Cooper Union Claims Demapping of Shevchenko Place Not Necessary
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INSIDE:• Viktor Petrenko visits future site of neonatal ICU in Odesa — page 3. • Can Communists and Socialists assume power in Ukraine? — page 6. • Special section on Pope John Paul II’s visit to Ukraine — pages 8-15. Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association Vol. LXIX HE KRAINIANNo. 27 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JULY 8, 2001 EEKLY$1/$2 in Ukraine CooperT Union claimsU demapping Many of Ukraine’Ws Orthodox faithful of Shevchenko Place not necessary welcomed visit by Pope John Paul II by Andrew Nynka renovating its current facilities to the by Zenon Zawada I find them interesting.” community at large. The meeting, which Special to The Ukrainian Weekly The Russian Patriarchate’s outrage NEW YORK – In a bizarre twist dur- drew close to 700 participants, did have over the pontiff’s visit wasn’t apparent ing a June 28 task force meeting, repre- several individuals eager to listen to KYIV-LVIV – Orthodox Church lead- on the streets of Kyiv or Lviv. Leaders of sentatives of The Cooper Union stated CU’s plans. “At least this school is good ers in Ukraine and Russia may find a les- Ukraine’s two other Orthodox Churches, that the current suggestion to demap enough to meet with us and listen to what son in Christianity from many of their the UOC of the Kyiv Patriarchate and the Taras Shevchenko Place is the proposal we have to say,” said a local resident. own faithful. Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox of New York City’s Department of City But the overwhelmingly large majority Despite the harsh official rhetoric Church, welcomed the visit and, in fact, Planning (DCP) and that the 1,000-stu- of the ethnically diverse crowd had seri- about the papal visit emanating from the met with Pope John Paul II as part of the dent art and engineering school is willing ous reservations about CU’s plans. Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Moscow Ukrainian Council of Churches and to leave the street alone and continue Several participants went so far as to Patriarchate and the Russian Orthodox Religious Organizations. with the renovation and modernization of shout vulgarities while school representa- Church, to which it is subordinate, During the five-day visit, monks of the its facilities without the demapping. tives presented the renovation plans, at Orthodox Christians either strolling Kyiv UOC-MP sealed themselves off in the his- Although the application for a vari- points drawing hisses and boos from the streets or attending papal services wel- toric Monastery of the Caves (Pecherska ance on the Hewitt Building site still crowd. Though CU’s main goals, holding comed the historic visit, believing it Lavra), fasting on bread and water until calls for the demapping of the byway, a general informational meeting with the would benefit Ukraine. Pope John Paul II left Ukrainian soil. The Cooper Union seems to have left the public and gathering feedback from the “I welcome everyone, because there is Most Orthodox Christians repeated the issue for the city’s DCP to decide. community, was achieved, many partici- one God and every person can choose common theme that Catholics and Prior to the task force meeting, The pants question whether the CU will heed from herself how to pray,” said Tatiana Orthodox believe in the same God, so Cooper Union’s Great Hall had hosted a the community’s suggestions. Sydarenko, 75, an Orthodox Christian there shouldn’t be any reason for conflict. gathering on May 29 in order to present from Kyiv. “I read the Bible, and I also the school’s plans for modernizing and (Continued on page 23) have Catholic books. I read them all, and (Continued on page 3) Minister of culture denounces removal of murals from Ukraine by Yaro Bihun Holocaust Memorial had caused an official Special to The Ukrainian Weekly uproar in Poland, but Mr. Bohutskyi’s comment was the first high-level reaction WASHINGTON – Ukraine’s Minister of by a Ukrainian government official. Culture Yurii Bohutskyi characterized the A report about the artworks’ removal secret removal from Drohobych to Israel of was published in The New York Times on murals painted by Bruno Schulz as “shame- June 20, while Mr. Bohutskyi was visiting ful” and promised to press for their return to Washington. Ukraine. Asked to comment on the matter, he The fact that fragments of the murals repeatedly stressed that local government painted by the Jewish-Polish writer and officials were to blame for failing to regis- artist in a private home in Drohobych were ter, as the law requires, those murals, smuggled out of Ukraine earlier this year in which have historical and cultural signifi- a secret operation by the Yad Vashem cance. He said his ministry had raised the matter with the Security Service of Ukraine, the procurator’s office and other