Church Family,
No doubt, most of you have heard about the unrest and
violence in Ukraine. Below is a message on developments there
from San Sanych Orlov, who is a CREC pastor in the city of
Rivne, Ukraine.
Eric
-----------------
Dear Fathers and Brothers!
I know that written bellow
might be out of date, but I’ll send You anyhow. This letter
is result of combine efforts of San Sanych Orlov-Koshchavka
sr. and my dear friend and sister miss Bethany Forster, who
actually wrote it down, from miscellaneous and random,
emotional thoughts which I share with her 02.20.2020.
Bethany I’ll owe You, since You did it even better, than I
expected.
First, what is going on in
Ukraine is not for the European Union or against Russia. It
is about the Ukrainian people’s dignity and destiny. They
are tired of a corrupt government which acts like a tyrant,
robbing and looting from its people, and they hate a
judicial system where no one can find justice. They are
exhausted from overtaxation and they want a chance to not
just work hard, but to also have opportunities for good
business and normal lives.
The current protests began
on November 21, not in loyalty to a certain political party
or government, but in protest against President Viktor
Yanukovych suddenly changing the course of the nation. Even
though he had promised for several years to pursue ties with
the EU, President Yanukovych refused to sign the free trade
deal and instead seemed to switch to his other option, the
proposed Russian, Belarusian, Kazakhstan customs union. Many
Ukrainians see association with the EU as moving towards a
future of freedom of speech, equality and human rights, and
an accountable democratic government. The proposed Eurasian
Economic Union is none of these things. It is a
hierarchically-run system without election, where many
rulers hold complete power indefinitely.
Since coming to power,
President Yanukovych has illegally changed the constitution,
taking Ukraine from a constitutional court to a presidential
republic. Almost all power has been consolidated into his
party, including the appointment of parliament members and
judges. Even though we know that these elections are only
facades, it is impossible to prove anything with such a
corrupt system and no resources. I have been a translator
for these fake elections, but it is a dead end. We can do
nothing. Ukrainian people do not want to live like this.
President Yanukovych can
rob Ukraine and Ukrainian people and live like a sultan. He
illegally privatized the extravagant Mezhyhirya and its
hundreds of acres as his own private residence. Mezhyhiriya
is over seven times as expensive as Camp David and the
largest private residence of its type in Europe. His family
and party continue to work like a criminal network and mafia
while laundering money through foreign banks. Average
salaries in Ukraine continue to stay very small, while
prices rise higher and higher beyond US or EU expenses
(where people make several times more income). How can
people survive in these conditions?
President Yanukovych’s
sudden movement away from the EU was another betrayal of the
desires of his people and the future they want for their
country. Several hundred people responded by gathering in
Kyiv’s Independence Square or “Maidan.” These peaceful
protests lasted nine days, until on November 30th, special
riot police came at night and severely beat unarmed and
innocent protesters, most of which were only students. On
December 1st, 500,000 Ukrainians responded by gathering in
Maidan in Kyiv. Although the protesters have continually
sought to negotiate and attempt ways for peaceful resolution
with President Yanukovych and his government, the situation
has continued to spiral deeper and deeper over the past 90
days.
After each flare-up of
violence, President Yanukovych receives more words from EU
and US leaders to reach a resolution and judge those
responsible for hurting peaceful protesters. But no one
responsible has been punished, and President Yanukovych
continues to constantly break his word to the opposition
leaders and protesters. The Ukrainian people now require his
complete resignation which would lead to his just
imprisonment. His only other option seems to rule his own
people like a tyrant while actually becoming a vassal of
Russian President Putin. President Putin has played his game
well with continued pressure and the promised 15 billion
dollar loan, while they continue to move towards a Eurasian
trade Union. President Yanukovych is holding onto his office
as long as possible, following the example of President
Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus (20 years), President Putin
of Russia (18 years), and President Nursultan Nazarbayev of
Kazakhstan (self-declared president for life). The people of
Ukraine do not want to join these dictatorships--they want
freedom of speech and respect for humanity, and they thought
they could look for this in the ideals of the west.
