The Nobel Peace Prize for 2016 is awarded to Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos who negotiated a peace deal with the warring guerrillas even though the deal was rejected by the people of Colombia later. The Norwegian Nobel Committee said in a statement Santos got the prize for his resolute efforts to bring the country’s more than 50-year-long civil war to an end.
Asked if the decision was disrespectful to Colombian democracy, the committee spokeswoman said she thought the Colombians rejected the specifics of the peace deal and not peace, adding the award would encourage leaders of the country to continue to strive for peace and not let tensions reemerge. However, the spokesperson refused to comment on why the prize was not jointly awarded to the leader of the Farc group also, saying: “We never comment on the process.”
The Colombian civil war has cost the lives of at least 220 000 Colombians and displaced close to six million people. Santos had initiated the negotiations that culminated in the peace accord between the Colombian government and the FARC guerrillas, and consistently sought to move the peace process forward. Well knowing that the accord was controversial, he was instrumental in ensuring that Colombian voters were able to voice their opinion concerning the peace accord in a referendum.
The outcome of the vote was not what President Santos wanted: a narrow majority of the over 13 million Colombians who cast their ballots said no to the accord. This result has created great uncertainty as to the future of Colombia. There is a real danger that the peace process will come to a halt and that civil war will flare up again. This makes it even more important that the parties, headed by President Santos and FARC guerrilla leader Rodrigo Londoño, continue to respect the ceasefire, Norwegian Nobel Committee added.
Bravo to Colombia President Juan Manuel Santos for the Nobel Peace Prize. Wonderfully deserved!!! A true visionary and man of peace .
— Jeffrey D. Sachs (@JeffDSachs) October 7, 2016
Always count on the Nobel Peace Prize to continue to be a strong argument for its own irrelevance.
— Iyad el-Baghdadi (@iyad_elbaghdadi) October 7, 2016
Nobel Peace Prize to @JuanManSantos is well-deserved. Should give him strength to finish the job and end war and displacement in #Colombia.
— Jan Egeland (@NRC_Egeland) October 7, 2016