“Ukraina bez kholopiv”

Donetsk tends to support the rights of social classes and groups. Last autumn we permanently heard the news from the Chornobyl disaster fighters’ camp. Now the social movement “Ukraina bez kholopiv” that actively protects the consumers is in the center of attention.

Donbas is one of the regions whose image for the rest of the country is distorted most because of the stereotypes. It is the result of the communication breakdown within the country. However, lately the Donetsk region tends to open itself from an unexpected side. This regional identity deserves attention.

The Day discussed the social process in the region with the activist and founder of the movement “Ukraina bez kholopiv,” journalist and blogger Pavlo KOLESNYK and the student of the Donetsk National University, journalist Pavlo OSTROVSKY.

Pavlo KOLESNYK: “ONE DOES NOT HAVE TO BE A LAWYER TO KNOW THE CONSTITUTION OF THE COUNTRY”

What is “Ukraina bez kholopiv”? Is it an implication? What do you call the people upon with your activity?

“We are organized as a social network: people can get together, exchange information and fix meetings. Anyone can participate. Today these are journalists, bloggers and lawyers. After the inspections they place photos, videos, and texts at their pages in the social networks and blogs. I invented the name “Ukraina bez kholopiv.” Every activist has their own vision of the developments: some think that if we change the president, we will change the country, adopt new laws, join the EU or cooperate with Russia. I think that the country will change only after people stop being ‘kholops’ and when every citizen starts defending their rights in all spheres of life, starting with the supermarkets and finishing with elections rigging. Even if an honest and fair president comes to power, he or she will not be able to change anything until people get more responsible. There was a project ‘Ukraina bez Kuchmy’ [Ukraine without Kuchma. – Ed.] and we invented our variant ‘Ukraina bez kholopiv,’ meaning Ukraine of conscious, free, and peaceful people.”

What can make people get together in Donetsk now?

“They can get together to protect their rights and interests. We do not fight for any lofty ideas, we work on practical things. One can fight for trivial things: make supermarkets stop selling expired foods or make minibuses stop raising fare without any reason. The society can be changed if people realize that their rights protection is their own task.”

Are the locals ready to be active?

“I think they are. Many people are dissatisfied with something and would like to change it. They just lack special knowledge and support from the others. A lot of people think: even if I try to do something my actions will not influence the situation in general, it is just a drop in the bucket. In reality it is not true. About five people inspected supermarkets in Donetsk. The essential is determination, desire to resist fixed but negative occurrences and knowledge.”

Does it mean that one has to be judicially aware to defend one’s rights?

“Judicial knowledge plays a big role, but it is not the essential. Besides, all the legislative acts are accessible on the Internet. In the supermarkets case we use only one article of the Ukrainian Constitution reading that the information about food cannot be hidden. One does not have to be a lawyer to know the constitution of the country.”

Your activity breaks certain stereotypes about Donbas the region should thank our political elite for. Are the locals changing their attitude towards themselves?

“Actually, local people have always been active. Suffice it to recall the project ‘Dorozhny kontrol’ [Road Control. – Ed.] aimed at detecting inefficient work of the road police officers, it was actively realized in Donetsk. We have journalists and public figures that resist something, fight for something and get some result. As for the political elite that became nationwide long ago, they are very far from the people and the inhabitants of Donbas are not an exception. Yes, they were born here, they rule our country now. However, here people know theirs better from the negative side than in other regions. Of course, people do not agree with what is going on.”

The Leninsky District Public Prosecutor’s Office has brought an action because of the conflict that happened on January 23 in the supermarket “Sokil.” How is this situation developing now?

“The public prosecutor’s office brought an action only because of bodily harms. As for the journalists of Ukrainsky Tyzhden magazine who were snatched their equipment and could not work, the action has not been brought yet. They tried to snatch my phone out of my hands twice. Besides, I was threatened with a murder. All of this comes within the criminal code but the actions have not been brought yet.”

What is the role of the Internet and social networks in the social processes in the Donetsk region today?

“The Internet is both a negative and positive phenomenon. It is negative since it is difficult to make difference between the virtual and real life. On the other hand, there is freedom of speech here; there are people who are not afraid of voicing their ideas. They make public opinion on the Internet. However, I hope that this conscious and active group of people will go beyond the limits of the Internet. Probably, then the question who we should support at the elections will be resolved in a different way...”

Pavlo OSTROVSKY: “THE CIVIC SOCIETY OF THE DONETSK REGION IS WAKING UP”

The movement “Ukraina bez kholopiv” was actively supported by the inhabitants of Donetsk. Do you think it proves civic activity of the people living in Donetsk and in the region?

“The civic society of the Donetsk region is waking up little by little. Certainly, it is a slow process but the developments of the recent months prove that it is consistent. The protests of the Chornobyl disaster fighters, retirees, students, entrepreneurs, average people against dubious constructions… The fact that these processes activated during Viktor Yanukovych’s presidential term is not a coincidence but natural reaction to the actions of the socially irresponsible authorities. It is strange but the fact that someone from our region is at the power now consolidates the people and make them protect their rights.”

What is the role of the third sector in shaping the social processes? Who is this third sector in Donetsk today?

“Last year the NGOs were offered to become a separate center of influence. I am speaking about the socalled ‘social councils.’ However, the power willing to control everything took control of these associations, too. Instead of controlling the power through the most active representatives of the society we have the opposite situation. Fortunately, the third sector is not only formalized NGOs but also such informal civil movements as ‘Ukraina bez kholopiv,’ students’ associations, etc. It is a new format, however, often our actions are more efficient than the ones by the NGOs that have been existing for many years. I am sure that the future belongs to this format because the inspection of the supermarkets is only the start…”