Esther Htusan

Esther Htusan (pronounced TOO-sahn), is a journalist from Myanmar. She is a former Foreign Correspondent for the Associated Press based in Yangon, Myanmar. In 2016, she was the first person from Myanmar to win the Pulitzer Prize.

In 2017, Htusan was forced to flee from her country after reporting on Aung San Suu Kyi's policies toward Rohingya refugees. Htusan is now a freelance journalist, living in the United States.

Background and education Esther Htusan was born in 1987 in Phakant, Kachin State, Myanmar to ethnic Kachin parents Hkangda Dut La, Bawmli Hkawn Shawng. She finished her primary and secondary education in Myitkyina, Kachin State.

She studied Mathematics at the University of Myitkyina where she earned her bachelor's degree in Science in 2008. After graduating from the university she moved to the country's biggest city, Yangon in 2009 to study English and political science.

In 2013, after investigating confiscation of more than 500 acres of farmland by the Navy, a military intelligence officer visited her apartment to interrogate her. When she learned about the visit, she fled to Shan State in the east of Burma for two weeks.

Reporting on slavery in Thailand's fishing fleets In 2014, Htusan and Margie Mason embarked on a 30-hour journey to investigate enslaved Burmese fishermen in the remote island village of Benjina in eastern Indonesia. Htusan, and other members of the Associated Press team, spent over a year of investigations leading up to publication of what they learned.

The series of stories began running in March, 2015, as listed below.

"US Supply Chain Tainted by Slave-Caught Fish," AP Video, March 24, 2015. "AP Investigation: Are slaves catching the fish you buy?" Robin McDowell, Associated Press, March 25, 2015. "AP Investigation prompts emergency rescue of 300 plus slaves," Robin McDowell and Margie Mason, Associated Press, April 3, 2015. "US lets in Thai fish caught by slaves despite law," Martha Mendoza , Associated Press, April 22, 2015. " Seafood from Slaves: 22 years a slave," Margie Mason, Associated Press, June 29, 2015. "AP Exclusive: AP tracks slave boats to Papua New Guinea," Robin McDowell, Martha Mendoza and Margie Mason, Associated Press, July 27, 2015. "AP Investigation prompts new round of slave rescues," Margie Mason and Martha Mendoza, July 30, 2015. "More than 2,000 enslaved fishermen rescued in 6 months," Ester Htusan and Margie Mason, Associated Press, September 17, 2015. and the U.S. State Department began their own investigation and new legislation was passed to help close loopholes that allowed sales of products produced with slave labor.

Awards

Htusan and the staff of the Associated Press won multiple awards for the coverage of slave-labor in the fishing industry and are listed below.

2015 The Hal Boyle Award for best newspaper reporting from abroad 2015 the AP's Oliver S. Gramling Journalism Award recognizing AP staffers for professional excellence 2015 University of Oregon's Ancil Award for Ethics in Journalism 2015 Arizona State University’s Barlett & Steele (Gold) Award for Investigative Business Journalism 2015 George Polk Award for Foreign Reporting 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service 2016 Anthony Lewis Prize for Exceptional Rule of Law Journalism 2016 Seldon Ring Award, recognizing investigative reporting that has had an impact and caused change 2016 Michael Kelly Award for the fearless pursuit and expression of truth