Volodymyr Chemerys
Encyclopedia
Volodymyr Chemerys (born October 19, 1962 in Konotop
) is a Ukrainian
politician and human rights
activist
. Chemerys was a member of the Verkhovna Rada
(parliament) of the second convocation (1994–1998), but he is mostly known as one of informal leaders of the Ukraine without Kuchma
mass protest campaign of 2000-2001.
organizations in Ukraine advocating renessaince of national culture and independence (now a human rights
-advocating group)
He also took part in the legendary 1991 student protests in Kiev.
Chemerys was elected to the Verkhovna Rada from a Frankivsky constituency #265 in the city of Lviv
, after nominated and supported by the right-centrist Ukrainian Republican Party
. Chemerys says he was mostly relying on people-to-people communications and small group of dedicated campaign volunteers so that the whole campaigning cost him and the party as low as U.S. $600.
Later, Volodymyr Chemerys was also elected as the regional party leader in the city of Kiev
.
apparently implicating President Kuchma as "the last drop that filled the cup of distrust in the authorities. In addition, he was one of the representatives of the campaign received by their political enemy President Kuchma.
Chemerys has also been active participant of subsequent protest campaigns started by the opposition against Leonid Kuchma. During one protest in March 2001, Chemerys was hospitalized with a head injury along with Andriy Shkil
, the leader of the right-wing UNA-UNSO party. While in the hospital, Chemerys learned that a warrant for his arrest had been issued.
, United States
on one stop on a three-week nationwide tour to witness and explore democracy in real life. Chemerys was presented to the city as a Board member of the Institute for Social and Economic Studies and Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union.
Despite his political start in a rightist party, Volodymyr Chemerys is now declaring leftist views. He is currently heading the "Respublica" Institute - a left-liberal non-governmental organization
. Its most known project is advocacy of the freedom of assembly
and oversight of police
attitude towards participants of political rallies and mass events.
Recently, Chemerys participated in a public investigation of a loud police brutality
scandal concerning clashes on a Ukrainian Football Cup-2007
final game held at the Olimpiysky Stadium
.
Chemerys is also leading the continuous public campaign aimed to remembrance of Taras Protsiuk, Ukrainian TV-cameraman killed during Iraq war by U.S. tank fire, and proper investigation of the death. As part of the campaign, the activists conduct occasional protest vigils of the United States
embassy in Kiev
with a slogan "Bush
, we remember that!".
Konotop
Konotop is a city in northern Ukraine within the Sumy Oblast. Konotop is the center of the Konotop Raion , and is located about 129 km from Sumy, the Oblast capital. It is host to Konotop air base.-History:...
) is a Ukrainian
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
politician and human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
activist
Activism
Activism consists of intentional efforts to bring about social, political, economic, or environmental change. Activism can take a wide range of forms from writing letters to newspapers or politicians, political campaigning, economic activism such as boycotts or preferentially patronizing...
. Chemerys was a member of the Verkhovna Rada
Verkhovna Rada
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine is Ukraine's parliament. The Verkhovna Rada is a unicameral parliament composed of 450 deputies, which is presided over by a chairman...
(parliament) of the second convocation (1994–1998), but he is mostly known as one of informal leaders of the Ukraine without Kuchma
Ukraine without Kuchma
Ukraine without Kuchma! or UbK was a mass protest campaign preceding the Orange Revolution that took place in Ukraine in 2000–2001. Unlike the Orange Revolution the UbK was effectively extinguished by the government enforcement units followed by numerous arrests of the opposition and the...
mass protest campaign of 2000-2001.
Early political career
Volodymyr Chemerys is a founding member of the Ukrainian Helsinki Union - one of the first perestroikaPerestroika
Perestroika was a political movement within the Communist Party of the Soviet Union during 1980s, widely associated with the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev...
organizations in Ukraine advocating renessaince of national culture and independence (now a human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
-advocating group)
He also took part in the legendary 1991 student protests in Kiev.
Chemerys was elected to the Verkhovna Rada from a Frankivsky constituency #265 in the city of Lviv
Lviv
Lviv is a city in western Ukraine. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine and historically has also been a major Polish and Jewish cultural center, as Poles and Jews were the two main ethnicities of the city until the outbreak of World War II and the following...
, after nominated and supported by the right-centrist Ukrainian Republican Party
Ukrainian Republican Party
The Ukrainian Republican Party is the first registered political party in Ukraine created on November 5, 1990 by the Ministry of Justice of UkrSSR. URP was founded earlier that year in place of the Ukrainian Helsinki Group in April 1990.-History:...
