No, I have never been in Ukraine. But beeing disabled, interested in politics and news, I have followed all day long, for monhs, all live news on major tv channels, sometimes simultaneous on 3 screens and of course the comments and highlights on Dutch, German, Flemmisch, Walloon, French and other tv news programs. And last but not least, more than a dozen of high standard newspapers like WPost, NYtimes, Le Monde, the Guardian, Frankfurter Algemeine, Sud Deutsche Z, De Standaard, De Morgen, NRC, La Stampa, Il Messagero, and even some tabloids. So, i THINK that I'm informed, and do have a clue what people "believe" to be right or wrong.
At the same time, I'm Belgian. Actually a Frenchman (not a Walloon) from Flemish Antwerp. And yes, federalization and independency have been a sour thing, a hik-up, my whole life long. Especially the Flemish separatist who were in my youth years not only old fascist collaborators but - and still - very racist. But also some Walloons were IMO complete idiots. The Voerstreek (fl) or Fourons (w) was almost getting into a civil war for and about nothing in my perception. But the late PM Wilfried Martens started a constitutional reform to a (now) nearly complete federalization of Belgium, easing down the tensions in a few years. So, even tough I was eventually complete against "the crap" of federalization, I had to admit after a few years that PM Martens's moves were the right -if not only - thing to do.
Ever since I came to that conclusion, I found many books on the subject of 19th century (and post WW1&2) borders everywhere in the world. I have some written in the interbellum (between ww1 and ww2) and a few written post Ww2, mainly about the former German and Austrian territories. But also about African and Asian borders and (former) colonies! Many of those borders or territories are or were disputed or like in former Tjecho-Slovakia and Yugoslavia ruled under oppressing dictatorship. Others have been accepted, like the German Ost-Kantons in Belgium and the Elzas region in NE France (and many other places in the world) but some were still waiting for "a" leader to unify o,r and that is my point, to "separate" the region.
I'm really flabbergasted about te reactions from the USA, EU and many "independent" political leaders now in the case of Ukraine. Did we hear any, and I mean ANY protest or even whispers when Vaclav Havel decided that it was the best to split Tsjecho-Slovakia January 1st 1993 ??? Did anyone called Havel a loser or traitor to stay president of just only the Tjech republic, half the former country??? Did we hear Helmut Kohl or anyone else stating at a press conference on TV that "we are not going to draw new borders"???
Did we hear any protest when the state Yugoslavia was completely dissolved and former provinces became independent states ??? Of course, there was afterwards an internal dispute leading to a horrible war, due to some nationalistic fascists who wanted to conquer and "ethnically clear" some parts. But that is "really" something different!
What went on for countless bloody years - and still simmering - with many territories like Northern Ireland, Basque and Spain including Cataluña, the Eastern part of Congo and many other countries like occupied Palestine and the Islamic south Thai province of Patalung that wants to separate from Buddhist Thailand? And why, what for? Yes, different cases, different causes, and almost always due to different religions who do make the cultural difference! But the FACTUAL problem is that 19th and 20th century borders are so called "non negotiable!" Again, why, for what?
The eastern and thus Russian part of Ukraine feels itself discriminated or at least 2nd class civilians. Right or wrong isn't the question at all! Facts are that it is a completely different part of the country and - due to their language and Russian orthodoxy - with a different culture and last but not least, like the Flemmisch and Walloons, have little if anything in common but a state border they have inherited due to history.
It's also the same in neighboring Moldova. Something like half of the country or so are Romanians. And for sure, they would cheer a leader that divides the country and unifies the Romanian part with Romania and the EU! And the Russian / Ukraine part will likely (I cannot tell for sure now) like or prefer to join Europe minded west Ukraine or Russian minded Crimea. Right or wrong isn't the question again!
The question is why are we so afraid to change borders, to unify or separate parts of countries whom borders were drawn in the 19th or first half of the 20th century???
