The 2010 Nobel Peace Prize to Liu Xiaobo

[Guybrush]

This year's peace prize is going to Liu Xiaobo for "his long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China". Liu is a chinese peace activist and writer who currently sits in jail for signing a suggested alteration for the chinese constitution, or something along those lines.

A lot has happened since the announcement. The relationship between Norway and China has become considerably more chilly. President Obama has said that Liu is a more worthy winner than he was and personally requested that Liu is released from prison. The wish has of course not been granted and while I'm writing, the award ceremony is on the telly and Liu's chair is empty. In China, activists supporting the nobel peace prize have been arrested.

What do you guys think about it? Is Liu a worthy winner?


Personally, I strongly support it and I think this peace prize is extremely important. China is an economic super power growing by the day. Yet, it is a country where people are afraid to utter opinions about the government and the political system. It's a country where people can get arrested and disappear under suspicious circumstances. I hope that nobel prize will help stir the political status quo which will hopefully lead to changes in the future.

On the flip side of things, it has chilled the political relationship between nations ever so slightly, perhaps particularly the old west vs. east. China requested that countries boycott the ceremony. In addition to China, Russia are also boycotting it, so these communist super powers of old are in agreement over this. Additional boycotters Kazakhstan, Colombia, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Serbia, Iraq , Iran, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Venezuela, the Philippines, Egypt, Sudan, Ukraine, Cuba and Morocco. This is according to New York Times.

Any thoughts?