Indonesian Journalist Wins Kate Webb Prize

Agence France-Presse (AFP) has awarded the 2013 Kate Webb Prize for frontline journalism to Indonesian investigative reporter, Stefanus Teguh Edi Pramono.

Pramono, 31, wins the annual prize, worth 3,000 euros (about US$3,900) for the series of stories and accompanying photos he produced while covering the war in Syria and for his daring undercover assignment into the notorious narcotics world of the Kampung Ambon district of Jakarta.

The award of the Kate Webb prize to Pramono, who works for Indonesia’s Tempo magazine, is the fourth since the launch of the award, which rewards locally-engaged Asian journalists for exceptional work produced while operating in dangerous or difficult circumstances.

“Investigative journalism is like opening a Pandora's box and this country is a gold mine for investigative journalism,” Pramono said from Jakarta. “I am not a brave person, I was often in a cold sweat when I was in Syria and in west Jakarta (exposing the drugs den), but it is just something that I have to do.”

AFP’s Asia Pacific Regional Director Gilles Campion said Pramono had shown great initiative and courage. “Pram is a young journalist who is clearly determined to uncover important stories, even if it means putting himself at risk of injury or attack,” he said. “I am delighted that such a worthy and enterprising reporter from the region has won the Kate Webb Prize.”

The prize is named after Kate Webb, one of the finest correspondents to have worked for AFP, who died in 2007 at the age of 64.

Born in New Zealand, Kate Webb earned a reputation as a fearless reporter while covering wars and other historic events in Asia during a career spanning four decades.

She made her name in Vietnam and also worked in Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, India, South Korea and the Middle East.

She was known for her kindness and compassion and became a mentor to younger Asian journalists.

The prize is administered by the AFP Foundation – a non-profit-making organization set up to promote press freedom through training journalists in developing countries – and by the Webb family. It was first awarded in 2008.