Folksinger Lillebjørn Nilsen and a crowd of 40,000 sing Barn av regnbuen (Children of the Rainbow) at the trial of Anders Behring Breivik in Oslo

Source NRK 

I thought I would write about the Charles Taylor verdict today.  The verdict by the Special Court for Sierra Leone marks an historic moment in international justice - the first conviction of a serving head of state for war crimes and crimes against humanity.     I thought today would be a day to write about the importance of holding Charles Taylor accountable for the war crimes that he aided and abetted in Sierra Leone, but also about  the remaining impunity for the war crimes he was responsible for in Liberia.  I've been spent time in both Sierra Leone and Liberia, so I've seen firsthand the horrific  impact that Charles Taylor and his National Patriotic Liberation Front have had on the people in those countries.  I've followed this trial at the Special Court for Sierra Leone - and waited for this verdict - for years.

But I found myself this morning more powerfully impacted by events surrounding another trial, in another country where I have spent time. I speak Norwegian, so have been following the Norwegian media coverage of the trial of Anders Behring Breivik in Norway.   Today, that coverage included an allsang with the well-loved Norwegian folksinger Lillebjørn Nilsen.   In a chilly spring rain in Oslo, a crowd of more than 40,000 people joined Mr. Nilsen in singing Barn av regnbuen.  

Apparently, this is a song that Mr. Breivik detests. He testified recently that this song, with its concept of living together in a multicultural Norway (“sammen vi skal lever“) was brainwashing children into supporting immigrants. Norwegians throughout the country sang it today as a kind of protest. 

This is a song that I learned many years ago.  It is actually a Pete Seeger song called My Rainbow Race, translated into Norwegian by Lillebjørn Nilsen.   My rough translation follows (with apologies for inaccuracies).I use the translated version as there are a lot of aspects that make this song feel particularly Norwegian.  The references to nature, for example, and the disdain for "plastic and synthetic food".  

Written during the Vietnam era,  the song has an obvious anti-war theme. The lyrics of the song, however, seem especially  fitting on this day.  "Some steal from the young, who are sent out to fight..." could well apply to Charles Taylor, whose recruitment of child soldiers stole the lives of thousands in West Africa.  "Some steal from the many, who will come after us." Anders Behring Breivik's acts of violence stole not only the future of dozens of young people, but the innocence of a peaceful nation.

I won't write about Charles Taylor today.  Neither will I write about Anders Behring Breivik.   Instead, I will write today about the voices raised throughout our world - in celebration of justice and in a call for peace in the face of hatred. Because today I remembered that  Lillebjørn Nilsen - and Pete Seeger - were right.  We need justice for the Charles Taylors and Anders Behring Breiviks of the world, but we also need to share our hope for the rest of us.

Si det til alle barna!
Og si det til hver far og mor.
Ennå har vi en sjanse
til å dele et håp på jord.

Say it to all the children!
And tell every father and mother.
We still have a chance
to share our hope for this world.

 En himmel full av stjerner.

Blått hav så langt du ser.
En jord der blomster gror.
Kan du ønske mer ?
Sammen skal vi leve
hver søster og hver bror.
Små barn av regnbuen
og en frodig jord.

Noen tror det ikke nytter.
Andre kaster tiden bort med prat.
Noen tror at vi kan leve av
plast og syntetisk mat.
Og noen stjeler fra de unge
som blir sendt ut for å sloss
Noen stjeler fra de mange
som kommer etter oss.

 Refreng:

  Refreng:

Children of the Rainbow

 Refrain:

  Refrain:

Tell all their mothers and fathers, too --

Now’s our last chance to learn to share

What’s been given to me and you.