The Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things in Ukraine | Oleksandra Matviichuk | TED

TL;DR

In this powerful speech, a human rights lawyer from Kyiv describes the atrocities committed by Russia's troops in Ukraine and urges for a global change in the approach to war crime justice.

Transcript

I have traveled here from Kyiv, where I am a human rights lawyer. I have been applying the law to defend people and human dignity for many years. At present, I am in a situation when the law doesn't work. Russia’s troops are destroying residential buildings, schools, churches, hospitals and museums. They’re shooting at the evacuation corridors. The... Read More

Key Insights

• 💔 The law is failing to protect human rights in the face of Russian aggression in Ukraine, leading to destruction, torture, and forced abductions.
• 💥 The war between Russia and Ukraine represents a broader battle between authoritarianism and democracy, with Russia seeking to undermine the values of the latter.
• 🌍 If Russia's aggressive actions are successful, it could lead to a dangerous global shift towards militarization, nuclear proliferation, and increased violence.
• 😨 Russian military atrocities, including torture and murder, have gone unpunished, demonstrating a lack of accountability and disregard for human life.
• 🔍 The scale of war crimes makes it difficult to recognize and address individual cases, but new technologies offer the potential to document and seek justice for these crimes.
• ⚖️ The global approach to war crime justice needs to change, with a call for the establishment of a special tribunal to hold war criminals accountable, including Putin and Lukashenko.
• 🌟 Ordinary people have proven to be a powerful force in supporting Ukraine's fight for freedom and can have a greater impact than international organizations.
• 💪 Democratic countries must not only help Ukraine avoid failure but actively support its victory, as the spread of freedom is essential for a safer world.

Questions & Answers

Q: What types of crimes and atrocities are being committed by Russia's troops in Ukraine?

Russia's troops in Ukraine have been destroying residential buildings, schools, churches, hospitals, and museums. They have been shooting at evacuation corridors, torturing people in filtration camps, forcibly taking Ukrainian children to Russia, and banning Ukrainian language and culture. Additionally, they have been abducting, raping, robbing, and killing individuals in the occupied territories.

Q: How has the international community responded to Russia's actions in Ukraine?

Despite the crimes and atrocities committed by Russia, the entire UN architecture of international organizations and treaties has been unable to prevent or stop their actions. The international system of peace and security has failed to address this aggression effectively.

Q: What challenges do human rights lawyers face in defending people in Ukraine against Russian aggression?

Human rights lawyers in Ukraine are facing a difficult situation where the law itself is not effective in protecting people from Russian aggression. This presents a challenge for human rights lawyers who typically rely on legal mechanisms to defend individuals and uphold human dignity.

Q: How can people in the 21st century defend human beings, their lives, their freedom, and their dignity?

The speaker raises the question of whether relying solely on the law is enough to defend human beings in modern times or if brutal force becomes necessary. This question is crucial for individuals worldwide, not just in Ukraine, as it determines the future of our common global system. The answer lies in finding ways to protect human beings, their lives, freedom, and dignity through a combination of legal mechanisms, international cooperation, and the power of ordinary people.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The speaker, a human rights lawyer from Kyiv, describes the devastating situation in Ukraine due to Russian aggression, including destruction of buildings, torture of people, and forced abduction of children.

• They highlight the failure of the international system to stop these crimes and question whether relying on the law is enough to protect human rights.

• The speaker calls for support and action from ordinary people around the world, emphasizing the importance of human solidarity and the need for Ukraine to not just survive but to win the war for the sake of freedom and global security.