High Tension And Evil Thoughts

Michael Hedges March 21, 2014 - Follow on Twitter

Among adults disagreements are settled, typically, through dialogue. Governments employ talented diplomats to nudge adversaries with nuance. Failing that, there’s always war. And information wars have a particular ugliness.

The beating National Television Company of Ukraine (NTCU) acting general director Alexander Panteleymonov in his office by members of the nationalist political party Svoboda, including members of parliament, brought strong rebuke from all quarters. A group of Svoboda members entered Mr. Panteleymonov’s office late Thursday afternoon (March 19) first hurling insults, then fists and feet, demanding his resignation. All of it was recorded and gleefully posted to YouTube. Mr. Panteleymonov was dragged from the building, tossed in the back of an SUV and driven away. He was later released.

Ukraine’s new political leaders and all media operators sharply criticized the incredibly ill-conceived stunt. “This is not our approach,” said Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, quoted by the Unian news agency (March 18). “A country that looks to the European Union must practice the basic principles and values of the European Community.”

Ukraine’s major broadcasters called for the attorney general to investigate, for the Svoboda members to apologize and for the parliament to lift immunity on the offending attackers. “No man is above the law,” said the statement from heads of 1+1, Inter, StarLight Media and ICTV. “Dismissals and appointments to public office should take place democratically, by legal procedures. The basic values of the new Ukrainian society are human rights, freedom of speech and rule of law.”

The United States Embassy in Ukraine blasted the attack as “not a manifestation of patriotism (but rather) gang tactics previously used by the Yanukovych regime,” in a statement. “Such behavior has no place in Ukraine, which is committed to the protection of democracy, civil and personal freedoms, including freedom of the press.”

”This is an attack on freedom of expression must be promptly investigated and the perpetrators must be brought to justice,” said Amnesty International Ukraine coordinator Heza McGill in a statement. “Inaction will only give the green light for further attacks on media workers and activists.” OSCE media freedom representative Dunja Mijatovic called the attack “outrageous” and noted that the culprits are members of the parliamentary committee of freedom of speech. The European Broadcasting Union, of which NTCU is a member, equally expressed outrage.

”Politicians ignore the fact that we are actually at war,” Deputy Secretary of the National Security Council Victoria Syumar, quoted by Telekritika (March 18). “This war is most active on the information front. Ukrainian extremism…would be a great gift to Russian television stations. This should be be remembered by all responsible Ukrainian politicians if they are concerned about the national security of Ukraine.”

The leader of the Svoboda gang, Igor Miroshnichenko, has been, largely, unrepentant, faulting Mr. Panteleymonov for certain lapses in NTCU’s news coverage of current events.  “We did not act in a completely correct manner,” he said. “In the ordinary course of time my actions could be seen as too rigid. But Ukraine is living under occupation and war. I believe using the information space to promote the enemy is treason.” Mr. Miroshnichenko’s notoriously xenophobic and anti-Semitic statements have, indeed, been widely quoted in Russian media.

Acting Attorney General Oleg Mahnitskyy, aligned with the Svoboda party, promised an investigation centered on complaints against NTCU. “We are only interested in objective reasons and causes of action that led to the conflict between the MPs and the leader of the First National TV Channel,” he said, quoted by Telekritika (March 20). “Ukrainian politicians have dual responsibilities.”

See also in ftm Knowledge

Press/Media Freedom - Challenges and Concerns

Press and media freedom worldwide is facing challenges from many corners. As authoritarian leaders impose strict control over traditional and new media with impunity, media watchers have concerns for democracy. This ftm Knowledge file accounts the troubles of this difficult decade. 88 pages. PDF (December 2011)

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