A brief summary of the current events surrounding Crimea

All information is sourced from the links provided, along with my own additional summaries.

Side note: I am purely compiling this information out of interest on a Global Political viewpoint, I’m not inciting any agenda.

REFERENDUM SPLITS CRIMEA FROM UKRAINE

The Russian Parliament could organize a vote on Crimea’s annexation five days after the referendum on the pro-Russian region. The proposal was approved today by the parliamentary Committee for Constitutional Legislation and should be discussed in the Duma, next Tuesday. A decision that risks to inflame further the tension with US and EU that approved yesterday a first set of sanctions against Moscow.

The Russian Foreign Ministry warned today that they intend to respond to EU “nonconstructive” sanctions, “Russia will not accept such language of sanctions and threats, but, in the event of their implementation in practice they will not be left without a response”,

Earlier, Russia has allegedly decided to break off diplomatic relations with Ukraine, according sources quoted by the Ukrainian news agency Unian. The agency reports that the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin announced the decision. “Moscow does not recognize the legitimacy of the current Ukrainian power, that is why we decided to break off diplomatic relations with Ukraine”,

Russia’s upper house of the Parliament supported Crimea’s parliamentary right to hold a referendum on the region’s future status.

Foreign ministers from central Europe, the Baltics and Nordics condemned on Friday Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine and a planned referendum planned by Crimea’s government, calling for the EU to send an observation mission to Kiev. “Nordic and Baltic countries and the Visegrad countries’ foreign ministers condemned today … the attack on Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and also condemned the illegal referendum on the joining of Crimea with Russia,” the ministers said in joint statement from the meeting.

http://www.euronews.com/2014/03/07/live-updates-efforts-to-de-escalate-tension-in-ukraine-meet-with-no-/

A QUESTION OF ANNEXATION OR AUTONOMY

It is uncertain if the referendum by Crimean Government is in the interest of annexing from Ukraine and joining Russia, or if the region is seeking independence and self-governance (autonomy).

RUSSIAN AIR FORCE

(7-3-14) Russian servicemen are preparing to install air defense systems on the Crimean peninsula, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Yevhen Perebyinis has said.

“According to the Ministry of Defense and law enforcement agencies, during last 24 hours the situation in the Crimea was characterized by further enforcement of the military alignments of Russian Armed Forces on the Crimean territory and by Russian troops preparing to install air defense systems on the peninsula territory, which includes the use of air defense missile battalions of Ukrainian Armed Forces that are being planned to be taken over [by Russians],” Perebyinis said during the briefing on Friday.

http://www.kyivpost.com/content/politics/foreign-ministry-russian-soldiers-preparing-to-install-air-defense-systems-in-crimea-338739.html

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL CALLS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH

With journalists, activists and peaceful protestors facing increasing harassment and intimidation in Crimea, there is an urgent need for a strong international monitoring mission in Ukraine, said Amnesty International.

It is calling for the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to urgently establish a strong international monitoring mission in the country.

“Attempting to monitor the human rights situation in Crimea has become a near impossible task. Self-styled Crimean self-defence groups are harassing pro-Ukrainian protestors, journalists and human rights monitors with complete impunity,” said John Dalhuisen, Europe and Central Asia Director at Amnesty International.

Members of the OSCE, journalists and other human rights groups are being denied entry into the Crimean area or forced to desert plans because of security risks posed by radical protestors.

“The OSCE must quickly establish a strong monitoring mission and enjoy unimpeded access to all parts of Ukraine – including Crimea, which remains on a knife edge and where tensions are still high. Russia should welcome, not block this initiative,” said John Dalhuisen.

Peaceful protesters who attempt to express their support for the unity of Ukraine and opposition to Russian military presence in the Crimean peninsula face intimidation from pro-Russian activists.

There is a severe lack of protective services in the area to protect the peaceful protestors or journalists, and when there are a small number present, they are either unequipped to combat the pro-Russian groups or unwilling to intervene, causing serious doubts as to their legitimacy or for the safety of civilians still presiding in Crimea.

[M]en attacked a journalist from “News of the Week – Crimea” as he tried to film an event. They pushed him into the road and threatened to beat him. Crimean police officers who were standing about 30 metres away did not react to the incident.

