Month: October 2021

The recent #Nobel Peace Award extended to journalist #Maria Ressa took me back to the time when I covered the 2008 awarding of #Martti Ahtisaari, considered the father of #Kosovo. Mr. Ahtisaari was recognized for brokering peace between Kosovo and Serbia. He also contributed to peace talks in Namibia, Indonesia, and Iraq.
This brought more ironies to Ms. Ressa’s winning because nowhere I can find in my research that she has brokered peace either locally or abroad. #Rappler, the news agency which she heads, spews news reports that cause more confusion rather than peace and divisiveness rather than unity.
Rappler has also no qualm in exposing its biases. It recently launched an online survey asking the people who they will vote for president in the coming May 2022 elections. It immediately withdrew the survey when its result favored a candidate other than it is rooting for.
If the Nobel Peace Award is true to its title, I do not think Ms. Ressa deserves the award. She has also the propensity to paint the Philippines to the world as an unruly state without press freedom. She is not promoting peace; she is ruining instead the reputation of the country and its people.
So much to its ironies, that 2008 coverage was one of those great experiences I had when I was in Oslo. It was also here where I learned that even if you are in the toughest phase in your life, good things still happen.
Covering the awarding ceremonies was a humbling experience. I was with the group of reporters from all over the world who I presumed must be the best from their respective publications and media organizations.
I met a lady reporter from New York, whose name I could not remember. We became buddies during the coverage, we had our lunch together. We were both excited witnessing the event that was graced by the king and the queen of Norway. We were there close with the royalties.
After the ceremonies, we played like children, we sat on the chairs occupied by the royal couple. To have a feel how to sit on a royal chair, she said. We also alternately stood on the lectern pretending we were awardees.
Such a funny way to end the coverage of a prestigious event…innocent acts void of ironies.