Historic Webster win for South Asian Post
Fri, November 07 2008
annual Jack Webster Awards in Vancouver last night, marking the first
time a South Asian publication has won the award recognizing the very
best in British Columbia journalism.
"This is a momentous day," said South Asian Post publisher, Harbinder
Singh Sewak. "Not only for our newspaper, but for the entire South Asian community."
Added Sewak, who launched the South Asian Post on Canada's West Coast
in 2007: "Our hard work, our perseverance and determination has been
recognized at the very highest level in the province. We were up
against the best, so this is a great honour."
in 2007: "Our hard work, our perseverance and determination has been
recognized at the very highest level in the province. We were up
against the best, so this is a great honour."
The South Asian Post was awarded the Jack Webster Award for Community
Reporting for "The Innocent Man," the story of Sukhwinder Singh, a
rickshaw driver in India falsely imprisoned for rape for nearly four years.
Singh, also known as Mithu, was freed following a series of investigative stories by the South Asian Post.
Reporting for "The Innocent Man," the story of Sukhwinder Singh, a
rickshaw driver in India falsely imprisoned for rape for nearly four years.
Singh, also known as Mithu, was freed following a series of investigative stories by the South Asian Post.
"This is a proud day for the community," said India's Consul General
in Vancouver, Ashok Das. "Heartfelt congratulations."
Thanks to questions raised by the South Asian Post surrounding the relationship between a "rape victim's" father and one of Jassi's uncles, the woman whose testimony sent Mithu to prison was recanted in an affidavit filed in Indian court. Within weeks, Mithu was a freeman.
"If not for the tireless efforts of our publisher, Mithu would be languishing still in an Indian prison," commented South Asian Post managing editor Michael Roberts, upon accepting the Webster.
Added Roberts: "We thought we'd won by just being nominated for this award. To actually win is fantastic!"
in Vancouver, Ashok Das. "Heartfelt congratulations."
Das attended the awards dinner at Vancouver's Westin Bayshore Hotel
ballroom, along with friends and supporters of the South Asian Post,
including Indo-Canadian radio personalities Shushma Datt and Gurpreet
Singh, as well as esteemed consuls Kosit Chatpaiboon (Thailand),
Bernie Julvie (The Philippines) and Singgih Yumono (Indonesia).
ballroom, along with friends and supporters of the South Asian Post,
including Indo-Canadian radio personalities Shushma Datt and Gurpreet
Singh, as well as esteemed consuls Kosit Chatpaiboon (Thailand),
Bernie Julvie (The Philippines) and Singgih Yumono (Indonesia).
The South Asian Post has been following the story of Mithu and his
murdered wife Jassi since the Spring of 2000, when the young,
star-crossed couple was ambushed and Jassi Kaur, of Maple Ridge, B.C.,
brutally murdered in Punjab, India – allegedly at the behest of her
family, who disapproved of her marriage to the lowly Mithu.
murdered wife Jassi since the Spring of 2000, when the young,
star-crossed couple was ambushed and Jassi Kaur, of Maple Ridge, B.C.,
brutally murdered in Punjab, India – allegedly at the behest of her
family, who disapproved of her marriage to the lowly Mithu.
The Post has followed the case for the past eight years, and has created and hosts a website (www.justiceforjassi.com) to provide a forum for people to express their anguish and indignation over the death of Jassi and the subsequent persecution of her husband, Mithu.Thousands of messages have been posted to the site.
"The story is a tragedy," said Shushma Datt, founder and CEO of i.t.
Productions Ltd., owner of CJRJ AM 1200 Vancouver. "You brought some
justice to this tale and were honoured for it. Congratulations."
This May, thanks to the continuing efforts of South Asian Post
publisher Sewak (who has hired lawyers and Indian investigators to dig
into the case), Mithu walked away from jail an innocent man after being imprisoned without bail on phony charges cooked up to keep him quiet.
"The story is a tragedy," said Shushma Datt, founder and CEO of i.t.
Productions Ltd., owner of CJRJ AM 1200 Vancouver. "You brought some
justice to this tale and were honoured for it. Congratulations."
This May, thanks to the continuing efforts of South Asian Post
publisher Sewak (who has hired lawyers and Indian investigators to dig
into the case), Mithu walked away from jail an innocent man after being imprisoned without bail on phony charges cooked up to keep him quiet.
Thanks to questions raised by the South Asian Post surrounding the relationship between a "rape victim's" father and one of Jassi's uncles, the woman whose testimony sent Mithu to prison was recanted in an affidavit filed in Indian court. Within weeks, Mithu was a freeman.
"If not for the tireless efforts of our publisher, Mithu would be languishing still in an Indian prison," commented South Asian Post managing editor Michael Roberts, upon accepting the Webster.
Added Roberts: "We thought we'd won by just being nominated for this award. To actually win is fantastic!"
For more information, contact:
Michael Roberts, Managing Editor
The South Asian Post
Tel. 604-821-1954 Fax 604-214-0285
Email: mroberts@postpeopleinc.com
Website: www.southasianpost.com
Michael Roberts, Managing Editor
The South Asian Post
Tel. 604-821-1954 Fax 604-214-0285
Email: mroberts@postpeopleinc.com
Website: www.southasianpost.com
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