INSIDE: • Positions of prime minister, Rada chair in question — page 3. • Ukrainian American Veterans’ national convention — page 4. • Official statements on the Holodomor — page 9. HE KRAINIAN EEKLY T PublishedU by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profitW association Vol. LXXV No. 47 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2007 $1/$2 in Ukraine Solemn march recalls 10 million victims of Holodomor by Matthew Dubas across the United States, contained infor- mation on the Holodomor and its effects, NEW YORK – Multitudes of and identified the Soviet regime under Ukrainians gathered here in front of St. Joseph Stalin as the perpetrator of the George Ukrainian Catholic Church on largest crime against humanity of the 20th Seventh Street before heading uptown century. along Third Avenue to St. Patrick’s The brochure also contained a tear-out Cathedral, located at Fifth Avenue and card that could be mailed to U.S. 51st Street, in a march to commemorate Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, urg- the 75th anniversary of the Holodomor, ing her and the U.S. government to recog- the Famine-Genocide of 1932-1933. nize the Holodomor as an act of genocide Among the marchers was a requiem against the Ukrainian people. The bell that pealed throughout the streets of brochure provided a website address New York capturing the gaze of onlookers (www.ukrainegenocide.org) for more who saw the many flags, banners and information. It also directed individuals posters that told of the story of the who would like to get involved with Holodomor, which systematically killed future projects to contact the Ukrainian by starvation between 7 million and 10 National Information Service at 202-547- million Ukrainians. 0018 or [email protected]. The mass of marchers stretched more Adriana Paska, 26, of Woodside, N.Y., than 10 city blocks on their way to St. said: “I think it’s crucial that not only New Patrick’s as volunteers distributed infor- Yorkers, but the world recognizes that the mational brochures to curious New Ukrainian Genocide did happen, that mil- Yorkers. According to police estimates, lions of innocent people died. People approximately 2,000 marchers participat- always talk about the Jewish Holocaust, ed to bring awareness to the horrific and they make sure that it is known and events of 1932-1933 in Ukraine. that the world never forgets. It’s about time The brochures, prepared by the that Ukrainians go and do the same thing. National Committee to Commemorate the Ukrainians have been marching and trying Khristina Lew 75th Anniversary of the Ukrainian to increase awareness on this matter and Ukrainian youth gather in front of St. George Ukrainian Catholic Church to lead Genocide of 1932-1933, which represents the Holodomor march up Third Avenue.Ukrainian community organizations from (Continued on page 8) At least 90 killed in Ukraine’s Thousands flock to St. Patrick’s Cathedral worst-ever mining accident for requiem service for Holodomor victims by Zenon Zawada The accident rate at the Zasiadko by Roma Hadzewycz The requiem service marked the offi- Mines is seven times higher than others cial beginning of a year of commemora- Kyiv Press Bureau NEW YORK – Close to 3,000 in Ukraine, according to the Dielo news- tions by Ukrainians worldwide of the Ukrainians filed into the Cathedral of St. KYIV – Ukraine suffered the worst paper, a Kyiv business daily. Holodomor’s 75th anniversary. Opening Patrick on Saturday afternoon, November mining accident in its history on The Zasiadko Mines are property of the service, Bishop Paul Chomnycky of 17, for a solemn prayer service in memory November 18 when a methane gas explo- the Ukrainian government, but they are the Stamford Eparchy of the Ukrainian sion caused a collapse at the Zasiadko leased and operated by Yukhym of the 7 million to 10 million who perished Mines in Donetsk, killing at least 90 min- Zviahilskyi, an oligarch who has con- in the Famine-Genocide of 1932-1933. (Continued on page 10) ers working inside. trolled the mines for more than three President Viktor Yushchenko declared decades. a National Day of Mourning on During the early 1990s he attempted to November 20, the same day that 28 of seize control of Ukraine’s prime minis- the fallen miners were buried by their tership, only to have some of his corrupt weeping families, relatives and friends. practices exposed by his rivals, said Ivan “The tragedy in Donetsk is the latest Lozowy, a Kyiv political observer and challenge not only for Ukraine’s coal New York University Law School gradu- industry, but for the nation’s entire gov- ate. ernment,” the president said in Donetsk. To resolve the corruption accusations, “I am convinced that all politicians he lived in Israel for nearly three years should demonstrate a national policy. before returning to Ukraine. He is a key This is a great tragedy, and we’re sup- member of the Party of the Regions of posed to