Today, students are playing crucial roles in opposition movements throughout the world, fighting for democracy and the implementation of human rights. Though they often are the first ones to climb the barricades, sadly they are also the first ones to be forgotten. The purpose of the Student Peace Prize is to make their voices heard, their sacrifices known and contribute to their cause in any way we can.
The Student Peace Prize 2009 is awarded the human rights activist Elkouria “Rabab” Amidane from Western Sahara. Amidane is awarded the Prize for her work for human rights, students' rights and peace in Western Sahara.
Amidane is contributing to inform the world about the discrimination and the violence that the Sahrawis are exposed to by the Moroccan government. Even though Amidane uses peaceful means in her fight for human rights, she has been exposed to torture and arrested by the Moroccan police several times.
Documenting violation of human rights
An important part of Amidane's work is to document the situation in Western Sahara by taking photos and writing reports for the Sahrawi human rights organization CODESA. Amidane publishes a lot of the material on the Internet, such as videos of students being attacked by the police. Publishing the videos have led to anonymous threats towards the Peace Prize laureate.
Travelling abroad
Amidane travels abroad to tell the rest of the world about the conditions of the Sahrawis in Western Sahara. When she visited Norway in 2007, Amidane met the Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, and she asked the Norwegian state to support Western Sahara's demands for independence. By meeting political leaders and people with a lot of resources, Amidane could make the world recognize the conflict in Western Sahara. In cooperation with Norwegian youth's political parties and the Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara, Amidane has been able to make the present conflict in Western Sahara relevant in Norway.
A Natural Candidate for the Committee
Sigrun Espe from SAIH, leader of the Student Peace Prize Committee 2009, says that the conflict in Western Sahara has been interesting the Committee members for a long time, and that person from this country was a natural candidate. “Exactly why Rabab Amidane is awarded this year’s Peace Prize is because of her involvement with students’ rights and human rights in Western Sahara, and her contribution to a peaceful solution to the conflict. Additionally, Rabab is a strong and charismatic woman, and she speaks English, which have helped her to build up an international network.
Rabab Amidane is an example on how important students are in the struggle for human rights. The Student Peace Prize can contribute to strengthen her defence against the Moroccan government. “But it is now very important that Rabab is followed up in the aftermath of the prize, because she is being watched by the government,” says Ronny Hansen from the Norwegian Support Committee for Western Sahara.
Impact of the Peace Priz
“The Student Peace Prize will contribute to resolve one of the main problems with the conflict in Western Sahara; the fact that it is barely known internationally,” says Ronny Hansen. Gro Brækken from Save the Children Norway, expresses that the Peace Prize will be a personal encouragement to Rabab. “When you are struggeling for human rights and peace, like Rabab, it is important to know that others care. We in the Committee have seen this effect among former laureates of the Student Peace Prize.” Another effect of the Prize will be more attention around the confilct in Western Sahara, and attention on students’ rights and human rights in general. “Rabab can use the Prize to reach out to the rest of the world, and both she and the Student Peace Prize will be known,” says Bjørn Hansen, journalist in NRK. “Rabab Amidane and her work is exceptional!”
A Contribution to Peace
“By giving the Student Peace Prize to Rabab Amidane the conflict is becoming more visible, which is an important contribution to peace in Western Sahara,” claims the member of the Student Peace Prize Committee and former leader of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Ole Danbolt Mjøs. The conflict in Western Sahara has been going on for more than thirty years, but only a few people know about the violation of human rights committed by the Moroccan government. A referendum about Western Sahara's right of self determination should have been carried through a long time ago, but nothing has happened yet. “The Student Peace Prize can contribute to carry through the referendum, and to a just peace in Western Sahara,” continues Mjøs.
The fight for students' rights and human rights in general is an important part of the fight for peace. That is why it is important to give the Student Peace Prize to an human rights activist like Rabab Amidane. “There will be no just peace without respect for the human rights”, claims Mjøs. Students are important resources in the fight for a better society and a just world. “With her peaceful methods Rabab is doing a wonderful job for Western Sahara. The Student Peace Prize is going to be an encouragement for Rabab and her future work with human rights and the struggle for a peaceful solution in Western Sahara,” finishes Mjøs.
