Journalists begin to revolt in the Ukraine (from ATSNN), page 1

Many journalists have begun to openly criticising the government. Journalists on state television in the Ukraine, have begun to ignore the Yanukovich governments version of events, and offer what they claim to be the "truth". It began with a news translator for the deaf openly stating that the claim that Yanukovich had been "elected" should not be believed, and ended with the translator saying that she was "very ashamed to translate these lies". These actions were shortly followed by the rest of her journalist colleagues, who began to broadcast what they beleived to be the truth, namely that Yanukovich won the recent Ukrainian elections by using fraud. These actions come on the back of Mr. Yushchenko calling for them to reject government censorship.

www.theaustralian.news.com.au
THE woman with perhaps the lowest profile on Ukrainian television has bravely pointed her nation in the direction of democracy, as momentum builds behind a popular campaign to overthrow an apparently rigged presidential election.

Natalya Dymytruk used her job as the translator for the deaf on news bulletins of the main state-run television channel to make a silent protest against the propaganda that has traditionally dominated the official news in Ukraine.

Instead of translating last Thursday's bulletin, the 47-year-old mother of two used sign language to tell viewers they were being fed a pack of lies and should not believe their authoritarian Government's claim that Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich had won the presidential election.

"I am very ashamed to translate these lies," she signed.

"And this is probably my last day in this job, so goodbye."

Her solo rebellion on Thursday sparked a stop-work meeting by her newsroom colleagues who decided to make a broader stand for truth, and by last night Ukrainian viewers were receiving the most free and fair news broadcasts in the nation's history.

"I had no idea that the newsroom would support me like this � I just decided that I had to start telling people the truth," Dymytruk told The Australian yesterday.

The unprecedented defiance by the nation's journalists came as hundreds of thousands of protesters in the capital Kiev and several other cities added to the support they have already won from Western governments and some Ukrainian police units and city councils.

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.

When journalists from state-owned media begin to revolt, you know the state is in trouble.... these actions by Ukrainian journalists have definitly boosted those Yushchenko supporters in Kiev.

One can't help feeling that as oppostion to Yanukovych grows, that the government will have no other course of action than to cave in, or strike out.

Related News Links:
news.bbc.co.uk

[edit on 28-11-2004 by Volkgeister]

[edit on 28-11-2004 by Volkgeister]