Messages from the Orange Revolution
by Petro Rondiak
Following is a day-by-day account of the 17 days of the Orange Revolution e-mailed to a group of friends outside of Ukraine by Petro Rondiak.
Mr. Rondiak and his wife, Ola, lived in Kyiv in 1995 for two years and later returned in 2002 with their three children: Roman, Maya and Kalyna. Employed by the Winner Automotive Group, Mr. Rondiak enjoys expanding the business with his Ukrainian managers, spending time with his family, running the Kyiv Pee-Wee Soccer Program and producing English-language theater (in which Ola performs) with the Loose Change Players - Kyiv. Raised in the United States by their Ukrainian parents and heavily involved in Plast Ukrainian Scouting Organization, the Rondiaks say the Orange Revolution has been, and continues to be, a very unifying and inspirational experience.
Below is the third part of Mr. Rondiak's three-part series"Messages from the Orange Revolution." The photos accompanying the story are the author's.
CONCLUSION
Day 12
Sent: Saturday, December 4, 2004, 11:28 a.m.
Pryvit! Sorry for the delay, got so late last night (yes, there was some "celebrating," finally) I didn't get my e-mail out.
In the evening the Supreme Court made its historic ruling and the crowd went crazy. Yushchenko's team was dancing on the stage to "Razom nas bahato..." after the speeches. There is still an end game to be played out, but it was impossible to contain the festive spirit and the celebrations. When Yushchenko finished speaking we all sang "Sche Ne Vmerla..." like never before. A huge hot air balloon with a "Tak Yushchenko - Dnipropetrovsk" sign on it was inflated on maidan. We had a few beers with Danyo and Liza (Kulchyckyj). On the way home we cruised.
Today (Saturday) and tomorrow the V Rada has its work cut out for it, drafting the new law defining the re-vote procedure. Kuchma has to sign it into law. Yush is also demanding Kuchma disband Yanuk gov't and fire the CEC officials. These are hard pills to swallow for someone like Kuchma, so it's not quite over yet.
Gotta go: ballet class, pee wee soccer, and then maidan at night. Day 13 begins.
Proud to be Ukrainian!
Ps. Orange ribbons on cars have been seen on Red Square in Moscow.
DAY 13
Sent: Sunday, December 5, 2004, 11:33 a.m.
Pryvit! Again writing on the morning after Day 13, Saturday. The crowd was by far the largest to date. It was virtually impossible to get onto maidan. People were packed solid all the way back to Passage, Prorizna, and up Institutska to the Zhovtnevi Palace. There was a new stage set up at the Passage entrance, and music acts were doing performances.
We ducked into a bar that happened to be a big Pora center. They had the whole second floor occupied and their own security at the bottom of the stairs. It seemed there were some foreign journalists there as well. Pairs of Pora people were carrying large thermos-like containers in and out of the place, up and down the stairs.
On the first floor, near the bar there was no where to sit, but this older Ukrainian couple invited us to join them. Enthusiastic Yushchenko supporters, they were excited by the fact that we're Americans. The man, Volodymyr, explained that his daughter in law was a Yanukovych supporter. Her father ran an iron chain manufacturing business that he received by virtue of the Yanukovych clan. The way things work here.
Yush failed to push the election reform bill through the VR so, at this point, the rerun will be done under the same old rules (including absentee certificates). On top of that, the VR decided to take its scheduled vacation and is closing for 10 days. The CEC still comprised the same people as in the prior election. Yanuk. and his government are still in place.
None of these issues were addressed in Yushchenko's speech last night. He also did not clearly ask people to stay on maidan. The MC that came on after Yush made it clear that no one is to leave maidan. I don't think the rerun under the old law and with the same CEC contingent will be fair (I trust them zero); others feel it's a good way to go. Maybe I'm just bumping up against a little emotional burn out.
Today, Sunday, Day 14, will be dedicated to physical and emotional recharge. Family day.
DAY 14
Sent: Sunday, December 5, 2004, 10:31 p.m.
Pryvit!
Didn't go to maidan today. Short of two drive-bys with Ola and the kids: "Razom nas bahato" blaring on the car speakers and the kids shouting Yush-chen-ko out the open windows. There's a loop you can drive where you pass the majority of the gov't building blockade points.
Danyo and Liza had their satellite dish tuned to the coordinates for the maidan camera direct feed, so we get an uncut, unedited, live feed when at home.
