This afternoon the 2008 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Martti Ahtisaari, the former President of Finland.
He has been instrumental in a number of international conflicts, particularly bringing independence to Nambia, resolving the conflict on Kosovo, and working out a situation in Indonesia's Aceh Province.
Apparently the 71-year-old Ahtisaari has been nominated many times, but this year was finally honoured for his work.
However, many activists were hoping China's Hu Jia would get the top prize.
Many had speculated the Nobel committee would make a daring statement by recognizing a human rights activist who originally started working with people with AIDS, and then branched out into land rights and other abuses of the law.
He worked mainly by Internet, making contact with people online, either giving them advice on how to take action, or giving presentations to organizations outside of China to give them a picture of what's going on.
Currently he is in jail, and his wife and baby daughter are basically under house arrest.
No one is allowed to visit her and even she cannot leave the house, depending on family members to give her daily necessities.
If Hu had won the coveted Peace Prize, China would have lost major face.
Instead China can breathe a sigh of relief... for another year.
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1 comment:
the nobel commitee is wise enough not to award hu jia this time. it is too controversial and too politically charged. may be in future.
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