Kevin receives writers' award

SYDNEY — Tony Kevin, author of the book A Certain Maritime Incident and well-known campaigner for a judicial inquiry into the SIEV X sinking, was awarded the Community Relations Award in the NSW Premier's Literary Awards, which are attached to the Sydney Writers Festival.

Accepting the award on May 23, Kevin told the 400-strong audience that he welcomed it as a "recognition of the investigative work that I and others have done, to try to bring what I believe was a great crime against humanity to justice".

Premier Bob Carr, in presenting the award, said: "The judges awarded the prize to a powerful, startling and nationally significant work of non-fiction about the migration experience. The author, the judges say, is a courageous writer, and his tenacity and passion shed light on an incident which could change the way we think about our international refugee responsibilities and our morality as Australians."

"I think this welcome award is, frankly, amazing, given the politically confronting subject matter", Kevin noted in an email to supporters on May 24.

Sarah Stephen

From Green Left Weekly, June 1, 2005.

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From GLW issue 628