EDITORIAL

Regression in Ukraine

At the beginning of this week our editorial topic was the annual "Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2000" released by the U.S. State Department. We were going to point out that Ukraine's report card this year is significantly worse than last year's. And for good reason.

Instead of progress there is regression. The report notes that: government agencies "have interfered indirectly in the political process through criminal and tax investigations of politicians, journalists and influential businessmen"; "members of the security forces committed human rights abuses"; the Gongadze case "remained unresolved at year's end"; "the government rarely punished officials who commit abuses"; "many high-profile corruption cases have been dropped"; the government interfered with the news media and restricted freedom of the press"...

Then, as we were preparing to put this issue to bed there was confirmation of this regression in disturbing news from Kyiv, where police forcefully dismantled the tent city set up on the Khreschatyk, beating and arresting protesters in the process. Members of Parliament and organizers of the Ukraine Without Kuchma movement expressed outrage and called the action unlawful. National Deputy Yurii Karmazyn stated that the police action is the beginning of a new stage in the government's handling of the opposition. "I think that authorities are now beginning a very serious attack on democracy in all parts of Ukraine," he said.

Increasingly suspect in the eyes of the West due to the current crisis in Ukraine, President Leonid Kuchma hailed the police action: "I am happy that the Kyiv government showed that it has authority. It was an absolutely proper decision."

However, Prime Minister Viktor Yuschenko, then in London, commented: "I feel that one must not use force unless all means for a peaceful resolution are exhausted." The use of force, "only politically polarizes problems, which have elevated this conflict to its current level," he told the BBC in London.

Let us recall that just over two weeks ago the prime minister had signed a transparently disingenuous (to say the least) statement along with the president and Verkhovna Rada Chairman Ivan Pliusch which said the Gongadze case and the Tapegate scandal had been used "as a pretext for social disruption," and referred to "an unprecedented political campaign ... unleashed against our state " and a "real threat to the national security of the state." Citing "Law" (with a capital L) and "responsibility," the statement conjured up images of "national socialism" and "fascism." The message warned: "... in the interest of citizens, society and the state, such attempts will meet an active and resolute counteraction with the use of all means envisaged by the laws. No one should have any illusions about this."

There were ominous words. And these were soon followed by repugnant deeds.

It all happened only four days after the latest in a series of mass demonstrations and just after a U.S. Congressional delegation had visited Kyiv and had voiced its concern that, in all aspects of the current political crisis, government officials must abide by the rule of law and principles of non-violence, and assure the rights of speech, thought and assembly. President Kuchma reassured the U.S. legislators that this would be the case. His actions, however, would soon speak louder.

As we were going to press, there was news that President George W. Bush had sent a "pointed" oral message via Ambassador Carlos Pascual to President Kuchma, warning that a crackdown on protesters is testing the Ukrainian president's commitment to democracy and human rights. "The message that we delivered makes quite clear that our ability to help them in the future depends on their willingness to abide by the Constitution, abide by their commitments to the rule of law," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said. "We regret the actions by Ukrainian law enforcement authorities this morning ... They disbanded what we saw as a peaceful demonstration which has been in place along Kyiv's main street for several weeks."

Similar comments came from the Helsinki Commission chairman, Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell, who cited President Bush's first speech to the Congress: "Nations making progress toward freedom will find America is their friend."

He added: "A decade after independence, Ukraine's progress has stalled."

Which brings us back, unfortunately, to our original point: Ukraine is heading in the wrong direction, and its course must be reversed.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, March 4, 2001, No. 9, Vol. LXIX

| Home Page |