The Norwegian Nobel Committee saves Malala Yousafzai’s life?

Has The Norwegian Nobel Committee probably saved Malala Yousafzai’s life by not awarding her 2013 Nobel Peace Prize? It seems weird but Malala Yousafzai’s can be a unique case. Pakistani Talibans were constantly threatening to kill the teenage education activist if she is awarded the most prestigious award of the world. They have also threatened to kill any bookseller who sells Malala Yousafzai’s book in Pakistan. 

Mainstream media had speculated that five-member The Norwegian Nobel Committee was extremely concerned about the ‘price’ of the award to Malala Yousafzai. There was a strong view that awarding Nobel Prize to Malala risked encouraging another assassination attempt from Islamic extremists, and that, at just 16 years’ of age, she was too young to cope with the weight of the prize.

Instead, the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) – an intergovernmental organization and a weapons watchdog, located in The Hague, Netherlands. The OPCW promotes and verifies the adherence to the Chemical Weapons Convention which prohibits of the use of chemical weapons and requires their destruction. The OPCW was formed on 28^th April 1997 – the same year Malala Yousafzai was born in Mingora, Pakistan on 12^th July. The OPCW is not an agency of the United Nations, but cooperates both on policy and practical issues as 189 countries in the world are members of this organization. Turkey’s Ahmet Uzumku is the current Director General of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. 

While announcing the award, The Norwegian Nobel Committee praised extensive efforts of the OPCW to eliminate chemical weapons. The decision of the award is significant in the backdrop of world community’s efforts to eliminate chemical weapons from Syria. Commenting on the award, the committee panel said, “The conventions and the work of the OPCW have defined the use of chemical weapons as a taboo under international law. Recent events in Syria, where chemical weapons have again be put to use, have underlined the need to enhance the efforts to do away with such weapons”.

The decision between Malala Yousafzai and the OPCW was to choose between whom to address on priority – war against Al-Qaida and Taliban terrorism or war against chemical weapons. Winning both wars are important for better future and ultimate peace in the world. One war cannot be ignored to give priority to the other war. However, it appears war against Al-Qaida and Taliban terrorism will be a long-fought war in order to eliminate roots of the evil while war against chemical weapons could comparably be lesser in duration. 

If I were asked to give my opinion, I would have suggested sharing the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize between the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and Malala Yousafzai. Both are so vital for bringing peace and normalcy in the world as both wars must be won. In shorter term, I agree to the idea to save Malala Yousafzai from another assassination attempt and keep the hope alive.