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Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association Vol. LXIX No. 21 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2001 $1/$2 in Ukraine HE KRAINIANKuchma namesEEKLY Anatolii Kinakh MemorialT to slain journalistsU disappears W by Roman Woronowycz of what would have been Mr. as Ukraine’s 10th prime minister Kyiv Press Bureau Gongadze’s 32 birthday and was one of several actions held on May 21 in memo- KYIV – A damaged memorial to ry of the late journalist, including the by Roman Woronowycz Parliament, however, that a good number Heorhii Gongadze and other slain establishment of a small tent city before Kyiv Press Bureau of leftist lawmakers are ready to support his nomination if he offers to adopt a few Ukrainian journalists disappeared on the Verkhovna Rada building by support- KYIV – After extensive consultations May 23, not fully two days after it was ers of the Patriotic Party of Ukraine. planks of their political agendas. with leaders of most all Verkhovna Rada The Verkhovna Rada’s powerful first erected outside the offices of an inde- Few supporters of the Ukraine factions in order to smooth the confirma- pendent news agency in Kyiv. Without Kuchma oppositionist group, vice-chairman, Viktor Medvedchuk – tion process, President Leonid Kuchma whose endorsement is crucial if Mr. The monument had appeared in honor which commissioned the monument, had nominated Anatolii Kinakh to be Ukraine’s believed the four-foot-high black marble Kinakh is to be confirmed by the lawmak- 10th prime minister on May 21. ers – said on May 23 that it would be bet- tombstone-like piece would stand in its “I will propose this candidacy today,” place in the heart of Kyiv for very long. ter if the nominee attained a majority with- Former UNA officer Mr. Kuchma told reporters in the village of out Communist or Socialist votes. And it didn’t, disappearing on the second Yasnoziria, while on a tour of the morning after it was erected. Mr. Kinakh finds himself in a difficult Cherkasy region. situation because he cannot expect votes Walter Sochan dies “This is a national disgrace,” said Mr. Kinakh, 46, a national deputy and Volodymyr Lutsenko, who was one of from the center-right, which might have president of the League of Industrialists supported him had he not been nominated PARSIPPANY, N.J. – News the co-organizers of the effort to honor and Entrepreneurs as well as a close asso- eight Ukrainian journalists – first and to replace the prime minister whose gov- reached the Ukrainian National ciate of Mr. Kuchma, had not been shy in foremost among them Mr. Gongadze – ernment they desperately tried to save. Association’s Corporate Headquarters pushing his candidacy in the days follow- who the Ukraine Without Kuchma group The leaders of the Reforms-Congress fac- here that Walter (Wolodymyr) ing the dismissal of the government of tion and both Rukh factions said they Sochan, longtime supreme secretary believes were murdered because of what Viktor Yuschenko. He had kept his hat in would not take part in the vote for any can- of the UNA, died on Wednesday, May they wrote or reported about state the ring even as the name of Serhii didate except Mr. Yuschenko and would 23, at St. Michael’s Hospital in authorities. Tyhypko, a political colleague with very become an opposition force to the new Newark, N.J. He was 77. The disappearance and apparent death similar political views and support, kept government. Mr. Sochan had been hospitalized of Mr. Gongadze incited a national polit- bouncing around at the top of the list of “We believe the only proper govern- since a heart attack on May 13. ical crisis late last year after audiotapes possible candidates. Mr. Kinakh was ment for Ukraine is the Yuschenko govern- Surviving are his wife, Neonila; surfaced in which President Leonid briefly the first vice prime minister in the ment, which should not have been daughter, Romana Hadzewycz, with Kuchma and other high state officials last days of the government of Valerii removed,” explained Hennadii Udovenko, her husband, Andrew, and sons, appear to be planning the radio and Internet journalist’s disappearance. Pustovoitenko. chairman of the National Rukh of Ukraine Markian and Paul; son, Taras Yuri; Mr. Kinakh’s appointment, which must and brothers, Oleh and Ihor, with their Mykhailo Batih, the president of the faction on May 23. UNIAN news agency, explained that he be approved by a majority of national President Kuchma dismissed Mr. families. deputies in the Verkhovna Rada, is far The UNA Executive Committee (Continued on page 4) from certain. There are rumblings in the (Continued on page 4) noted that the entire UNA family grieves at the unexpected loss of this dedicated UNA’er, an honorary mem- ber of the UNA General Assembly, and tireless community activist. Forum of Ukrainians in the Czech Republic reacts to events in Ukraine Requiem services were offered on by Deanna T. Yurchuk 25-year-old Kalyna Procyk, a Chicago providers such as Pravda.org or Thursday and Friday evenings, May native who has been living in Prague since Korespondent.net.” According to Ms. PARSIPPANY, N.J.