“We
decided that, in view of the unsettled conditions in so many parts of
the world, we wanted to honour not only individuals, but a process and
we therefore awarded the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Peace Prize jointly to
President Fidel V. Ramos of the Philippines and to Mr Nur Misuari, the
Chairman of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) for the agreement
they have made in ending the conflict on 2nd September 1996
between the Philippines Government and the Moro National Liberation
Front.
We
are conscious of the fact that there are other groups that have not yet
joined this agreement and we hope that this decision of our Jury will
encourage those groups that have not yet joined the process to join it
and also that those who have signed the agreement will persevere in the
effort to implement it.
The
significance to us is not only that progress towards peace has been made
between two parties, but that these parties represent Muslim and
Christian faiths, and that therefore this can be a contribution to the
reconciliation between the religions, which is one of the key elements
in the judgements of this Jury in achieving general peace."
Statement
by Dr Henry A. Kissinger, President of the Jury, anouncing the
prizewinners on 23 March 1998.
The
official ceremony for the award of the Prize was held
on 17 June 1998 in Dakar (Senegal)
Addresses
and messages
ALIOUNE
TRAORÉ
Executive Secretary of the Prize
FEDERICO
MAYOR
Director-General of UNESCO
GUESTS
ON THE PODIUM
JEAN
FOYER
Vice-President of the Jury
NUR
MISUARI
President of the Moro National Liberation Front
" We
believe that without just and equitable representation of the people,
democracy is lost."
FIDEL
V. RAMOS
President of the Republic of the Philippines
"In
those meetings, there were moments of tension and grave disagreement,
moments that threatened to reopen the wounds inflicted by the years of
conflict."
Personalities |
