Magsaysay Controversy

Twenty-six writers, playwrights and film makers have demanded withdrawal of the 1995 literary prize by the Manila-based Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation to novelist PRAMOEDYA ANANTA TOER. Accusing Pramoedya of once “witch-hunting” against fellow writers, they said the award announced July 19 did not take into account his “notorious role” in the “systematic annihilation campaign against independent publishers.” — “Whatever the Magsaysay Award Foundation´s criteria are, it seems to us that the foundation did not take into account Pramoedya´s track record during the heyday of Indonesian communism,” they said in a statement #onthisday in 1995.