Posted on 11/24/2004 8:02:19 AM PST by JerseyHighlander
novembre 24, 2004 Updates from PORA -- The Revolution WILL be blogged.
I've joined the PORA opposition group as an English page editor for the internet news site Maidan.org.ua (the #4 website in Ukraine!) I'm writing from HQ.
Here is some breaking news we've received:
-Authorities have begun violent action against peaceful protesters near the Presidential Admin building. 2 buses of special ops police units drove up and have moved on the demonstrators.
- The tent city has now reached as far as the Central Department Store on Kreshatik Street.
- The pro-Yanukovych tent city seems to be bleeding people at a quick rate. They either can't take the cold, or the heat. :)
- Provocateurs planted an "explosive" device in our tent city. Snipers were called in.
- There are reports of tanks approaching the city. This is still unconfirmed, and I'm skeptical about this one.
Stay tuned! The Revolution WILL be blogged. Posted by Discoshaman at 03:27 PM | Tossed Clogs (6) | TrackBack (0) New Digs and a New Gig in Tent City
It snowed throughout last night, but it was a nice, warmish sort of snow. And it made everything look beautiful, hopeful and new this morning.
I'm no longer bunking with the guys from Lutsk Region. I've landed a spot in the roomy, warm tent of a local Evangelical congregation. They even have a Jesus fish flag flying overhead. They couldn't have been more welcoming.
I've also found some new work for the times when there aren't any demonstrations. I'm volunteering nights at the tent city press center, and it looks like I'll be doing editing for the English version of Maidan.org. This is an independent news source set up after the slaying of the journalist Georgiy Gongadze, and is one of the most popular news sites in Ukraine these days. I have a meeting with them in about an hour. Wish me luck! Posted by Discoshaman at 10:54 AM | Tossed Clogs (2) | TrackBack (0) Updates!
- The oligarch forces have bussed in Yanukovych "supporters", and they're setting up their own camp nearby. It has about 1,000 people, all of whom are large and male. In other words, rented Donetsk muscle.
- Yulia Tymoschenko has pulled demonstrators away from the Presidential Administration building. She's announced that there are Russian troops inside the area. They've been given orders to fire for effect. The Ukrainian people are incensed at the idea of Russian troops threatening Ukrainian citizens.
But isn't this typical of an authoritarian system? In Tiananmen Square, the Chinese shipped in troops from far outlying provinces. In Iran, the mullahs use Chechen mercenaries to put down the people. So why not Donetsk rent-a-thugs and Russian loaner troops?
- Good news! The linguistics university in Kiev and another Uni in Bila Tserkva have joined the student strike. It grows by the day. Posted by Discoshaman at 10:05 AM | Tossed Clogs
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