FreeСХІД.ua#31 Speechless children, Horlivka prices and graphic novel about “Cyborgs”
The fifth summer of ongoing conflict, the fifth year of war: “heated” battle in the field and “bloodless” battle with the red tape for a right to be full-fledged citizen of Ukraine.
What has Donbas been talking about this week?
· Are obligatory IDP actual residency checks finally over;
· “Children of war” – the problems are just beginning;
· Will Ukraine be able to cope with environmental disaster in Donbas?
Read this issue for detail.
#FreeLAW
July 4, 2018, ruling of Kyiv Administrative Court of Appeal reversed the Cabinet of Ministers legislation, which obligated internally displaced persons (IDPs) undergo actual residency check.
In many cities of Donetsk region obligatory residency check practices are still in place. The reason – there was no official order to act otherwise.
This is confirmed by the Head of Labor and Social Protection Department, Iryna Spodina:
“Apart from the court ruling, I have not received any instructions, documents, comments on further work on place of residency verification for IDPs. That is why we keep acting in accordance with the Cabinet of Ministers resolution # 365, and keep maintaining records of place of residency registration for IDPs and their factual place of residency.”
Court ruling has already come into legal force. However, the responding party has the right to file cassation appeal to the Supreme Court of Ukraine. There was no reaction from the Cabinet of Ministers yet.
What should one be aware of, and how should one act in this situation:
· Internally displaced persons will have to assert their rights if local authorities refuse to comply with the Kyiv Administrative Court decision;
· Lawyers advise: if inspectors arrive at your place of residency, show them a copy of court decision, and ask to explain the purpose and legal grounds for their visit;
· Provided assistance payments are stopped based on residency verification results, the decision should be appealed in court in accordance with the Kyiv Administrative Court verdict.
“Zerkalo nedely” story focuses on this topic. Author comes to a conclusion that the main problem is hypocrisy of the State that wasn’t able to provide the society with a clear answer: whether it pays pensions to residents of occupied territories, or it doesn’t. There is still no adequate coherent policy regarding IDPs. That’s why many of them are returning back home. Residents of occupied territories are also aware of this attitude, and it would be presumptuous to say we are going to win them back without serious change.
#FreeZONE
In the epicenter of military action in frontline Popasna-town, they not only learned to survive artillery fire, but also cope with horrible consequences of war. In the end of last year here opened Popasna District Center for Rehabilitation of Desabled Children “Leleka”. The patients are children who suffered from severe stress in the course of “hot” phase of military action in Donbas in 2014-2015.
Rehabilitation center counselor Liudmyla Romanenko says all the kids in the region are in need of counseling, since anxiety and fear are diagnosed in almost each one of them. For example, lately there has been a spike in number of so called “speechless” kids: children 4-5 years of age who still do not speak. According to the age frame, women were pregnant with these kids during mass shelling of the region and suffered from severe stress:
“There are also kids who went speechless as soon as they moved back home with their parents. They came back to their home town - and went mute. Probably some fears had been stored in their memory. We do not treat it as deep mental retardation or autism, but rather as speech disorder due to fear. Lately, 6 parents turned to us with this type of problem, but we know there are more “speechless” kids in the district”.
Physical rehabilitation specialists, psychologists, counselors work at the unique center, but, unfortunately, there is still no speech therapist and neurologist.
#FreeINFOGRAPHICS
In June, 2018, 1 mln 188 thou. 900 people crossed separation line in Donbas. 895 thousand crossed at checkpoints of Donetsk region, and 293 900 people crossed at “Stanytsia Luhanska” - the only checkpoint in Luhansk region.
Thus, walk-in checkpoint in Stanytsia Luhanska remains the busiest checkpoint in Donbas.
#FreeNUMBER
Today 250 deminers work in Donbas. 50 of them are women. They are checking Donbas land for explosive subjects – meter by meter.
Deminers are members of contingent of British international charitable organization The HALO Trust. Operation is managed by foreigners, but the deminers are mainly our countrymen. These are physically strong and tough people working in conditions close to military: rest and work on strict schedule, 30 minute lunch break.
#FreeQUOTE
Ostap SEMERAK, Ecology and Natural Resources Minister of Ukraine, sounds an alarm on environmental situation in Donbas:
“According to our information, about 40 mine shafts currently are not subject to further operation. Maximum permissible concentrations (MPC) of soil pollutants on the territories where active military action took place are exceeded almost 20 times. Issue of mine-clearing of many of the territories is extremely crucial. Another thorny issue is water quality in the region. There used to be problems [with water quality – ed.] before the war, and now they got even worse”.
