“People’s Tribunal” and Backstage Play
“People’s Tribunal,” held October 12 in Kyiv, differed little from what had taken place on European Square, September 16, except that the number of participants was 1.5 times less (militia statistics point to 6-8 thousand), so that none — not even Yuliya Tymoshenko — could say afterward that “hundreds of thousands” had taken part.
The People’s Tribunal architects had in mind President Leonid Kuchma’s impeachment, accusing him of having breached at least 35 Articles of the Criminal Code, including an encroachment on a fellow human’s life and eavesdropping, the latter being most interesting, coming from opposition leaders such as Oleksandr Moroz.
The People’s Tribunal sentenced President Kuchma to Ukraine’s “capital punishment” — life imprisonment — and condemned state authorities prohibiting mass actions demanding the president’s retirement. Needless to say, both the tribunal and its rulings have no legal force. Among other things, those “rulings” were passed by a “nationwide vote” — as in the good old times, prior to the feudal system. And the one presiding over those “hearings” claimed there weren’t any voting against or abstaining.
After the rally part of those present marched to the general prosecutor’s office where a group of MPs entered and handed a deputy prosecutor general the People’s Tribunal’s statement (in the format of a parliamentary inquiry) demanding criminal proceedings against President Kuchma. The MPs said later that the deputy prosecutor general assured them that the statement would be duly considered and that criminal proceedings would be commenced or refused within 10 days. The rally, starting at 14:00, ended around 19:00.
Consequences of this political action are most important, of course. The opposition, aware of political oblivion, if their Rise Up Ukraine project fails, has obviously thought up a sequel. SPU’s Yosyp Vinsky, in an interview with the Internet periodical Ukrainska Pravda, has said that the opposition will make a sensational statement October 15. Some sources point to another round in the cassette scandal.
Another noteworthy aspect is that OU leader Viktor Yushchenko did not take part in the People’s Tribunal. Two reasons come to mind: (a) Mr.Yushchenko has once again proved consistent in adhering to his innately inconsistent stand; (b) this time the OU leader’s stand is explained by pragmatic considerations. By not attending the rally, Viktor Yushchenko may have decided to demonstrate his loyalty to President Leonid Kuchma, hoping thus to get back into his good books. It is anyone’s guess whether the president will believe Mr. Yushchenko’s good intentions, and how the other majority members will respond to the possibility of realigning the forces in. The situation within and without parliament shows that either possibilities are unlikely.
