ICW activist wins Honesty Oscar

JAKARTA. Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) deputy director Sely Martini has been named Best Activist in a Leading Role at the 2014 Honesty Oscars, beating out several other nominees from around the world.

“Thank you for the support that resulted in Sely winning an Honesty Oscar. This recognition shows her active role in combating corruption,” the ICW said in statement released on Sunday.

“This award is a proud achievement, not only for the ICW but also for the anti-corruption movement in Indonesia in general. We hope this international recognition boosts our spirit and persistence to eradicate corruption.”

The Honesty Oscars is organized by ONE.org, an international nonpartisan organization co-founded by Bono, the vocalist of Dublin­-based rock band U2.

Sely garnered 54 percent of the 6,700 votes in the Best Activist in a Leading Role category in a voting window that was been open for less than a week. “We wanted to use the momentum from the Academy Awards to put the

spotlight not on Hollywood, but on the creative campaigning of NGOs and passionate individuals who fight global corruption,” ONE states about the awards on its website.

The ICW is one of the most prominent anticorruption NGOs in Indonesia. It has been constantly providing advocacy to counter-­corruption efforts, such as protecting whistle­blowers, promoting clean and transparent governance, and combating efforts to weaken the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).