Saturday, July 30, 2005

Ode to Non-Violent Revolution OPUS I

"For years now, we have been talking about war and peace. But now, no longer can we just talk about it. It is no longer a choice between violence and nonviolence; it's nonviolence or nonexistence."

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Orange Revolution

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Orange-clad supporters of Viktor Yushchenko gather in Independence Square in Kiev.
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Orange-clad supporters of Viktor Yushchenko gather in Independence Square in Kiev.

Ukraine's "Orange Revolution" of 2004-2005 was a series of protests and political events that took place throughout the country in response to allegations of massive corruption, voter intimidation and direct electoral fraud during Ukraine's Presidential Run-off Election of November 21, 2004, as reported by numerous domestic and foreign observers. The November 21, 2004 run-off was mandated by Ukrainian law because, according to the official results of the presidential election held on October 31, 2004, no candidate carried the absolute majority (> 50%) of the vote cast, a case where a run-off between two top candidates with the highest number of votes was specifically required by the law. The winner of the run-off was to become the country's third president since its 1991 independence following the demise of the Soviet Union.

Orange was adopted by the protesters as the official color of the movement because it was the predominant color in opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko's election campaign during his run for president. The symbol of solidarity with Yushchenko's movement in Ukraine is an orange ribbon or a flag bearing his "Tak! (Yes!) Yushchenko!" slogan.

Sometimes called the Chestnut Revolution due to the abundance of chestnut trees in Kiev — the capital city of Ukraine and center of the revolution where a large 24-hour tent city was set up by Yushchenko supporters —the action was highlighted by a series of nationwide protests, sit-ins, and planned general strikes, organized by supporters of opposition candidate Yushchenko following the disputed results of the November 21 run-off election.

Due in large part to the movement's efforts, the results of the original run-off were annulled and a second run-off election was ordered by Ukraine's Supreme Court for December 26, 2004. Under intense international scrutiny, the official results of the second run-off proved to be virtually problem-free, legally valid and clearly in Yuschenko's favor. He was declared the official winner and with his inauguration on January 23, 2005 in Kiev, the Orange Revolution reached its successful and peaceful conclusion.

7 comments:

Madcap said...

Hi!

This is just a pickiness, but the blue and red lettering is really hard to see against the black. Are there any lighter colours available?

ORANGE maybe? heeheehee

voixd'ange said...

Ha ha ha! I tried to change it ... but I'm technically helpless without my son and for some reason he thinks the needs of his social life supercede my blogging needs... go figure!

Madcap said...

Thank you, my dear!

That was an amazing event, wasn't it? I can't quite imagine it happening in North America. Maybe if the stores ran out of Twinkies and Frito Lays, the angry populace would be stirred to action....

voixd'ange said...

That's what I believe. I have said many times that dictators throughout history have learned they can do nearly anything to a people as long as they have bread.

Madcap said...

My price is sugar, personally.

Madcap said...

Ah, I sold myself cheap. From now on I'm holding out for the good stuff. Chocolate it is!

existentialist said...

Hi Ange, what prompted this? I am thinking the Holy Spirit because I am dealing with domestic violence and I should not meet with domestic violence with violence, that is child abuse. Lord have mercy. You know my ancestors, some of them, are from the Ukraine, and I have many Ukrainian friends. Deep.