(Article written by Anders Sundnes Loevlie , translated by Anti Yara Award Committee).
Source Dagsavisen, Norway)
August 28, 2005
Mari Boine og Sissel Kyrkjeboe may decide to cancel their performances in the Oslo Concert Hall when Hydro (Yara) intends to award a prize to the prime minister of Ethiopia next week. That prime minister is associated with political violence, serious breaches of human rights, and corruption.
Today, Hydro is celebrating itself with a magnificent peoples’ festival in the Frogner Park in Oslo. Among the artists, who are to perform before ten thousands of those present we find Sissel Kyrkjeboe. According to plan, she is also expected to perform when Hydro’s daughter company Yara awards the prize named “African Green Revolution Yara Prize” in the Oslo Concert Hall next weekend, together with Mari Boine, among others.
But it may now happen that the two artists will decline to do so after all. The reason is that exile Ethiopians have requested that the two well known artists not to attend the award ceremony. Indeed, the award is to be given to the Ethiopian Prime Minister, Meles Zenawi, who is suspected of seriously violating human rights. He has also been accused of election frauds which were held May 2005, and during which around forty people were killed when the prime minister’s private army attacked demonstrators.
Mari Boine is considering cancelling her appearance, but she refuses to comment the case before the final decision has been taken, according to her manager Paal Gjersum.
Sissel Kyrkjeboe’s manager Arne Svare also hesitates to comment this issue.
-We have not yet made any final decision. There is no information yet that ought to make Sissel drop the concert. But we are aware of the criticism against Mr. Zenawi, and we are now working to obtain information from all of those involved, according to Arne Svare.
Making Fools of Them.
One of those, who are involved in this issue, is Mr. Petter Eide, the Director for Amnesty in Norway.
– Yara has made a giant blunder by giving this award to Mr. Zenawi. They have made themselves looking like fools, he says.
Eide was himself invited to the award ceremony, but he will not attend. He is also of the opinion that Sissel Kyrkjeboe and Mari Boine ought to do the same.
It is his opinion that they ought to inform Yara that they do not feel comfortable, and ideally they should not participate.
Mulu Alem Adam, the leader for the Ethiopian Association in Norway, is of the same opinion.
-This award ceremony is a shame. Both artists and politicians ought to distance themselves from this award. This is no time to sing before the Ethiopian prime minister. How is it possible for him to sit there listening to concerts, while the Ethiopian people are dying? Mr. Adam asks.
According to Yara, this award is given to Mr. Zenawi for him showing great leadership, and for having strengthened agriculture in Ethiopia. But experts are still raising questions regarding Mr. Zenawi’s agricultural policies. Many people do not wish to have their names known; for fear that they may be denied visas to Ethiopia in the future. They point out that there have never been so many people who lack food in Ethiopia as there are today.
– It is totally absurd to give this award to Mr. Zenawi. A number of well documented abuses and breaches of human rights have been demonstrated – ranging from imprisonment without lawful court decisions to torture, murder, and disappearances. In addition, there are serious questions regarding the purely qualified considerations for this award, according to Kjetil Tronvoll, associate professor at the Center for Human Rights in the University of Oslo.
http://www.dagsavisen.no/kultur/article1713130.ece?service=print Aug. 28, 2005.