When internal democracy does not prove conclusive enough for the Ukraine, external sponsors in a manner seemingly extolling the virtues of plutocracy, pull their weight and may yet determine which of the Victors, Yuschenko or Yanukovych takes charge. As in parts of the Muslim World, the fear is that geopolitical priorities take precedence over aspirations of the nation's people, fomenting a view that, 'We know what's best for you, you can have freedom (subject to our supervision) and democracy (providing it's to our satisfaction)'.
If the aligning of Yuschenko to America and Yanukovych to Russia was not enough, the eagerness of the European Union and interestingly of Poland in trying to impose their patronage adds further complications. Consequently, while appealing for calm, all the above-mentioned are vehemently trying to ensure their man emerges as the 'Real Victor'.
Larger than France and right on Russia's doorstep, Ukraine lies on a geopolitical fault line between East and West. Wherein lies the temptation to influence an independent population, be it incentives from the West to provide millions towards political training or retaining ties with your biggest trading partner (Russia). An unhealthy sign for future global political stability regardless.
On the same token, gauging the length and breadth of mainstream media coverage devoted to this saga is perhaps indicative of the test that Ukraine presents for emerging democracies. For the poor Ukranian, the country appears to be a divided nation and not just due to the election. Historically, the Eastern "Blue" half has been Orthodox and either of Russian descent or mixed Russian blood. The Western "Orange" half is considered Catholic and more pro-Western. Apart from generating secessionary or autonomy demands, simply applying democracy as a ready-made formula doesn't always beckon prosperity. Bear in mind, nations with significant differences based on ethnic or cultural divides are invariably causes for concern, hence the succint proverb, 'The more things change, the more they stay the same'.
While Ukraine waits for it's Supreme Court to make the next move, a total re-run of the election cannot be ruled out. Several international leaders have been asked to mediate to find some sort of compromise between the two camps, again undermining democracy.
As Muslims throughout the world witness the intricacies of democracy playing havoc in countries that have a lot more in common with the West. One ponders as to where that leaves Muslim countries who are preached democracy with evangelical fervour, yet are far more diverse and complex?
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