Nobel Peace Prize Goes to Trio of Liberian, Yemeni Women

Voice of America ^ | 10/7/11

[Borges]

The 2011 Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee and Yemeni women's rights advocate Tawakkul Karman.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee made the announcement Friday in Oslo, saying the three women will split the coveted award for "their nonviolent struggle for the safety of women and for women's rights."

Committee chairman Thorbjoern Jagland praised the work of the three recipients, saying that "we cannot achieve lasting peace in the world unless women obtain the same opportunities as men."

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, 72, became Africa's first democratically elected female president in 2005. The Nobel Committee praised the Liberian leader for her efforts to secure peace, promote economic and social development and strengthen the position of women. In an exclusive VOA interview with James Butty, Sirleaf said she is humbled by the award. She said it is an award for all the Liberian people, given what they've gone through - 13 years of civil war, the peace process, and democratic elections. Leymah Gbowee, 39, also from Liberia, helped to end her country's civil war by encouraging Christian and Muslim women to participate in a series of sit-ins and non-violent demonstrations. In 2002, Gbowee mobilized Liberian women to participate in a "sex strike" until the violence ended.

Meanwhile, activist and journalist Tawakkul Karman, 32, was praised for playing a "leading part in the struggle for women's rights and for democracy and peace" in Yemen. A leading "Arab Spring" activist in her country, Karman told reporters after winning the prize that she dedicated it to the "youth of the revolution in Yemen," saying it was a victory in her country's uprising against President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

The committee said it hopes the prize will help bring an end to the "suppression of women that still occurs in many countries."

The three women will share an award of nearly $1.5 million, which they will receive at a ceremony in Oslo on December 10.

Last year, the Nobel committee awarded the peace prize to imprisoned Chinese dissident writer and activist Liu Xiabao, angering the Chinese government. Liu is serving an 11-year prison sentence for what China says is "subverting state power."

Past winners include U.S. President Barack Obama in 2009, former Vice President Al Gore in 2007 and former President Jimmy Carter in 2002. The 2001 prize was split between the United Nations and then Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

The prize was created by Swedish scientist and industrialist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite.

[G Larry]

Don’t knock it!

They tried to give it to that traitor, Army private, who gave away all that classified data....

[Tublecane]

“we cannot achieve lasting peace in the world unless women obtain the same opportunities as men.”

We also cannot achieve lasting progress in quantum physics without unless gay Mexican midgets are afforded the same opportunities as white, usually Jewish Germans. I refuse to support the physics prize until they have their year, as well.

[SueRae]

Congratulations to this year’s recipients. From the descriptions, they sound like they certainly deserved it.

Looks like the Nobel committee finally got tired of being a laughingstock after the 0bama award (not to mention the other two....Gore and Carter)and gave it to deserving recipients.

I understand that Julian Assange was amongst the nominees. Clean it up Nobel committee.

[NEMDF]

There was an article in recent Readers’ Digest about the Liberian president, who seemed to be quite worthy.

(MANY years ago) When I was in high school, we had a foreign exchange student who was from some very well-connected family in Liberia. His father was some high-level government official. I always wondered what happened to him as the political changes and violence in the country were prevalent over so long.

[SueRae]

I also remember seeing a woman prime minister (or ambassador) speaking at either the UN or to Congress, making a most grateful acknowldegment to the efforts of Goerge W. Bush for championing the cause of freedom in Liberia. She said it would not have been possible without his direct efforts. I’ll have to look it up but I wonder if one of the two Liberian recipients was the same one I heard before.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Borges.