West Must Speak up for Moldova

Some countries are just more lucky than others. Moldova wasn't lucky enough to be known in America or Western Europe. Indeed, it's a small East-European ex-Soviet country, poorest on the continent, and there's little of interest about it. Except maybe for the fact that Moldova is the only place in the world where Communists keep winning West-approved elections. So they did, or claim to have done, at general elections last Sunday.

What followed the voting was completely unexpected both by the government and the opposition. About 10,000 protesters, mostly students, held a protest in Chisinau on Monday again what they called fraudulent elections. The young people, who organized themselves via Facebook, Twitter and SMS, demanded freedom of press, creation of a broad opposition coalition and new elections. The protest was peaceful and ended same evening.

The other day more young people came to protest and the situation went out of control. Police were taken by surprise as 30,000-strong crowd stormed the Parliament and President's Residence. Organizers, both civil groups and opposition parties, couldn't control their supporters and the demonstration turned into a riot. Hooligans, who were reportedly a minority of the protesters, vandalized and looted official buildings and even put the Parliament building on fire. Riot police arrived at the site in the night and arrested every young person they found. It looks like the police allowed the protests become violent intentionally or even infiltrated them with provocateurs in order to have an excuse for harsh action.

The government is now in control of Chisinau and accuses the opposition of attempting a coup. Communist President Vladimir Voronin may now use the protests to crack down on the civil and political activists and the arrests are already said to have begun. Organizers of the Monday action, like youth leader Natalia Morar, deny the accusations and explain that they tried to prevent violence. However, the government doesn't seem to be listening. If the crackdown continues, the whole democratic opposition in Moldova may be beheaded and the already threatened democracy effectively destroyed.

Western leaders are largely ignoring the dramatic events in Chisinau. Will they allow the pro-European democratic forces in Moldova to be crushed by the Communist regime? Will they be just as short-sighted as they were when Lukashenko destroyed the opposition in Belarus or when Putin established his "sovereign democracy" rule in Russia?

American and European leaders should speak up in support of peaceful solution in Moldova and call both sides to refrain from violence. They should offer their mediation between the government and the opposition. Voronin has already agreed to such negotiations, the opposition will surely do as well. Otherwise, another "last dictatorship in Europe" is going to appear in this unlucky country.

Comments

[oxi]

"The young people, who organized themselves via Facebook, Twitter and SMS, demanded freedom of press"

If you want to argue freedom of the press then start with EU Italy:

Through his media group, Mediaset, Berlusconi and his family control three private national television channels (the family advertising company Publitalia supplies most of the others as well), two newspapers, a fleet of magazines, the biggest cinema circuit, and the country's largest book publisher. Remember, half the journalists in Italy work for him and the other half know they might do so one day."

Conflict of interest?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/apr/10/silvio-berlusconi-abruzzo-earthquake-mediaset-italy

[oxi]

I like how you single out Moldova and ignore Georgia.

"President Vladimir Voronin may now use the protests to crack down on the civil and political activists and the arrests are already said to have begun."

You will shame him because he is a communist yet ignore Georgia's leader because he has bowed down to the west right?

TBILISI, April 9 (Reuters) - A Georgian opposition party said on Thursday that dozens of its activists had been arrested overnight ahead of mass rallies against President Mikheil Saakashvili, but police denied the information.

The Democratic Movement-United Georgia party of former Saakashvili ally Nino Burjanadze said around 60 activists had been detained in the town of Rustavi southeast of Tbilisi.

[oxi]

I like how you single out Moldova and ignore Georgia.

Who's payroll are you on? CIA, NSA?

"President Vladimir Voronin may now use the protests to crack down on the civil and political activists and the arrests are already said to have begun."

You will shame him because he is a communist yet ignore Georgia's leader because he has bowed down to the west right?

TBILISI, April 9 (Reuters) - A Georgian opposition party said on Thursday that dozens of its activists had been arrested overnight ahead of mass rallies against President Mikheil Saakashvili, but police denied the information.

The Democratic Movement-United Georgia party of former Saakashvili ally Nino Burjanadze said around 60 activists had been detained in the town of Rustavi southeast of Tbilisi.

[DAE]

Hey, if they elects communists so be it. No worse than the rule by western banksters.

[Dumitru]

"they" did not elect communists - the elections were rigged, as Communists are completely dominating the mainstream media and they heavily used admin resources, intimidated voters, manipulated voters lists, etc. How do I know? - I live in Moldova

[Paulo1]

Sorry but I disagree

I am actually very impressed with Moldova as it struggles through the early stages of democracy. We are talking about a country that has never existed outside of being someones province or principality. I think they deserve to be left alone to iron out their new form of government without the "helpful" interference of anyone. Right now all they are doing is a lot of shouting and some street demonstrations. If that is as far as it goes then they are a wild success. We in the United States had to have a rather nasty Civil War before everything was settled and we still have a few glitches like unelected Presidents and recounts that go on for months.

As for being the poorest country in Europe, thanks for the tip. I am planning a trip and will make sure they are one of my stops. Just can't afford any of the richest nations now that the Republican Bush Disaster has thrashed my earnings and travel.

[Dumitru]

You'll be surprised how much the West is ignorant about Moldova... while you have to believe the WB statistics, you need to interpret it correctly. Prices for food and clothes in Chisinau, the Moldovan capital, may be higher than in New York.

second - I don't think we "deserve to be left alone to iron out our new form of government" - actually that is exactly what is happening, and more than 500 young people (university, high school students were arrested), beaten up brutally (one dead confirmed), reports of female protesters sexually abused by the police, etc. Do you think young people can stand 25,000 police army in the service of an authoritarian Communist party? Is that you call a "wild success"?

[LMPE]

No matter what happens in Moldova, they should count themselves lucky that they don't have embarrassments like Glenn Beck or Sarah Palin.

[Dumitru]

how naive of you dude. want to switch places with the Bobok guy, who died in prison two days ago, beaten up by the police??? Maybe with the female students, raped in the police cells?

[Scott Petiya]

The majority party is Communist in name only; it supports EU membership. It has not been a dictatorial government while it has been in power. They're not crushing anyone.

[Dumitru]

You tell me that :). It is communist in name, and in behavior. it supports EU membership only vocally, while in fact is doing everything to avoid it. It has been authoritarian since few years, you can talk to Western businessmen having tried to enter Moldova. You say they are not crushing anyone - how would you know? Have you been in Moldova over the last week? I am there, and I say they behave even more miserably than Lukashenko government in Belarus.

[MilwaukeeDan]

Here is the problem with Eastern Europe in a nutshell(my wife is from there, as are my anscestors), every village wants independance because they think they are smarter than the next village. This applies to all nationalities.

[mtaylor90028]

M old ova ca n't sta nd on it o wn, it sho uld me rge with Ro man ia wh ere it bel ongs

[mtaylor90028]

Moldova can't stand on it own, it should merge with Romania where it belongs

[Solaris123]

Ah, the Greater Mamaliga Freedom Fighters.

[Solaris123]

Sorry, we in the West right now has other priorities than Moldova and it's murky internal politics.
Georgia was enough of a mistake.

[MilwaukeeDan]

Second that!

[Dumitru]

"you in the West"? :))) another Putin's follower run away from Russia and speaking up for the West?