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[Socreges]

I'm just going to assume that anyone interested knows the basics. ie, west/east divide, contested election, potential civil war, etc

Most recent developments:

http://washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20041126-080329-7339r.htm

Two members of Ukraine's Central Election Commission have withdrawn their backing of Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich's victory.

The Central Election Commission are the authorities in deciding who "wins" and have already chosen Yanukovich. To have dissent inside the commission is huge and indicative.

At the same time, officials in Russian-speaking areas of the country have threatened secession if opposition leader Viktor Yuschenko is declared the winner.

Uh oh.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1101473062990_14/?hub=CTVNewsAt11

Yushchenko said he wants a new election to be held Dec. 12 under the observation of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.

Although Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he believes the matter is now best left to the courts, he stands apart as one of the few world leaders to have already congratulated Yanukovych on his declared victory.

"It's the whole western world versus Russia in terms of acknowledging the results of this election," Pinchuk said.

"And one of the reasons could very well be that these winds of change which are blowing in Ukraine could easily blow further east and hit Moscow."

http://communications.uwo.ca/western_news/story.html?listing_id=16596

Half an hour earlier General Skybentsky of the SBU (Secret Services of Ukraine) also stood facing the crowd and announced that they were going to defend the constitution and the people. He is adviser to SBU Chief Smeshko. Lt Gen. Mykhailo Kutsin declared that Ukraine’s military will not act against the people. The men in uniform have taken the side of the protesters.

Many police forces have done the same thing. "We defend the people and not the government"...

 

[Socreges]

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-11/29/content_2272746.htm

Viktor Yushchenko said: "They are trying to develop the idea of creating south-east autonomy. Those people who will raise the issue of separatism will be held criminally responsible under the Ukrainian constitution."

A Supreme Court hearing on Monday will consider Yushchenko's complaints of poll irregularities. The court has forbidden publication of the count handing victory to Yanukovich, thus blocking his inauguration.

http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=1370712004

The powerful eastern region, which is supporting the Moscow-backed prime minister in the turmoil which has gripped the nation, set a December referendum on autonomy.

The move brought a swift reaction from Ukraine’s opposition, which threatened the outgoing president, Leonid Kuchma, with an ultimatum, warning that it would block his movements unless he sacked Mr Yanukovich and met other demands, including firing regional governors who had threatened to seek autonomy.

Mr Yushchenko, 50, has already said he wants a new presidential election to be held on 12 December. However, Mr Yanukovich, 54, who is strongly backed by Russia, has yet to say whether he is ready for a rerun of the election, as advocated by the European Union.

- also, apparently many in the East/South are claiming that this whole dispute has been created by America and the West in order to pull Ukraine towards them

- media has played a huge part in this. there are two major channels. the south/east (moscow-backed) portion of the country only receives one, which is full of propoganda and didn't even broadcast the protests until just a couple days ago

 

[Santo]

Haha... guess nobody cares.

 

[Spike Spiegel]

Sorry, that's all I got.

 

[Socreges]

I'm sure at least a couple people care. I'll continue updating it. I think it's really interesting. Not to mention that I need to know what's going on for my Conflict Resolution/Contemporary IR class.

I was speaking to a friend of a friend on Saturday about this. Her family is from the Russia/Ukraine region. She didn't have a clue this was happening, let alone the possible ramifications (which almost no one seems to know).

 

[Boogie]

I care, I just don't have anything to add, really.

 

[Ill Saint]

Keep it up. I, for one, will be reading.

 

[Greenpanda]

Yeah, I care and have been following this story closely, but I don't really have anything to say in the thread

 

[Dan]

Were there any nations that had major disputed elections before the US 2000 presidential debacle? I'm not sure if I'm aware of any, but then I'm not an expert in other democracies. I can't help but think the US situation has added legitimacy and credibility to the idea of contesting elections to courts.

 

[Socreges]

http://washingtontimes.com/world/20041129-113258-7798r.htm

"If we really want to preserve peace and agreement, and really want to build a legitimate democratic society that we so often talk about ... then let's hold new elections," Mr. Kuchma (incumbent) said

Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych — declared the winner of an election that was rejected by most Western observers as hopelessly marred by fraud — said shortly afterward that he, too, favored a rerun in the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions if falsifications could be proved.

Ukraine's once tightly controlled press has undergone a sea change in the past week. Many broadcast journalists have refused to work under censorship rules established by their agencies' owners, many of whom are wealthy oligarchs.
Newscasts have become much more balanced. Yesterday's Supreme Court hearing was broadcast on at least four channels, an unprecedented event in Ukraine's broadcast history.

So on one hand you've got lots of positives. Yanukovich and Kuchma are coming around and seem to be supporting new elections. As well, the media is becoming more objectionable. On the other hand:

Delegates voted to hold a referendum on Sunday to establish an autonomous republic in eastern Ukraine.

The Foreign Ministry yesterday issued a strongly worded statement that said foreign officials who inflame "separatist passions in eastern Ukraine" will face "serious" consequences.

 

[Socreges]

Election currently going on (26th).

GO YUSHCHENKO!!

GIMME A Y!!!

 

[Greenpanda]

GIMME A Y!!!

That's not much help

 

[Ghost]

Must say im really impressed by the way the Ukraine has handled itself after its obviously flawed election, the people of the ukraine managed to make their voices heard and get a re-run, I can think of one supposedly more developed nation that would have just rolled over and accepted a leader elected by the minority of the voters.

 

[fallout]

Must say im really impressed by the way the Ukraine has handled itself after its obviously flawed election, the people of the ukraine managed to make their voices heard and get a re-run, I can think of one supposedly more developed nation that would have just rolled over and accepted a leader elected by the minority of the voters.

Damn Norwegians...

 

[Socreges]

Yushchenko has a ~10% lead with 96% of the vote counted, last I checked. In other words, he's won.

 

[Freestyler]

Yushchenko is the one who got poisoned right?

 

[boredJonathan]

Yushchenko is the one who got poisoned right?

Correct sir.

 

[XS+]

It's great to see democracy prevail in the Ukraine.

 

[Socreges]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002132452_ukraine28.html

Yanukovich refuses to concede. He wants an investigation. Apparently the vote was unfair.

A third recount? Probably not. Sounds like he doesn't have much to go by. I suspect he's just trying to have his supporters get riled up.