Amnesty International is calling on the de facto Crimean authorities, Russian forces and the new Ukrainian authorities to ensure that everyone with a stake in the future of Ukraine and its regions is able to express their views peacefully.

http://www.amnesty.org/en/for-media/press-releases/crimea-human-rights-monitors-urgently-needed-journalists-and-activists-face

 DUMA CONSIDERS REFERENDUM OF CRIMEA

A bill for the annexation of the autonomous region of crimea could potentially be read in the Duma parliament on March 21.

The Speaker of Crimea’s parliament, Vladimir Konstantinov, pledged to do everything possible for Ukraine to reunite with Russia.

Ukraine “is part of the united Russian world. After we solve Crimea’s problem (I’m sure we will solve it) we must exert maximum effort not just to protect ethnic Russians.”

“In general, all citizens of Ukraine – Russians and Ukrainians should be protected from Nazism and from the West’s pressure that imposes its ideology,” Konstantinov said.

“I believe that Ukraine’s present power will collapse. The power will have serious contradictions within the year. Today instead of making Ukraine a united state it does not hear the interests of Ukraine’s south-east,”

The chamber’s deputy speaker and United Russia faction leader, Vladimir Vasilyev, for his part, said at the meeting that the State Duma resolutely supports the Crimean population in this difficult time

Liberal Democratic Party leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky, who also attended the meeting with the Crimean delegation, said that millions of Russian citizens were pleased to hear news of the Crimean Parliament’s decisions.

“I would like to assure you that everything will happen just the way the people of Crimea want it to happen.You should stand firm. You should have no doubts,” he said.

“People will carry you on their shoulders. Your names will create a new chapter in the history of Crimea,” Zhirinovsky said.

http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_03_07/Russias-State-Duma-consider-Crimea-annexation-bill-on-March-21-8188/

GERMANY WARNS RUSSIA ABOUT CRIMEAN ANNEXATION

German foreign minister Frank Walter Steinmeier and his Czech counterpart warned Russia against annexing Crimea, saying the global community of nations would vehemently condemn any such move. (8-3-14)

Any sanctions against Russia will be carefully considered and not automatic, in the case of the annexation taking place, says Steinmeier.

Steinmeier also made a statement explaining that the European Council is in a difficult situation, where escalation (sanctions) purely for escalations sake is not the answer to such an issue and does not reflect European policy, instead, their policy is to seek ways to keep the Ukraine together and not fall into civil war or economic tragedy.

Warnings were made by Seinmeier that if Russia did not relent on the situation in Crimea, especially if the annexation were to take place, tougher measures to punish Russia could follow.
A poll conducted on Germans on the trust levels of Russian leadership reveals that the status of reputation is at an all time low, with only 15% responding that they trust the Russian leaders, and only 8% responded that they believed Vladimir Putin was a democratic politician.

http://www.dw.de/german-foreign-minister-steinmeier-warns-russia-against-annexing-crimea/av-17482329

A diary entry

A while ago, on the plane to Fiji, I wrote a diary entry that I think deserves to be made public.

4/11/12

We are currently on the plane to Fiji, reality is setting in and our excitement has begun to rise. As the plane lifted off, I made a silent prayer to leave all stress, anxiety and worry behind, so as to truly gain the best possible experience whilst away. My anticipation for the next 12 days is high, and i’m really challenging myself to step out of my comfort zone and see what impact I can make on those around me. The flight doesn’t have movie entertainment, so it has given me the perfect chance to settle into my book ‘Hope’ by Tim Costello, rest my eyes and ponder the true reasons for my journey. Truthfully speaking I’m still unsure what to expect and i wonder whether I’ve set my expectations too high. Many times I think that maybe my place in the world doesn’t involve what I think it does, but then I remember just how much of a change small things can have. Faith, and Hope. The Tim Costello book i’ve been reading has been incredibly thought provoking and most importantly very encouraging. Tim has found his way into a position where he witnesses miracles, compassion and hope constantly. His stories provide real evidence that the world is willing and able to accept change, and that beneath our tough exteriors, stubborn traditions and seemingly immovable ego’s, we are all humans who have the ability to relate and empathise with one another. We all have basic needs, and in times when we find ourselves in strife, we turn to each other in search of comfort and acceptance. 

