OCTOBER 9, 2010, 12:50 AM HKT
The World Reacts To Liu’s Nobel
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Human rights advocates and Western governments were quick to praise the decision to award the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize to jailed Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo. China’s government responded with anger. A sampling of the reaction around the world:
The Nobel Peace Prize should be awarded to “people who work hard to contribute to national harmony, promote international friendship, advance disarmament, or convene or publicize peace talks.” This was Nobel’s wish. Liu Xiaobo is a criminal who has been sentenced by Chinese judicial departments for violating Chinese law. His deeds are completely counter to the principle of this prize and is also a desecration of the peace prize.
In recent years, relations between China and Norway have maintained favorable development, which is in the basic interests of the two countries and their people. The Nobel committee’s award to Liu Xiaobo is completely contrary to the objective of the Nobel Peace Prize, and will bring harm to the China-Norway relationship.
-Ma Zhaoxu, Spokesman for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs
(Statement in Chinese)
———–
I welcome the Nobel Committee’s decision to award the Nobel Peace Prize to Mr. Liu Xiaobo. Last year, I noted that so many others who have received the award had sacrificed so much more than I. That list now includes Mr. Liu, who has sacrificed his freedom for his beliefs. By granting the prize to Mr. Liu, the Nobel Committee has chosen someone who has been an eloquent and courageous spokesman for the advance of universal values through peaceful and non-violent means, including his support for democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.
As I said last year in Oslo, even as we respect the unique culture and traditions of different countries, America will always be a voice for those aspirations that are universal to all human beings. Over the last 30 years, China has made dramatic progress in economic reform and improving the lives of its people, lifting hundreds of millions out of poverty. But this award reminds us that political reform has not kept pace, and that the basic human rights of every man, woman and child must be respected. We call on the Chinese government to release Mr. Liu as soon as possible.
-U.S. President Barack Obama
(Statement)
———–
“Liu Xiaobo is not very widely known in China now. Once people hear about this prize, they will want to know more about him and his ideas will become better known…Most Chinese should be happy about this. Even people within the Communist Party today are not very happy with the current situation. Mid-level cadres are in their 40s and 50s; they’ve been through the economic opening, they’ve been through the Tiananmen Square protests. They too have opinions about how to respond to Chinese society, how to face up to today’s conditions.”
-Pu Zhiqiang, Chinese rights lawyer
(via Reuters)
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“Liu Xiaobo is of course a very prominent human rights defender. We welcome this recognition of the very important role human rights defenders play in China, and in many other countries, as well as the challenges they face - also the courage they so often show in speaking up for what they believe in. Advocates like Liu Xiaobo can make an important contribution to China’s development.”
-Navi Pillay, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
———–
President Barroso sent a message of congratulations to Mr. Liu Xiaobo for being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize 2010, saying: “The decision of the Nobel Peace Prize Committee is a strong message of support to all those around the world who, sometimes with great personal sacrifice, are struggling for freedom and human rights. These values are at the core of the European Union and the decision of the Nobel Peace Prize Committee highlighted their importance all over the world.”
-José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission
(Statement)
———–
Liu Xiaobo, honor belongs to the people who love freedom… Beginning to see what the future may look like… The person without enemies finally encounters friends, bravo!
-Ai Weiwei, Chinese artist and social commentator
(Translation of his Chinese Twitter feed)
———–
The award for Liu “represents the defense of human rights around the world. France, like the European Union, expressed concern upon his arrest, and called for his release on several occasions. It reiterates that call now. France also repeats its support of freedom of expression around the world. The Nobel committee, which made its choice independently, wanted to send a strong message to all those who peacefully advocate for the promotion and protection of human rights.”
-Bernard Kouchner, French minister of foreign affairs
(via CNN)
———–
“The decision to award the Nobel Peace Prize to Mr. Liu Xiaobo shines a spotlight on the situation of human rights defenders worldwide…We continue to call for his release and to champion freedom of expression in all countries.”
-Britain’s Foreign Ministry
(via Reuters)
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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland appreciates the choice the Norwegian Nobel Committee has made this year, which was to award the Nobel Peace Prize to Liu Xiaobo, a Chinese dissident now serving an 11-year prison term for the struggle for human rights.
The European Union Member States, including Poland, have repeatedly spoken with the Chinese authorities about Liu Xiaobo, expressing concern over his arrest and imprisonment for the right available to every citizen of the People’s Republic of China – one for free and peaceful expression of opinion. The European Union frequently demanded access to the files on Liu Xiaobo’s trial as well as the information about his fate – most recently on 29 June 2010 during the EU-China Dialogue on Human Rights.
We hope that awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to Liu Xiaobo will be received by the Chinese authorities as an incentive for further efforts at building the rule of law and the fulfillment of rights and liberties – including the political and civic ones – available to the citizens of China.
-Marcin Bosacki, Spokesman for Poland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs
(Statement)
———–
I would like to offer my heart-felt congratulations to Mr. Liu Xiaobo for being awarded this year’s Nobel Peace Prize.
Awarding the Peace Prize to him is the international community’s recognition of the increasing voices among the Chinese people in pushing China towards political, legal and constitutional reforms.
I have been personally moved as well as encouraged by the efforts of hundreds of Chinese intellectuals and concerned citizens, including Mr. Liu Xiaobo in signing the Charter 08, which calls for democracy and freedom in China. I expressed my admiration in a public statement on 12 December 2008, two days after it was released and while I was on a visit to Poland. I believe in the years ahead, future generations of Chinese will be able to enjoy the fruits of the efforts that the current Chinese citizens are making towards responsible governance.
I believe that Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao’s recent comments on freedom of speech being indispensable for any country and people’s wish for democracy and freedom being irresistible are a reflection of the growing yearning for a more open China. Such reforms can only lead to a harmonious, stable and prosperous China, which can contribute greatly to a more peaceful world.
I would like to take this opportunity to renew my call to the government of China to release Mr. Liu Xiaobo and other prisoners of conscience who have been imprisoned for exercising their freedom of expression.
-Dalai Lama, exiled Tibetan spiritual leader and winner of the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize
(Statement)
– Jason Dean
http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2010/10/09/the-world-reacts-to-lius-nobel/