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The local maidanist vigilantes captured and obviously incapacitated the head of the Ukrainian-Slovak/Hungarian border customs, who, tied to a poll and surrounded by a crowd, confessed “all corrupt schemes”. Yes, it does look like lynching; the medium, however, is emphasising it in bold that “no tortures or beating” or in fact lynching, “self-made justice,” was involved. See the source.
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Revolutions bring mess, chaos and atrocities that we may witness more of these days. Here is just one episode, documented in a way and brought to the attention of those following the events in Ukraine. We also heard of killing and capturing on the Maidan, atrocities committed by both (are there just two?) parties involved in the unrest that has already cost Ukraine 77, 88, 100 or how many more lives.
As to whose fault it is, the answer is obvious. It’s elite’s job and responsibility to predict, strategise, propose and lead. A job to be intellectual, knowledgeable, daring. To be a step or two ahead of their parish. Yet, atrocities may become part of the daily life in a country that needs to cut off toxic institutions.
I think it’s ok to share my opinion about the man-made cause of today’s mess that will keep incapacitating not only culprits like the poor devil on the image but the social and, to a great extent, economic development in Ukraine. I am not at all in favour of vigilante justice and demolition of institutions. I believe the regimes and institutions are falling apart when they are completely rotten, like it once was in the former Soviet Union in 1991 and like it obviously is these days in Ukraine.
Medieval practices of law and order took centuries to get ingrained and convert into prosperous modern states. Will they help Ukraine eliminate corruption today? From all we know about our history, only non-partisan, impartial, stringently controlled institutions can ensure law enforcement in a modern competitive society, the one people love to live in.
My only hope is that Ukraine succeeds and matures as a democracy without anything to regret on its way to the rule of law. Ukraine is becoming a hugely important lesson and a laboratory for the former Soviet that is looking for a proof–those of little faith, the desperate ones in Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Azerbaijan many other places–that getting rid of a dictatorship is indeed possible and doesn’t necessarily lead to another one.