Yushchenko's speech this evening followed speeches by about six religious leaders of different religions. He made it clear that the demands remain (1. president to dismiss yanuk and his gov't; 2. new staff at CEC; 3. sign election reform law (after VR writes and approves it). Also made it clear that he is not accepting the Parliament vacation and is requiring new election legislation by Wednesday latest, otherwise he says there will be no time for implementation. Blockades of Cabinet of Ministers and pres. admin. remain (without any apparent hesitation). Tymoshenko was not on stage.
The kids have caught on to the civil disobedience thing: "Razom nas bahato - nas ne klasty spaty!" [Together we are many - we won't be put to bed!]
Back to maidan tomorrow afternoon.
DAY 15
Sent: Tuesday, December 7, 2004, 12:11 a.m.
Pryvit!
On the way home from work picked up a young militia guy in uniform and his girlfriend and drove them into the center. His name was Vitalii and he said he was in his fourth year of Ministry of Internal Affairs militia school. Hence the militia uniform. He comes from a line of militia in the family and spoke matter of factly about how the militia would never harm the "narod" and that's why Kuchma brought vitiaz (Russian police). The Russkies will listen to him.
We started our maidan Day 15 experience by entering Yushchenko's office building (profspilky bldg.) and searched for the place to hand in the "anketa" he asked everyone to fill out yesterday. Inside the first two floors were divided into regional desks for submitting anketas. There was also a "hospodarcha pryimalna," where one can meet with a Yush representative and leave any kind of "zayavka" one wishes. Long line here. Endless signs on the walls.
Second floor: mobile phone recharging station. Sign in your phone, come back later. In the back, a medical complex with multiple first aid stations. Finally we found Kyivska Oblast and submitted our forms to the lady behind the table. She looked at me and sarcastically said "You state here that you are a college graduate, yet you didn't read line one - how to fill out your name." I told her that we don't have "po-batkovi" [patronymic] names in the U.S.A. This confused her. A wrench in the works. The neighboring lady said "just ask him what his father's name is." I now have 'Romanovych' on my form. Pick your battles.
In the back corner of maidan near the conservatory a letter was being written to Mr. Putin from the people of Ukraine. It was a big roll of orange cloth being rolled from reel to reel. In the photo a woman from Luhansk was expressing her...um...sentiments.
Checked out Bankova and lower part of pres. admin. Only the hard core now keeping a presence, very few "regular" demonstrators. Also on maydan in front of the stage a noticeable drop in attendance. Still a good quantity, just not the big crowds that were standard to date. On the screens, videos of gangs attacking Yushchenko staff bldgs. in the east. Also shown were videos of vote falsification. And to top it off - a real crowd pleaser: a video of Kuchma taking the oath of office on a bible. Hanba! Hanba! Spoke with an older gentlemen from Ternopil. He was thrilled with the U.S.A. flag on my hat and actually asked me for it (not the first time). When I politely declined he asked for a U.S.A. pin. Sorry bro 'fraid no pins on me.
The tent city is still the heart of the demonstration and remains packed with people and tents. Bonfires in steel containers are now prevalent around the perimeter of the camp. Guitars and boomboxes provide the soundtrack. Bumped into one young man with a sign saying he's looking for a fiancée. And also found a little display making fun of Tiotia Yanukovych's speech about oranges injected with narcotics and boots provided by the U.S.A.
Yush didn't end up speaking due to the roundtable discussion going late and the need for an internal meeting following the roundtable to decide a path forward, which will be introduced on maidan at 9 a.m. tomorrow. Gov't pushing for political reform to accompany voting reform. Political reform by definition limits the president's powers, so why Yush would entertain it, given his current powerful position (I don't think he even anticipated the supreme court vote in his favor) is beyond me, but then politics is not my day job.
DAY 16
Sent: Wednesday, December 8, 2004, 12:50 a.m.
What can I say. Parliament took about 15 breaks and ended up postponing voting on the packet vs. no packet, and then the actual laws themselves until 10 a.m. tomorrow (and one deputy suggested a no-confidence in kuchma vote). Lytvyn said "10 a.m. and not a minute late - and no breaks, let's vote on these laws, people."
