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Bishop Ruiz honored
Peace prize named for Buddhist figure
A controversial Mexican bishop who retired in 1999 has been named as this year’s recipient of the prestigious Niwano Peace Prize.

Bishop Samuel Ruiz Garcia earned a worldwide reputation for his human-rights work while heading the Diocese of Chiapas in southern Mexico. But he also drew sharp criticism for his support of “indigenous theology” (a branch of liberation theology), and his involvement with the Zapatista rebel group.

Informed that he had won the Niwano award, Bishop Ruiz responded with a statement that the prize committee had made “a gesture of solidarity with the Indian tribes of Chiapas, Mexico, and all of the Western hemisphere.” He said the award was another show of support for “their human dignity and rights, and their efforts to achieve peace through dialogue.”

The Niwano Prize, named in honor of the Japanese Buddhist leader Nikkyo Niwano, carries a stipend of $150,000. Bishop Ruiz was chosen for the award by a seven-member panel that included Buddhist, Christian, and Muslim representatives.