AK in Ukraine: November 2005

More from the Orange Revolution

A tent "city" was set up on Vul Khreshchatyk (or the main street through Kyiv leading to Maidan (Independence Square). The tent city was kept up until free and fair elections were held and Yushchenko was elected as President.
There are some yellow flags mixed in with all the orange. These say ПОРА or Pora in English, which means "Now is the time". This is an organization, mostly of younger people which was intrigal in the organizing the demonstrations and the tent city. In the days, weeks & months before the revolution they were also harassed, had their headquarters ram-sacked & sometimes members even beaten by authorities.

Many things that happened during the revolution are so difficult to put down in words. There were all these feelings: anxiety, hope, commaradere, fear, but yet peaceful, excitement...... amazement.

"Razom nas bahato i nas ne podolaty" = was a very popular slogan of the revolution = "Together we are many and will not be defeated?" and "Svobdy ne Spynyty" = "Freedom will not be stopped!"

One year ago.......

These photos are from November 22, 2004. The first day of Ukraine's Orange Revolution. Orange is the colour of Viktor Yushchenko's campaign & where the revolution takes its name. There were more people even later on, but this day was was one of the most shocking. I don't think anyone expected what was about to happen for the next two months. I was lucky enough to be in Kyiv on this first day (much of the first week), as well as when the Supreme Court announced their decision of over-turn in second election and hold a run-off. Truly amazing nights on the streets of Kyiv!!
These pics are of Maidan Nezalezhnosti or Independence Square, where evetually a stage was set up and the opposition (Yushchenko & Team) would come out nightly and address the crowds, celebrities would perform & many speeches were given.

This says "Stop Lying"

Another night when I was truly amazed is when journalist from 3 tv stations came on stage and said they would no longer be controlled by the government and vowed from that day forward to act on their own and report the truth. I remember watching that on tv in my apt with friends on Channel 5. Before that night Channel 5 was the only channel to not be ruled by the government and was under constant harassment & being shut down from time to time.