A Call To All Harvard Activists: Take Action on Ukraine

The world order based on cooperative security and globalization became severely threatened on Feb. 24, 2022, when the Russian Federation attacked Ukraine, an independent and increasingly democratic nation. As Ukraine fearlessly fights for its future, the Harvard community has expressed its support by conducting an anti-war rally and amplifying the voices of Ukrainians on campus.

Indeed, Harvard is known in the United States and abroad for this kind of advocacy. From raising emergency aid for displaced Afghans after the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan to taking a strong stance on racial injustices during the Black Lives Matter protests of summer 2020, Harvard students, as the citizen-leaders of tomorrow, lead the opinions in human rights circles nationwide and create an impact beyond campus. But today, the Harvard administration and the activists within the student body must be even more proactive in their advocacy for the Ukrainian cause, human rights, and global security than ever before.

The war in Ukraine is a unique 21st-century case of a people’s fight for the right to determine their future against an enemy that is several times larger. Ukrainians have inspired the world with their ability to withstand the attack for so long.

What lies behind this determination are the values that every American holds dear. Ukraine prides itself on the unlimited freedoms to peacefully protest, criticize the government, and elect its public servants. Even as some neighboring post-Soviet countries slid back into authoritarianism, Ukraine managed to stay democratic, and its people have never been intimidated by a more powerful bully.

Back in 2014, when the pro-Russian government restricted the right to protest, hundreds of thousands went to the streets, fighting for their right to speak out. Ukrainian people put their lives on the line then — and continue to do so today — because democracy and the freedom to pursue your own social, cultural, and political development are at the center of the Ukrainian identity.

The Harvard student body should stand for Ukraine by using the privilege that Ukrainians are dying for: the democratic right to pressure the government for action. Students should write and call their local representatives and urge them to announce their support for Ukraine. The entire Harvard community must demand that elected officials speak out about the need for broader humanitarian and defense assistance and request support for a no-fly zone, an area over which Russian aircraft are not permitted to fly. This restriction entails shooting down Russian violators and will prevent Russia from using warplanes to attack civilians on the ground.

Action is urgently needed to prevent massive human rights violations. Vladimir Putin’s quest for dominance yields unprecedented violations in Ukraine, and the country is presently on the brink of one of the biggest humanitarian crises that Europe has seen within the last few decades. Ukrainians trapped by Russian attacks lack food and supplies, and there have been allegations of rising sexual violence in cities occupied by Russian invaders. Additionally, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations has alleged that Putin prepared a list of LGBTQI+ persons to be killed or sent to camps if he takes over Ukraine.

Companies in the United States that work with or in Russia indirectly support this immense suffering. The Harvard community should boycott companies that have ties with the Kremlin, and the student body should request that companies they work for restrict any business relations or partnerships with companies operating in Russia. The Harvard administration needs to release information on whether the University has any indirect investments in Russia, and if any exist, suspend those immediately.

Lastly, activists must act now to prevent a war in other European countries. Putin has not only laid out a threat to Ukrainian borders but also put forth a vision of an imperial Russia. In his November 2021 address to the Russian people, Putin stated that some republics that were once a part of the Soviet Union have unjustifiably been given independence, forcing us to confront the inevitable question: Who is next? Which other independent European country will Putin destroy in his quest for power? Will he lay a claim on Baltic countries that were formerly a part of the Soviet Union, and are presently a part of NATO? Harvard students must join protests and show support to Ukraine not only for the sake of Ukraine, but also to prevent a catastrophe in other European countries.

The leaders of tomorrow should not stay idle in the face of this global danger. As a proud Ukrainian American, I offer Harvard a clear call for activism: Everyone in this community must use their power to stand for freedom, protect humanity against an emerging authoritarian regime, and help defend world peace.

Anna Koch graduated from the Harvard Extension School in 2020.