The government tries to
call this a civil war, but it is not. It is Ukrainian
citizens willing to take responsibility for their country
and for their future. People who simply long for a life of
dignity. The division is not between eastern and western
Ukraine. We have always dealt with these differences. Yes,
there are people still under a Soviet mentality and these
people are primarily in the east. They are used to relying
on the government and being manipulated by propaganda from
the president. If they have food and some shop money, they
support the government. But these are only a small group in
Ukraine and they do not support the killing of innocent
citizens. President Yanukovych paid people to stage a fake
gathering in support of his government, but all of these
people went home, while people risk everything to stay in
Maidan. He cannot understand that the people stay, not
because of money, but for freedom and the future of their
country and their children. People in Kyiv and in in the
whole country have supported these protests sending
representatives, money, food and medicine. This is not a
civil war. It is a war against the government which is
trying to crush its own people.
As Christians, we, of
course, pray and support by bringing food and clothes. We
send representatives to Maidan. One of our Evangelical
leaders put a prayer tent in Maidan where volunteers bring
money and food and make sandwiches for protesters. Many of
these people have suffered for 90 days in the open air. I
was there at the end of January while parliament was
supposed to make important decisions. Unfortunately, our
parliament is entirely under President Yanukovych's power
and nothing changes. The Ukrainian people, however, are very
open to talking about life and about the problems of
suffering, sin, and forgiveness. It is very important to be
there, but many of us cannot travel or need to be with our
own people in our cities. We need more Christian leaders.
All of the churches are deeply involved and there are many
priests who have stayed on Maidan.
The people have responded
to repeated crackdowns on the protesters by building
barricades and defending themselves with helmets, smoke from
tires, and molotov cocktails. In recent days, they have used
stones from the street against special forces officers with
semi-automatics or sniper rifles. Protesters have been
kidnapped, imprisoned, tortured, and killed, some with metal
bullets meant to stop armored cars. Even though police
forces claim to use only rubber bullets and stun grenades,
these bullets, which are designed to pierce 5 ml steel, have
been found in bodies. The stun grenades which they use are
very powerful and designed in Russia. They are meant to
throw on the ground several meters away from anyone, but
police have thrown them right into crowds and even into a
young woman’s backpack. They explode with very hot, plastic
shrapnel which can easily get under the skin. Over 1200
protesters have been wounded, but they are too afraid to go
to hospitals, where people have disappeared, been tortured,
and even killed.
The special riot police or
“Berkut” used against the protesters originally began in the
90’s to protect the communist party. They continue to exist
as a special force designed to protect a particular group.
Many of the normal police are in obligatory service. In
Kyiv, they are used in the front against protesters, even
though many of them sympathize with the people and have
family and fiances or wives at home. In other cities, many
of them have refused to obey orders that involve crimes
against the people and some have even joined the protests.
Still, they are stuck in a corrupt justice system. An
officer gathers money, gives it to his office, he shares and
gives it to his, and so on. It is the same with the courts.
Fake papers are made and sent with tax police, and citizens
are kicked out of their jobs and deprived of their own
businesses.
President Yanukovych is
also using a third group referred to as “Titushki.” These
are hired thugs and released criminals protected and armed
by the police. There are only two instances I can think of
in history where this sort of force has been used. The SA in
Nazi Germany and the Red Guard in China. These are hooligans
hired to extend the troops and have even been used to begin
violence on the side of the protesters by pretending they
were part of the opposition. Some of these men are staying
at Kyiv’s historic Orthodox Monastery, Perchersk Lavra,
while they loot and destroy parts of Kyiv. Yesterday,
February 19, these men shot a journalist through the chest
and then beat him to death. President Yanukovych has opened
a pandora’s box, and even the government cannot fully
control these thugs and special forces.
Yesterday our parliament
was supposed to make a vote on returning to a constitution
that limits the president's power, but they would not
discuss it. Protesters began to march towards the parliament
building but were meant by government forces. They placed
the young obligatorily-serving policemen in the front, then
the Berkut forces, and then the Titushki in the back
throwing explosives and using firearms. Over 26 people died
on Maidan. Today 02.21.2012. 13.30. 73 people are killed (62
protesters and 11 soldiers).
Now martial law has been
illegally implemented in Kyiv. The roads are blocked and
some internet usage is limited. Thousands of mobile phones
have been canceled after receiving messages warning that the
subscriber is known to be part of the protests. Everyone is
forbidden to go to our capital city. The subways have been
turned off and have only been used for government troop
transport. To compare to other times of crisis, in Moscow
during all of World War II, the subway system was only down
for one day. Forcing them to shut down is unheard of and the
first in Kyiv. Special army paratrooper brigades are being
called to Kyiv under the smokescreen of an “anti-terrorist”
operation. There is no terrorist danger in Ukraine.
