Visa pour l'image festival: an anonymous Burmese photographer awarded the Visa d'or News
Images by an anonymous Burmese photographer taken for The New York Times are hung ahead of the Visa pour l'Image festival.
AFP - RAYMOND ROIG
Text by: RFI Follow
3 min
The
Visa
pour l'Image
international photojournalism festival
awarded the
Visa
d'or News on
Saturday in Perpignan (south of France)
to a photographer who remained anonymous for security reasons, rewarding his work on the "spring revolution" in Burma .
Advertising
Read more
"
When I learned that a coup d'etat had just taken place in Burma on February 1, it was obvious to appeal to him, it is probably the best photographer in the country
", indicates to l 'AFP Mikko Takkunen of the
New York Times
, who came to collect the prize in his place.
"
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.
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 left more than 1,000 dead, including several dozen minors in recent months.
“
Since February 1, I have been on the streets every day. I encountered many difficulties, having to work in the midst of gunshots, tear gas and stun grenades
”, explains the Burmese photographer in a text. “
In the field, we stopped wearing our PRESS-marked helmets when we realized that the military were targeting photographers,
” he adds, saying he was aware of “
risking (his) life
”.
The three other nominees were the Greek Angelos Tzortzinis (AFP) for his report on the last days of the refugee camp of Moria, in Lesbos, the American Erin Schaff (The New York Times) for his photographs on the invasion of the Capitol in Washington in January, and finally the Indian Danish Siddiqui (Reuters) for his coverage of the health crisis in his country.
The latter was killed in July while covering fighting between the Taliban and Afghan forces.
(with AFP)
►
Also to listen: Afghanistan: immersed in the memories of photojournalist Pascal Maître
Newsletter
Receive all international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
Media
Photography
Burma