One of the chapters in Tim’s book outlined perfectly an issue I’ve constantly grappled with. He states that wealth cannot always be the cure for the poverty “problem” and that poverty isn’t always a lack of wealth. When we scratch beneath the surface, we discover that communities with considerably less than we do are far more rich in things such as togetherness, happiness, community and compassion. Where our western world was once so adept in communicating and socialising on the public forum, it has rapidly been replaced with means of social media and general solitary lifestyles. Conversely, communities unaffected by economic growth and technological advancement appear to have still clung to their traditions and values passed down from generations. Perhaps it means that we have a lot to give materially  but we could learn a big lesson from those less fortunate people also. 

Personally, it has not only consolidated the reality of this paradox, but it’s encouraged me to pursue a life more connected, more valued and dedicated to passing down a passion for being involved. I know I want to bring my own children up in an environment where they feel appreciated and valued as individuals, but also where they can reciprocate this to their immediate community and beyond. Through true, honest, traditional means.

Most of all, i know I’ll have a lot to learn from those around me, and I look forward to seeing how this culture shift an impact my mindset and opinions. 

 

I’ve returned to this post on many occasions, re-living what I was feeling at that time. Truth be told, the trip was nothing like what I’d expected it to be, but I suppose that’s the way it goes.

In a way, I’ve set a challenge for myself by writing those things, to keep a check on how I live my life and my daily routines. In years I might return to that exact diary and who knows what I’ll think then.

However, all that being said, I encourage you to take those words, read that chapter in Tim’s book or reflect on the way that you live right now. It’s never too late to reassess what your life is doing. Take inspiration from those around you and mould it into who you want to be.

Most of all….

Fiji

This time tomorrow, I’ll be in a totally different country, experiencing a new culture and finding myself in ways I haven’t before.
I’m leaving on a school trip to Fiji, where we stay for 12 days, focusing primarily on improving the lifestyle of the villages we will visit.
To be totally honest, I’m not sure what to expect at all. However I’ve decided to adopt a mindset that encourages me to take whatever opportunities come my way. Every little thing I may do whilst I’m away will have some kind of impact, and so long as I make myself consciously aware of that, I’ll feel fulfilled and I’ll continue to learn.

My hope is to not only help the people we are visiting, but encourage some of my fellow classmates traveling with me to open their minds to the possibility of change within their communities or on a broader spectrum. I know that hearing someone’s opinions has the possibility of making something in your life clear, for example; a person may not have even considered a life dedicated to missions until someone else informed them of their reality.

All it takes is a little determination and the courage to step out of your comfort zone to see impact made all around you.

So for the next two weeks, I look forward to putting my passion into practice. I know that when I return, I’ll have more questions than ever. But that’s the beauty of life…you need questions to get the answer.

Alice

Go Beyond All Borders

If there’s one thing I’ve learned throughout the past year, it’s been that patience and determination really do pay off. My passion for seeing the third world educated, and the first world become aware and empowered to help this crisis, has taken yet another step in the right direction.

For a long time I’ve known that to truly get my message across as well as enhance my own knowledge on the issues and crises of the world around me, I’ve needed to get out in the open and actually see first hand what is going on. I’m a strong believer in learning through experience. It’s a concept that encourages people to make a difference, and be inspired by the real change they’re making that is not only visible to them, but communities around them. For too long we as a civilization of westernised people have focused only on how bad things are in other countries. For there to be a change in the world, we need to stop dwelling on how bad things are, and begin realising the potential that we have to make a massive difference!

Go Beyond all Borders is an organisation that states their mission as:

To help orphans and children in desperate situations by providing hope, love and practical support. We take small groups of passionate people with a heart to serve into communities where we can make a difference.

One particular trip they offer goes to Kenya, specifically a place called Ngong which is located in the hills around 25km from Nairobi. It is an incredibly poor village that is stricken with AIDS and poverty. A staggering amount of children in the area have become orphans because of parental death or abandonment. The orphanage “Haruma” started off caring for around 7 children in 1989, and now caters for over 150 boys and girls from the ages of 0-18. They focus on giving the kids a sound education and equipping them with skills they need to excel in later life.

Scary statistics offer the chilling fact that almost all orphans in 3rd world countries age out of the system with no where else to go, and a large percentage will either end up in crime, prostitution or die before they reach 19 years old.

Haruma is one of many places that is working hard to make a dent in this statistics. They rely upon volunteers, donations and child sponsorship to keep running.

I am lucky enough to have the opportunity to visit the Haruma orphanage next November, where I travel with a church group that will provide any assistance needed. A trip like this has been in my mind for a long time, and it’ll not only work on my passion, but I am certain it will open my eyes to many things around me that I wasn’t previously aware of. I’ll be able to advertise the trip through fundraising at school, hopefully igniting some interest in other people around me in my immediate community.

