The Ukrainian Weekly 2008, No.19
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www.ukrweekly.com INSIDE: • The great Ukrainian escape of 1939 — pages 8-9. • Singer-songwriter Taras Chubai in New York — page 14. • Filmmaker Damian Kolodiy in the underworld — page 15. HE KRAINIAN EEKLY T PublishedU by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profitW association Vol. LXXVI No. 19 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 11, 2008 $1/$2 in Ukraine ‘Vyshyvanka’ Parade celebrates Ukrainian heritage Yushchenko promotes by Illya M. Labunka Kyiv Press Bureau legislation protecting KYIV – Residents and guests of Kyiv were treated to a feast for the eyes on children and families May 3 as the city witnessed its first-ever “Vyshyvanka” (traditional embroidered by Illya M. Labunka shirt) Parade. Organized by Oleh Kyiv Press Bureau Skrypka, one of Ukraine’s leading rock musicians and front man for the leg- KYIV – As Mother’s Day continues to endary Ukrainian rock band Vopli gain more popularity in Ukraine every Vidopliasova (VV), the parade acted as a year, President Viktor Yushchenko forerunner to the upcoming fifth annual recently expressed his concern over the “Krayina Mriy” (Land of Dreams) festi- fact that the number of Ukraine’s chil- val, an international ethnic festival dren has shrunk by 300,000 in the last founded by Mr. Skrypka and scheduled five years. To counter such a trend, to take place in Kyiv on June 21-22. President Yushchenko is calling for legis- The parade, featuring participants lation to safeguard the rights of children wearing colorful and bright embroidered as well as to benefit large families. shirts and blouses representing all regions On May 5 Mr. Yushchenko signed a of Ukraine, began at Kyiv’s famous artis- decree aimed at stimulating awareness of tic street, Andriyivsky Uzviz, and pro- Children’s Welfare Day, scheduled to ceeded down toward Sahaidachnyi Street take place on June 1 under the aegis of and Contract Square, situated in the the national program “A healthy child – a Podil section of the city. healthy nation.” Once the parade reached the statue of The national program “A healthy the famous Ukrainian philosopher child – a healthy nation” was initiated on Hryhorii Skovoroda, located across from December 11, 2007, by the president in the National University of the Kyiv hopes of bringing to the fore the socio- Mohyla Academy, traditional Ukrainian economic, medical, educational and cul- music, song and dance enchanted specta- tural needs of Ukraine’s children. In an tors and passers-by alike. attempt to popularize an overall healthy Free and open to the public, the way of life for the country’s youth, Mr. parade had only one prerequisite: you Yushchenko has repeatedly encouraged had to be dressed in traditional Ukrainian Ukrainian businesses and government embroidered apparel. Organizers of the authorities to participate in the program’s event hope the parade becomes an annu- various philanthropic possibilities. al tradition as a wonderful venue to One of the major points in the presi- demonstrate not only the skilled crafts- dential decree calls for legislative manship behind Ukrainian embroidery, amendments to existing laws on the sta- but also its uniqueness, beauty and deep tus of orphans and those children whose Kateryna Kornijenko/айвей (www.h.ua) symbolism. In addition, the parade parents are unable to provide appropriate Music icon Oleh Skrypka among children attired in traditional Ukrainian cos- (Continued on page 4) tumes during the “Vyshyvanka” Parade in Kyiv. (Continued on page 10) One of UNA’s top organizers, Holodomor Remembrance Flame enters U.S. by Tamara Olexy The program began with opening Stefan W. Hawrysz, dies at 88 UCCA remarks from Petro Dromomyretsky, president of the Ukrainian Club of PARSIPPANY, N.J. – Stefan W. SEATTLE – On Sunday, May 4, the Washington, who officially welcomed Hawrysz, former supreme organizer of Ukrainian community in Seattle officially everyone and spoke of the true nature of the Ukrainian National Association and a welcomed the International Holodomor the genocidal Famine in Ukraine 75 tireless advocate of the fraternal organi- Remembrance Flame from Canada to the years ago. zation who personally enrolled more United States. The program included poignant and than 2,500 members, died on Sunday, In a moving ceremony attended by moving remarks by Rep. McDermott, May 4, in the Philadelphia area. He was Rep. Jim McDermott (D-Wash.), ambas- who is of Irish descent and spoke of the 88. sadors of Ukraine to the United States, similarities between the Irish Potato As longtime secretary of Branch 83 Canada and the Holy See, the presidents Famine and the Ukrainian Genocide of (serving in that post since 1952), chair- of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress and 1932-1933. “These examples of deliber- man of the UNA’s Philadelphia District the Ukrainian Congress Committee of ate decisions by politicians must be Committee and member of the UNA America, and the chairman of the brought to the attention of the world. We General Assembly, Mr. Hawrysz dedicat- National Committee to Commemorate must be vigilant as a nation,” he said. ed 54 years of service to the UNA. the 75th Anniversary of the Ukrainian Ukraine’s ambassador to the United In 1974, when the UNA convention Genocide of 1932-1933 joined nearly States, Dr. Oleh Shamsur, spoke of the created the Executive Committee post of 300 local Ukrainian Americans – many “lessons of the Holodomor that are yet to supreme organizer, Mr. Hawrysz was of whom were young students and Plast be fully learned,” while his counterpart, elected to the position, serving during the youths – gathered at the University of Ukraine’s Ambassador to Canada, Dr. Washington to witness the transfer of the (Continued on page 4) Stefan W. Hawrysz torch. (Continued on page 11) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 11, 2008 No. 19 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFSNEWSBRIEFS Tymoshenko for parliamentary republic Public sees high tension in government said later that same day that the incident by Pavel Korduban tives of all the major parties, but the will not change Kyiv’s attitude toward the KYIV – A survey conducted by the fleet, Interfax-Ukraine reported. “The Eurasia Daily Monitor PRU withdrew from it in early 2008 and pollster FOM-Ukraine has found that 66.8 Ms. Tymoshenko’s representatives have incident involving the missile cannot pro- Ukrainian President Viktor percent of respondents say the relations vide a pretext for considering the Black been little more than passive observers. between President Viktor Yushchenko and Yushchenko has suffered a crashing Instead, the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc Sea Fleet’s early withdrawal,” Ukrainian defeat over his plan to change the Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko are Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman (YTB) agreed with the PRU to set up a “conflicting” or “strained,” while 16.4 Constitution. Not only has it become commission in the Verkhovna Rada to Vasyl Kyrylych told journalists. He added clear that Prime Minister Yulia percent say they are “calm” or “friendly,” that Ukraine has strictly complied with a draft constitutional amendments sepa- Interfax-Ukraine reported on May 6. The Tymoshenko will not support his plan to bilateral agreement “which says in clear rately from the presidential team. Mr. poll of 2,000 Ukrainians found that Mr. boost presidential powers, but she has terms that the Black Sea Fleet will remain Yushchenko sensed betrayal. Ms. Yushchenko’s performance is seen nega- sided with his eternal opponent, the Party based [in Crimea] until 2017.” Tymoshenko justified his fears, address- tively by 51.4 percent of respondents, of the Regions (PRU), in order to change Meanwhile, the Russian Navy’s com- ing the Parliamentary Assembly of the while Ms. Tymoshenko’s performance is the Constitution in the opposite direc- mand commented on May 6 that the Council of Europe, a pan-European viewed negatively by 49.9 percent. tion. object found in Crimea was not really a human rights watchdog, on April 16. She According to FOM-Ukraine, if presiden- weapon, but rather a dummy torpedo, Ms. Tymoshenko has declared her said that she was in favor of transform- tial elections had been held in April, Ms. which does not pose any threat to people support for a parliamentary republic in ing Ukraine into a parliamentary repub- Tymoshenko would have won 23.7 per- or the environment. There has been no which the president would perform lic, the dominant form of government in cent of the vote, former Prime Minister explanation of how the Russian torpedo mainly representational functions. At the the European Union. Viktor Yanukovych 21.2 percent, and Mr. landed on the Crimean beach. (RFE/RL same time, the Constitutional Court (CC) “We must ... make Ukraine a tradi- Yushchenko 8 percent. (RFE/RL Newsline) has forbidden Mr. Yushchenko to amend Newsline) the Constitution through a referendum. Melnychenko may go on hunger strike Ever since his election as president in Yulia Tymoshenko Ukraine protests torpedo tests December 2004, Mr. Yushchenko has KYIV – Mykola Melnychenko, ex- KYIV – The Foreign Affairs Ministry been unhappy with the constitutional major of the State Guard Department, supports a of Ukraine on May 5 handed a note of reform of 2004-2006, which strength- said on April 24 that he would go on protest to an official at the Russian ened Parliament and the Cabinet of parliamentary hunger strike near the Presidential Ministers at the expense of the president. Embassy in Kyiv over the Russian Black Sea Fleet’s unauthorized tests of an air- Secretariat if an investigation into the The reform has been viewed in his camp republic in which borne antisubmarine torpedo in Ukraine, criminal case surrounding the Gongadze as a time bomb planted by the corrupt Interfax-Ukraine reported. The torpedo murder is not speeded-up. Mr. old elite, who were defeated in 2004, in the president was found near the village of Pryvitne, Melnychenko continues to insist on the order to prevent Mr.