CASE STUDY ON MEDIA SOURCES OF UKRAINE AND ONGOING CRYSIS:
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe and borders the Russian Federation to the east and northeast, Belarus to the northwest, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary to the west, Romania and Moldova to the southwest, and the Black Sea and Sea of Azov to the south and southeast, respectively.It is the largest country entirely within Europe in terms of the area.
21 November 2013: Government announces EU Association Agreement is being abandoned, prompting major protests in Kiev
30 November: Police launch brutal raid on student protesters; TV images spur protests which grow during December
17 December: Russian President Vladimir Putin offers economic lifeline to Ukraine, with $15bn of loans and cheaper gas supplies; protesters see it as Moscow buying off President Yanukovych
16 January 2014: Parliament passes anti-protest laws, which opponents call "draconian"; most of the laws later repealed
19-20 January: Intense clashes
22 January: First protest deaths: two people die from gunshot wounds after clashes with police; body of an activist found in a forest days after his abduction
23-24 January: Protesters seize government buildings in Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, and other western Ukrainian cities; protests also spread east
28 January: Prime Minister Mykola Azarov and his government resign
14-16 February: Under an amnesty deal, protesters vacate occupied government buildings, and charges against those arrested dropped
18 February: Parliament speaker rejects debate on changing constitution; violent clashes erupt in Kiev, leaving many dead
20 February: Independence Square and nearby streets become a battlefield. At least 77 people are killed in a 48-hour period, and hundreds wounded in clashes between protesters and police, including many shot by uniformed snipers.
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe and borders the Russian Federation to the east and northeast, Belarus to the northwest, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary to the west, Romania and Moldova to the southwest, and the Black Sea and Sea of Azov to the south and southeast, respectively.It is the largest country entirely within Europe in terms of the area.
On 16 July 1990, the new parliament adopted the Declaration of State Sovereignty of Ukraine. The declaration established the principles of the self-determination of the Ukrainian nation, its democracy, political and economic independence, and the priority of Ukrainian law on the Ukrainian territory over Soviet law.
Disputes with Russia over the debts of natural gas briefly caused all gas supplies to Ukraine in 2006 and again in 2009, leading to gas shortages in several other European countries.
Viktor Yanukovych was again elected President in 2010 with 48% of votes.
EUROMAIDEN:
These are the protests started in November 2013, when Ukrainian citizens demanded stronger integration with the European Union. The demonstrations were prompted by the refusal to sign an association agreement with the EU, which the president Yanukovych described as being disadvantageous to Ukraine. Over time, Euromaidan has come to describe a wave of ongoing demonstrations and civil unrest in Ukraine, the scope of which has evolved to include calls for the resignation of President Yanukovych and his government. Violence escalated after 16 January 2014 when the government accepted Bondarenko-Oliynyk laws, also known as Anti-Protest Laws.
Bondarenko-Oliynyk laws or Anti-Protest Laws:
The Ukrainian anti-protest laws are a group of ten laws restricting freedom of speech and freedom of assembly. The laws were passed by the Parliament of Ukraine on January 16, 2014, (referred to as Black Thursday) and signed into law by President Viktor Yanukovych the following day. The laws are collectively known as the "dictatorship laws" by Euromaidan activists, non-governmental organizations, scholars, and the Ukrainian media.
Western nations have criticised the laws for their undemocratic nature and their ability to significantly curb the rights to protest, free speech and the activity of non-governmental organisations.
The laws were widely denounced internationally, with US Secretary of State John Kerry describing them as "anti-democratic".
The laws were developed by MPs Vadym Kolesnychenko and Volodymyr Oliynyk from the ruling Party of Regions, and supported by MPs. They were adopted with a number of procedural violations. In accordance with enforcing the new laws, Interior Minister Vitaliy Zakharchenko pledged that "each offence will be met by our side harshly."
Nine anti-protest laws were cancelled by the Parliament on 28 January 2014.
PROVISIONS OF DEMOCRATIC LAWS:
The laws have provisions such as:
1. Criminalizing "extremist activity", which according to TI Ukraine is defined in "broad and vague terms", with a hefty fine for a first offence and up to three years in jail for a repeat offence.
