Euromaidan – 2013 Ukraine protests

[alanjjohnstone]

A slightly different English-version posted on our blog yesterday.http://socialismoryourmoneyback.blogspot.com/2014/03/declaration-of-internationalists.htmlThis is an example where i feel the party should exhibit its adherence to our class interests and sign the declaration, as organisations in agreement are invited.We maybe have not been part of the writing of the text but is it terribly different from what we might have wrote (less perhaps the sloganising) ? And would be committing the heinious crime of not expressing  our hostility clause. I don't think so. Too late now unless the Gen Sec emails in the name of the party or circularises the EC by email for permission to add our name. Sure a small gesture but we all begin walking with baby steps. 

[alanjjohnstone]

Perhaps the media committee has the auhority to add our name in the form of a press release? 

[ALB]

[alanjjohnstone]

The equivalent of a fiver well spent for that vinyl banner, even if i do say so myself. There is another with anti-religion slogans on it somewhere , too. (Edinburgh branch?)

[ALB]

Interesting article in today's Daily Telegraph as to why the West won't go to war or do much else over  this:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/jeremy-warner/10674022/Vladimir-Putin-will-get-away-with-it-again-sanctions-would-harm-us-more-than-them.htmlAfter all, what do they care if the Crimea reverts to Russia as long as they can get the rest of the Ukraine to move into their sphere of interest?Mind you, as another article in the same issue explains, the price of bread could go up:

Quote:

Fears over Russian and Ukraine grain supplies sent prices for wheat surging on international markets. Most of Ukraine's wheat and corn is shipped from Odessa on the Black Sea, or Sevastapol in Crimea. Disruption due to the current stand–off would put pressure on supplies from the US, Canada and Australia to make up for any shortfall.Wheat futures for July quoted by the Chicago Board of Trade gained 28 cents to $6.30 yesterday and are up 5pc since 2013.Agricultural production is of vital importance to Ukraine, accounting for 24pc of the country's total exports and bringing in more than 5pc of gross domestic product annually."Concerns of a disruption to planting which begins this month could begin to escalate if the current clampdown on the Crimean peninsula extends northwards," said Deutsche Bank in a research note yesterday. "For the time being, attention is on the possible disruption of grain exports from Ukraine's Black Sea ports."

[ALB]

According to the papers this is a photo of Ukrainian soldiers !

[Young Master Smeet]

Richard Seymour does a nice take down on the Stop The War Coalition's stances on this issue:http://www.leninology.com/2014/03/ukraine-against-infantile-realpolitik.htmlActually, I don't think it is that complex.One mafia opposed the mafia that was in charge, and co-ordinated the discontent in the government, and found muscle through the fash (and maybe lost control of the muscle).  The mafias had relations with groups in Europe and in Russia, who sponsored them.  One mafia had friends in the unions (in the East).Our position (and Stop the War's) should be clear: we are against the mafia.  We don't support anyone dying for either side, and we don't support "our" state sending anyone to the theatre to kill or be killed.  We have no interest in where the borders are drawn, but we do care that effective and meaningful democracy be restored.

[ALB]

ALB wrote:

Sorry, mate, we've been had by scammers from the Ukraine before. So were others:http://www.internationalist.org/ukraineimpostors0803.html

We have received an email drawing our attention to the fact that one of these scammers will be in England to address a meeting on the Ukraine tomorrow:

Quote:

Message:
http://thepeoplesparliament.me.uk/themes/crises-in-ukraine/

Monday 10th March
6pm, Committee Room 6 House of Commons

A discussion on the unfolding crises in Ukraine, with expert eye-witness
reports from Mr Zakhar Popovych of the left opposition and Volodymr Ischenko
of the Commons Journal of Social Criticism
 NB! Interesting to note that Zakhar Popovych was one of the key figures of the notorious scandal around the Ukrainian branch of the CWI "Workers Resistance" in 2003

Pity I've not got the time to present him with a demand that he re-imburse  the money he extracted from us and others.

