E PIGEON
Extraordinary.March, 2014
WE ARE UKRAINIANS
THE HEROES 6 INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT 8 SOCIAL MEDIA ON THE BATTLEFIELD FOR UKRAINE 10 FOOD 11 WHOEVER CONTROLS THE MEDIA, CONTROLS THE MINDS 12 “BANDERIVETS DETECTED” OR “SOME STEREOTYPES ARE BORN TO BE BROKEN” 14 AND NOT TO YIELD 16
CONTENTS
ED LETTER 4
ED LETTE
The most dangerous threats are not those, which hit us from outside, but the ones, which attack us from inside. Ukraine’s way has never been easy. We have always been a huge and powerful country with unbroken and incredibly patriotic nation. We have always been the ones, who through thick and thin stand for their rights and freedoms, who know the real price for liberty and independence. Ukraine is about 1000-year-old, independent Ukraine is only 22. Early in the Christian era, a series of invaders (Goths, Huns, Avars) overran the Ukrainian steppes, and in the 7th century the Khazars included much of Ukraine in their empire. Later,in the 13th century there was the conquest of Kievan Rus by the Mongols of the Golden Horde. In the mid-14th century Lithuania began to expand eastward and southward. The dynastic union between Poland and Lithuania in 1386 also opened Ukraine to Polish expansion. After the organic union of Poland and Lithuania in 1569, Ukraine came under Polish rule, enserfment of the Ukrainian peasants proceeded apace, and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church suffered persecution. In 1667 after Russo-Polish war, Ukraine was partitioned. Russia obtained leftbank Ukraine, east of the Dnieper River and including Kiev; Poland retained right-bank Ukraine. In the 18th century Ukraine was divided into three provinces. In 1783, Russia annexed Crimea (please note that Crimea was always Ukrainian). The Polish partition treaties of 1772, 1793, and 1795 awarded Podolia and Volhynia to Russia, thus reuniting left-bank and right-bank Ukraine; Galicia went to Austria. In 1918 Ukraine proclaimed complete independence within the framework of federated Russia. Not for a long period of time though: Soviet troops eventually regained control of Ukraine, which in 1922 became one of the original constituent republics of the USSR. Why am I telling you this? Ukrainians have always fought for independence, for freedom, for unity. Crimea wasn’t given to us by Russia in 1954, it was given back to us. Today we are already facing a massive war, information warfare, where we are the only fighters. Do not let this threat kill our unity. Do not let this danger partition Ukraine, do not let this war win over your mind. We are Ukrainians, always were, and always will be!
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Yours, Ira Garbuz
Special thanks to: Alex Guzenko Kristina Chelmakina Anna Suprunenko Ksenia Choni Maria Fedoruk Natalia Sniegur Mariia Ihnatova
The other day, we had an interesting conversation with Nastya Ianovytska at Maidan: Nastya: “Anya, when I was in school, at history or literature lessons where war was discussed, I was always wondering who will defend us in case there is a need? I was looking around at my classmates and wondering “who among them is ready to fight for the country? And I never saw descent ones…”. Indeed, the stories about our grandfathers and this heroic generation sounded a bit unreal. How is it possible that so many men died for their motherland? Well, when the history is happening now and here, we see exactly the same. Unbelievable, how many men stand there, ready to defend us, our country, and most importantly our freedom. Now those thoughts back in the day feel very wrong. We are very strong when united and when believing. I am proud to realise that I am surrounded by such heroes, I am proud to be Ukrainian.
