TO OSLO WITH DIGNITY FOR A PRIZE.................. WORLD TO REJOICE
(Madan Menon Thottasseri)
_______________________________________________
Is it lack of judiciousness on the part of Nobel committee to picks up U.S President Barack Obama for the prestigious prize....... again demonstrated the US dominion though the award is given by the five member committee headed by the Norwegian Parliament?...... Being a Nobel Laureate can he rise to the expectations of the global communities after adorning the coveted prize, too early in his career as President?
The honour may sometimes backfire him by raising expectations on him further higher, giving ammunition to his political rivals.
His initiative in conducting straight dialogue free of any pre-conditions with Tehran stands alone as something incredible which entails him to be selected for the honour.
The Islamic Revolution in 1979 dismantled the whole of diplomatic relations. No magic of diplomacy were possible once George W Bush lumped Iran together with that of Iraq and North Korea.
Obama have to maintain his style of extraordinary efforts in all his future endeavours for continuous strengthening of International diplomacy and co-operation between people for which the he has won the Nobel. To quote the Nobel Committee citation.... “Only very rarely has a person to same extent as Obama captured the world’s attention and given its people a better future. His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world’s population”. Though not praising for the adornment of the popular peace Prize, the press statement released from the office of the President Mohamed Ahemadinejad immediately after the announcement of Nobel to Obama, was less incredulous about his task ahead! It said “We hope that this gives him the incentive to walk in the path of bringing justice to the world order”.
Obama is the third sitting U.S President to win the Nobel peace prize. The other two Presidents who won the prize were Theodore Roosevelt in the year 1906 and Woodrow Wilson in the year 1919. His willingness to reach out to the Islamic world and correspondingly tempting all nuclear nations for reduction of arms simultaneously advocating for Nuclear Non-Proliferation were lauded by his admirers. He has already declared the closure of Guantanamo bay prison and cessation of crimes against the civilised conscience.......agreed to take the mantle for global warming......reached out Iran and opened all diplomatic channels.......withdrawal of all troops from Iraq by end 2011 and so on.
To my mind the apprehension is on the nuclear disarmaments. How can Obama expect India with so much of threats of all sorts from across the boarders to sign NPT while U.S itself has stockpile of nuclear warheads. The nuclear deal with India and NSG waiver may be a break-through in Indo-US relations. This will no way justify the thrust on the non-proliferation issues aimed to tame a regional power –India. America is still disinclined to recognise India’s demanding eligibility for the permanent membership of the U.N Security Council. Probably these issues will be challenging for Obama to facilitate strengthening of relationship with India.
Nuclear Proliferation Treaty (NPT),1968 premeditated to rein in the spread of nuclear armaments with the sole idea of eliminating them altogether has fundamentally failed while the four key nuclear nations viz. India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea are not parties to it. The down to earth answers Obama have to find out will be for these questions- “On what grounds the legal possession of nuclear weapons are being restricted as per the Treaty, are only those countries that tested prior to 1967?On what ethical justification such a distinction is valid? Can’t it be scrapped?”
Nuclear Proliferation Treaty (NPT),1968 premeditated to rein in the spread of nuclear armaments with the sole idea of eliminating them altogether has fundamentally failed while the four key nuclear nations viz. India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea are not parties to it. The down to earth answers Obama have to find out will be for these questions- “On what grounds the legal possession of nuclear weapons are being restricted as per the Treaty, are only those countries that tested prior to 1967?On what ethical justification such a distinction is valid? Can’t it be scrapped?”
In India as we get opinions from all sources without any hassle and will naturally create a mystification upon reading host of views about conferring the honour to the U.S President currently in the office. He embodies a new spirit of dialogue and engagement on the world’s biggest problems: climate change, nuclear disarmament and a wide range of peace and security challenges, as commented by U.N Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon. Still the big question is that..... Can he deliver things ?The President has to take many decisions in support of a series of “pressure” due to the track record of American diplomacy in intervention in issues plainly unconnected with America but for American interests and even proxy wars !
The people of U.S are aware of indignities their nation inflicted on the world has diminished the stature of America. The humiliations the people of U.S endure are irreconcilable with lives of dignity and signify institutional failure. The U.S presidency have to address the indignities that manifest as corruption, unemployment, recession, racism, subversion of democracy etc.
President Obama may be the herald of dignitarian politics, not simply libertarian nor egalitarian! 20th century witnessed politics wherein these two ideologies were also locking horns with each other. Dignitarian Politics representing a novel synthesis of these two battle-scarred and exhausted ideologies aimed for both domestic and global politics is being used by Obama for the first time to meet the challenges of the new century.