2. Simplifying the process of removal of parliamentary immunity during criminal proceedings to a majority vote in the Parliament. A prior review is no longer required by the Parliamentary committee;
3. Extending and applying amnesty from prosecution previously adopted by the Parliament to those who committed crimes against protestors, including Berkut security forces and other law enforcement officials;
4. Allowing trial in absentia of individuals, including prison terms in cases where the person refuses to appear in court when criminal proceedings in the absence of such person are pronounced possible;
5. Simplifying procedures for serving summons and filing administrative protocols;
6. Creating a penalty for blocking access to residential buildings of up to six years in jail;
7. Traffic disruption by motorcade of more than 5 cars can be punished by a disqualification of driver's license for 1–2 years and vehicle seizure
Drivers of motorcades of more than 5 cars, if they cause traffic jams, face the loss of their driver's license and vehicle for up to two years;
8. Gathering and disseminating information about the Berkut, judges, or their respective families carries a penalty of up to 2 years in jail;
9. Defamation, either by means of press or social media, carries a penalty of up to one year in jail;
10. Law enforcement officials involved in similar activities and their families face a maximum prison term of six months;
11. The penalty for blocking government buildings is up to five years in jail; that for blocking of entrance to a residence is up to three years of restriction of liberty
12. Up to 15 days in jail for unauthorised installation of tents, stages and sound equipment;
13. Anti-mask law with the provision of up to 15 days in jail for participation in peaceful gatherings wearing a mask, camouflage clothing, scarf, helmet, or other means of concealing or protecting one’s face or head;
14. Non-governmental organizations that accept foreign funds must register as "foreign agents" and face high scrutiny and additional tax measures;
15. Mandatory licensing of Internet providers;
Provisions for legal governmental Internet censorship;
16. A broad definition of "extremist activities," which disallows Non-governmental organizations and churches from engaging in support of civil protests;
REACTION OF THE MINISTERS:
SMykola Azarov, the prime minister of Ukraine, resigned on Tuesday, hours before a planned vote of no confidence by Parliament that could have stripped him of his powers.
The pro-government Party of Regions also joined with opposition lawmakers on Tuesday to repeal most of the laws in a package of legislation restricting freedom of speech and assembly that had been enacted recently.
Together, the resignation and repeals were significant concessions by Ukraine’s embattled president, Viktor F. Yanukovych, as well as clear signs of the building momentum of opposition to his rule.
In a statement, Mr. Yanukovych said he had accepted Mr. Azarov’s resignation and signed a decree dismissing the rest of the cabinet as well. But he said Mr. Azarov and the ministers would stay on until Parliament approved a new cabinet.
ONGOING PROTEST:
Peoples on the streets are struggling over the future development of the country - will it be a country based on the rule of law, or Russian-style oligarchy and closed interests?
The protests broke out of hands after President Yanukovych's government rejected a far-reaching accord with the European Union in November 2013 in favour of stronger ties with Russia. Thousands of people, outraged that a long-standing aspiration for integration with Europe had been ditched overnight, poured into central Kiev for peaceful protests. They have occupied Independence Square, known as Maidan, ever since.
Several developments - including police attacks on student protesters, severe new anti-protest laws, and the abduction and beating of opposition activists - have caused the demonstrations to spread and intensify. For many people, they are now less about Europe than about getting rid of a president who they believe is clinging to power and serving the interests of his own close circle and Moscow.
The crisis in Ukraine has explode drapidly out of control outside of the capital, Kiev, as anti-government protesters stormed buildings, seized weapons and staged demonstrations across the western part of the country.
Ukraine is edging closer to a more violent fracture, reports emerged of blocked roads, train services halted from the west and government offices under occupation by protesters, with the most serious confrontations centred on the country's pro-European and Ukrainian speaking regions.
The most significant events outside of Kiev occurred in the western city of Lviv, close to the Polish border and a centre of Ukrainian nationalism since the Soviet era. Several thousand protesters were reported to have seized a major police barracks that had been under siege, forcing the surrender of the police inside.
The regional council in the city, which has witnessed some of the most concerted anti-government actions, announced it was no longer taking orders from the central government. The announcement came hours after protesters also seized the local prosecutor's office. Interior ministry troops were also reported to be under siege behind barricades in their western region command headquarters.
Entire country is moving closer to widespread civil violence after a televised warning by Oleksandr Yakimenko, head of the state security service, the SBU. "In many regions of the country, municipal buildings, offices of the interior ministry, state security and the prosecutor general, army units and arms depots are being seized," he said.
