www.ukrweekly.com INSIDE:• 30th anniversary of the Ukrainian Helsinki Group — page 3. • Ukrainian American Veterans hold 59th convention — page 5. • More photos from the UACCNJ’s grand opening — centerfold. Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association Vol. LXXIV HE No.KRAINIAN 48 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2006 EEKLY$1/$2 in Ukraine CongressT shows YushchenkoU has lost Ukrainian AmericanW Cultural Center control over Our Ukraine People’s Union of New Jersey holds grand opening by Zenon Zawada ly controls the situation,” said Oles Kyiv Press Bureau Doniy, a Socialist Party member and chair of the Kyiv-based Center for KYIV – Although Viktor Yushchenko Political Values Research, which is sup- is still the figurehead of the Our Ukraine’s ported by Ukrainian citizens. People’s Union (OUPU), the political “Though the democratic opposition party’s real leadership demonstrated that personified by Mykola Katerynchuk the Ukrainian president has lost any con- managed to get the majority’s support, trol he ever might have had over the force nonetheless, the ‘nomenklatura’ managed that led the Orange Revolution. to stayed in power,” Mr. Doniy added. Three weeks after Mr. Yushchenko The farcical manner in which OUPU called for the party to cleanse its failed has conducted its party congresses leadership in favor of a line-up of fresh revealed a party in deep crisis, spiraling faces, its tight inner circle of wealthy busi- towards rockbottom, political experts nessmen ignored the president’s advice concurred. and successfully fended off any such Three weeks earlier, Mr. Yushchenko attempts at a November 11 party congress. declared that the OUPU was mired in “a This tight circle consists mainly of serious internal crisis,” stating he didn’t OUPU Acting Political Council Chair want the party to become “some kind of Roman Bezsmertnyi; confectionary mag- privately held stock company, where the nate Petro Poroshenko, whose wealth is main stockholders can monopolistically Roma Hadzewycz estimated at $505 million; and Mykola decide what is need for the party.” Martynenko and Oleksander Tretiakov, Following those dramatic words, Mr. Metropolitan Stefan Soroka (center), Archbishop Antony (right) and Bishop Paul who made their millions in fuel and energy. Bezsmertnyi closed the meeting after Chomnycky officiate at the blessing of the new Ukrainian American Cultural As a result, OUPU may continue to only a half-hour and postponed it until Center of New Jersey. lose its relevance in Ukrainian politics as November 11, in what political experts it is now apparent that the party is under described as a political maneuver to by Roma Hadzewycz together with my brother Bishop Antony the control of a tight circle of business- of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and reassert his grip on power. WHIPPANY, N.J. – Three days of cel- men who demonstrated during the con- The second session of the congress, Bishop Paul Chomnycky of the Stamford gress the extreme lengths they would ebrations marked the grand opening here Eparchy, with the many clergy and reli- meanwhile, was an 11-hour marathon of the new Ukrainian American Cultural take to retain their grip on power. session during which opposing delegates gious, with the very special government “The old party ‘nomenklatura’, the Center of New Jersey – a project years in and civic representatives, with the repre- Poroshenko-Bezsmertnyi group, general- (Continued on page 10) the making that became reality as the edi- sentatives of the many Ukrainian organiza- fice was officially blessed on Saturday, tions who have committed themselves to November 11. be a part of this parish center family, and The center’s dedication was preceded all the faithful here present,” said Ukrainian American community by the blessing a day earlier of the rectory Metropolitan Soroka, addressing the crowd of St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic of hundreds gathered outside the cultural Church, which stands at the entrance to center for its dedication ceremony. remembers the Famine-Genocide the new Ukrainian American community “Today, you and I are celebrating hope complex on North Jefferson Road, just up and confidence in the future of our by Matthew Dubas Ukraine to the United States, also attend- the street from the soon-to-be vacated ed the national observance of the Ukrainian American community in the NEW YORK – St. Patrick Cathedral’s church and parish hall on Route 10. Whippany area of New Jersey. We are mak- Holodomor. He thanked all those who Then, on Sunday, November 12, the center section slowly filled to near capac- came to bow their heads for the deep ing a dramatic statement of hope for our ity with an estimated 2,500 present, on parish witnessed the consecration of its new present and future generations of children, tragedy of those who had been annihilat- temporary church, located inside the cultur- Saturday afternoon, November 18 as the ed by Stalin’s