'Alternative Nobel' Winners Call for Water, Land Rights & Global Justice

'Alternative Nobel' Winners Call for Water and Land Rights, and for Global Justice

December 08, 2005 — By Associated Press

STOCKHOLM, Sweden — Two recipients of this year's Right Livelihood Awards, also known as the "alternative Nobels," on Tuesday said privatization of fresh water resources represents a threat to human rights.

"The growing fresh water crisis is perhaps the most urgent environmental and human rights issue of our times and, for this reason, water must be preserved as a common heritage," Maude Barlow, a Canadian activist for fair trade and human rights, told reporters in Stockholm.

Barlow and Tony Clarke, another Canadian activist, shared the 2 million kronor (euro212,000; US$251,000) award announced in September with activists from Malaysia and a group representing the Kalahari Bushmen.

The winners were cited for promoting justice, fair trade and cultural renewal. Mexican artist Francisco Toledo won an honorary award.

The awards were founded in 1980 by Jakob von Uexkull, who sold his valuable stamp collection to recognize work that he believed was ignored by the prestigious Nobel Prizes.

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