Norway’s PRIO Head Says Córdoba Most Likely Nobel Peace Winner

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Bloomberg

Norway’s PRIO Head Says Córdoba Most Likely Nobel Peace Winner
By Meera Bhatia

Sept. 11 (Bloomberg) -- Piedad Córdoba, the Colombian senator who has been advocating a peace process in her country, is the most likely winner for the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize, said Norway’s International Peace Research Institute Director Kristian Berg Harpviken.

A second “strong” candidate is Jordanian Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad for promoting interfaith dialogue. Sima Samar, the Afghan woman at the helm of her country’s human rights commission, is also a likely candidate, Oslo-based PRIO said today on its Web site.



Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601086&sid=ar63KLEh8XYg

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Piedad Córdoba, center, with Speaker Pelosi, and Rep. Jim McGovern

Piedad Cordoba wants Congress to push prisoner swap
Wednesday, 09 September 2009 11:33 Neda Vanovac

Opposition senator Piedad Cordoba questioned the government's lack of action and awareness of public opinion after publication of proof-of-life videos of ten members of Colombia's security forces held captive by the FARC., The senator urges Congress to take action to push a prisoner swap.

"I want to suggest to the government that we assume an attitude of honesty, allowing us to play a much more decent, dignified and committed role regarding {hostage} releases. To this end I propose that the Senate of the Republic form a committee to talk with the President of the Republic to take certainty and clarity as far as it can go," said Cordoba.
Senator Cordoba has long been pressuring President Alvaro Uribe's government to make a humanitarian agreement with the rebel group to effectuate a prisoner exchange. So far the government has not capitulated.

The senator said that kidnapping charges will eventually take the FARC to the International Criminal Court, along with the government themselves.

"The government has no compelling arguments to ," Cordoba added.

More:
http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/5827-piedad-cordoba-wants-congress-to-push-prisoner-swap.html

[Judi Lynn]

1. Afro-Colombian Senator Piedad Córdoba honored in Newark

Afro-Colombian Senator Piedad Córdoba honored in Newark
By Karen Juanita Carrillo

http://www.afropresencia.com.nyud.net:8090/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/.pond/PiedadCordobaatNLJFhonor3.JPG.w300h225.jpg

Senator Piedad Córdoba with Dr Norma
Jackson of the NLJ Foundation.
Photo credit: Karen Juanita Carrillo

On May 29, 2009 the Afro-Colombian Senator Piedad Córdoba traveled to Newark, New Jersey and was honored by the non-profit Norma Lozano Jackson Foundation (http://NLJF.org) for her work as a peace negotiator in war-torn Colombia.

Senator Córdoba is a lawyer by trade and as Dr. Jackson said in her introduction, “Senator Cordoba is recognized for her tireless efforts to obtain the inclusion of Colombian minorities in all aspects of society... The humanitarian agreement that would allow the release of all kidnapped individuals presently in the jungles of Colombia is part of the Senator’s daily struggle. She strongly opposes a military solution to the armed conflict in Colombia.

Jackson added that, “Senator Cordoba has been the victim of many attempts against her life, was kidnapped twice and forced into exile in Canada for criticizing the long armed conflict in Colombia.”

Piedad Esneda Córdoba Ruiz – the niece of Diego Luis Córdoba, the leading politician behind the creation of the state of El Chocó – has become well-known in her home country as the principal figure behind a peace movement that has helped to free civilian hostages caught up in the fighting between the government and guerrilla forces.

More:
http://www.afropresencia.com/id49.html