The most important thing to remember is that to get involved is the best way to make a change. Whether it be immediately or through sponsoring someone else to go on a trip. The fact is, everyone has the potential to do great things in their lifetime. Never doubt what you’re here for, instead put yourself out there and see what you can achieve. I might be going over to Kenya, but it wouldn’t be possible without the people helping me to get there. They are making just as much of a difference as I am.

Keep believing in yourself, and never give up hope.

visit the Haruma page here: http://www.hchngong.org/

Thomas Edison

1% inspiration, 99% perspiration

Learn through experience

As recently explained, there is nothing I agree with more than that of learning through experience. How can someone know just how to make a difference, if they don’t firstly know what it is they’re fighting to change? Anyone can learn about the facts or the stories that emerge from a disaster, or a way of life in a different country, but it comes to a point when it becomes simply talk, being thrown at us, not involving and encouraging our hunger for change.

What I’m proposing is a process… That begins with an ignition of interest, and ends with the satisfaction of success.

Schools are providing opportunities for experienced people to come and share with the students important parts of their story and the occurrences from beyond the school grounds. The key element here is to be engaging, to get the listeners on board and being connected with the speaker. It’s not a matter of being talked to, but being talked with. It’s not an easy task, I can completely understand, and each person will have a different method of gaining their listeners empathy, however it is an integral part in this process of creating interest.

This first step has almost been mastered by Australian schools, at least the ones I’ve heard about and been to myself. However it is the next, critical step that is often lacking, which leads to an evidential downfall of enthusiasm.

Follow-up.

Once someone has come and planted an idea within the minds of a room of somewhat eager participants, there must be an opportunity for them to voluntarily join something which is being immediately provided for them. All this means is that schools need to source ways of partnership, or internal organisation that will allow students to get into action, and then actually see results coming from their participation and input.

It’s the best way to encourage someone, show them that what they are doing is making a difference. A lot of the time, I’ll feel like I’m speaking to a blank wall, and that my ideas are being thrown around for no particular reason, but it’s once I realised that already I am making sense to people within my school environment, that it has absolutely encouraged me to strive and commit to creating something bigger than what I see before me.

I don’t like the saying “good things happen to those who wait”…I prefer “great things happen to those who strive!”

Once this has been provided, all that is left is a continual supply of support and people will flourish. It might not be right for them once they give it a go, but at least they know that now.

I’ve found that our generation simply doesn’t know enough about the world, and once they find themselves out of school, the majority don’t know what they want to pursue, or how to live their lives to completeness.

Aristotle said:

For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them

I am unable to agree more.

You might wonder why I am focusing so singularly on the importance of introducing this to schools, but the answer is simple:

We can no longer leave it up to our parents, or our teachers, or the older generation to “fix” our problems. It’s time to gear ourselves for the world, and show them exactly how capable we are of making a difference. Teach us, and we will exceed every expectation. Show us, and we will create change. Allow us, and we will become unstoppable.

Nearly there!

It’s currently 11:24, and i’m lying in bed, starving and exhausted, yet unable to sleep.

I can barely believe how difficult it has been, not only to resist food, but also facebook. It sounds like such a simple task, but it seems so apparent to me now that this generation particularly is so caught up on our social lives, even though tools such as facebook has only helped us isolate ourselves even more.

I know that social media can be so powerful, if enhanced and used for the correct reasons with a considerable amount of knowledge and control. After this famine is over, I know that I personally will have a changed attitude to how I act online, but I will also strive to learn ways of communication through our amazing internet in ways that are beneficial and actually engaging.

However, back on topic, this famine has been an eye-opening experience for me. Up until now, I knew nothing of what the people only a few countries away experience. Sure, I knew the facts and had a passion about it, but once again, that vital element of experience was needed to make it much more real.

I will be encouraging everyone I can to contribute to this cause, knowing that they must themselves experience it to truly understand the significance and absolute importance of it all.

A defining quote for me at this particular moment is one said by Joel A. Barker

Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world.

It defines the very essence of the forty hour famine, and my own passion. I strongly urge every reader to get on board, and experience the power of vision attached with action!

