“I understand the reasoning behind the protests, and I want my relatives to live in a society that treats them better,” he said. “But at the same time, I don’t know if violence is the way to resolve this issue.”
Katharine Gore
Special to Mustang News
Ukrainian architecture senior Yuliya Pidlubnyak wears blue and yellow ribbons, the colors of the Ukrainian flag, on her arm to show her full support for the protestors in the Ukraine.
“These events are awful and heartbreaking, but at the same time, they make me feel very proud to be a Ukrainian,” Pidlubnyak said. “I’m proud that people are so courageous and are sacrificing their lives to fight for their rights.”
In November, the current Ukrainian president, Viktor Yanukovych, didn’t sign an agreement with Europe for free trade. When Ukrainians went out to peacefully protest against it, police attacked the demonstrators. People now are protesting their right for free speech.
“Now the slogan has changed from ‘We want to join the European Union’ to ‘We want to impeach this president who would beat up students and people just because they are practicing their freedom of speech,’” Pidlubnyak said.
Ukranian industrial engineering alumnus Yuriy Goldman said Ukranians want to see their lives change for the better and live somewhere where corruption isn’t as prevalent as it is now.
“I understand the reasoning behind the protests, and I want my relatives to live in a society that treats them better,” he said. “But at the same time, I don’t know if violence is the way to resolve this issue.”
Ukranian business administration sophomore Oleksandr Firsov said he doesn’t believe there should be violence on either side.
“I don’t condone violence toward other people,” Firsov said. “Protests are detrimental to the Ukraine because any kind of violent reform cannot be supported.”
Hundreds of demonstrators have been injured during the protests, and some have died. As many as 100 protesters were killed by police Thursday.
Pidlubnyak said she wanted to go home and help the protesters over winter break, but her mother told her not to because it was dangerous. Instead, Pidlubnyak organized a drive two weeks ago for the protestors and put together a first-aid package to send to them.
For Pidlubnyak, it is emotionally taxing to watch the news so far from the Ukraine while most of her family is still there.
“People are not leaving the streets until (the president) is impeached,” Pidlubnyak said.
Goldman said there is a chance someone else will come to power as a result of the protests, but it’s going to be a long time before the country is stabilized — both monetarily and in terms of the government.
Firsov said he doesn’t think the protests will have a significant effect on the Ukraine.
“My country,” he said, “is just in a bad place right now.”