Ag scríobh an méid seo dom tá na cúrsaí i gCív díreach tar éis dul chun drámatúlachta go tobann.
Thosaigh na fórsaí slándála ag loscadh leis na léirsitheoirí don Eoraip, agus d’éirigh ina chogadh dearg idir an rialtas agus an freasúra in áiteanna. Tá na himeachtaí ag gluaiseacht go sciobtha, agus nuair a rachas an t-alt seo i bprionta, is féidir go mbeidh an t-iomlán athraithe ó bhonn cheana féin. Mar sin féin is dóigh liom nach miste dom ceist chasta na hÚcráine a chardáil in athuair, cé gur thrácht mé uirthi cheana féin roinnt sheachtainí ó shin.
Is dual don chuid is mó againn taobhú leo siúd atá á mbualadh is á marú ag trúpaí an rialtais, ach ar ndóigh tá siad ann a deir nach bhfuil i gceist leis na hagóidí ach iarracht na heite deise antoiscí deachtóireacht dá gcuid féin a chur ar bun san Úcráin. Is fíor go bhfuil gníomhaithe de chuid an pháirtí antoiscigh úd Svoboda feicthe i measc na n-agóideoirí, agus ar ndóigh déanann bolscairí na Rúise a ndicheall leis an drochthátal a bhaint as sin.
Cinnte ní féidir a shéanadh go bhfuil fórsaí den chineál sin ag glacadh páirte sna himeachtaí. Mar sin féin is é mo léamh féin ar a bhfuil ar siúl i gCív ná gurb ar a chuid gníomhartha a aithnítear an Faisisteach, agus is deacair rud níos Faisistí a shamhlú ná marú na cosmhuintire neamharmtha le loscadh raidhfilí. Mar sin féin is é an freagra a chloisfeá óna lán go bhfuil an rialtas atá ann faoi láthair níos fearr ná pé rialtas a thiocfadh ar an bhfód dá n-éireodh an tUachtarán Yanukovych agus a chuid cúlaistíní as.
An chuid is mó de na páirtithe fuath- agus tuathghríosóireachta in iarthar na hEorpa níl cuspóirí deimhneacha ar bith acu – ní theastaíonn uathu ach géarleanúint a dhéanamh ar na mionlaigh ar mhaithe leis an sult Sádach. Cuid mhaith de na náisiúnaithe i dtíortha cosúil leis an Úcráin áfach tá cuspóirí deimhneacha cultúrtha acu – cur chun cinn na hÚcráinise mar shampla – nach bhfuil ag teacht salach ar an daonlathas ná ar riail an dlí beag ná mór.
Má dhéanann polaiteoirí an Aontas Eorpaigh fíoriarracht leis an Úcráin a mhealladh isteach san aontas, is é an teachtaireacht ba chóir dóibh a chur chuig na náisiúnaithe Úcránacha ná go mbeidh muidne, muintir iarthar na hEorpa, breá sásta lámh chúnta a shíneadh chucu in obair athbheochana na hÚcráinise, ar acht is go dtréigfidh siad gach cineál ciníochais, cosúil leis an bhfrith-Ghiúdachas a bhíos chomh forleathan san Úcráin agus sa Rúis araon. Tá mé suite siúráilte go mbeidh cuid nach beag de lucht leanúna an náisiúnachais san Úcráin fonnmhar glacadh leis an tairiscint seo.
Scríbhneoir Gaeilge ón bhFionlainn agus scoláire Slavach é Panu Petteri Höglund.
As I write this, the situation in Kiev has escalated dramatically. Security forces have started to fire at pro-Europe demonstrators, and in some places there is practically a war between the government and opposition. Things are moving fast, and this article may well be out of date when printed. However, I feel I must write about the complicated situation in Ukraine again, although I already commented upon it some weeks ago.
Most of us naturally take sides with those who are being beaten and killed by government troops, but there are some people who say that the protests are just about the extreme right trying to create their own dictatorship in Ukraine. It is true that activists of the extremist party Svoboda have been active among protesters, and of course Russian propagandists are doing their best to make their own ill-willed conclusions from this.
Certainly it must be admitted that such forces are involved in what is happening. But my own interpretation of the events in Kiev is that fascist is as fascist does, and few things are more fascist than killing unarmed people with rifle fire. Yet many people would answer you that the present government is better than anything that would come about if President Yanukovych and his followers resigned.
Most hatemongering populist parties in western Europe have no positive purposes to aspire to – they just want to persecute minorities to satisfy their sadistic lust. On the other hand many nationalists in such countries as Ukraine do strive for positive goals – the advancement of the Ukrainian language for instance – which do not violate democracy or the rule of law in any particular way.
If politicians from the EU make a serious attempt to entice Ukraine into the union, they should make it clear to Ukrainian nationalists that we, the people of western Europe, are quite happy to help them revive their language, but only if they are willing to give up any kind of racism, including the anti-semitism that is so commonplace both in Ukraine and Russia. I am quite convinced that many of the followers of nationalist groups in Ukraine will be satisfied with this offer.
Panu Petteri Höglund is a Finnish writer of Irish expression and a Slavic scholar.
