Ukraine Elections: Letter from Academics

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: We, members of the international community of intellectuals, are deeply alarmed by the state of affairs in Ukraine on the eve of the presidential elections. The latest news from Ukraine leave no doubt that the country's authorities have engaged in mass violations of voter rights, manipulations of the law, and abuses of power. : What worries us most is that one of the biggest targets of persecution are the many students who have spoken out and demonstrated against what has been occurring. Meanwhile, government officials have flagrantly pressured Ukrainian universities and other academic institutions to curb Democratic student activities. Freedom of expression and free elections are cornerstones of democracy, public activity, and academic life. Therefore we condemn all attempts at limiting these rights and attacks on democratic rights and freedoms in Ukraine. : We are in solidarity with all Ukrainian citizens who have stood up to : defend their rights and freedoms. Therefore we shall devote our efforts : to disseminating information about the electoral abuses and violations of : human rights in Ukraine to information agencies, the mass media, governments, political and human-rights organizations, and academic communities. : Today a major front line in the international struggle for democracy runs through Ukraine. We call upon all intellectuals there and throughout the world to do everything possible to defend your and our freedom. : Stefan Amsterdamski (Graduate School for Social Research, Poland) : Sorin Antohi (Central European University, US) : Dominique Arel (University of Ottawa, Canada) : Homi K.Bhabha (Harvard University, US) : Jose Casanova (New School University, US) : Elizabeth A. Cole (Carnegie Council on Ethics and International Affairs, : US) Istvan Deak (Columbia University, US) : Olena Dzhedzhora (Ukrainian Catholic University, Ukraine) : Mikhail Dmitriev (Moscow University) : George Grabowicz (Harvard University,US) : Jan T. Gross (Princeton University,US) : Michael S. Flier (Harvard University, US) : Mark von Hagen (Columbia University, US) : Olia Hnatiuk (Warsaw University, Poland) : Yurij Holovatch National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine) : Yaroslav Hrytsak (Lviv University, Ukraine) : Jerzy Jedlicki (Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland) : Tony Judt (Remarque Institute, New York University, US) : Andreas Kappeler (Vienna University, Austria) : Edward L. Keenan (Harvard University) : Nina Khrushcheva (New School University, US) : Janos Kis (Central European University, Hungary) : Zenon E. Kohut (University of Alberta, Canada) : Volodymyr Kravchenko (Kharkiv University, Ukraine) : Volodymyr Kulyk (National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine) : Halyna Koscharsky (Macquarie University, Australia) : John Micgiel (Columbia University, US) : Alexander J. Motyl (Rutgers University, US) : Andriy Mokrousov ("Krytyka" monthly review, Ukraine) : Larissa Onyshkevych, Shevchenko Scientific Society, NY, US) : Oleksii Panych (Donets'k University, Ukraine) : Mykola Riabchuk (independent writer, Ukraine) : Blair A. Ruble (Washington, D.C., US) : Roman Senkus (Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, Canada) : Ihor Sevcenko (Harvard University, US) : Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak (Columbia University, US) : Frank Sysyn (University of Alberta, Canada) : Roman Szporluk (Harvard University) : Mustapha Tlili (Dialogues: Islamic World-U.S.-The West) : Larry Wolff (Boston College, US) : Tatiana Zhurzhenko (Kharkiv University, Ukraine) : Myroslava Tomorug Znayenko (Rutgers University, US) : : Followed by other ca.300 signatures as by October 29,2004, 13:00