. Chemerys says he was mostly relying on people-to-people communications and small group of dedicated campaign volunteers so that the whole campaigning cost him and the party as low as U.S. $600.
Later, Volodymyr Chemerys was also elected as the regional party leader in the city of Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
.
UBK and other anti-Kuchma campaigns
In 2000, Volodymyr Chemerys co-founded the "Ukraine without Kuchma" campaign. A co-founder of the Ukraine Without Kuchma and a member of the NSF, Chemerys has been an effective public speaker and an active negotiator. For example, in an address to parliament, Chemerys described the disappearance of journalist Georgiy Gongadze and the audio tapes presented by Socialist leader Oleksandr MorozOleksandr Moroz
Oleksandr Oleksandrovych Moroz is a Ukrainian statesman and politician. He was the Speaker of Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine twice: July 2006 to September 2007, and previously in 1994 through 1998. Moroz is one of the founders and leader of the Socialist Party of Ukraine, which was an influential...
apparently implicating President Kuchma as "the last drop that filled the cup of distrust in the authorities. In addition, he was one of the representatives of the campaign received by their political enemy President Kuchma.
Chemerys has also been active participant of subsequent protest campaigns started by the opposition against Leonid Kuchma. During one protest in March 2001, Chemerys was hospitalized with a head injury along with Andriy Shkil
Andriy Shkil
-Professional career:Shkil graduated in 1988 from the Faculty of Pharmacy of the Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University.In 1989 Shkil became member of the editorial board of the newspaper Ukrayina Moloda and he was elected deputy chief of the Independent Ukrainian Youth Union. From then...
, the leader of the right-wing UNA-UNSO party. While in the hospital, Chemerys learned that a warrant for his arrest had been issued.
Chemerys in the Orange Revolution
Unlike predominant majority of his UBK co-participants, Volodymyr Chemerys was sceptical to Viktor Yuschenko during the 2004 presidential election and even participated in the marginal "Ashamed to vote!" campaign (meaning "for any of the candidates").Recent developments
In September 2006, Chemerys visited Prairie Village, KansasPrairie Village, Kansas
Prairie Village is a city in Johnson County, Kansas, United States, and is a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 21,447.- History :...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on one stop on a three-week nationwide tour to witness and explore democracy in real life. Chemerys was presented to the city as a Board member of the Institute for Social and Economic Studies and Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union.
Despite his political start in a rightist party, Volodymyr Chemerys is now declaring leftist views. He is currently heading the "Respublica" Institute - a left-liberal non-governmental organization
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
. Its most known project is advocacy of the freedom of assembly
Freedom of assembly
Freedom of assembly, sometimes used interchangeably with the freedom of association, is the individual right to come together and collectively express, promote, pursue and defend common interests...
and oversight of police
Militsiya
Militsiya or militia is used as an official name of the civilian police in several former communist states, despite its original military connotation...
attitude towards participants of political rallies and mass events.
Recently, Chemerys participated in a public investigation of a loud police brutality
Police brutality
Police brutality is the intentional use of excessive force, usually physical, but potentially also in the form of verbal attacks and psychological intimidation, by a police officer....
scandal concerning clashes on a Ukrainian Football Cup-2007
Ukrainian Cup
The Ukrainian Cup is a national knockout cup competition in Ukrainian football, run by the Football Federation of Ukraine. The winner of the competition is awarded a qualification to the UEFA Cup , under special circumstances the finalist also may enter...
final game held at the Olimpiysky Stadium
Olimpiysky National Sports Complex
The Olympic National Sports Complex is a multi-use sports facility in Kiev, Ukraine, located on the slopes of city's central Cherepanov Hill, Pechersk Raion. The stadium is the premier sports venue of Ukraine and one of the world's largest...
.
Chemerys is also leading the continuous public campaign aimed to remembrance of Taras Protsiuk, Ukrainian TV-cameraman killed during Iraq war by U.S. tank fire, and proper investigation of the death. As part of the campaign, the activists conduct occasional protest vigils of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
embassy in Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
with a slogan "Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
, we remember that!".
External links
- Volodymyr Chemerys profile on parliamentary web-site
- 2005 interview on police actions on mass events, Glavred
- 2006 interview on public control over police
- 2007 article, Ukrayinska PravdaUkrayinska PravdaUkrayinska Pravda is a popular Ukrainian internet newspaper, founded by Georgiy R. Gongadze in April, 2000...