REFLECTIONS OF ELECTION OBSERVERS: On the ground in Khmelnytskyi (02/06/05)

REFLECTIONS OF ELECTION OBSERVERS

On the ground in Khmelnytskyi

by Andy J. Semotiuk

In early December 2004 I sat in my office in Los Angeles and watched on my computer as, day after day, news from Ukraine reached us. I was impressed by the discipline of the opposition and the fact that 2 million people were out in the streets of Kyiv demanding democracy. Though I was busy, and didn't exactly expect to welcome these developments into my life at that moment, I began to realize that the events taking place in Ukraine were of historic significance. I resolved that I should do what I could to support the efforts to democratize that country. The result was that on December 19, 2004, I became one of some 100 observers from the United States who came to Ukraine to observe the election. Indeed, it was remarkable that the international community would ultimately send 12,000 people to Ukraine to guarantee the honesty of the presidential vote. The logistical effort was very impressive indeed.

Upon our arrival in Ukraine, each of us was credentialed as an observer, briefed extensively on Ukrainian election laws and our duty to be impartial, and sent to some region of Ukraine. In my case, I was sent to the city of Khmelnytskyi along with another observer from Canada, Prof. Maureen Marchak from Vancouver. Typically, there were two observers, one driver and one translator who were present at the polling stations. In our case we visited nine villages.

In each case, we witnessed extraordinary poverty and a very hard life, but a very warm and friendly welcome from the persons in the village. Despite temperatures below zero, the village halls where voting took place were not heated. People stood around in winter coats and gloves. There were no washrooms, only outhouses in the middle of nowhere. This was particularly difficult for women, especially late at night when one had to go out in sub-zero weather in total darkness. Needless to say, hygienic conditions were not of the highest quality. In some instances, toilets basically consisted of a hole in the ground. There was no medical care, no dental plan, no social programs - in short, none of the trappings of modern-day life in the United States. The value of human life in that society was significantly less than it is for most of us in the United States. There is a brutality about life in Ukraine that emerges from the harsh economic and social conditions that exist there. Despite these stark conditions we encountered human warmth everywhere. We were treated with great respect, and each village put forward its best in dealing with us.

As far as the elections themselves were concerned, by and large this time we found the elections were run honestly and properly. Voter lists were prepared listing each of the individuals entitled to vote. Votes were collected and counted properly and then reported accurately to the Central Election Commission. Viktor Yushchenko ended up winning by an 8 percent margin over his opponent. In subsequent days the result was recognized by the CEC.

As an election observer, I have to admit that I couldn't help but be impressed by the importance of an honest election, the power of the ballot box, and the extraordinary importance of a nation choosing its leader. While 12,000 observers couldn't help but influence and educate the population of Ukraine in proper electoral procedures, I am positive that each one of us also took home with us the realization that the very essence of democracy is the expression of the will of the people through the ballot box.

Furthermore, I have no doubt that democrats in Russia have carefully been observing the results of the Ukrainian Orange Revolution, and have been inspired by it. As President Jimmy Carter's former National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski stated, if Ukraine goes democratic, Russia will have no choice but to follow. Bearing in mind that Russia holds some 20,000 nuclear weapons, this is indeed a positive prospect.

Let me conclude by saying that when I traveled to Ukraine I carried with me a letter signed by Ken Petrulis as president of the Beverly Hills Bar Association, expressing the solidarity of the executive and entire board of directors of the association with the members of the Supreme Court of Ukraine and the courageous step they took in reversing the decision of the Central Election Commission calling for a new presidential run-off election to take place on December 26, 2004. This letter, together with a translation, was passed onto the associate chief justice of the Supreme Court of Ukraine, who welcomed it warmly.

Andy Semotiuk is a lawyer from Los Angeles.

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