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The Hessian Peace Award and Abiy Ahmed Until an Ethiopian YouTube news channel mistakenly mentioned it as fresh news in its morning broadcast on 23/02/2024, the decision made by the Hessian Peace Award trustees to withdraw the award given to Abiy Ahmed in 2019 had received little publicity. The decision, made in 2021 and publicly announced in 2022, went largely unnoticed. Even well-known TPLF affiliates like Martin Plaut and other staunch TPLF supporters didn't mention the Board's decision until March 2023, nearly a year after it was made. The lack of immediate reaction raises questions about whether there was a deliberate effort to downplay the decision, possibly to avoid embarrassment for the trustees or due to collusion between the TPLF group and the trustees to avoid stirring controversy with the Ethiopian government. It's unclear if pressure from the German government, fearing damage to Ethio-German relations, played a role in the limited publicity surrounding the decision. What's particularly noteworthy is that the decision to award the Hessian Peace Prize was based on similar reasons as those provided by the Nobel Peace Committee in 2019. However, since 2022, under Abiy Ahmed's leadership, Ethiopia has witnessed suppression of freedoms, extrajudicial killings, mass incarcerations, acts of genocide, and indiscriminate slaughter of civilians using drones. Even the pivotal rapprochement between Eritrea and Ethiopia, a significant factor in Abiy's Nobel Peace Prize, is now hanging by a thread due to his belligerent and war-mongering actions. The question arises whether the Nobel Prize Committee will turn a blind eye to the tarnishing of its reputation and the noble award in the hands of an undeserving figure like Abiy Ahmed or if it will take a stance similar to that of the Hessian Peace Award. I deeply regret staunchly defending Abiy Ahmed when others suggested the Nobel Prize Committee rescind the award. Additionally, it's worth noting that when the Hessian Peace Award trustees withdrew the award, they decided not to reclaim the €25,000 given to Abiy Ahmed. However, any respectable individual would return funds associated with an award from which they have been publicly denounced. Had Abiy Ahmed returned the money, or did he keep funds from an organization that publicly criticized and rescinded its award to him? The decision to withdraw the peace award given to Abiy Ahmed in December and was made public in March 2022. This information is available on the Hessian Peace Prize 2019 page on the PRIF website, Hessian Peace Prize 2019 | PRIF. Following is the reason given by the board to withdraw its Award. “The Hessian Peace Award is given for achievements or efforts that are in the past, but are linked to hopes and expectations that reach into the future. The awarding of the prize to the Ethiopian Prime Minister in 2019 was linked to the hope that he would continue his efforts for peace on the African continent in the future and advance the libera­lization of Ethiopia. It is in line with the idea of the award to not only recognize efforts to achieve negative peace and the absence of violence, but to recognize commit­ment to positive peace that promotes human rights, reconciliation, and addressing injustice. The Ethiopian government under Prime Minister Ahmed did not contribute to peace in 2020 and 2021, but proved part of the escalating violence, according to the Trustees. The country's reform course was revised by a return to an authoritarian style of government. This undermines the intentions with which the prize was awarded and justifies the decision to withdraw the prize. The decision of the Board of Trustees aims to protect the prize as well as past and future laureates. There will be no reclaiming of the prize money associated with the award.” @NobelPrize, @PRIF_org @AbiyAhmedAli @TayeAtske @RedwanHussien @DanielBekele @danielkibret @NeaminZeleke @mamamesay (Photo: PRIF)Peace Minister Muferihat Kamil presents Abiy Ahmed's acceptance speech in 2019.