Walked the circuit. Very few demonstrators at the picket points. Seemed like each point was staffed by Pora only. Tent city going strong, but Maidan not even half full tonight. Mykola Tomenko and Yuri Lutsenko made short speeches emphasizing how critical it is to go to V Rada tomorrow morning at 10 to demonstrate. Yush didn't speak and the stage shutdown sometime between 8 or 9, which struck me as very unusual. Mixed feelings. The masses are gone. A hard-core contingent remains.
Inspired by Mykola Deychakiwsky's e-mail we walked up the hill to the oil barrel drums across from the Cab. Ministers bldg. two of the young drummers volunteered their positions and soon Ola and I were banging away on the oil barrels, trying to follow the conductor. Rolls, pauses, short hits - added some spirit to our night, not total abandon since there are so many unknowns that will be answered tomorrow and things could go in multiple directions.
While we were sitting there behind the oil drums, two older ladies came up, right opposite us with pots of varenyky. The students crowded around and realized that no one had plates. Suddenly a hand appeared with a stack of plastic plates. Another hand appeared with a box of red Svitoch chocolate bars and a voice saying, "Take one. Take one." Ola: "No thank you." Voice: "Take it, take it, take it." These caring individuals deserve medals.
DAY 17
Sent: Friday, December 10, 2004, 5:19 p.m.
Pryvit!
It appears that yesterday, Day 17, will for all history be known as the last day of the Orange Revolution. Yes, the elections are still ahead of us, but the fact that Yushchenko's demands laid out on November 22 have all been met signals a victory for the movement (in Yush's eyes anyway). Demonstrators have been asked to go back to their home cities and to promote the Yushchenko campaign. Tent villages, presidential admin. blockade and stage on maidan will all remain until final victory, for which all of our help is required. If you have the interest and the ability to be an election monitor (no experience required), or to support an election monitor, and have not yet received any applications, please let me know.
Parliament (Verkhovna Rada): In the morning of Day 17 Danyo was able to get us into Parliament for the session (courtesy of Member of Parliament Ivan Stepanovych Pliusch). With our newly printed passes we were permitted past the fence and onto the main courtyard in front. It was a strange sight to see the masses of demonstrators from the "other side," behind the line of police separating them from the Parliament building.
The passes worked (despite my internal doubts) and soon we were milling around with the MPs on the second floor outside the session chamber. It felt strange being in a suit after 16 days in combat boots and army pants. When the MPs started filing in, we went upstairs to the balcony and found a spot in the second row that was soon surrounded by photographers and video cameramen. Good view of the MPs desktops that were littered with newspapers, photocopies of the laws up for vote and crossword puzzles. "Just another day at the office," said Danyo. Virtually all the MPs were present. A record attendance of 446 out of 450. Yushchenko entered the room with a serious, non-festive demeanor, chatting here and there with various MP's.
Lytvyn controlled the crowd of unruly MPs like a school master. Kuchma entered the room and was (strangely) greeted with applause. He first announced that he had accepted the resignation of the prosecutor general of Ukraine - more applause. It was strange being so close to Kuchma, he was right below us. I felt like Forrest Gump. Danyo says "we had the opportunity to yell "hanba!" across the whole room." That temptation existed, but somehow "ne vypadalo." Kuchma watched the law packet be passed, MP's of all fractions cheering, and then signed the laws right there on the podium, with Lytvyn before disappearing out the back door. I won't go into the details of the laws, it seems to be well covered elsewhere.
Another highlight of the session was the voting for the new members of the CEC. Kivalov was actually proposed for the new CEC staff. When his name was announced the chamber erupted in "Hanba! Hanba!" chants. Nasha Ukraina MPs were slamming their fists on their desks. He was soundly voted down. When the voting results were shown the hanba chants erupted again and some MPs even did these flicking away motions with their hands directed at Kivalov. (Sidenote: today I was told by someone that Kivalov's payout was 2.5 million U.S. - seems low to sell out 48 million people doesn't it?)
The session ended and we went down to the second-floor lobby areas and watched all the key MPs get interviewed. Each interview had one TV camera per MP, except Yulia in the corner. There must have been 20 TV cameras, dozens of voice recorders, microphones, etc. aimed at her. The gist of her statement was that it is an undeniable victory, but she still doesn't agree with the constitutional changes, and will fight their legality in the court system.
Final night on maidan
The final night on Maidan was a testament to Yush's ability to a draw crowd at the snap of his fingers. Maidan was refreshingly mobbed again - like the "old" days of the revolution a few nights back. Taras Chubai led us in singing "Chervona Ruta" (yes, all of maidan singing "Chervona Ruta"), and then an UPA song, "Lenta za Lentoyu."
