Nobel for Obama
The committee that awards the Nobel Peace Prize likes springing surprises. When Kenyan environmentalist Wanggari won in 2004, the committee explicitly linked peace with concerns about the state of our planet's ecology, a concept that was familiar in environmental circles but rarely discussed elsewhere. Bangladeshi banker and economist Dr. Yunus won it in 2006 for his efforts to alleviate poverty thus promoting peace through the use of microcredit schemes. Now the prize has gone to a sitting U.S. President just eight months into his first term. Both Maathai and Yunus told TIME magazine that Obama was a great choice.
He, like every new President, has reckoned with both the power and the danger of words, dangers that are especially great for one who wields them as skilfully as he. With his key role we will rid the earth of its most lethal weapons. We will turn green and clean. We can make the world economy stronger, especially the least developed countries which are facing tough situation after the Iraq war.
Maybe the prize will give him more power, new muscle to haul unruly nations in line. But peacemaking is more about ingenuity than inspiration, about reading other nations' selfish interests and cynically, strategically exploiting them for the common good. Will it help if fewer countries come to the table hating us? To a point. But it's a starting point, not an end in itself.
Any way Kenya has every reason to be proud. Kenya has some fantastic talents. We think President Obama continues to be a great pride for Kenya and Africa, also for the whole world, and we hope that, just like when he was elected President, he will continue to inspire the world and continue to challenge the world to manage ourselves better.
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Some say that the Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to US President Barack Obama in recognition of his speeches containing his noble intentions but not for action towards establishing peace. Well, in my assessment I think Barack Obama has so far achieved remarkable progress towards establishing peace through his bold initiatives to get the earth free of nuclear threat and religion-based hostility.
I strongly feel that Obama's winning the prize is a triumph of peace over war, hatred, and conflicts. The Nobel Peace Prize has opened a new vista for Obama to march forward boldly towards implementing his noble plans.
I take this opportunity to heartily congratulate President Barack Obama and sincerely wish his total success in his peace mission.
Professor M Zahidul Haque, Chairman, Department of Agricultural Extension & Information System, SAU, Dhaka
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