Ukraine Peace Move Sets Off Violent Rightist Riot in Kiev
If federalism is good enough for the US and Canada, why isn't it good enough for Ukraine?
http://readersupportednews.org/opinion2/277-75/32278-focus-ukraine-peace-move-sets-off-violent-rightist-riot-in-kiev
When the Ukrainian parliament voted overwhelmingly, but almost a year late, to amend the Ukrainian constitution to allow greater autonomy to the eastern, separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, Ukraines right-wing nationalists immediately unleashed violence in the streets. The August 31 preliminary vote on the first reading of the constitutional amendment was 265-185 in favor, and changed nothing for now except for the willingness of hundreds of right-wing protestors to amplify the democratic process with smoke bomb and hand grenade attacks on national guards and police.
Eventually the reform bill will pass or fail in the vote on the second reading, which is expected in the next few months. To pass then it will need a two-thirds majority of 450 legislators, or 300 votes. Presumably street violence by the opponents now will make it harder for supporters to reach the 300-vote majority.
By contrast, there were no public outbursts earlier this year, after the parliament formally recognized and granted pensions to members of the World War II fascist army, the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), that collaborated with the Nazi occupation in killing Jews and Poles.
The attacks killed three national guards and blew the leg off a fourth. A Kiev police spokeswoman reported the day after the rioting that 141 people remained in hospitals, 131 of them national guards or police, ten of them in serious condition. The Kiev government deployed some 2,000 police and national guards to control the violence. They have arrested about 30 people, including a Svoboda party member of parliament accused of throwing a grenade.
According to the BBC: The protest was organised by the populist Radical Party and ultra-nationalist Svoboda (Freedom) party who oppose any concession to the separatists. [emphasis added] Police say they plan to question top Svoboda party leaders about their role, if any, in the organized violence. Svoboda has six seats in parliament. Svoboda officially claimed the violence was triggered by national guard and police attacks on the protestors (an account at odds with those of reporters on the scene, a number of whom were themselves injured). The paramilitary organization Right Sector, with extreme nationalist views, also appeared to be involved as its symbols and flags dotted the protest.