The people of U.S are aware of indignities their nation inflicted on the world has diminished the stature of America. The humiliations the people of U.S endure are irreconcilable with lives of dignity and signify institutional failure. The U.S presidency have to address the indignities that manifest as corruption, unemployment, recession, racism, subversion of democracy etc.
President Obama may be the herald of dignitarian politics, not simply libertarian nor egalitarian! 20th century witnessed politics wherein these two ideologies were also locking horns with each other. Dignitarian Politics representing a novel synthesis of these two battle-scarred and exhausted ideologies aimed for both domestic and global politics is being used by Obama for the first time to meet the challenges of the new century.
A politician of his stature can only experiment an alternative that can muster support for America and its domination in disguise! The Nobel Prize act as an expression of hope of millions of peace loving human beings who look at an American initiative for world peace. He must be aware that the mission for dignity has to be accommodatingly conceived of, in terms of surmounting rankism - the abuse of power to dehumanise others with less or no power.
Obama gave the first hint of a change in London in April,2009, let it be before the presidential elections, introducing a softer and gentler American which is willing to listen, engage and talk to others while the biggest democracy is positioning a multilateral world view. He only made it possible for India and China to join the G 20 upon expanding from G 7.
Obama gave the first hint of a change in London in April,2009, let it be before the presidential elections, introducing a softer and gentler American which is willing to listen, engage and talk to others while the biggest democracy is positioning a multilateral world view. He only made it possible for India and China to join the G 20 upon expanding from G 7.
Obama has won the Nobel with less than nine months into the high position and the Nobel prize may be too early for him. I pray that we in India should not look down up on him and the Nobel prize. Let us ignore that fact that the Nobel committee inadvertently elevated him by over looking the fundamental nature of what makes a man frail. But now he should not think of anything else other than winning here afterwards, as he has already won the Nobel!
In a statement on Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary on 2nd Octber, 2009. Obama, the ardent fan of Mahatma Gandhi hailed our father of nation ‘as a great soul’ whose teaching and ideals transformed American society through the civil rights movement. Referring how Mahatma Gandhi’s teaching and ideals, shared with Martin Luther (Jr) King’s pilgrimage to India, transformed American society through their civil rights movement, he called Mahatma the ‘real hero of mine’.
In a statement on Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary on 2nd Octber, 2009. Obama, the ardent fan of Mahatma Gandhi hailed our father of nation ‘as a great soul’ whose teaching and ideals transformed American society through the civil rights movement. Referring how Mahatma Gandhi’s teaching and ideals, shared with Martin Luther (Jr) King’s pilgrimage to India, transformed American society through their civil rights movement, he called Mahatma the ‘real hero of mine’.
It was none other than Mahatma Gandhi who inspired Martin Luther King Jr, the Tibetan Spiritual Leader Dalai Lama and the Pro-democracy leader of Myanmar Aung San Kyi to be eligible for the Nobel Prize earlier. When more admirers of Mahatma are added to the list of Nobel Laureates, indirectly India and we Indians are also inspired for dignitarianism and universal brotherhood.
Mahatma, the global apostle for peace who was shortlisted for the Nobel Peace Prize thrice was eluded the honour, for reasons unknown. He was nominated for the prize in 1938 and 1939. He was shortlisted in 1948, but by then he was assassinated in January in the same year. I feel that the stature of Mahatma is too towering and conferring of a Nobel prize even posthumously would have become an act of impudence to his soul and the Indian freedom struggle as well.
Obama will have to devote more time to keenly watch the atrocities and unfairness happening throughout the world and consolidate strength to identify solutions acceptable to all so as to display the power he gets by winning the Nobel! He cannot just be rhetoric but have to transform into a world leader capable of translating words into action and ultimately win the world. May be that the Nobel Committee preferred him “for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and co-operation between people” and not for any accomplishments as on today.
Obama will have to devote more time to keenly watch the atrocities and unfairness happening throughout the world and consolidate strength to identify solutions acceptable to all so as to display the power he gets by winning the Nobel! He cannot just be rhetoric but have to transform into a world leader capable of translating words into action and ultimately win the world. May be that the Nobel Committee preferred him “for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and co-operation between people” and not for any accomplishments as on today.
It was fine that he unassumingly commended “I will accept this award as a call to action- a call for all nations to confront the common challenges of the 21st century.”A surprised and deeply humbled Obama said that he has viewed the Peace Prize as a way to give impetus to broadly shared aspirations. To quote his comments.... “To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of many of the transformative figures who have been honoured by this prize”.
Obama will go to Oslo to receive the Nobel Prize on 10th December, 2009 and it will be the beginning of a new peace journey for the powerful democracy he represents. He will become a most celebrated icon and brand for Peace. The entire world has to rejoice the event.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
