Studies, Jeonbuk National University)
Dongnyeon Jung (Chairperson, May 18 Memorial Foundation)