Honestly, I was beginning to think that the whole Nobel Peace Prize thing was another award gone terribly mediocre (in the vein of most American film and TV awards). But thank you, esteemed academy, for proving my suspicions wrong. FINALLY they have awarded the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize to someone who has actually done (and is doing) something extraordinary for world peace.
Congratulations to Mr. Liu Xiaobo - a man who is currently imprisoned (2009-2020) for his work fighting for human rights in China. You, sir, are a true hero and I am encouraged to hear that the world still applauds the courageous, the unvanquished, the vigilant. May the citizens of the world be inspired by your bravery and be reminded to never fear the sometimes cruel consequences of free speech.
A concise explanation of the award's basis from the Nobel press release:
For over two decades, Liu Xiaobo has been a strong spokesman for the application of fundamental human rights also in China. He took part in the Tiananmen protests in 1989; he was a leading author behind Charter 08, the manifesto of such rights in China which was published on the 60th anniversary of the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the 10th of December 2008. The following year, Liu was sentenced to eleven years in prison and two years' deprivation of political rights for “inciting subversion of state power". Liu has consistently maintained that the sentence violates both China's own constitution and fundamental human rights.
The campaign to establish universal human rights also in China is being waged by many Chinese, both in China itself and abroad. Through the severe punishment meted out to him, Liu has become the foremost symbol of this wide-ranging struggle for human rights in China.
Oslo, October 8, 2010
Official press release in full as released by the Norwegian Nobel Committee.
Reported here in The Alaska Standard.com.
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