Author(s):
Chayer Amelie <amelie@icbl.org> .
Tuesday 14 September 2010
Thomas Küchenmeister. Photo: Mette Eliseussen
The Association of Ethical Shareholders (Dachverband der Kritischen Aktionärinnen und Aktionäre) has awarded the Henry Mathews Prize 2010 to ICBL members Thomas Küchenmeister and Action Group Landmine.de on 13 September 2010.
The Association's president, Paul Russmann, explained that the campaigning carried out by Thomas Küchenmeister and Action Group Landmine.de for the interests of the victims of unexploded ordnance has been outstanding. He praised their contributions in raising awareness of dangers posed by landmines and cluster munitions among the general public.
In the past, the media as well as German parliament members from all political parties acknowledged Action Group Landmine.de's major contribution to obtaining the German government's approval of the Convention on Cluster Munitions, as well as the implementation and monitoring of the Mine Ban Treaty. Recent activities included research on armament manufacturers and advocacy on ethical investment.
"In the future, German non-governmental organisations should keep focusing on putting pressure on companies and forcing them to pay attention to human rights and international social and environmental standards. This applies not only to weapons producers, but naturally also to banks such as Deutsche Bank and other financial services providers, who in some cases have quite considerable levels of investment in companies which ignore human rights and pay no attention to ethical standards," said Action Group Landmine.de's Director Thomas Küchenmeister.
Action Group Landmine.de, a member of the ICBL and of the Cluster Munition Coalition, brings together 17 aid and development organizations.
For more information on the Association of Ethical Shareholders and the Henry Mathews Prize, visit http://www.kritischeaktionaere.de/englishlanguage.html
