REFLECTIONS OF ELECTION OBSERVERS: From Kyiv to Irpin (02/06/05)

REFLECTIONS OF ELECTION OBSERVERS

From Kyiv to Irpin

by Ulana Baluch Mazurkevich

I arrived in Kyiv on December 23, 2004, to be an international election monitor for the December 26, run-off presidential election between Viktor Yushchenko and Viktor Yanukovych.

Arriving at the center of the Orange Revolution, I am immediately caught up in the almost carnival-like atmosphere. Everyone walking the streets of Kyiv is swathed in the orange color, there is orange everywhere: orange scarves, orange caps and orange ribbons tied as arrn bands. Some of the women have elaborate orange fringes tied around their boots, and in their hair. As one Ukrainian actress there said to me, "orange is such a happy color, and it is so becoming to both men and women."

Music is blasting everywhere. There are smiles on peoples' faces. I have never seen so many smiling faces - and this in Ukraine. It is a very welcoming atmosphere. People express kindness toward one another, and everyone is eager to help. I am told that since the Orange Revolution the crime rate in the city of Kyiv has dropped drastically; the Orange Revolution has captured us, it has enthralled us, it has changed us.

In the middle of the wide Khreschatyk boulevard stands the tent city. It is next to Independence Square, currently referred to as the "maidan." The tent city is a city onto itself; it is closed off to cars as well as to pedestrians. Because of this blockage of one of the main arteries of the city there are horrendous traffic jams, but no on complains. Everyone accepts this with a big smile.

The tent city is fortified and encircled with graffiti poster boards proclaiming: "Yushchenko is the truth," "Ukraine is and will be," "Ternopil for Yushchenko"; "Yes! Yushchenko," "Putin out of Ukraine," etc. There is only one entrance to this encampment. To be granted entrance, appropriate identification must be presented, and only if the administration of this city grants you entrance can you enter. At the entrance to the tent city stands a chalk board and requests for the day are written on it. Today's request: "We need coffee." I see an elderly woman, who herself looks like she needs assistance, donating a bag of coffee to the tent city. She thanks them for their work, and they thank her. Young and old, rich and poor in the spirit of this Orange Revolution are working together.

The tent city has its own hierarchy. There are guards who are identified by their armbands who keep control in the city, as well as patrol the perimeter of this encampment. These "police patrols" are also used to prevent any incidents outside the tent city.

I see a group of 50 or so elderly women and men carrying icons and placards with signs denouncing Mr. Yushchenko: "Yushchenko is a Nazi," "Yushchenko is the death of the Orthodox Church."

They are accompanied on both sides by orange-ribboned policemen" from the tent city. I find out that this is done to prevent any incidents or any aggression by the Yanukovych supporters and to prevent any clashes between the two opposing sides. So the demonstrators are allowed their freedom of expression, and this freedom is protected by the very side that they are protesting against. Democracy is at work!

* * *

Election day, December 26, 2004: It's the day of the presidential run-off elections between Viktor Yushchenko and Viktor Yanukovych. We international election observers have all been assigned a region to monitor. I am assigned to Irpin, 60 kilometers north of Kyiv.

We arrive at our destination, a former factory. It is bitterly cold outside, the streets are icy and the sidewalks have not been swept. It is difficult walking on the sheet of ice. Inside the polling place it is just as cold. Electric heaters have been plugged in in an effort to heat the long row of election officials. But the room never warms up. Outside the polling place hangs a Ukrainian flag, there are no posters espousing this or that candidate, and no campaign material is being passed out. At the polling station both candidates have their representative. The electoral commission that sits at each polling station is headed by the commission head. The election commission decides if a vote is valid or not. We, as international observers, are there only to monitor; we cannot vote on the validity of a ballot. As international election monitors, however, we bring a certain legitimacy to this electoral process, and it seems that our very presence keeps everyone on their toes.

The doors open and the masses of people start lining up to vote. Their passports have to be checked against their registration. Problems arise when some of the voters who are not on the list insist that they registered. At this point they are sent to the courthouse to resolve this problem and to bring back documentation to allow them to vote. The courthouse is opened specifically for these elections. It is so very icy and cold outside that I am surprised these people have the fortitude to keep going back and forth between the polling station and the courthouse. They are determined to make their vote count.

At our polling station we are joined for a short time by another international monitor, a deputy from the Russian Duma, Nikolai Kurianovich. In the Duma, Mr. Kurianovich is on the Committee on National Security. He belongs to the LDP, a party headed by Vladimir Zhirinovsky. Mr. Kurianovich tells me "I am here to make sure that the elections are according to law." He further tells me that he wants Zhirinovsky to become president of Russia. I comment, "you want a Russian empire." He responds, "Ukraine should be with Russia, with Belarus, with Kazakstan - we would all be in an economic partnership." He continues, "we, don't want to be under the influence of America and Europe." Furthermore, he says, "tell America and her 50 states, as well as the 51st state of Israel, to stay out of Ukraine's and Russia's business." It's obvious which candidate he supports!

We leave the polling station at 11:30 p.m.

However, the day is not ended. We arrive at the Yushchenko campaign headquarters, which are located at Kyiv-Mohyla Academy at 1 a.m. The headquarters is packed with the world media. They have all set up their cameras in anticipation of Mr. Yuschenko's victory announcement. At 1:30 a.m. Victor Yushchenko appears on stage and declares victory. The hall goes absolutely wild, chanting "Yushchenko," "Yushchenko." Everyone is euphoric. Mr. Yushchenko addresses the assembled, and thanks them for their support, then asks everyone to join him in going to the maidan to thank the "narod" - the people.

I get a chance to speak to Katya Chumachenko Yushchenko, Mr. Yushchenko's wife, and I ask her - "Is there anything that you need us to do?" She replies, "Just enjoy yourself - "zabavliaytesia." This we all do until the wee hours of the morning.

Ulana Baluch Mazurkevich, is president of the Ukrainian Human Rights Committee, was an election monitor in Kyiv on December 23-30, 2004. In 1991 she traveled with members of Rukh to campaign for the pro-independence referendum. Ms. Mazurkevich is a former public member of the United States Commission on the Ukraine Famine.

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