Volodymyr BAKLANOV, former “DNR” militant, member of Security Service of Ukraine “Tebia zhdut doma” program for militants who did not commit serious offences:
“Russia supplies 80 to 90% [weapons – ed.] or even more, according to some indicators. These are Russian weapons. For the most part it is of Soviet origin. Let’s do some calculations. My squad received over 40 T-64 tanks, and several T-72. Therefore, let’s calculate number of squads – about eight squads – and multiply 44-45 tanks by 8. The result is total number of tanks [supplied by Russia – ed]. And I am ready to testify at the International Court of Justice in the Hague.”
#FreeNEWS
Anchor general school in Slavyansk that has been renovated for over a year will not open in September. According to contractor, the school will be ready by the end of October. Meanwhile, Donetsk Regional Military-civil Administration have already committed UAH73.4 mln to the project (this amount does not include furniture).
Resident of occupied Horlivka shared information on grocery prices at local markets. The prices are current as of July 7.
Social Youth Center in occupied Yenakiyevo is looking for people who can help children serviced by the institution. Today, the center is a home to 39 children 3 to 18 years of age, deprived of parental care and experiencing hardships. To make long story short, there is lack of most basic supplies: food, clothes, hygiene.
#FreePEOPLE
Andriy KRYVENTSOV, Pokrovsk
Andriy has always been interested in renewable energy. For a few years he visited specialized exhibitions and workshops and, finally, opened company specializing in photovoltaic stations.
Apart from Pokrovsk, stations, assembled by Andriy and his team, successfully operate in Druzhkivka, Myrnohrad, Dnipro, Zhovti Vody. And in the end of last year Andriy’s company started renewable energy experiment in Dobropillia district. Solar power station, providing energy for hundred and fifty street lights, was installed at Shakhovo village. This became possible with the funds from local community. In addition, Andriy installed solar station on the premises of his own enterprise: “I am the shoemaker, whose children wear proper shoes. It would be weird to install stations and not have one of my own. You can see it work in real time on our web-site”.
Vladyslav OVCHARENKO, Luhansk - Kyiv
He has been free for six month now! Before, he spent a year at “LNR” jail: “As a member of ultras of Luhansk FC “Zaria”, Vladyslav was sentenced to 17 years in prison for “spying for Ukraine”.
As a part of prisoner exchange in December of 2017 Vladyslav was freed. Now he works for Football Federation of Ukraine, doing football projects for war veterans in the East and IDP children.
DMYRO (asked not to publish his last name), Donetsk-Slavyansk
He stated with simple piggy banks, and then moved to tableware and garden sculpture: this is how Dmytro from Donetsk mastered art of pottery. With the beginning of the war he moved to Slavyansk and engaged in craft traditional to the city – pottery. According to Dmytro, it used to be hard for him to compete with Slavyansk pottery shops. But he figured it all out. In response to the question: “How did learn to do all of this?” He smiles: “With my own two hands! The only thing you need, is strong will - to try over and over. You try and you try and then you get it right!”
With the assistance of International Organization for Migration (IOM) Dmytro bought a lap-top PC to make popular ornamental panel. Other future plans of former miner include buying a house and expanding his business.
#FreeTRIBUTE
Presentation of documentary “Luhansk. Occupation” by journalist of “Den” newspaper Valentyn Torba was held in Siverodonetsk.
Since the beginning of “Russian spring” in 2014 Valentyn stayed in Luhansk writing about what was going on in the city and the region, and publishing his stories in social networks. Upon moving to Kyiv, Valentyn wrote a book “I am a witness”. It is a collection of stories about the start of the conflict. Documentary “Luhansk. Occupation” is continuation of author’s work.
Why is it interesting? The author does not consider 2014 to be the beginning of occupation, instead, according to Valentyn, occupation started at earlier time, when Donbas began talking about bilingualism, and pro-Soviet public spirit shifted to pro-Russian. Valentyn Torba plans on continuing publishing parts of his documentary.
#FreeEDUCATION
Non-for profit organization “Osvitoria” is looking for IDP teachers who left their native schools because of the war, but stayed true to their profession and kept teaching; or, teachers who stayed in the frontline zone despite the war.
If you know people like that – please tell them about this initiative! And then it might be you friend/relative/teacher who wins prestigious educational award Global Teacher Prize Ukraine. The winner will receive UAH 250 thousand and a trip to Global Education & Skills Forum 2018 in Dubai.
#FreeBOOK
Story of “cyborgs” who defended Donetsk airport for 242 days is now a graphic novel by Levko Kvyt from Lviv.
Two graphic stories have already been published: “Cyborgs. Indestructible. Mission DAP”, and “Cyborgs. The storm”. The heroes are small group of fighters of the 93-d Squad, who landed in Donetsk airport. Despite the unusual format, the authors kept their story true to: they interviewed 48 people who participated in the events – some of them still defending Ukraine at Donbas. So, this new book is definitely worth looking at!
Have a great weekend, and see you Sunday!