The SBU said 1,500 guns and tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition had been seized in the last few days, though the figures could not be independently confirmed. Some opposition activists denied that weapons had been taken.
Parts of the country, particularly its western cities, now appear to be in open revolt against Viktor Yanukovych's central government.
Yanukovych and the opposition protesters who demand his resignation are locked in a spiralling struggle over the identity and future of Ukraine, a nation of 46 million that has divided loyalties between Russia and the west. While the country's west is in open revolt against Yanukovych's central government, backed by Moscow.
Police said protesters had seized regional administration headquarters in Ivano-Frankivsk and Lviv, had torched the main police station in Ternopil, and were trying to seize the headquarters of regional administration.
The English language Kyiv Post reported that eight government buildings had been taken over in Ternopil, while in the western city of Lutsk local television pictures showed activists beating the local mayor.
In Khmelnytsky a woman was reportedly shot dead during an attempt by protesters to take over the regional headquarters of the security service. Two other men were wounded by gunfire.
In Zhytomyr protesters were reported to have torched the interior ministry building while in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second largest city, there were fights reported between activists and Berkut riot police.
MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS:
Flames were used to keep away the protesters but the anger of the protesters and the people was growing and there was no margin for the people backing off the site. With the government using violence, new tactics and weapons to keep off the protesters there is obviously and definitely a chance of clashes and it occurred and it badly affected and there have been killing of protestores as well.
Flames acting as fiery barricades all around Kiev's Maidan, or Independence Square, for protesters, the flames grew more ominous on Tuesday as at least 21 people died in fresh clashes between government forces and activists.
- Protesters in Kiev, Ukraine, clash with police in Independence Square on Wednesday, February 19. Thousands of anti-government demonstrators have packed the square since November, when President Viktor Yanukovych reversed a decision on a trade deal with the European Union and instead turned toward Russia.
- Protesters prepare a barricade in Independence Square on February 19.
- Police form a line as the Trade Unions Building burns in Independence Square on February 19.
- Protesters in Kiev throw rocks at riot police in Independence Square on February 19.
- Independence Square smolders during protests on February 19.
- Persistent explosions rattled the night sky, the apparent product of protesters' fireworks, security forces' stun grenades and whatever else.
- Demonstrators continued to pick up pavement and rocks, then throw them at police. Security forces themselves responded, including in some cases throwing Molotov cocktails in protesters' direction.
- A ring of fire continued to burn along barricades around their camp in the city center. Their cries against President Viktor Yanukovych are continuing too -- accusing him of scuttling an European Union trade pact to cozy up with Russia, resisting reforms that might curb his power and stubbornly, heavy-handedly dealing with the opposition.
- Klitschko, a former world-class boxer who now leads the Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform party, said the next round of talks will take place Thursday. Until then, Yanukovych has promised that there will be no further attempts to disperse protesters in Maidan
- U.S. denying visas to 20 Ukrainians
- Foreign ministers of France, Germany and Poland are set to to travel to Kiev on Thursday to survey the situation, before briefing their European Union colleagues in Brussels. After that, they and their U.S. allies could impose sanctions against Yanukovych's government -- especially if there is even more violence.
IMAGES:
MAJOR CAUSES:
1. The opposition wanted to introduce amendments in parliament that would have limited the President's powers and restored the constitution to what it was in 2004. But the speaker of parliament refused to allow it. Bloody clashes followed.
2. The government and opposition agreed on a truce late Wednesday. But it barely took hold -- and blood was flowing again Thursday.
3. Gunfire erupted Thursday at Independence Square, which has been ground zero for anti-government protesters. At least 20 people died. It's unclear what prompted the gunfire. Again, finger-pointing followed: The government said protesters broke the truce; the protesters said the government did.
#MAJOR TIMELINE OF THE EVENTS:
THE ONE QUESTION NEED TO BE ANSWERED BY THE PRESIDENT:
" HOW MUCH WORSE DOES HE WANT THE SITUATION TO GO BAD"
It is the duty of the president to make rules and amendments all in favour of its people, but seeing the political condition of the leaders of its leaders, we can only say that it cannot go much worse than that.
The president needs to act now and apologise and should be suspended and exiled and his assests to be seized from him.