By Anna Suprunenko
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Statistics say that Ukrainian uprising has involved up to 95% of residents’ attention. Meaning not exactly going outside and actually protesting in their own cities but at least following all the news and discussing this issue with their counterparts. But let’s take a magnifying glass and see who those 95% “residents are”? Media as well, as personal life experience, keep demonstrating that the”95%” are not only Ukrainians but also representatives of different nations, here, in Ukraine. A few times in a row we had a chance to witness this support at Maidan, first days of the controversial protests have attracted Georgians, Belorussians, Azerbaijani, Brits and Lithuanians. At least this flags were waived over Maidan back in 2013. I thought it was a rather strange assembly of nations at the main square but knowing that they do support you and your country in this fight has added up to confidence of many. Surprisingly, this wasn’t the limit. On March 9, 2014 Kyiv witnessed a wide-scale support from its non-Ukrainian residents. Dozens of international Kyiv citizens have walked down the main street to express gratitude to those who stood up for democratic future of Ukraine. Various flags were looming over the sunny capital that day in support of Ukrainian people. Interestingly, not only those Ukrainians who reside in the country but also those abroad have organisied a number of protests in support of Ukraine. London, Barcelona, Berlin, Munich, Oslo, Bergen, Prague, Warsaw, Tbilisi, Washington, Los Angeles, Rio, even Moscow and many more have hosted in different times gatherings to uphold the strive for an independent and lawful state of Ukraine. However, it turned out that to many nations fight for democracy appeared very close as back in the day or just a year or two ago they have experienced something similar. Having observed many nations supporting my country, I was probably most surprised and amazed by the Georgians. Yes,
this singing and dancing nation kept on gathering every other evening under the building of government in Tbilisi holding our flags, singing our anthem and demanding from their officials to support the neighbour. Surely you know, that the US supports us, Mr. Obama personally ensured you in that by dressing up in Ukrainian short at the cover of Focus Ukraine Magazine. Taking this dimension famous actors dress up in supportive T-shirts, like George Clooney, speak about “our dreams” at Oscar Ceremony or perform with Ukrainian flag in their hands, like Sukhishvili ballet. The EU, for instance, is ready to sign the desired Association Agreement in the nearest weeks. Many international organisations and national governments are now so to say officially support Ukraine. But what matters is that personal support
of foreign friends you have, this is what touches our hearts and brings confidence to our actions. Other nations do support Ukraine you know it because so many of them changed their profile picture on Facebook. Oh wait, they also keep retweeting BBC’s 140-symbols-messege about Ukraine. Cute? Totally! Funny? Not really. This might be the new way to demonstrate how much one cares. On the contrary, many of my friends didn’t change their profile picture, nor (OMG) did they change the cover photo. This outraged me but later on it appeared to have organised a whole supportive meeting at their university, city or some other place, took pictures or even shot videos. Fruits of technology allow us to express our support in so many different ways I believe Ukraine has received almost all of the possible kinds.
By Kristina Chelmakina
Maydanneeds.com played even a greater role: it was the coinciding point where a digital atmosphere integrates with the real life issues. The core concept of it implies that on a digital map, there are key points, which need direct and very particular assistance, «what they need» so to say. Looking at the map, people understand where the medical centre or a field kitchen is located and what particular needs those points have. Confidently, no one would bring medicine to a field kitchen or vice versa. Another thing to point out is the Ukraine Crisis Media Centre. It is an information hub, which unites all social networks and a web page, displaying the most accurate and up-to-date information to the global community. Gathering all news in one media environment, one can easily spread it within a particular community or even to a wider extent. In a battle for a free country, each fights according to the means and skills he possesses. Only as a diverse unity, a coherent mechanism and a consistent flow, we can break through the trouble to the ultimate victory.
By Alex Guzenko
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Each, even the most at the first glance, homogeneous or coherent piece may be divided and separated into parts. They serve as a foundation, which shapes the general image. If we have a precise look at the overall image of Ukrainian revolution, we will see a continuous process, where events flow and integrate, creating a stable, consistent flow. An outsider might have an image, that each and every of a 46 million state was at Maidan, protesting and throwing bricks at the riot police. De facto, this conception is misleading. In order to create a stable mechanism, each piece has to impeccably work . If we settle solely on the topic of Euromaidan, we can distinguish main groups of people, namely: right-wing radicals, self-defence units, volunteers and activists and the media crew. Living in the 21st century, the «stick and brick» approach, as well as guns and nuclear weapons do not seem to be vivid enough to resolve a confrontation in any kind. The information war to its fullest extent enters the battlefield. Web pages, social networks, Facebook posts and Tweets play as essential role as the physical presence at the forefront does. A correct, forceful message, passed to the «right hands» may work as good as the Molotov’s cocktail fired at riot police unit does. Hard not to omit, the Euromaidan Facebook page which for the past months has served as a global, objective platform for information transfer inside and outside of Ukraine’s borders. The online interactive map –
“You are what you eat” – they say. “What do you eat to be Ukrainian?” – I ask. The truth is there’s no one single answer to this question. The recent study conducted by the Rating sociology group suggests that favorite Ukrainian foods include borsch (44% respondents prefer it); varenyky with different fillings (18%); shashlyk or skewered meat (10%). It is interesting that only 4 percent respondents said their favorite food was salo (raw pork fat), which is considered to be one the most popular Ukrainian foods. Ukrainian cuisine is rich and diverse. It has a number of influences including Russian, Polish, Greek, German and Turkish. If you come from Central or Eastern Ukraine and you dare to visit one of the cozy and nice-looking restaurants in Western Ukraine – be ready to hire your personal “menu translator” from the locals. Banosh, shuhi, knydli, bigos, plyatsky – these and many other items on the menu can make you desperate and utterly confused. The same applies to the other parts of Ukraine. Don’t take offence if someone from Donetsk or Luhansk region asks you whether you have a “tormozok” with you (“tormoz” when applied to a person is a pejorative term analogous to moron, retard, or dork).