They started the speeches by giving the mike to Dr. Biukhovetsky (dean of Kyiv Mohyla Academy). He officially lifted the university's political strike and quoted Skovoroda, who once said that "Ukraine is a country that is asleep. But one day it will awaken."
He also said that Kyiv Mohyla will spearhead the "Orange Revolution Museum" and made a request for all the "artifacts," signs etc. to be submitted for the museum, where we will one day take our grandchildren.
Yushchenko's speech consisted of thanking multiple different people, organizations, etc., then he reiterated his Nov. 22 demands which were all met. He did not go into the details of constitutional reform, or whether or not he considered it a compromise, etc.
Then a teary-eyed, loud and strong "Sche Ne Vmerla Ukraina." After which the speakers cranked out the songs of the revolution - Ukraina (actually sung by Petrynenko on stage), "My Idemo" (actually sung by Marika Burmaka), and about four other songs while fireworks exploded overhead. Yush, Yulia and the others on stage were dancing around and gyrating to the beat!
Ola and I were actually standing near the stage where Yush exited and entered his Mercedes. There were two human chains creating a corridor for the car and a convoy of other cars to leave the area. (on the attached crappy picture - you will at least see Yushchenko's fingers in a "V" sign under the windshield).
Then, suddenly MP Lutsenko (probably my favorite player in the revolution) took the mike and announced the pres. admin. blockade would remain and that tonight everyone is authorized a temporary exemption from the no alcohol principle and should drink 50 grams to accompany the toast "Kuchma Kaput." Of course, we headed to a local pub to comply!
Recap
What has the Orange Revolution achieved? For one thing if the people did not come out on maidan, Yanukovych would be president right now. TV stations would still be allowing their programming to be censored. And the Kuchma/Medvechuk/Akhmetov team would continue exploiting Ukraine and selling it out to Russia (in fact, of all the parties in this struggle, Putin lost face more than anyone) without any accountability to anyone.
I am not sure yet what the philosophical impact will be in the long-term. I guess that remains to be seen. My feeling right now (which is not reliable since I am sleep-deprived and emotional) is that some of the "heavy aura" that starts when one lands in Boryspil has at least partially dissipated. Ukraine appears different to me already. I believe people will be less scared to state their opinions, and more convinced Ukraine can be built honestly, with dignity. Can this really happen overnight though? Time will tell.
For me? It has been an honor to stand on maidan shoulder to shoulder with regular Ukrainians who had the guts to finally say enough is enough and to stand up to a regime which is frightening in its disregard for human life and for Ukraine as a country.
Singing "Sche Ne Vmerla Ukraina" on maidan with hundreds of thousands of people, with a leader on stage who I believe is actually proud to sing it, had an affect on me that will always remain a part of me. I am proud to be Ukrainian in a different, somehow new way.
For now it's time to pack up my revolution hat for Briukhovetsky's museum, shave my revolution beard and get some sleep. In the morning I will drive the kids to school. It was on just such a drive a month ago that Romchyk said "Tato, of course Yushchenko will win."
"Why is that Romchyku?"
"Because all of the leaves are voting and look at their color - they're orange!"
Thank you for all of your e-mails, your thoughts, your interest and support of maidan. As one student in the tent city told me: "The Orange Revolution is all of ours, together."
Svobodu ne spynyty!
Petro over and out. Kyiv, December 9, 2004.
EPILOGUE: Around midday today, Day 18, I took a stroll back to maidan and Khreschatyk. There was a line by the tent city where the students were still feeding people. The stage remains (as promised) but the big diamond vision screens on both sides have been removed. In front of the stage were a few dozen people circulating around, taking pictures of each other leaning on the fence directly in front. I actually saw a couple of different groups gathered around these weary, but smiling, individuals who were explaining what it was like in the first few days of the Orange Revolution. "The snow, the freezing cold, the fears of attacks by busloads of drunk hooligans from Donetsk."
I paused and looked around at the oddly empty maidan: dozens of colorful hand-made signs covering statues and traffic light posts sticking out of virtually every conceivable place. Countless banners, stickers and graffiti everywhere. Omelchenko likes a tidy city, and soon the cleaning crew will come through.
But no matter, things will never be the same here again. Ever.
CONCLUSION
Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, January 16, 2005, No. 2, Vol. LXXIII
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