The Norwegian committee has decided to award the 2016 peace prize to the Colombian president for his work to bring peace to his country, despite the fact that the peace deal was voted down in a referendum less than a week ago.
The peace prize committee says that the result of the referendum, which was to reject the peace accord negotiated by President Santos and leader of the Farc rebels, Timochenko, could lead to a flare-up of conflict and civil war in the country and the committee strongly encourages Santos and Timochenko to respect the accord and “take their share of responsibility and participate constructively in the upcoming peace talks.”
She says that the referendum result was not the Colombian people rejecting peace, but rejecting the specific details of the peace deal put forward last week.
The Nobel committee spokeswoman applauded President Santos for saying he would fight for peace until his last day in office.
“The committee hopes that the peace prize will give him strength to succeed in this demanding task. Further it is the committee’s hope that in the year’s to come, the Colombian people will reap the fruits of the reconciliation process.”
She said that though the peace accord was rejected in the referendum, the negotiations have “brought the bloody conflict significantly closer to a peaceful solution” and Santos’ “endeavours to promote peace demonstrate the spirit of Alfred Nobel’s will.”
Source: Guardian
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