The Peace People05 April 2005 - NOBEL PEACE LAUREATE, MAIREAD CORRIGAN MAGUIRE, today offered her congratulations to her friend, Mordechai Vanunu, the Israeli Nuclear Whistleblower, on the news of his being awarded the Norwegian People's Peace Prize. Speaking on the telephone to Mordechai, who is unable to leave East Jerusalem, due to severe restrictions put on him by the Israeli Government, limiting his freedom of movement and freedom of speech, Mairead said 'The Norwegian people have made a wonderful choice in awarding you this Norwegian Peoples Peace Prize. Your courage in speaking truth to Israeli power, about the dangers of Israeli nuclear weapons, and all weapons of mass destruction, and our need to abolish them, has caused you your freedom for 19 years now, and continues to do so. But your courage inspires us all to overcome our fear and increase our work for disarmament, peace and nonviolent conflict resolutions to the problems facing humanity, at a local and international level.
We all want to see a world and a Middle East de-commissioned of all nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction, but Israel, as a member of the International Community, must be part of this process, and must begin to abolish its nuclear weapons. Your work to encourage this process is so important for the survival of the human family, and in giving you this prize the Norwegian people in their wisdom applaud you on behalf of the people of the World.
I appeal to the Israeli Government to lift all restrictions against you immediately, to allow you to go to Norway, to receive the love, gratitude and warmth of the Norwegian People,
Acting on behalf of your human family around the world.
Mairead Corrigan Maguire
Nobel Peace Laureate
Peace People
224 Lisburn Road,
Belfast. BT307NP.
Phone
(mobile)
: 07736147713