generalspeaking

Expression Their Opinions

"The ballot papers arrived late, so we were planning to open at ten."
"But at 9:30, a man arrived and presented ID from the Donetsk People's Republic and told us not to. So we didn't."
"It was an entirely peaceful request, but there was a certain understanding that it might not be if we did not comply."
Election commissioner, School No. 4, Dokuchaevsk, Ukraine

"My own polling station was closed, so I came here hoping to vote. And it turns out I can't. We need to have this election because we need a government to put an end to the chaos and violence here."
local Dokuchaevsk woman, turned away from the school

In most of Ukraine, polling stations opened at 8:00 a.m. There was a high turnout, with 21 candidates on the ballot with exit polls indicating Petro Poroshenko was heading to a landslide victory, his cloest rival, former Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko, well behind. He had pledged during the short lead-up to the vote that the election would bring calm to Ukraine.

"I am confident that today's vote will finally help bring peace to Ukraine and stop the disorder, chaos, lawlessness and terror wrought by bandits in the east."
"The first thing we will do is begin direct dialogue with the people of the Donbass in Donetsk and Luhansk."
Ukrainian President-elect, Petro Poroshenko

In parts of eastern Ukraine, pro-Russian militants closed the polling stations, confiscating ballot papers. Not a single polling station opened in Donetsk, the region's capital, in the grip of the separatist insurgency. Kyiv authorities had promised that even within the troubled region a showcase democratic vote would take place.

Perhaps their failure to ensure sufficient security forces were on hand to ensure a free vote was at fault. It's possible that they had fears of increased confrontations turning deadly, marring the triumph of an election observed by thousands of international volunteers as a free and fair election, should their security forces come up hard against the push-back of the 'Donetsk People's Republic'.

In the region where no votes were cast, those who meant to vote left out in the dark and the cold by diktat of the Donetsk People's Republic, President-elect Poroshenko plans to travel east to offer jobs and language rights to the population hoping to put an end to the insurgency. He would enter a dialogue with Russia, in hopes of restoring good relations, a moderation of the current standoff of hostility from both sides.

But he made it quite clear that Ukraine, and he as president of Ukraine would "never recognize the annexation of Crimea". Russian President Vladimir Putin may just come across someone as determined as he is himself, but someone with good reason and moral justness on his side, in comparison to his own conniving malice in infiltrating a neighbouring country to intimidate, oppress and exploit it by causing instability and violence in a bid to enlarge the Russian federation.

The election disruption that took place in Donetsk and Luhansk reflects the rebels' disputation of the new government legitimacy. While those two populous Ukrainian cities have been highjacked by an unscrupulous third column of Russian infiltrators calling upon their compatriots who were never naturalized psychologically as Ukrainians, the city of Mariupol on the south coast did conduct their voting process.

Where steel workers from steel plants owned by local billionaire Rinat Akhmetov restored a semblance of order, ousting the militant secessionists, reclaiming the town and re-instituting the near-calm of normalcy. Ballot papers had been delivered quietly during the night hours while police, steel-workers and private security guards protected the polling stations.

"I came to vote because it is my civil duty.  I am a citizen of Ukraine and a patriot", Natalia, a local casting her ballot in the afternoon, claimed with the satisfaction of one whose rights had been upheld.

Labels: Aggression, Conflict, Democracy, Russia, Secession, Security, Ukraine

posted by Pieface @ Tuesday, May 27, 2014