 

The first day

Well today is the first full day of the forty hour famine. Waking up, it was going against pretty much all of my instincts to not go and have breakfast. Worst of all, my family was eating when I went out to the kitchen.
Not only was it difficult for me to not eat, but I felt increasingly isolated, having to remove myself from natural situations in which I would be surrounded by food. I just have to keep reminding myself, it’s for the kids.

 

 

The most interesting thing I’ve found is the things that I resort to in order to distract myself from lack of food and facebook. Of course I was planning on doing a lot of extra work, cleaning and practical things, but in actuality I found myself quite exhausted and ended up watching tv.
I cannot imagine how these amazing children, from such young ages, are able to live in the conditions that they do lacking the most fundamental necessities of life.

The forty hour famine has revealed to me, in such a small amount of time, just how different it can be, and just how important it is to experience first hand what these kids are going through each day.

I  have the reassurance that in under 24 hours I can return to “normal life”, but for millions of people, this is what they call normal.

The passion that this has already ignited in me is amazing, and I cannot wait to continue working so hard for this cause and getting more people involved.

 

Let’s do this together

 

A famine for forty hours

This year, along with a large population across the world, I will be participating in the 40 hour famine. Specifically, I will be giving up food and facebook, and i’ll also be documenting my weekend in a video diary which I hope to upload to youtube after conclusion.

This kind of fundraising is what I see a lot of hope in, because it not only involves the person participating, but it gives other people the chance to feel encouraged that they’re helping just through sponsoring a friend or family member.

 

I could throw any number of inspirational, world changing quotes your way, but the truth is, the choice starts within you and it MUST be of your own volition. 

 

For me, personally, the 40 hour famine is not just something I am doing to challenge myself, or to say that “I’ve done the 40 hour famine”, but it is my own personal step into digging yet another hole in world poverty. The future looks immensely bright if the generation of today will only continue to get involved and make commitments to things such as this.

 

If you are willing to help me in my cause, you are able to donate online by following this link: https://www.worldvision.com.au/community/famine/PreviewProfilePage.aspx?action=register

 

Help me help them!

What Australia SHOULD offer

Earlier this year, as an English task, we were asked to make a persuasive speech on a topic given to us. As usual, the topics were all along the lines of Video Games being illegal, should the Elderly be allowed to drive and whether or not nuclear power should be brought into Australia. Looking at the list, I realised that there was no way that I could make a speech on one of these things and possibly hope to persuade people on it. Sure, I might be able to use some big fancy words to make myself sound smart, but that’s not what I would want at all. I wanted my speech to be empowering and actually instigate some action. I knew that I couldn’t achieve that unless I too was passionate about what I was speaking on.
I managed to get on the good side of my English teacher and she allowed me to pick my own topic.

“Australia should educate high school students on the skills they need to change the future of poverty”

There. Now I finally had something that not only I was passionate about, but I knew would pull the heartstrings of my fellow classmates.

To cut a long story short, my speech went particularly well, and I knew that I gave an engaging and thought provoking speech…but did anything come from it? I’m not sure that it did.

However that just made me even more passionate about refining my idea and exploring ways of making it become a reality.

How Can the world change, if the people of the world aren’t equipped to change it?

My entire speech was based around the fact that not enough of this generation know the SKILLS to change the future. Sure, we’ve come a long way and we get the general understanding of it all, however it’s become more like a routine than a passion.

Schools are beginning to understand that some kind of publicity needs to go into promoting humanitarian movements, and so school students are now subject to wave after wave of emotional, “motivational” speakers. They begin to all blur into one big mush by the end of your schooling though, with maybe one or two people giving a little thought to it. But where is the skill going to come from?!

This is my proposal:

• Get the Australian Government on board so that there are opportunities for schools to teach important skills to their students
• Give schools more opportunities to work within the community and even on the global spectrum. There must be some way that fundraising can go towards helpful organisation
• Offer an elective subject through schools that focuses on teaching students how to properly publicise ideas, work in difficult areas of the world, working with Government correspondence, learning about already thriving organisations and proper communication skills.

I know that it’s a difficult thing to put into the world, seeing as we’re steadily becoming more and more self-focused, but I believe that it is entirely possible and completely worthwhile.

Hopefully this message reaches the world, and people can begin to at least CONSIDER the hope that this would bring, and if it does, comments, suggestions and feedback would be incredibly appreciated.

All that being said, I cannot stress enough that in order for you to not only enjoy life, but excel in life, you must must MUST find something you are truly passionate about, and your dreams will surely fall into their perfect place.