appropriate agencies. NATO leader praises “It is now under investigation and, as soon as I return to Kyiv, I’ll receive the results of this investigation, and then we’ll cooperation with Ukraine take appropriate action in order to have by Maryna Makhnonos these items returned,” Mr. Bohutskyi said. Special to The Ukrainian Weekly He returned to Kyiv on June 22. Mr. Bohutskyi also stated that he had KYIV – NATO Secretary General Lord called on the Lviv Oblast administration to George Robertson on July 5 praised coop- bring to account those “who did not do eration with Ukraine, confirming NATO’s what they were supposed to do.” determination to continue ties with the Otherwise, he added, the ministry will, country, but urged state authorities to pro- itself, demand judicial action. vide reforms without delay in order to According to an Associated Press report, successfully move toward integration with Bruno Schulz painted these murals in the Europe. early years of World War II in what was “Let me be very clear: in no way can then a nursery for the son of the Gestapo foreign assistance be a substitute for a chief in Drohobych. He was later killed by nation’s own reform efforts,” Lord the Nazis. Robertson told a symposium on “The The murals, which had been painted World in the 21st Century: Cooperation, over since the war, were discovered last Partnership and Dialogue.” winter and authenticated by Ukrainian and Roman Woronowycz “How fast and how close Ukraine will Polish art experts in February. The secret A scene at Lviv’s Hippodrome on Wednesday, June 27. In the background is one (Continued on page 20) (Continued on page 25) of the giant screens that gave attendees a better view of the liturgy and the pope. 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JULY 8, 2001 No. 27 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFSNEWSBRIEFS Pope’s liturgy in Lviv draws Protest marks Constitution anniversary issued under government guarantees. He said he regrets that former Prime Minister KYIV – Some 1,000 protesters marched Viktor Yuschenko signed a document oblig- more than 1 million people in Kyiv on June 28 , carrying a mock coffin ing the government to repay the gas debt to by Askold Krushelnycky ment, he said, was echoed in the sacrifices to denounce alleged violations of the Russia with state securities. “I think, and I RFE/RL Poland, Belarus and Ukraine Report of those who were beatified. Constitution by President Leonid Kuchma, am supported by the government in this “Martyrdom is the highest form of serv- the Associated Press and Reuters reported. issue, that this [gas debt repayment method] An estimated 1 million to 1.5 million ing God and the Church. With this liturgy The protest was timed to coincide with the people turned out in the western Ukrainian is inadmissible and runs counter not only to we want to glorify them [the newly beati- fifth anniversary of the adoption of the Ukraine’s legislation but also our national city of Lviv on June 27 to see the pope pre- fied] and thank them for their faithfulness,” Constitution of Ukraine. Later, the demon- side over the final liturgy of his five-day economic interests in general,” Mr. Kinakh the pontiff said. strators unsuccessfully tried to re-affix a said. He noted that Naftohaz Ukrainy’s gas visit to Ukraine. The crowd waiting at the The pope returned to the theme of rec- marble plaque commemorating seven jour- horse-racetrack on the outskirts of the city debt to Russia amounts to $1.342 billion. onciliation between different religions and nalists, including Heorhii Gongadze, who (RFE/RL Newsline) seemed stunned when Ukrainian President peoples that he addressed several times were slain or disappeared under unclear cir- Leonid Kuchma unexpectedly turned up during his five-day trip. At the June 26 cumstances in independent Ukraine. They Kuchma: state not responsible for gas debt minutes before the pope himself arrived. Roman Catholic mass – attended by abandoned their efforts after they found that On June 27, it was the turn of the 500,000 people, including tens of thou- the generator they planned to use to hoist KYIV – President Leonid Kuchma told Greek-Catholics. The racetrack was crowd- sands from neighboring Poland – the pope the monument had been stolen. (RFE/RL journalists on July 3 that Naftohaz ed hours before the pope arrived, and when made an emotional appeal for historical Newsline) Ukrainy’s gas debt to Russia will “in no his familiar white, high-sided popemobile memories not to tarnish present and future way” become the responsibility of the state, arrived, the air reverberated as people relations between Ukrainians and Poles. Putin seeks closer ties with Kyiv Interfax reported. “Such questions should chanted: “We welcome you.” not be raised at all. Corporate debts will On June 27, he said: “In past centuries, MOSCOW – In a message to Ukrainian Pope John Paul II was greeted by the never become state debts,” Mr.