[Xmca-l] Re: FW: Ukraine

[Natalia Gajdamaschko]

Hi Peter,
Thank you for sharing. Your student's account is a correct one - everyone who has a family/friend in Ukraine worried because nobody knows what will develop in the next few days. I just came back from Ukraine and can add that lots of people feel that something bad is about to happen at Maidan square in Kiev again. Another police attack on the protesters would be followed by incredible government lies to justify the violence and would stir even more resistance, I am sure. Lots of professors are siding with those students who were brutally bitten up on the Maidan by special forces a week ago. Very tense situation right now.
Natalia. 

----- Original Message -----
From: "Peter Smagorinsky" <smago@uga.edu>
To: "eXtended Mind, Culture, Activity" <xmca@weber.ucsd.edu>
Sent: Sunday, December 8, 2013 10:06:46 AM
Subject: [Xmca-l]  FW: Ukraine

Sent by one of our doctoral students to a colleague:
I am very thankful that you emailed me about the events in Ukraine. They are presented in the US mass media and they are shown with much less detailed information and they often generalize things. For instance, right now more than 1 million people are on the Independent Square and about approx. 4 million all around in Ukraine. The Ukrainians in other countries are protesting in the biggest cities. But in the US press, we don’t see this.

My family here, in Ukraine, and Belarus - we are all nervous and we are watching live broadcasting of the events. Today is the biggest official peaceful protest. Yesterday, the European Union diplomats voiced their opinions: EU is supporting this protest. They say it is the biggest peaceful protest ever seen. However, no one knows how everything will go. The president is given 48 hours to dismiss the government and to free political prisoners. Honestly, after mass beating of students, which was ordered by the president, he never faced the people. He went to China, then to Russia, and now he is hiding (watching the protest at home or somewhere else).

What we are seeing now in Ukraine is unbelievable. Thanks to today’s technology, we can follow the biggest hearts beating together on EuroMaidan. As you use the quote from Steve Jobs: “Technology alone is not enough…” I agree. We see how humanity works with technology.

No one knows how the things will go. The wise opinion was expressed by Dr. Tymothy Snyder, who is an American historian and Professor of History at Yale. He wrote the best books about Ukraine and the post-Soviet area – Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin (2010). This book is a “must” for the students who are taking the classes about ideology and totalitarian regime. Here is a link to his opinion on the current events:
http://www.nybooks.com/blogs/nyrblog/2013/dec/05/ukraine-protests-way-out/

As to my part in the Ukrainian events, we - my husband and I - are helping by translating the information (I will share two documents that I was working on in order to bring the information to the wider audience). My husband is from Belarus, so for people of Belarus these events represent a step for their own try to go against President Lukashenko.

I am adding a picture of Kyiv (was done about two hours ago) and I am adding the letter from the writers. If you want to share it with colleagues, please do.

Here is a link to people who want to help Maidan, since it has been the 17th day that people are out on the frosty and cold weather:
http://www.uuarc.org/