The word “tormozok” derives from the miners’ jargon and means a lunch box, usually filled with sandwiches and vegetables. Nevertheless there is one food that unites Ukraine. It is bread. Bread is not only the primary food in Ukraine; it is also a symbol of prosperity and hospitality. The Ukrainian Guide website says that “since the first agrarians settled the Ukrainian land, bread have become sacred object of worship and rituals, closely connected with folklore and traditional customs”. No matter what part of Ukraine you are from, bread is placed at the head of the table as a silent reminder of Ukrainian history, culture, and traditions. If I were asked “What Ukraine tastes like?” I would reply that it tastes like freshly baked bread. Come and taste yourself.
By Ksenia Choni
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WHOEVER CONTROLS THE MEDIA, Jim Morrison CONTROLS THE MINDS Whoever controls the media, controls the mind. Jim Morrison Information has an immense impact on our life, especially nowadays, when one would rather check iWeather app on his/her smartphone than look out of the window to see if it rains or not. In the 21st century information becomes a regulator of all political, economic and social relationships. Creation of a unified informational area increases the development of
mankind. However, often information turns into a dangerous weapon. Bombs and guns are left in the past; now it’s the age of information wars with news broadcasts and media campaigns, which influence public opinion, outlook and aims. The term “information war” was used for the first time in 1920 by the British historian J. Fuller, who analysed the First World War. It describes the process of using and controlling information, which aims at acquiring a
competitive advantage over the enemy. It includes gathering tactical information, spreading propaganda and disinformation in order to demoralize the army or the population of the opponent, preventing the possibility of collecting information by other parties. This phenomenon has two forms – technological and ideological. The first one deals with physical damage of information resources: computer viruses, industrial espionage, destruction of information infrastructure. The second type is about ideology process (numerous methods through which members of the power elite attempt to shape the beliefs, attitudes and opinions of the underlying population), which leads to instability in political situation, panic and disorientation in society. Massive influence of information changes even the calmest attitude into
aggressive actions and armed conflicts. This type of a conflict is alarmingly actual for today’s events in Ukraine. From the very first days of Euromaydan to the latest events in Crimea tons of fake and controversial information were given to Ukrainian citizens and international community, making their perception of events twisted, thus sharpening the confrontation. It is a well-known fact that there is a long-lasting conflict between different social groups in Eastern and Western Ukraine and this weak link has become a target in this information war. Unfortunately, as the saying goes “all is fair in war”. It has been proved that there were hundreds of false news, videos and photos. The sad fact is that even though most of them seem to make no sense at all, they reached their aims. People’s thoughts and feelings were manipulated and they started to behave as it was planned. By whom? We can never be sure, because there are too many interested parties. In any case, the result is tragic: Ukrainian nation breaks from inside as people from different regions consider their neighbours to be enemies, while provocations and chaos within the society increase. Our economy, cultural and social lives suffer greatly. Each of us can take significant steps in order to fight it. Always remember that each coin has two sides, there is no absolutely good or bad person (even a political figure), action or event. Be a strict critic: you should carefully analyse, perceive and share facts. Stay calm and objective: choose several trustworthy and adequate sources and follow only their broadcasts. And my last advice: try to go to another region of Ukraine or at least communicate with the people from there. Being born and raised in the most Eastern region of Ukraine, I study in the capital of our country and often travel to the South and to the West where I have made many friends and understood one thing: we are all Ukrainians, with different lifestyles and occupations but with the same hopes and dreams. Let’s do our best not to let others divide our nation, let’s work together and stay united for a better future.