emerge from it with the appro- Ukraine. priate lessons.” By eluding ownership of the mines, Though lessons may be learned this Mr. Zviahilskyi is able to avoid accounta- time, they certainly weren’t taken into bility for their problems, Mr. Lozowy account in the past. said. For example, as the mines’ owner, Although one of the best-equipped the Ukrainian government will foot the mines in the Donbas region, the Zasiadko bill to compensate the victims’ families. Mines have a history of accidents caus- President Yushchenko said each family ing scores of deaths. A methane explo- will receive $20,000 in compensation. Matthew Dubas During the requiem service at the Cathedral of St. Patrick (from left) are: Father sion in August 2001 killed 55 miners, The miners killed in the explosion, while 50 were killed in May 1999 during Bernard Panczuk, Bishop Paisii, Bishop Paul Chomnycky, Metropolitan- drilling and blasting operations. (Continued on page 3) Archbishop Stefan Soroka, Archbishop Antony and Bishop John Bura. 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2007 No. 47 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFSNEWSBRIEFS Ukraine and Russia face off Memorial unveiled in Zhytomyr region (YTB) will on November 23 sign a for- mal agreement on the creation of a coali- over cleaning up oil spill KYIV – President Viktor Yushchenko tion in the Verkhovna Rada, RFE/RL’s on November 20 took part in the unveil- Ukrainian Service reported. Mr. by John C.K. Daly Black Sea neighbors were quick to ing of a monument to victims of famines Kyrylenko said that after the OU-PSD Eurasia Daily Monitor assist, with the Romanian Navy’s and political repression in Ukraine in the and YTB conclude their agreements, they Constanta Maritime Rescue Center settlement of Popilnia, Zhytomyr region. will make every effort to elect the leader- On November 11 a powerful storm Director Adrian Alexe responding to a The monument was erected on a mound ship of the Parliament and parliamentary arose in the northeastern Black Sea. By request from Russian naval authorities containing capsules with soil from 34 committees as soon as possible, and to the end of it, Russia and Ukraine faced for the 100-ton capacity Gigant floating mass graves of Holodomor victims of quickly approve a new Cabinet. First serious environmental damage from an crane to assist commercial vessels sunk 1932-1933. The granite monument is Vice Prime Minister Mykola Azarov, one oil spill and a potentially acrimonious in the storm (Rompres, November 13). shaped like an Orthodox Christian cross, of the leaders of the Party of the Regions, diplomatic situation. The finger-pointing has already start- which is split in half as a symbol of announced the same day that his party is According to Ukraine’s Emergency ed. Krasnodar Governor Alexander human pain and suffering. The void of also working on the creation of a coali- Situations Ministry, after the storm four Tkachev said, “Some 30,000 birds have the split is filled by another cross signify- tion in the newly elected Parliament. ships had foundered, another six had run died and it’s not possible to count how ing the memory of the living. The monu- “You like the words ‘broad’ and ‘demo- aground and two tankers were damaged many fish. The damage is so great that ment was funded by local philanthropist cratic?’” he asked. “I like the term ‘effec- in the narrow Kerch Strait, at the it’s hard to assess. It can be equated with Valerii Shypnivskyi, who lost four of his tive coalition’ – one that is able to create entrance to the Sea of Azov between an ecological catastrophe.” (Interfax, family members to Soviet repressions. a government and carry out the reforms Russia and Ukraine. One of the damaged November 13). The damages caused by (Ukrinform) required by the country. The Party of the ships was the Volgoneft-139, which was the wrecked ships have been estimated at Vandals target Holodomor exhibit Regions is seriously working on the cre- carrying more than 4,000 tons of fuel oil. up to $163 million. ation of such a coalition,” Mr. Azarov Smashed by 67-mph winds and 16-foot Russian and Ukrainian tugs have KYIV – The Foreign Affairs Ministry said. (RFE/RL Newsline) waves, the ship split in two, spilling more hauled the stern of the Volgoneft-139 into of Ukraine on November 19 expressed a than half its cargo (Ukrainske Radio, Kavkaz, where an additional 933 tons of categorical protest against the actions of Rada to convene November 23 November 13). fuel oil were pumped out (Interfax- the Eurasian Union of Youth representa- Ukraine, November 15). While clean-up KYIV – The committee preparing for The only good news from the storm tives who on November 17 desecrated the first session of the newly elected was that the ecological catastrophe could crews are already attacking the oil drift- the exhibition dedicated to the 1932- ing onto beaches, the authorities are Verkhovna Rada announced on have been much worse.