2012 Nobel Peace Prize
| The Nobel Peace Prize | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Description | Outstanding contributions to peace |
| Location | Oslo |
| Presented by | Norwegian Nobel Committee |
| Reward(s) | 8 million SEK ($1.2M) |
The 2012 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to European Union (EU) "for over six decades contributed to the advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe."[1]
Nominations
For the 2012 award the Nobel Committee received 231 valid nominations, compared to the record 247 candidates in 2011.[2] 43 of the nominations are organisations, while the remaining 188 are individuals, either alone, together with others or together with organisations.[3]
Several of the nominees were from Russia and other former Soviet countries. These included Russian human rights activist Svetlana Gannushkina and the organisation Memorial, Belarusian political activist Ales Bialiatski, and former prime minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko.[4] Among the nominees were former U.S. president Bill Clinton, professor and writer on non-violent struggle Gene Sharp, and Bradley Manning the U.S. serviceman locked up after being arrested in May 2010 in Iraq on suspicion of passing classified material to the whistleblower website WikiLeaks.[3] WikiLeaks itself, and its founder Julian Assange were also nominated.[4]
Norwegian Nobel Committee Members
The members Norwegian Nobel Committee were appointed by the Norwegian Parliament to roughly reflect the party makeup of that body. The Committee had the following membership in 2012: Thorbjørn Jagland (chair), Kaci Kullmann Five (deputy chair), Inger-Marie Ytterhorn, Berit Reiss-Andersen, and Gunnar Stålsett (member during Ågot Valle's sick leave).
Announcement
The award was announced on 12 October 2012. The Nobel citation referred to the strict demands the European Union placed on all would-be members, gave special mention to Greece, Spain and Portugal—all of which joined in the 1980s between dictatorships—, and referred to the countries in Eastern Europe who fled westwards into its embrace after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union. However, no mention was made of the inability of the EU to prevent war in the Balkans during the 1990s, wars which led to the loss of more than 100,000 lives in Bosnia alone.[5]
Reactions
 | The neutrality of this article is disputed. |
The general reaction in Brussels, Central USE, and around the world was one of major surprise with primarily negative undertones. As the BBC put it, "For those, in particular, who see the European Commission as an undemocratic, bureaucratic, even corrupt institution, this will do more than raise eyebrows."[6] English MEP Daniel Hannan captured the general mood - "First Al Gore, then Obama, now this. Parody is redundant."[7]
When South East England MEP Nigel Farage was asked to comment, he referred to rioting across Greece and the widespread discontent over the austerity policies being implemented by the EU as he said: "A general feeling of mutual distrust, hatred and dislike has grown up between Germany and Greece - so I find it baffling that the EU has been awarded this prize."[6]
Syriza (Greek political party) spokesperson Panos Skourletis said: “This decision cheapens the prize and more importantly harms the institution of the Nobel Peace award. I just cannot understand what the reasoning would be behind it. In many parts of Europe, but especially in Greece we are experiencing what really is a war situation on a daily basis albeit a war that has not been formally declared. There is nothing peaceful about it.”[8]
Municipal councillor Petros Constantinou, who also runs an anti-racism group in Athens, called the decision “ridiculous and provocative [...] To give the prize to an institution of war and racism is ridiculous. It provokes democratic and anti-racist sentiment. With its partner NATO, the EU has invaded countries in the Middle East, not to mention Afghanistan. Its actions have created huge streams of refugees which then flood into countries like Greece and when they get here they not only encounter racism but hostile EU [border] agencies like Frontex.”[8]
Photographer Ioanna Nikolareizi said. “It's absurd. This is a prize that should go to a human being, not an institution that frankly is going down the drain. The social unrest we are experiencing in Greece is provoked as a result of European policies. To call them peaceful would be to really stretch the imagination.”[8]
Ambrose Evans-Pritchard, a journalist with 30 years experience covering world politics and economics, said "[The] North-South split turns more acrimonious by the day, with the creditor bloc and debtor bloc (to use a very crude description that does not capture what is really a story of currency misalignment) eyeing each other with increasing hatred [...] You couldn't make it up."[9]
University of Iowa archaeologist Dr. Robert Cargill remarked, “Like many past recipients, the European Union has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on its deathbed.”[10]
One response picked up by Reuters and distributed internationally was “Is this a joke? It's the last thing I would expect. It mocks us and what we are going through right now. All it will do is infuriate people here.” It came from 36-year-old Athens hair stylist Chrisoula Panagiotidi, who had just lost her job.[10]
Some EU citizens were nevertheless delighted with their win. British playwright Dan Rebellato told of his pride at being honoured with such a prestigious award. "As a member of the EU, I am delighted to accept the Nobel Peace Prize. I shall keep it in the spare room, in case people want to look at it."[7] Some netizens wondered if the prize money was a contribution to the fund intended to bankroll the stricken Spanish state in the event of its financial collapse.[11] CNN's British talk show host Piers Morgan was thrilled upon hearing the news - "I've just won the Nobel Peace Prize? How exciting", while the BBC's business correspondent Robert Peston asked his Twitter followers what they intended to spend their ¼ cent prize money on.[7]
References
- ^ [1]
- ^ "Nominations for the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize". Norwegian Nobel Committee. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
- ^ a b Bakken, Laila Ø; Myklebust, Gunnar (27 February 2012). "Manning nominert til fredsprisen" (in Norwegian). NRK. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|trans_title=ignored (|trans-title=suggested) (help) - ^ a b Bakken, Laila Ø (31 January 2012). "Nonner, aktivister og fengslede statsministre på årets nobelliste" (in Norwegian). NRK. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|trans_title=ignored (|trans-title=suggested) (help) - ^ "Crisis-ridden EU wins Nobel Peace Prize". Herald Sun. 12 October 2012. Retrieved 12 October 2012.
- ^ a b Price, Matthew (12 October 2012). "Nobel Peace Prize: Surprise in Brussels at award for EU". BBC News. Retrieved 12 October 2012.
- ^ a b c Lawless, Jill (12 October 2012). "EU Detractors Slam Nobel Peace Prize Decision". ABC News. Retrieved 12 October 2012.
- ^ a b c Harding, Luke; Topping, Alexandra (12 October 2012). "Nobel peace prize awarded to the European Union - live coverage: Reaction from Greece". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 October 2012.
- ^ Evans-Pritchard, Ambrose (12 October 2012). "The wrong Europe wins the Nobel Peace Prize". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 12 October 2012.
- ^ a b Ciarula Taylor, Lesley (12 October 2012). "EU wins Nobel Peace Prize reaction: 'Is this a joke?'". Toronto Star. Retrieved 12 October 2012.
- ^ "EU Nobel peace award sparks fiery online backlash". Asia One. 12 October 2012. Retrieved 12 October 2012.