That is IMO still the legacy of ww2. Especially Germany has made a promise in 1989/90 before the reunification: *they wouldn't claim former German territory.*
And thus: the post ww2 borders would stay intact. I cannot proof it right now, but in the few openly talks, interviews with and reactions from Helmut Kohl in 1989/90, he really insisted on that to make sure that the other Europeans (and the state of Israel) wouldn't disagree with reunification. Just shortly ago, the German minister of foreign affairs (?) stated more or less the same after the Crimean switch to Russia. "we are not going to discuss post ww2 borders" Ridiculous! The promise by Helmut Kohl was that Germany wouldn't make any claim to former German territories! (Former east Prussia with Dantzig / Gdank and the pre w.w. 1 and 2 Polish-German borders aswel as the former Bohemian territories in Tsjecho-Slovakia)
[btw: in my opinion it is also rediculous! See follow up later on the Former Jewish properties in East Berlin (DDR (GDR) then state owned) given back to some grandsons who were even born in occupied palestine. Very interesting subject to research btw! :) ;) Go ahead! ;) ]
At the same time, in 19989/90 M. Gorbatchov did the same I am standing for: "let THE people decide what they want" causing the dissolve of the Soviet Union, the end of the Cold War between east and west, but not solving the problems of borders keeping two or more cultures (languages) into one state or, like the Kurds and many African tribes, divided over different states. That is the rub!
But IMO there is only one "simple" <sigh> solution: let a special committee of the UN work on *al* those disputed borders and territories, come up with proposals and let the people vote in a referendum on where (with whom) they want to belong to. And just to make sure, say with a clear 2/3 of the votes majority.
In casu Ukrain : 1 complete federalization with independent houses, still Ukrain (like in Belgium). 2. Separation and dividing: west Ukrain to (later) join the EU, and eastern and southern part to join the Russian federation.
Of course, this is a simplified, simplistic proposal. I'm very well aware of the differences between Odessa, Kiev, Sebastopol and the real eastern part. But it's just in example. Then there is no need for sanctions, tough threads, military show off that might even launch a civil or world war!!!
And again about those stupid statements from the German minister "we are not going to redraw post ww2 borders" :
Who protested when the Crimea, then part of the Russian Soviets (but part of the Russian Empire since 1758) was given away as a present to Ukraine by the late Soviet leader Chrutchew (himself born in Ukrain) in 1954? Wasn't that a post ww2 redrawing of borders and sovereignty?
Who opposed the FACT that after the iron curtain collapse, Ukrain became an independent republic AND the Crimea an "independent" "federal" state of Ukraine??? They do and did have their own federal parliament, then under Ukraine, now likely (soon) as a federal part of the Russian federation. Who cares? Or better: who are we to "protest"??? And for sure: who are you Mr President Obama and mr Biden to speak about condemning Russia and thus the Russian people in Ukraine? Yes, the Russians (especially under Stalin) held pogroms, displaced thousands of Crimean Tartars for years too! But do you forget how the USA was build? What about the few left over now "native" Americans???
Let them, the Crimean and the east Ukraine decide "if" they want to be part (again!) of Russia ! And let the West (Kiev - European minded) Ukraine decide to become an aspirant EU member, or maybe not! :)
And to EU politicians: same thing! They, the Ukraine people have to decide where they want to belong to!!! That is what the EUROPEAN union should stand for. It's NOT to the EU to decide or tell them! And of course, then "we" can hesitate to accept them as a member; but it's not to us, nor the USA to tell them where they should belong to or locked up! :)
Oh... Yes, I mentioned in between the lines... Once you start redrawing borders, you cannot ignore the occupation of Palestine... at least, IMO! But who cares. :/ oh, if you didn't know nor guessed: I DO! ;)
I'm almost sure that I'm speaking with the same spirit and (hopefully) wisdom of the late Wilfried Martens, Vaclav Havel, Nelson Mandela, Martin L.King, Mahatma Gandhi, and... I guess that Michael Gorbatchev and Lech Walenza will agree with me too! :) And if they don't, I surely would love to discuss MY OPINIONS with them! ;)
P.s. I started this blog in Dutch. But Google and Bing translators do a better job to translate this "poor" simplified English into Dutch, German and French than from perfect Dutch into English, German and French (I checked) and in all other languages I cannot check for sure. ;) IF YOURE NOT SURE: download the translation app that lets Google as well as Bing give you a translation! BOTH are wrong but... If you are willing to compare both translations, and willing to puzzle, you might get an "Ah! I see now". So do I with Thai, Romanian and Hungarian texts! Especially with Thai, I cannot read at all. :( oh well together with Romanian they were my 13/14 th language. :D ;)
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