This is a first for Visa pour l'image: the international photojournalism festival awarded, Saturday, September 4, in Perpignan, France, the "Visa d'or News" to a photographer who remained anonymous for security reasons, rewarding his work on the "spring revolution" in Burma. 

"When I learned that a coup d'etat had just taken place in Burma on February 1, it was obvious to appeal to him, he is probably the best photographer in the country", explained Mikko Takkunen, a photojournalist for the New York Times, came to collect the prize instead of the winner. 

"Keeping the anonymity of a photographer is not a decision that we take lightly, and it is always linked to the safety of our employees which is our priority", insists this photo manager for Asia in New York Times who has collaborated with the Burmese photographer for years.

At the ceremony, he added that the award-winning photographer was dedicating his award to all photographers in Burma who risk their lives.

The powerful photos of the exhibition depict civilians, sometimes "armed" with slingshots, facing soldiers firing live ammunition.

The photographer also focuses on the injured or bereaved families in a country in chaos since the junta overthrew the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.

The bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protesters has claimed more than 1,000 lives, including dozens of minors in recent months.

"The soldiers were targeting the photographers"

"Since February 1, I have been in the streets every day. I have encountered many difficulties, having to work in the midst of gunshots, tear gas and stun grenades", explains in a text the Burmese photographer.

"In the field, we stopped wearing our helmets marked" PRESS "when we realized that the military were targeting photographers," he adds, saying he is aware of "risking your life".

The other three nominees were the Greek Angelos Tzortzinis for his report on the last days of the Moria refugee camp, in Lesvos for AFP, the American Erin Schaff for his pictures on the invasion of the Capitol in Washington in January, also for The New York Times and finally the Indian Danish Siddiqui for his coverage of the health crisis in his country for the Reuters agency.

The latter was killed in July while covering fighting between the Taliban and Afghan forces.

In 2020, the festival presented the Visa d'or News, its most prestigious award, to Italian photographer Fabio Bucciarelli for a report in Bergamo, an Italian city at the epicenter of the Covid-19 pandemic.

With AFP

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