Ukraine government gets tough with protesters

Camera-shy Kiev policemen take away protesters

The forcible removal of the tent protesters marks a new stage in the Ukraine government's moves against those who challenge them.

However, they are still clearly mindful of possible reactions to the move.

A Kiev court ordered the removal of the tents a week ago, but the authorities did not act until two key figures were absent.

Chronology of protest

15 December 2000: Tent camp set up in central Kiev

19 December 2000: Protesters march on parliament

6 February 2001: Protest camp returns to central Kiev

25 February 2001: Protesters stage mock trial of President Kuchma

Socialist party leader Oleksandr Moroz, who first publicised the "Kuchmagate" tapes, is visiting the USA.

Prime Minister Viktor Yushchenko, who, despite recent pro-presidential statements is still thought to be sympathetic to the opposition, is on a working visit to the UK, where he deplored the use of force against the protesters.

US Ambassador Carlos Pascual has expressed his country's regret at the Ukrainian authorities' actions.

Catalyst for protest

The tent camp was set up on Kiev's Independence Square on 15 December by a group of MPs and opposition activists.

It acted as a catalyst of mass protests.

On 19 December about 7,000 protesters marched to the parliament and presidential administration.

Following the rally, President Kuchma met protest leaders in person and a protest co-ordinator, Volodymyr Chemerys, was given the floor in parliament.

Encouraged by their success, the protesters agreed to remove the tents from Kiev's main square for the New Year holidays.

A single tent was left near the country's main Christmas tree to symbolise the protesters' vow to return.

Meanwhile, protesters started setting up tent camps in major cities throughout Ukraine.

These were repeatedly banned and removed by local authorities.

Theatrical actions

On 6 February, the protest camp returned to central Kiev.

But within days the protesters were forced to move - ironically, to permit construction work to begin on a monument to mark the 10th anniversary of Ukraine's independence.

There were examples like this in Germany... Everything began with harmless demonstrations and everyone knows what happened then

President Kuchma

The tent city moved to the adjoining Khreshchatyk street, and then the protesters staged several theatrical actions near the Prosecutor-General's Office, the parliament and the presidential administration.

During the last protest action - 25 February - some 5,000 people gathered for a mock trial of the Ukrainian president which was accompanied by a rock concert and ended with a guilty verdict.

Muzzling the opposition

Since the beginning of the Ukraine Without Kuchma protest, the authorities have taken a gradualist approach.

Measures to muzzle the opposition were first tested out in the regions.

The removal of protest camps was usually supported by a court verdict following a request from the local authorities.

These tactics have now been used in the capital.

Ukrainian leaders and the state-run media have depicted the protest as the beginning of sinister right-wing tendencies.

President Kuchma recently told TV viewers: "There were examples like this in Germany... Everything began with harmless demonstrations and everyone knows what happened then."

He has alleged that the protesters are being funded by "dirty money", in particular by fugitive former prime minister Pavlo Lazarenko, now in prison in the USA on money-laundering charges.

BBC Monitoring, based in Caversham in southern England, selects and translates information from radio, television, press, news agencies and the Internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages.