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Honoring a brother lost on MH17 and his hopes for Ukraine

Pim de Kuijer, killed on MH17, was a democracy activist with big hopes for Ukraine

July 25, 2014 11:45AM ET

by Nicole Grether @nicolegrether

AMSTERDAM — Last week, 32-year-old Pim de Kuijer boarded a flight at Schiphol International Airport bound for Melbourne, Australia, for the 20th International AIDS Conference.

The day before, the HIV/AIDS lobbyist called his brother Paul de Kuijer. It was the last time they spoke before Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 was shot down over Ukraine.

Paul remembers his brother as an "outspoken, very open guy," who loved to travel and explore the world.

He remembers how Pim journeyed to Egypt, Sierra Leone and Malaysia as an advocate for democracy. Pim also spent time in Ukraine and Russia, where he was an election observer for the Dutch Foreign Ministry and the European Union. In addition to working for Stop AIDS Now! (which has a condolences page for Pim and a colleague), he was politically active in the Netherlands, working for liberal political party D66.

“I actually thought I knew my brother very well, but in the last few days after the incident, and with all the reactions from friends and family and colleagues, I now have a better understanding of how he touched so many lives,” Paul told “America Tonight.” “I think he was remarkable person.”

MH17 victim Pim de Kuijer (left) monitors an election. He worked on democracy projects in countries including Egypt, Sierra Leone, Malaysia, Ukraine and Russia.

courtesy

Paul said his brother was proud of Ukraine’s elections, but in recent months grew frustrated with rising tensions in the region. He said Pim believed that Ukraine, like many other countries, could be so much better if it had democratic processes that work.

“The last few months he felt really sad about it," Paul said. "I think one of the most important things that I … try to remember from my brother is actually that he believed very much in dialogue," Paul said. “He had friends on both sides of the Russian-Ukrainian border, and I think the last thing he would have wanted is this conflict or this incident rather to actually fuel the conflict even further.”

Paul is determined not to be angry.

“The tiny voice of my brother in this situation would say that he would ask everyone to rationally think about the next steps because before we know it, we see the situation further deteriorate," he said. "And that won’t bring back my brother and that also won’t bring peace to my family or the people of Ukraine.”