September 5, 2002	Thursday	Jamadi-us-Saani26,1423

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NEW DELHI, Sept 4: An Indian social worker who has campaigned against military confrontation with Pakistan said on Wednesday that he had returned the prize money he received with the Magsaysay Award last week in Manila, following his criticism of the American war in Afghanistan.

“A section of the Philippines population felt uncomfortable with my participating in a demonstration at the US embassy in Manila organized by the Asian Peace Alliance to protest against the US government’s policy of war against terrorism,” Sandeep Pandey told a news conference in New Delhi.

The Magsaysay award winner said he had returned the prize money of 50,000 dollars, as Philippines media questioned the propriety of his accepting the award after criticizing “the United States as being the biggest terrorist nation”.

The Magsaysay award is funded by the Ford Foundation.

Pandey, who returned from Manila on Tuesday night, said he had returned the cheque to the Magsaysay Foundation.

“Some people felt that if I oppose the US government and its policy I should not accept any money from an American institution.”

“A Manila-based daily, ‘Today’, challenged me that if I am the principled activist that I would like them to believe, I should leave behind the $50,000 cheque with the US embassy before my departure to India. Hence I returned the cheque to Magsaysay Foundation,” he said.

Pandey clarified that he was not returning the award itself to avoid any harm to the reputation of the late Magsaysay, who was a popular president of Philippines, and also to previous recipients like Indian social activists Vinoba Bhave, Jai Prakash Narayan and Baba Amte.

“In the name of the war against terrorism, the reimposition of American hegemony in Asia is causing great insecurity to the common people all over Asia.

“A burning example is the problem of Kashmir where the possibility of a peaceful solution through dialogue has receded since both India and Pakistan live under an illusion that the US government is on their side.”