Luhansk Writer Speaks Out against Separatists – April 16, 2014 (Restored Version)

MG Media, April 16, 2014, 16:16 “Luhansk versus Luhansk: An Address to the Occupiers of the Regional SBU Administration” (Translation from Russian by William Risch, Georgia College) One hundred armed men seized the Security Services of Ukraine (SBU) building, and they are trying to dictate their will to a city of half a million people. Activists from Luhansk’s pro-Russian Maidan walk around with Russian flags and chant, “Russia, Russia!,” “Putin, save us!,” and other such slogans. Aleksandr Eremenko, Doctor of Philosophical Sciences; Member, Inter-regional Union of Writers People have been repeating the plea, “No one is listening to us! Listen to us!,” like a refrain. It’s bad when no one hears what some people say. But now, you’ve been heard, not just by all of Luhansk, but by all of Ukraine and the whole world. All right, now you listen to us. Under “us,” I mean residents of Luhansk who don’t think like you do. For example, I personally am against the Donbas joining Russia. I am against Putin interfering in Ukraine’s internal affairs. I am categorically against Luhansk’s streets becoming host to “little green men.” I am for our city being in one independent Ukraine, one that has taken a European path of development. And there are a lot of people like me in Luhansk. I want to ask everyone who has assembled in the SBU building, “Why do you think you’re all of Luhansk? You’re not all of Luhansk! You have no right to speak in the name of everyone from Luhansk. This is a violation of our will.” We heard you – now you’ll hear us. You have your values, we have others. You have your political beliefs, we have ours. So how should it be? Is it like this: We have to follow your values and beliefs, because you have guns in your hands? There’s only one solution: talk, get together, listen to each other. Face each other without having to do it under the barrel of a gun. By the way, I want to tell you people gathered at the SBU what I think about federalization. Do you know why I became disillusioned with federalization? Because I started to ask the question, what’s the ultimate aim of supporters of federalization? Who benefits from it, if you will? Above all, it benefits a clique of Luhansk oligarchs, politicians, and high officials. I get the impression that they mention federalization so insistently so that Efremov, Golenka, and others like them remain feudal princes in our parts for good. Do you really like how the local political elite leads the city and the region? Take a look at the worn-out streets, at the factories that look like they’d been destroyed by bombs, at the dirt and litter on the city streets. What, did the European Union do all this? Did America break everything down and dirty it with garbage? Think about it: The local political elite, which has stolen everything that it could, is getting others to do its dirty work. And you’re the ones doing it. Original link: http://mgm.com.ua/news/lugansk-protiv-luganska-obrashchenie-k-zahvatchikam-oblastnogo-upravleniya-sbu