Urban75 people rightly bemoan imperialist mainstream media for having chosen to ignore the xenophobic nationalism that those journos knew was at the heart of Maidan protest. Saturday British imperialist MSM seemed to change tack somewhat. But all this was known in the mainstream even almost 6 weeks ago, as shown by this article from the Nation, leftish friend, in the US context, of the Democratic Party:
http://www.thenation.com/article/178013/ukrainian-nationalism-heart-euromaidan# Alec Luhn, Tu 21Jan14
Excerpts to give flavour:
title:
“The Ukrainian Nationalism at the Heart of ‘Euromaidan’ Coverage focused on the call for European integration has largely glossed over the rise in nationalist rhetoric that has led to violence”
“Spearheading the clashes with police was Right Sector, a group with ties to far-right parties including the Patriots of Ukraine and Trident, which BBC Ukraine reported is largely comprised of nationalist football fans. In a statement the next day, the group claimed credit for Sunday’s unrest and promised to continue fighting until President Viktor Yanukovich stepped down.” - that mission accomplished
“'Two months of unsuccessful tiptoeing about under the leadership of the opposition parties showed many demonstrators they need to follow not those who speak sweetly from the stage, but rather those who offer a real scenario for revolutionary changes in the country. For this reason, the protest masses followed the nationalists,' the statement read.” - & who could say Right Sektor didn't get that right too?
“The surge in violence sparked by Right Sector has revealed how uncritical and undiscerning most of the media has been of the far-right parties and movements that have played a leading role in the 'Euromaidan,' [. . .] Protest coverage focused on the call for European integration and the struggle against the Yanukovich regime has largely glossed over the rise in nationalist rhetoric, often chauvinist, that has led to violence not just against police, but also against left-wing activists.”
“[Svoboda] also has revived three slogans originating in the Ukrainian nationalist movement of the 1930s that have become the most popular chants at Euromaidan. Almost all speakers on Independence Square — even boxer-turned-opposition-leader Vitaly Klitschko, who has lived mostly in Germany and has a US residence permit — start and end with the slogan, 'Glory to Ukraine!,' to which the crowd responds 'To heroes glory!' Two other nationalist call-and-response slogans often heard on the square are 'Glory to the nation! Death to enemies!' and 'Ukraine above all!'”
“Before [2012 . . . Svoboda] had come to dominate regional parliaments in three provinces in the largely Ukrainian-speaking west of the country. In last year’s elections, Svoboda notably finished
second in cosmopolitan, Russian-speaking Kiev.” (this, & hereafter, my emphases)
Interesting point about an apparent contradiction in Svoboda (& other xenophobic nationalists):
“How can the slogan 'Ukraine above all!' sound on Independence Square alongside the slogan 'Ukraine in the EU!', Ukrainian progressive activist Olga Papash asked in a recent piece on the politics and culture website Korydor. Any ideology has a certain point that integrates dissimilar ideas into a single system, Papash argued.
“'I think the attachment point, that shared place of rightist ideology in Ukraine today, that "ideal" that removes the contradiction between different calls to action and messages, is the fear of (dislike of, reluctance toward) entering into any sort of "civilized" relationship with Russia,' Papash wrote.
“Even Yury Noyevy, a member of Svoboda’s political council, admitted that the party is only pro-EU because it is anti-Russia.”
Interesting point, like Muslim Brotherhood as a parallel state:
“For now, Svoboda and other far-right movements like Right Sector are focusing on the protest-wide demands for civic freedoms government accountability rather than overtly nationalist agendas.
Svoboda enjoys a reputation as a party of action, responsive to citizens’ problems. Noyevy cut an interview with The Nation short to help local residents who came with a complaint that a developer was tearing down a fence without permission.
“'There are people who don’t support Svoboda because of some of their slogans,
but they know it’s the most active political party and go to them for help,' said Svoboda volunteer Kateryna Kruk. '
Only Svoboda is helping against land seizures in Kiev.'”
Along the lines of 'I'm not a Nazi, but they do help people':
“Kruk freely admitted she doesn’t support Svoboda’s nationalist platform and 'would be very concerned' if the party won a majority in parliament. Nonetheless, she volunteers for Svoboda because she likes 'the idea of a party that is Ukrainian-focused' and thinks it is the most active of the opposition parties.”
Haven't heard this before:
“Katerina, a doctor who also declined to give her last name for fear of repercussions at work, said although she disagrees with Svoboda’s nationalist program, she supports them 'for now' for their strong anti-oligarch stance.
“'They’re not afraid to make demands,' she said.”
And who are Borotba?
“Nonetheless, some left-wing parties, including the Marxist party Borotba, don’t support the protests because they worry about the growing power the demonstrations have given to Svoboda.” Is abstention the way?
“[. . .] protestors with apparent nationalist sentiments have taken part in a spate of attacks on left-wing activists on Independence Square. On November 27, activists with signs reading 'Freedom, Equality, Sisterhood,' 'Europe is sex education,' 'Europe is equality' and 'Organize trade union instead of praying for Europe' said they were assaulted by 'far-right thugs' calling themselves 'organizers of the protest,' who tore the banners. On November 28, several men with covered faces pepper-sprayed a group of feminists and tore a banner reading 'Europe means paternity leaves.'” Guess they learned their lesson, & absented themselves by the time tension escalated in mid-Feb.
“On December 4,
labor organizer Denis Levin and his two brothers were beaten by a small crowd shouting 'Glory to Ukraine' and 'Death to Enemies' after a nationalist writer on the stage pointed them out as 'provocateurs' with red flags, Levin told The Nation. Shortly before and after the attack, Miroshnychenko, a member of Svoboda’s political council, came by the tent where the brothers were agitating for the Confederation of Free Labor Unions, Levin added. The nose of one brother was broken, and Denis suffered from the irritative gas used against the trio.”
“'
The main mistake of Maidan is that the parties came, and social questions were replaced by nationalist ones,' he [Levin] added. '
Maidan didn’t grow into Occupy [Wall Street - Nation's original addition],
it became reactive.'”
An authentic Cassandra:
“'Svoboda is going to be the biggest winner among the opposition parties in increasing its level of support after Euromaidan,' he [Bondarenko, political analyst] added. 'Right now the majority of people on Maidan demand more radical actions, and I don’t see how other parties will enact these wishes.'”
So it goes.