Propaganda and TV, especially in industrial and urban
centers, is being used to create a national guard willing to
kill all the people who stay in Maidan. It is possible that
martial law will be used across Ukraine, shutting down
movement, information, phones, internet, transportation, and
limiting all basic civil rights for the people.
Most of the people in
Ukraine had very high expectations for the west. They see
them as standing for freedom of speech, expression,
gatherings and the dignity of life. For 90 days, the people
of Ukraine watched the EU try to communicate with President
Yanukovych in a language he doesn’t understand. He is an
illiterate and blind criminal and does not respond to the
west “expressing concern” or vaguely hinting at
“consequences.” He has proved himself as a man of force and
one that only understand power. If the EU wanted to make a
difference, they must push in their negotiations until he
understands. If no one is pushing and the Ukrainian people
remain peaceful in their protests, he will act like he as he
has always acted. No one does anything. No one is asking
questions. Police who have murdered and beaten innocent
citizens are still not prosecuted.
Respected professor and
judge Volodymir Vasilenko (who worked at Netherland court,
which dealt with crime against humanity) declared weeks ago
that the violence against Ukrainian people is a “crime
against humanity.” But neither the EU or the US did anything
about this expert express concern. We don’t need just
sanctions, we need these countries to apply their own laws.
President Yanukovych and his government hold their money in
western banks. If the EU and US would apply their laws
against laundering and block this money, it would affect the
politics in Ukraine. Shouldn’t someone ask how President
Yanukovych’s son who is just a dentist became a billionaire
in a year? Right now only President Putin and the Ukrainian
oligarchs Ahmetov and Firtash, who have influence on
President Yanukovych. If the EU and US put pressure on the
rich people of Ukraine, they will be forced to make
President Yanukovych listen to them or they will lose their
businesses. We wouldn’t have any more of these days where
people die in the streets.
The EU is scared to do
this because if they block money from criminals they will
start to lose all the money from Asian governments. EU
economics will suffer. And EU doesn’t want to fight with
President Putin. President Obama has done the same. While he
embodies the “superpower” of America, he refuses to push
President Yanukovych to deal with the protests.
Ukrainians are
disappointed with so called Christian societies in the west.
Some of us, obviously, didn’t believe that the west would
still fight for these things, but it was disillusioning to
many who are now desperate and angry. Of course, this is our
business. We will use whatever we have to fix it.
The famous Russian war
journalist, Arkadiy Babchenko, who has been everywhere in
every war in his career said it is incomparable how the
people in Maidan defend themselves without firearms. On
February 18-19 the people in Maidan defended their already
compromised barricades from attacks that came from the riot
police every ten, fifteen minutes for twenty-six hours. Then
President Yanukovych decided to make a temporary truce. But
this morning (February 20th), they couldn’t wait. The people
in Maidan were not ready to wait and be tricked and driven
out by Special Forces again. But they were shot by snipers
who even shot medical volunteers. Today a 21 year-old nurse
was shot by a sniper in the neck. She was wearing white with
an obvious red cross, praise the Lord, she survived. A
teacher from a Catholic University was also killed along
with over 80 others in violence throughout Kyiv and into
other areas of Ukraine. Thankfully, in my city and eight
other areas, the government institutions are working with
so-called peoples’ councils and our cities are mostly
peaceful while changes are being made.
What we need.
An awakening of people’s
consciences. Not for or against the EU or Russia, but for
dignity and freedom. Men have returned to Maidan after
intimidation and torture. One man was crucified to a door
and his ears were cut off. Journalists and protesters have
been beaten and more and more have died. Pray for the people
and pray for us. In difficult times, people will talk to
God. There are also many opportunities for us to talk about
God with them. We need more workers and preachers. Many
pastors, like me, cannot leave our churches and people to be
in Maidan all the time. We have sent one minister from the
Alliance of Christian Reformed Churches of Ukraine to
constantly be there. We have sent good young men. We need
firearms to defend ourselves and we need human arms to help.
Yesterday a friend of mine was wounded with shrapnel from a
stun grenade. Another one, Volodymir (Jack Phelps and
Bogumil Jarmulak you shoud remember him, we had meet him and
another one at Kiev, they were ministering at rehab center)
good friend of mine was almost killed by the stun grenade,
his foot was torn away. President Yanukovych's government
has all the power and the people have nothing. But people
will not live like this anymore.
Thank You for Your support and prayers, Grace to all of You,
Yours in Christ, san Sanych.
