Roman Malanke

Euromaidan or Glory to Ukraine!

The events like we have had here in Kyiv for the last week is what makes one believe that the future of human society is ultimately bright, that the power of human thought and love is stronger than any coercive force in the world, and that the good will always beat the evil in the end. It’s times like this that makes us really understand who we are and be proud of it. I am thankful to God that I am Ukrainian, a part of this deeply intelligent and peaceful nation. And I am proud to be a part of Euromaidan.

The Euromaidan movement is so beautiful in its genuineness and natural way of forming that the best analogy that comes to mind is the immune system of a living organism. When a malevolent virus violates healthy functioning of the body, a natural defense mechanism gets activated automatically. It kills the contagion and throws it out. This is what Euromaidan should do for the Ukrainian society.

The Ukrainians have shown such an incredible tolerance and submission to the corrupt and abusive regime in recent years that many thought the society’s immune system had been forever broken. Even optimists like myself lost hope that the country could return to the righteous path in next few generations. But then came the disgraceful decision of the so-called government to refuse signing the association agreement with the European Union in favor of “strengthening relationship” with Russia. This impudent disparity between the so evident will of Ukrainian people and the governmental action shook up even those who were in political hibernation. People flocked out on the streets to show their protest.

Next came the real tipping point when police’s special forces brutally battered the campers of peaceful demonstration in the middle of the night, not sparing anyone. Young students, male and female, elderly people, and even international reporters, all were beaten hard, with no mercy. The blood of the innocent was shed. This made people really mad and very scared for the kind of future that will await this country unless they act now. Next day some 800,000 protesters were on the streets. Since then Euromaidan became the real heart of the Ukrainian democratic hope.

Those who had the chance to be in the middle of the movement these days can testify how peaceful, pure, and self-organized it is. People stand there in the cold, but what’s most important they also act. Volunteer young journalists hand out the evening edition of the Maidan’s newspaper published three times a day. Youth discusses the most recent arrests of the activists and talks about their dreams for Ukraine to have just courts system. In the meantime dressed up lawyers from nearby legal firms distribute custom-made booklets containing basic information on legal rights of those detained by police. In a few meters young female students invite everyone to warm up with a cup of fresh tea. But the most touching of all is the 85-year old poet walking around, greeting everybody and giving out tiny print-outs with the open letter from the Prosvita society that he represents, the one that for almost 150 years has been dedicated to preserving and developing Ukrainian culture.

After being in the middle of it all, when one hears the sneaky way pro-governmental mass media comments on the movement, one can only loathe. Luckily we live in the era of social media, which make the evil apparent, unite good forces, and help spread the word. And even though there are still many people who are influenced by the informational junk that governmentally controlled TV stations broadcast, the trend is apparent when even my grandma tells she’s going to learn to use Twitter soon.

We don’t yet know when Euromaidan will achieve its biggest goals of “resetting” the government of this country, getting rid of corruption, and returning to the European vector of development, but we know for sure it will happen sooner or later. Because good always beats evil. Because truth always beats lies. Because Ukraine is a strong nation. Слава Україні!

P.S. Tomorrow at 12:00 p.m. we must be 1,000,000 or hopefully even more to tell the world that we have decided which future we want. If you are reading this and you are in Ukraine, please come to support the movement. And even if you are on the opposite side of the planet, you can help us by tuning in online, tweeting and sharing the news.

2013-12-07