What Just Happened in Oslo?

by Todd

U.S. President Barack Obama, yesterday considered an unlikely choice by most observers, has won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. Rumor has it that audible gasps could be heard around the room as the committee announced its decision in Oslo, Norway. Quickly, mainstream news turned to reactions around the world, with an equal mix of celebration, confusion and outright anger flowing in from the streets of New York and Bogota to Baghdad and Kabul.

[Skip to the comments section to share your thoughts, or get some background below first.]

Less than 24 hours ago, major news outlets across the world, like CNN, were calling Colombian senator Piedad Cordoba the “leading candidate to receive this year’s Nobel Peace Prize.” The oldest Spanish language daily in the United States, El Diario, ran a front page story: “Piedad favorita al Nobel de la Paz.”

There was reason for the hype. While the 54 year-old Cordoba is a polarizing figure both abroad and at home, she has been celebrated for her ceaseless promotion of an end to the decades old conflict between FARC rebels and the Colombian government. She became especially popular after serving as a successful negotiator for discussions between Colombia’s president and the FARC revolutionary guerrilla organization. Just two weeks ago, she secured the release of two captives held by FARC, who join 14 others that have regained their freedom since 2007 thanks to the senator. Had Cordoba been selected, she would have been the 13th female to win the prize, joining the likes of Jane Addams, Mother Theresa, Shirin Ebadi, Aung San Suu Kyi, Wangari Maathai and others.

But in the end, the political scandals surrounding her may have been too foggy for the Nobel Prize committee to navigate. During her negotiations with FARC, photos surfaced of the rebels, considered terrorists by several governments, hugging Cordoba and presenting her with flowers. The deterioration of her relationships with the Colombian administration and even some in her own party accelerated soon after, and she is currently being investigated by the judiciary for treason. The charges, like Cordoba, are highly controversial.

Other highly-anticipated nominees included Jordanian Prince Ghazi Bin Muhammad, renowned for his international and interfaith work; Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangarai, for his commitment to ending conflict and supporting peace in Zimbabwe and abroad; and Simar Samar, whose three roles as a UN envoy to Darfur, the head of the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission, and founder of the Afghan healthcare organization Shuhada seemed to have destined her for greater international recognition.

Nonetheless, the prize went to Barack Obama, whose engagement of Muslim communities and work on nuclear non-proliferation have been praised for reinvigorating international cooperation and diplomacy. Yet, the nomination deadline for this year’s prize came in early February, just weeks after the 44th President took office and long before celebrated speeches in Egypt and Ghana or nuclear talks with Russia. He is the eighth Black individual to win the prize and the first sitting American president to receive the honor in nine decades.

Obama spoke briefly about the honor, saying “I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments, but rather…of aspirations held by people in all nations.” He claimed to feel that he did not “deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures” that have received the prize before him. “I accept this award as a call to action, a call to all nations to confront the challenges of the 21st century.” Obama also acknowledged his involvement in two wars while stating that he sees himself as sharing the award with women marching for their rights in the streets despite beatings, a leader imprisoned for her pursuit of democracy and soldiers fighting abroad to obtain a larger peace.

International reactions have varied widely, from a columnist in the US calling it a “mockery” to Twitter users joking that he’ll win Major League Baseball’s Most Valuable Player Award and mixed reactions internationally, as reported by the Associated Press:

In Afghanistan and Pakistan-
“The Nobel prize for peace? Obama should have won the ‘Nobel Prize for escalating violence and killing civilians’,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told Reuters by telephone from an undisclosed location.

In Pakistan, Liaqat Baluch, a senior leader of the Jamaat-e-Islami, a conservative religious party, said: “It’s a joke. How embarrassing for those who awarded it to him because he’s done nothing for peace. What change has he brought in Iraq, the Middle East or Afghanistan?”

In Europe-
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said in a statement: “The award of the prize to President Obama, leader of the most significant military power in the world, at the beginning of his mandate, is a reflection of the hopes he has raised globally with his vision of a world without nuclear weapons.”

In Palestine and Israel-
“We hope that he will be able to achieve peace in the Middle East and achieve Israeli withdrawal to 1967 borders and establish an independent Palestinian state on 1967 borders, with Jerusalem as its capital,” chief Palestinian peace negotiator Saeb Erekat told Reuters.

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak told army radio he believed the award would enhance Obama’s ability “to contribute to establishing regional peace in the Middle East and a settlement between us and the Palestinians that will bring security, prosperity and growth to all the peoples of the region.”

In Iraq-
Saleh al-Mutlaq, a senior Iraqi Sunni Muslim lawmaker, told Reuters: “I think he deserves this prize. Obama succeeded to make a real change in the policy of the United States — a change from a policy that was exporting evil to the world to a policy exporting peace and stability to the world.”

In Indonesia-
In Indonesia, Masdar Mas’udi, deputy head of the largest Muslim organization Nahdatul Ulama, said: “I think it’s appropriate because he is the only American president who has reached out to us in peace. On the issues of race, religion, skin color, he has an open attitude.”

What do you think? Who should have won? Did Obama deserve it? Has the prize lost its influence? Are negative reactions out of line?

October 9th, 2009 • Commentary, Pop Culture • 4 Comments • Comments RSS • Reply • Trackback