| REVOLUTIONS IN THE CIS
GEORGIA
In 2003 Eduard Shevardnadze, the long-time Georgian
leader who was feted in the west for his role in bringing
down the Iron Curtain, was forced from power by his own people.
| `He left
us to starve. Now he is gone' |
24 November 2003 |
When news that Shevardnadze,
whose regime was riddled with corruption, had stepped
down and bloodshed had been averted spread, Georgians
celebrated deliriously |
UKRAINE In the autumn of 2004 Ukraine became
the latest CIS country to break away from the Russian authoritarian
model and launch a soft revolution. The authorities believed
they could steal the vote but eventually people power prevailed.
| Ukrainian
campaign tainted by violence |
27 October 2004 |
| In the days leading up to
the Ukrainian election in October 2004, the authorities
reverted to ever dirtier tactics to try and win the vote |
| `We will
face the tanks if we have to' |
24 November 2004 |
Despite sub-zero temperatures
and the fact they were facing a tough regime backed
by the Kremlin, Ukrainians spent weeks in the streets
protesting to push home their "Orange Revolution" |
BELARUS
In Belarus Alexander Lukashenko bucked the trend and continued
to hang on to power, earning himself the sobriquet of "Europe's
last dictator"
|
