Is writing of any sort playing a role in this conflict? Is it?

 On January 25, 2013 Ukrainian Foreign Minister Leonid Kozhara addressed the Permanent Council of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. He told the 57 nation representatives present that one of the Ukraine priorities was going to be media freedom. This gave hope to media freedom advocates in Ukraine and around the world. Everyone was ready a bright and better future in free media and speech.

Now, that was only a year ago and look where the Ukraine stands now. Protest against Yanukovich’s agreement with Russia has turned once peaceful protest into riots against government officials. Riots have lashed out in Keiv because of new laws that were passed to stifle protests. The government had set draconian laws that would “prohibit almost any protest, curtail freedom of speech, hobble the press, enable the government to ban citizens from using the Internet and classify advocacy groups as “foreign agents” if they receive money from abroad.” (WashingtonPost)

Anyone, anywhere would react to this, especially Ukrainians that are slowing seeing a dictatorship form in their country.  This law was presented a Thursday and signed into law by Yanukovych late Friday. That Friday gave authorities “far-reaching power to outlaw most forms of protest.”

So, yes, writing is literally playing a role in this conflict; the press, individual speech and public propaganda is being curtailed by the government. But the most important role in this conflict in Ukraine are the citizen; the ones that actually write, fight and die for the freedom for their opinion to be heard.

Ukrainians take pride in Ukraine and their independence from big power like Russia. They don’t want to return back to Russia. Neither do they want Yanukovyc to copy the methods of Russian and slowly turn into a dictator. But, sadly for them, it seems too late.  Yanukovych has totally forgotten parliamentarism , passed an anti-democratic law which and seems to work to forget all the democratic progress the Ukraine made in the past , which not to forget, citizens urged for.

A leader should represent his people but what is Yanukovyc doing now? Instead of actually listening to protester and knowing what their big hullabullo is about, he rather quiet and oppress them. Yes Yanukoyc that is exactly what a great leader should do.

So, to all you news companies that mostly cover America’s potential involvement, Russia power, Crimea’s invasion and Europe’s position, we are forgetting to hear the opinions of the citizens of Ukraine. They are the ones actually living in the country, they are the ones who are affected by Ukraine’s every decision and the one who may or may not live to tell the next generation of this conflict. Citizens are rioting and uprising against government because they want a say, they want their voices heard, and they want their freedom of press and speech. Ukraine citizens play the biggest role in their conflict and could play the biggest role in the resolution. It’s hard to believe Ukrainians are protesting only for meaningless self-fulfillment.