– As a response to 24-25, at the McLaughlin Funeral September. Ms. Procyk was interested in Procyk, Ukrainians in the Czech Republic the recent bloody events in Kyiv, Home in Jersey City. The funeral getting involved in the Ukrainian commu- are saddened and maddened by the situa- Ukrainians living in Prague created an liturgy was scheduled for Saturday, nity in Prague when she met one of the tion in Ukraine today. “Most of the new organization called the Forum of May 26, at 10 a.m. at Ss. Peter and founders of the forum, Mr. Zajnullin at the immigrants from Ukraine are in Prague Ukrainians in the Czech Republic. The Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church in Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church only a because they could not find work in group had a duel purpose: to unite Jersey City, N.J., with burial to follow few weeks before the protests in Ukraine Ukraine and wholeheartedly agree that the Ukrainians in the Czech Republic and to at Holy Cross Cemetery in nearby intensified. government [back home] is corrupt,” she support the political opposition in Ukraine. North Arlington. “When the Forum of Ukrainians in the said. Although in existence for a mere two Czech Republic was organized,” Ms. A lot has been accomplished by the and a half months, thus far this group has Procyk revealed, “I said that I supported forum so far, Ms. Procyk stated. “The protested twice outside the Embassy of their goals and was willing to help in their organization is now in the process of Ukraine in the Czech Republic; organized a efforts.” recruiting members, gathering contacts, picketing of Ukrainian ambassadors; laid According to one of the founders, Borys financial support and registering itself as a flowers at the memorial to Taras Karmeluk, the organization was created in legal non-profit organization in the Czech Shevchenko in Prague; printed fliers and order to accurately inform and unite Republic,” she said. The forum is affiliated other reading material about Ukraine’s cor- Ukrainians and representatives of other with no particular party but aims to unite rupt state; as well as written public letters to nationalities in the Czech Republic who are Ukrainians in the Czech Republic even the president of the Czech Republic and to concerned with the problems in Ukraine. with disparate political views, according to embassies of countries of the European “By ‘uniting’ I mean to create conditions Ms. Procyk. Union, the United States and Canada, conducive to democratic views and rights in “The group aims to represent all of the which were printed in several media out- the realization that only through their own Ukrainians in the Czech Republic, not only lets. efforts will Ukrainians be able to build an residents of Prague,” Ms. Procyk said, “So The organization supports the opposition independent society of sincere and uncor- far, Ukrainians from Kladno and Brno movement and initiatives for democracy, rupted individuals,” Mr. Karmeluk stated. have also joined in the demonstrations.” To transparency in government, rule of law, “Without access to a computer, there are date about 50 people have attended one or civil society and a Western (pro-European) not many news outlets for Ukrainians in the more of the forum’s events, however, with orientation for Ukraine. The initiators of the Czech Republic, since only the top stories each event more people attend. The com- forum established on March 9, were Oleh make the Czech press,” Ms. Procyk munity of émigrés from the former Zajnullin, Oleksander Zlenko and Borys explained. “Consequently, the public readi- Yugoslavia also strongly supports the Wolodymyr Sochan Karmeluk. ly snatches all of the free news leaflets that Another member of this organization is members of the forum print up from news (Continued on page 6) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2001 No. 21 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFSNEWSBRIEFS The Chernomyrdin nomination Kinakh pledges to continue reforms called on Moldova to grant the by Jan Maksymiuk is my job, not the place of residence. I Transdniester region “wide authority.” RFE/RL Poland, Belarus and Ukraine Report love Russia and respect Ukraine,” KYIV – Anatolii Kinakh, who has been (RFE/RL Newsline) Interfax quoted him as saying. Many named by President Leonid Kuchma as a Russian President Vladimir Putin Russian and Ukrainian media noted that candidate to head the Cabinet of Ministers, Voronin speaks on Ukrainian Communists made a surprising move last week by Mr.