By Natalia Sniegur
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... «SOME STEREOTYPES ARE BORN TO BE BROKEN» Bandera. The point is not about his biography but what did for his Motherland. Stepan Bandera was the founder of the Organisation of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN), the organisation that fighting for Ukraine’s independence: both from the former USSR and Nazis. It is a stereotype that Bandera after his release from the concentration camp came back to Ukraine on “German wheelbarrow”. It is a stereotype that current “banderivtsi” are American spies. In past, the USSR was so afraid of Srepan Bandera that authorised the KGB to assassinate Bandera in Munich, West Germany, on 15 October 1959. These days we see the same; intelligent, polite and simply the best people are killed because of the great fear of the government, of Kremlin that these “banderivtsi” want to conquer, to occupy, to rule! Nonsense, my dear friends! We, people from Western part of Ukraine, especially from Lviv, want to live in the united and independent country. May the words of Stepan Bandera become the motto of the further rebellion and everybody’s life: “Faith strengthens the greatest powers of the soul.” «Слава Україні!» «Героям слава!»
By Marichka Ihnatova
When I was a student of the 11th grade I was sure that all the wars, all the protests, massacres, concentration camps, etc. were the elements of the XX century scenario; that my country – Ukraine – was totally independent and democratic. I had never been so mistaken! Over the past three months my compatriots and I experienced terrible times. We have witnessed how peaceful student protests outgrew into real war of criminal government against its citizens. Here I recall the pictures and words from my school Ukrainian History book and still can not realise that something similar to what was described in that book is happening in my country. You may ask why I connect the real facts with the events that used to take place in past. I think, it is clear, as my article is about something that was “born” in past, then forgotten and now becomes significant again. According to the average pro-Russian citizens I would be “banderivka” or American Nazi who is eager to attack the East and the South of Ukraine and occupy its territories. Why do they think so? I think, because they completely misunderstand who “banderivets” is and why he is not connected to the USA. As a true Galician girl I can provide you with a wide explanation of the aforementioned word. First of all, the word “banderivets” did not come from the last name of Ostap Bender - a literary character, a protagonist of the novel of Ilya Ilf and Yevgeny Petrov "The Twelve Chairs" and "The Golden Calf". Moreover, it has nothing in common with Bender – “Futurama” cartoon character! The truth is that “banderivets” came from the last name of one of the most outstanding revolutionist – Stepan
Once Alfred Lord Tennyson honoured the ancient hero Ulysses in a poem telling us about a man coming back to his Motherland. Yet thirsty for adventures in the name of his country, poetic Ithaca, he was willing to free his people. Throughout the history, the nation living on the territory of modern Ukraine has shown to the whole world how crucial it is to be
united, to hope for a better future. People have always needed a special hero, a leader who they can follow on their path. In fact, that leader has always been the nation, united in its purpose and vision of one country, who made it through until the very end of suffering. Until the very beginning of independent Ukraine.
MADE WEAK BY TIME AND FATE Ulysses declared to the people he travelled with that it was never too late to build a new world. And not only his team, but also the people of Ithaca trusted him. He was no longer just the man Ulysses, but a symbol of a united nation. Due to the historical background of Ukraine, we might still be divided in our political views. We can still feel the heavy impact of
our past, pushing people to fight for ideas forgotten a long time ago. However, is there any idea that is much more important than the lives of human beings? In the past months, we have shaped the new image of Ukrainians who want to follow a very simple principle: “Everyone has the right for selfdetermination, although it should not happen under the fire of machine guns�.
BUT STRONG IN WILL: At the end of the day, it is only those people who believe in themselves, who are devoted to their Motherland in such a selfless way that can actually make a significant change.
They might be dreamers, but they build their future and make it real. It does not matter if you are from the East or the West, you are still Ukrainian.
TO STRIVE, TO SEEK, TO FIND AND NOT TO YIELD. By Maria Fedoruk
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ONE EQUAL TEMPER OF HEROIC HEARTS
DO NOT BETRAY YOURSELF DO NOT BETRAY YOUKRAINE