Statement by Elena Bondarenko—People’s Deputy of Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine
⋅Translated by Alya & Alan Bailey / Edited by Olga Luzanova
I, Elena Bondarenko, a deputy of Partiya Regionov [Party of the Regions],
which is in opposition to the governing party in Ukraine, would like to
make a statement about the fact that the government is directly
threatening with assault opposition politicians, depriving them of
freedom of speech in the parliament and in other places, as well as
conniving in the crimes against opposition leaders and their children.
Persistent threats, an undeclared ban on
opposition parties appearing in the majority of Ukrainian mass media,
purposeful baiting—these are everyday things in the life of the
opposition in Ukraine. Everybody who calls for peace in Ukraine
immediately becomes an enemy to the regime as it was, for instance, in
30-40’s Germany or in the USA during the McCarthyite era.
A few days ago the Ukrainian Internal
Affairs Minister, Arsen Avakov, said: “When Elena Bondarenko ascends the
parliamentary tribune, I want to reach for my gun.”
I emphasise the fact that those are the
words of the person who has the main authority over the police in the
country. Exactly a week ago the Speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament,
Alexander Turchinov, banned me from the parliamentary tribune as a
representative of the opposition Party of the Regions. It was done
solely because of my words, that “a regime that sends its army to bomb
peaceful cities is criminal.” After that, he kindly allowed the
parliamentary radicals to call for the shooting of the opposition .
I remember last year, when Kiev was
flooded with extremists, my car was shot at. I reported this fact to the
police. I take such threats to myself very seriously. I also would like
to inform everyone who is not aware yet, that the regime protects the
criminals who dared to raise their hand against the son of another
opposition politician—Vladimir Oleynik. Ruslan Oleynik, a district
public prosecutor, was beaten up in his work place, putting his life and
health under threat. Instead of investigating the attack and threats
against the politician and his family, the regime fired the prosecutor.
My colleagues complain weekly about their assistants being beaten up,
their supporters’ offices being searched, their lives, health and
possessions threatened.
Ukrainian cyberspace is almost totally
censored of this information, and ordinary Ukrainian citizens have no
idea of the criminal fight against the opposition and of the fact that
the constitutional right to freedom of speech is suppressed in many
ways. The mass media who tell the truth in spite of their fear
constantly get attacked by nationalist groups, and hooligans who assault
publishing offices are never prosecuted, even when they are identified
by video and photographic proof of their involvement is available.
I call upon international organisations
who proclaim their democratic principles to not only pay attention to
these facts but also to join the fight for democratic rights and
freedoms of Ukrainian citizens. The methods used by the Junta in their
struggle for power in Ukraine have nothing to do with democracy.
Inactivity of the international community towards these outrageous facts
looks like complicity and silent approval of all the crimes being
committed in Ukraine. The free world is losing another outpost—Ukraine.
All those who fight for democracy, peoples rights and freedoms, can
bring about many changes together. Only together can we stop the Junta
and the fratricidal war in Ukraine!
Yours sincerely,
People’s deputy of Ukraine, Elena BONDARENKO.
People’s deputy of Ukraine, Elena BONDARENKO.
No comments:
Post a Comment