Posted on 01/01/2005 4:08:16 PM PST by Leo Carpathian
Since times immemorial the hoax of some external threat has been a favorite trick with dictators. Not the least intellectually-challenged among them, Viktor Yanukovych was quick to grab at it for his campaign purposes. Result: Cold War-like anti-American hysteria in Donbas so vividly demonstrated by the wannabe first lady when she described US-made felt boots and drug-injected oranges she saw on Kyiv's central square, Maidan. The Hate of things American came again during Yulia Tymoshenko's courageous visit to Donetsk - when docile television showed faces distorted with rage, mouths hurling insults at Lady Yu and accusations of US meddling.
I first met an American when back in the 60's a symphony orchestra came from Philadelphia to perform in Lviv. We, a group of nosey students of English eager to speak this great language, talked with one of the musicians, Mr Portnoi. Next day, we gave him a tour of the city and were invited to dinner. At dinner, we talked about many things, politics included. Being well-brainwashed Soviet citizens, we exposed western ploys in the way we were taught to do during our classes.
Mr Portnoi argued that we knew only one side of the story while there were others - and insisted on sending me a number of US newspapers presenting versatile opinion on the same issue. He did send the package. But I, following the advice of my overcautious Dad, didn't pick it up at the post office. The package returned to the musician unclaimed. But now I know Mr Portnoi didn't lie.
When Ukraine broke away from the Soviet Union and the United States saw its financial assistance lining the pockets of greedy former communist officials repackaged as democrats, assistance programs were changed. Instead, Americans offered educational programs to thousands of Ukrainians in the US and sent hundreds of Peace Corps volunteers to work in Ukraine as educators, engineers, experts, managers, etc. Time has shown it was a very smart investment - right in the future of Ukraine.
Those were wonderful days, when Americans worked with us to draft new laws, modernize education and business practices, sow the seeds of a civic society. Trail-blazers Barbara and Richard Shriver, business consultants and coordinators of numerous civic society projects all over Ukraine, spent in Ukraine more than their share of a life full of hardships and risks, eight years. Erik Ekroth, a Peace Corps volunteer from New York, spent a winter in a small village in a room without heating. As an extra voluntary work, he taught English to my students at Lviv Franko university, coming to Lviv rain or shine.
A glamorous couple, Nikki and Thomas Lemley, left their unforgettable mark on community's life in Lviv. They, and many more, generously shared their expertise with Ukrainians - so how can it be described as foreign meddling which Mr Yanukovych supporters are so vociferous about?
Incidentally, under the Constitution, one of Pres. Kuchma's immediate duties is promoting the creation of a civic society in Ukraine, something Kuchma has spurned all the ten years of his gruesome tenure. In all fairness, the Americans can send Kuchma the bill - for doing his work for him!
At home I have a portable Stars and Stripes which I put on the desk when my US friends come to my classes or visit my home. Now I can see a bigger Stars and Stripes flying over Kyiv's central square, Maidan, at opposition rallies. It rightfully belongs there, no matter what Yanukovych-brainwashed Donbas coalminers are saying now. Were it not for Uncle Sam and Old Granny Europe, Ukraine's way to democracy would have taken longer and at a greater cost to ourselves. [The Action Ukraine Report Monitoring Service]
Notes from The Election,
I'm now home, having participated in one of the most incredible events in Ukrainian history!
I was honored to be an Election Observer in the Poltava Region.
The question I am now often asked is did the Election observers make a difference.
A definitive YES!
I was repeatedly told at EVERY polling station I visited, that the local people appreciated what we were doing and the support that we were giving them. We were Welcomed! Not only with traditional Ukrainian hospitality but also with an emotion that was intense and is now hard to describe.
I was repeatedly thanked. I was told that the local population was being intimidated. We the Election observers were intimidated
Fortunately, we had the support of the local population, and we worked together.
Were there falsifications in the "third round"? YES but, as we noted, they couldn't falsify enough, to win
For example in the Polling that I attended for ballet counting out of 1337 votes cast 1034 were for Yushchenko and 186 for Yanikovych. I found this to be about the norm at almost every polling station that I visited, in my region. The "official" version was that Poltava was only 66% pro Yushchanko. They falsified, but it was not enough!
Even the Russian exit polls, on Sunday night, had Yushchenko ahead by 20%.
I was told by many local people, in Kyiv and in Poltava, that they are "…off their knees and will no longer be servants of the…."
Three Hundred years ago in Poltava Ukraina lost its freedom And in Poltava Sunday, I saw them get it back!
Ihor Mandicz
regards,
YKPANHA!!
Very impressive results. But in the westernmost regions they were even more impressive. For example in one region the pro-Yushchenko vote went from 93% to 96%, in another from 71% to 80%, in third from 85% to 90%. As we can see, the orange democracy advanced to the Georgia's rosy levels (96.3%) at least in one region. Curiously enough these regions where the results in the previous voting gave majority for Yanukovich, they still remained in his favor!
We will never know the real vote as the western voters were still under intense pressure from the workplace, etc to vote for yanukovich.
Do you think that 96% for Yushchenko (in western districts) and for Saakashvili (in Georgia) are real?
If so, I have a bridge to sell to you.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.