regime of terror. He youth and adults, and for their formation in Ukrainian American community remem- al center building. The temporary church our rich Ukrainian American culture,” emphasized that the Holodomor was an will serve the community until the new St. bered the over 7 million victims of the act of genocide against the Ukrainian emphasized the leader of the Ukrainian John’s Church is built on land situated Famine-Genocide of 1932-1933. Leaders people. Catholic Church in the United States. between the rectory and the cultural center. of the Ukrainian Catholic and Ukrainian Ambassador Shamshur thanked the In turn, Archbishop Antony congratu- It was a historic weekend for the grow- Orthodox Churches, with respective cler- U.S. Congress and President George W. lated the local community for this “new ing Ukrainian community of northern gy, concelebrated a memorial service on Bush for passing and signing into law beginning.” Commenting that the inde- New Jersey, which long ago had out- the occasion of the Holdomor’s 73rd HR 562, authorizing the government of pendence of Ukraine was, in some ways, grown the current church and the adjacent anniversary as members of the Dumka Ukraine to establish a memorial on feder- not good for the Ukrainian community hall in Whippany and which had longed Choir of New York sang the responses. al land in the District of Columbia to outside its borders, he said that Ukraine’s for a center that could accommodate its Metropolitan Constantine of the honor the victims of the Holodomor. independence had resulted in apathy Ukrainian studies school, youth groups Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Michael Sawkiw, president of the toward our community life here. Today, and dance ensembles, as well as various U.S.A. said that the Ukrainian communi- Ukrainian Congress Committee of Archbishop Antony said, it is obvious ty must remind people that the Ukrainian America, thanked the Ukrainian commu- organizations, ranging from sports clubs “the apathy is fading away.” Famine-Genocide did indeed happen in nity for its participation and read a state- to women’s and professionals’ groups. Next to the hierarchs, beaming, was 1932-1933, despite the contrary writings ment that reminded the international The Ukrainian American Cultural the Very Rev. Mitred Protopresbyter of pro-Soviet propagandist journalists community to work together to prevent Center of New Jersey (UACCNJ) was Roman Mirchuk, pastor of St. John’s, like Walter Duranty. such tragedies in the future. Mr. Sawkiw jointly blessed by Metropolitan- who along with building, fund-raising, Referring to the innocent victims of also thanked the U.S. Congress and Archbishop Stepan Soroka of the construction, financial and other commit- the Famine, the metropolitan said, “We President Bush for HR 562. Additionally, Ukrainian Catholic Church, Archbishop tees of volunteers had shepherded the pray that their souls reside in a place of Mr. Sawkiw read a statement by Antony of the Ukrainian Orthodox project to completion. no more sorrow, no more pain and no President Bush on the 73rd anniversary Church of the U.S.A. and Bishop Paul New Jersey State Assemblyman Joseph more sickness. We pray that their memo- of the Holodomor. (For full text, see page Chomnycky of the Ukrainian Catholic Pennacchio (26th District) pointed to the ries be eternal and that we never forget.” Eparchy of Stamford, Conn. Dr. Oleh Shamshur, ambassador of (Continued on page 3) “What a privilege it is to be here today, (Continued on page 11) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2006 No. 48 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFSNEWSBRIEFS Scherban back home in Ukraine President wants probe into gas company ing by the Verkhovna Rada the previous day, Interfax-Ukraine reported. The – a hot potato for politicians KYIV – President Viktor Yushchenko endorsed bill was drafted by experts from said on November 17 that UkrGazEnergo, the Cabinet of Ministers. Two other bills on by Oleg Varfolomeyev October 2005 he was imprisoned in a company created by RosUkrEnergo and the Cabinet of Ministers, one authored by Eurasia Daily Monitor Florida after his visa expired. He was Naftohaz Ukrayiny to sell imported gas to the president and the other by a group of later released on bail, only to be arrested consumers in Ukraine, has posed a “threat lawmakers, have also been submitted to Former Sumy Oblast Administration again in May of this year. In early 2006, to national security” by refusing to supply Chairmn Volodymyr Scherban has Parliament. “When we are speaking about Kyiv asked Washington to extradite him. gas to 16 major industrial enterprises in the the discussion and passing of the bill on the returned to Ukraine from self-imposed Mr. Scherban returned to Ukraine on country, Interfax-Ukraine reported, quot- exile in the United States. In Ukraine, he Cabinet of Ministers, both the government November 4, and Kyiv police escorted him ing the presidential press service.