[Young Master Smeet]

I wonder how much of the scamming came from the fact that other NGO's from Western States were operative there?  Certainly, one scammer in Africa tried to play us off against an NGO out there.Anyway, a useful resource:http://www.ssees.ucl.ac.uk/library/directory/ukraine2014.htm

[ALB]

Young Master Smeet wrote:

Certainly, one scammer in Africa tried to play us off against an NGO out there.

By co-incidence we have received an email from the IWW in America about the same scammer and asking for details of our experience with him. They seem to have come to realise, like we did, that he is not entirely what he claims to be.In the meantime John McDonnell, the Labour MP who is sponsoring the Ukraine meeting in the House of Commons, is being alerted about this Popovitch character.

[alanjjohnstone]

i had an exchange with someone on the IWW international sub-committee regards a cautionary warning i placed on Libcom regards African contact.  Due to confidentiality they didn't give details but hinted heavily enough of their aroused suspicions reflecting our own experience. Sad really that this undermines assistance to some honest comrades struggling against poverty conditions. I hope someone does challenge with some direct action  ( i selected the words very carefully ) the CWI thief about his sordid past. 

[alanjjohnstone]

i was off-line for a few days and had no access to the news. I am catching up with world events now and in regards to the Ukraine what is striking is the military build-up and deployment. I'll leave aside the unverified and speculation that Western mercenaries aka Blackwater,  have been recruited but more worrying is the re-positioning of aircraft and ships so that they actully begin to confront opposing forces and the remarks of politicians that war – with another nuclear armed state- has to be on the diplomatic table. I find it comical that these politicians forget the past especially the mostly German-instigated but then ably assisted by NATO dismemberment of Yugoslavia.Democratic elections are ignored and proposed referendums (similar to this year's Scottish one) are declared undemocratic. Also ignored is the Russian de facto recognition of several state's self-declared independence from ex-soviet stan republics so support for a proposed independent Crimea is not new. What is also ridiculous is the naive faith and trust in UN resolutions to ensure peace. One thing is guaranteed – there will be no Security Council authorisation for any action. For those on the Left it is a matter of grand-standing, taking sides, and rallying around an "old comrade" against the familiar imperialists.  

[ALB]

I don't think there's going to be a war over this. The Western capitalist bloc will up the rhetoric and rattle a few sabres but in the end will accept the re-incorporation of the Crimea into Russia as a fait accompli. Russia won't invade the rest of the Ukraine. Meanwhile the papers will sensationalise things to sell more.Anyone want to bet against this?

[alanjjohnstone]

I think the danger being overlooked is mis-calculations and mis-judgments about the other's intentions. The First World War would be over by Christmas, France and Britain would ignore Hitler’s Polish invasion, Stalin’s belief Hitler would honour the Molotov-Rippentrop Pact, America believing it could push Japan to the edge with sanctions pre-1941, Falklands and giving out the wrong messages until it is too late …US and UK would be welcomed by Iraqis, all a matter of subjective perception and misconstrued intentions.  Sometimes nations believe the sabre rattling and react to it. That is the risk placing opposing forces in direct contact….a Nato aircraft crossing into foreign airspace …  U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamera  on 1963 Missile Crisis “we avoided nuclear war solely — solely — because we were lucky. Both sides made many, many mistakes, misjudgments, miscalculations based on misinformation.” Let be honest …accidents happen sometimes. If i take the bet and win who is to say London will still be standing  for me to collect ? Worse still, what about my pension !!! 

[alanjjohnstone]

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26558288"Kiev's parliament is voting on Thursday to establish a National Guard of 20,000 people – recruited from activists involved in the recent pro-Western protests as well as from military academies – to strengthen Ukraine's defences.Ukraine's national security chief Andriy Parubiy said the Guard would be deployed to "protect state borders, general security and prevent "terrorist activities". Reading the above report i foresee that the neo-nazi nationalists will now be legitimised and given weapons. to reinforce their influence against any liberal elements.  Official Brownshirts. We now await the SS to be established.

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