Alexander Dichek
Chairman of the IAU,
Candidate of Technical Sciences

Ukraine in the Realities of the Modern World

Dear participants, a year has passed since our last forum. The threat of terrorism has not waned. Group terrorist acts in Iraq, Egypt, Bangladesh, Turkey, Great Britain, Spain, Iran’s threats to employ 65000 suicide bombers to commit terrorist acts in Europe and USA show that terrorism is the main threat to humanity in the 21st century. We can speak of systematic attempts to process technologies of diversionary fight against prevailing enemies and acting on the enemy’s territory.

Separate actions which can be classified as terrorism have been committed in Ukraine this year: events in Kharkiv and Severodonetsk. For the time being this actions are more criminal designed to seize property but events unfolding in Crimea change our opinion about the problem of terrorism in Ukraine.

We support V.V. Knutov that isn’t the country with systematic terrorist episodes. However, there are tendencies and factors which have to be taken into consideration.

Among external factors we can mention:

• geo-political position of Ukraine – “triangle of interests”: in the North – Russia; in the West Europe and the USA; in the East – Turkey and the Muslim world;
• Ukrainian participation in antiterrorism operation in Iraq;
• Ukrainian peacekeeping forces in different regions of the world;
• increase of migration processes, especially from the terrorist regions.
  

Among internal factors we can mention:

• social and economic inequality according to income distribution;
• inefficient judicial and executive branches of state power;
• artificial escalation of regional conflicts including those between the East and the West;
• issues of Crimean Tatars, federalism etc.

Naturally, if some of the aforementioned factors coincide there can be a threat of systematic terrorism and violence.

All efforts should be directed at prevention of systematic terrorism by creating unfavorable social medium.

Since the 2nd forum, the IAU has been continuing to defend its antiterrorist endeavors aimed at introducing systematic approach to terrorism prevention in Ukraine. In January 2006 our organization received admission to the membership in the NGOs of the Council of Europe; our representatives participated in international conferences devoted to the issues of terrorism prevention.

IAU members have entered the workgroup of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine to develop “National Security Strategy of Ukraine”. As V.V. Knutov mentioned in his report the main results of our work was the acceptance by the state of the role and place of NGOs in the national security system of Ukraine.

Along with development new antiterrorism model and ideas of systematic approach to terrorism counteraction we also should point out the increasing role of NGOs and importance of their cooperation with state institutions in the field of fighting terrorism. Urgent nature of this problem determined the exigency of this forum.

I would like to point out that the IAU uses state-of-the-art technologies and theories, in particular concepts of linear dynamics of complex social systems theory of self-organized critical assessment other methodological and conceptual approaches.

Attempts to establish “new rules of the game” on the level of state power and individuals can cause effects of self-organization and harmony, but at the same time they can produce an opposite effect.

The role of NGOs is sure to increase according to the IAU in terms of state management.

In our opinion, state officials and managers should participate in the work of NGOs which is not prohibited by existing legislation (Law about state service).

On the one hand, it promotes cooperation and networking between the state and society, functioning of expertise, natural selection of ideal developed by NGOs for state institutions; on the other hand, state official assume social responsibility reporting to NGOS (formed according to professional features) which they represent. State ideology and policy is realized through NGOs. Citizens form understanding of the situation, vulnerability of public opinion in terms of manipulation by political forces decreases.

Participation of NGOs in joint programs is indispensable to build civil society and it indicates the level of democracy protection of human rights and of the main components and of efficient terrorism prevention.

IAU continuing its program “Civil technologies in terrorism prevention”. Complex measures are to be taken on the national level which are designed to ensure cooperation between the state and society.

For this purpose as the basic principles of cooperation between the state and society we suggest: Constructivism; Tolerance; Consideration of all opinions; Imperative character of decisions accepted by all parts.

Current situation in the society implies passive confrontation which includes negative attitude to the state power and reluctance to take active measures.

Management mechanisms of the “civil society” allow certain types of pressure on the state power mainly through: protests, criticism, civil control etc.

Will the state power tolerate such movements? Especially during crisis or reforms? Apparently, it won’t. in the view of this it is imperative to develop algorithms of cooperation within the scheme “Society-State”, especially during:

• Government’s poor management;
• State power restructuring;
• Efficient state management;
• Joint mechanisms of tightening national and international security.

To implement these we should:

• Develop and realize measures to involve state institutions, NGOs and citizens in the joint working process;
• Develop public programs;
• Discover and involve “marginal” strata of society, ethnic groups etc. in civil practices;
• Create opportunities for communication, cooperation, cultural exchange and social dialogue.

IAU activities within the framework “Society-State” include:

• Conflict monitoring and prediction;
• Formation of direct and reciprocal connection between society and state institutions;
• Participation in legislature;
• Organizing forums, conferences, round tables and practical seminars;
• Development of training programs of civil defense (guidelines for behavior in case of emergency, terrorism vigilance);
• Organizing forums to exchange experience of developing proactive life position of communities and individuals;
• Creating social adaptation and employment programs for veterans.

Terrorism and conflict monitoring in the regions of Ukraine promotes the principles of human rights protection as well as protection of civil rights.

One of the tasks of this Forum is to develop suggestions, discuss scientific ideas and practical approaches to introducing a dialogue between the state and society, defining the place and the role of NGOs in the system of terrorism prevention. We believe that European standards and legal norms about the forms of political competition should be introduced in Ukraine. This must be done to stop manipulation, political fraud, disclosure of secrets, blackmail or even open deliberate insults which smear Ukraine’s image and jeopardize national security.

IAU offers to all NGOs to concentrate their efforts on the following directions:

• Support strategic initiatives of the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on the fight against terrorism (from June,5, 2006);
• Contribute to establishing the workgroup at the NGOs of the Council of Europe to study, adapt and promote experience of NGOs in national antiterrorism programs;
• Developing mechanisms of optimal cooperation between state institutions and NGOs in the antiterrorism system;
• Involving NGOs in development of international standards of terrorism prevention at European enterprises;
• Assisting to nongovernmental security system to support state institutions in the fight against terrorism;
• Further development of organizational and legal fundamentals of non-governmental security system and its cooperation with state authorities;
• Developing technologies of civil counteraction to terrorism;
• Active creation of public committees within state organizations as one of the efficient mechanisms of the dialogue between the state and society;
• Developing the concept of NGOs involvement in antiterrorism operation;
• Deepening the dialogue moving the emphasis on the level of culture, human rights and personal security.

Only considerate shifts and transformations of national and public conscience can overcome terrorism! I wish you all success at this Forum with your goals, peace, health antiterrorism endeavors.