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Inside: • UCCA and UNIS organize Ukrainian Days in D.C. – page 4. • ’s Catholics face hurdles in building a church – page 5. • The art of “gerdany” on display in Philadelphia – page 9

ThePublished U by thekrainian Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal Wnon-profit associationeekly Vol. LXXIX No. 20 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 15, 2011 $1/$2 in German court convicts Demjanjuk, Clashes break out in Lviv sentences him to five years in prison during Victory Day events

PARSIPPANY, N.J. – John Demjanjuk “John Demjanjuk is just a scapegoat for was found guilty on Thursday, May 12, the Germans. He has to pay for all the mis- of being an accessory to murder at the takes they made in the , and that’s not Nazi death camp in Sobibor, Poland, after justice,” defense attorney Ulrich Busch an 18-month trial in , . said in a news video released by the AP. The reported that he The Telegraph (United Kingdom) was convicted on 28,060 counts of acces- reported: sory to murder, “one for each person who “The high-profile trial, seen as one of died during the time he was ruled to have the last to involve an alleged Nazi war been a guard at the Sobibor camp in criminal, has led to much soul-searching Nazi-occupied Poland,” and quoted the on the subject of delayed justice. presiding judge, Ralph Alt as saying the “And the fact that the accused was a defendant was part of the Nazis’ machin- Ukrainian-born prisoner of war who now ery of destruction.” faces justice at the hands of the nation In closing the trial, Judge Alt also said, behind the Holocaust has also raised “The court is convinced that the defen- questions. dant… served as a guard at Sobibor from “He is in fact the first foreigner to be 27 March 1943 to mid-September 1943.” judged in Germany for Nazi war crimes.” The AP’s news story about the verdict quoted a Dutch Nazi pointed out: “There was no evidence that war crimes expert, Prof. Christiaan Rüter, Demjanjuk committed a specific crime. as saying of Mr. Demjanjuk that he was UNIAN/Oleg Petrasyuk The prosecution was based on the theory “the littlest of the little fishes” The news- Soldiers in uniforms of the Great Patriotic War (as World War II was known in that if Demjanjuk was at the camp, he paper added that he is “the lowest ranking the ) near a Victory Day billboard featuring greetings from was a participant in the killing — the first person ever to be put on trial for war President of Ukraine. The soldiers were participating in a time such a legal argument has been crimes in Germany.” parade down the Khreschatyk, ’s main boulevard, on May 9. Celebrations of made in German courts.” On May 9, as the trial was coming to an Victory Day were held throughout Ukraine. Furthermore, as noted by The end, Agence France-Presse had reported: Guardian (United Kingdom), “no living “Serge Klarsfeld, the French lawyer by Volodymyr Musyak cateur who fired a rubber bullet at an and Nazi hunter, expressed frustration witness could testify to having seen Special to The Ukrainian Weekly attacker was also arrested. Demjanjuk at the concentration camp.” with the trial, saying it failed to provide Opposition leaders accused the adminis- The court sentenced the former U.S. new details about the case and could not KYIV – Clashes erupted in pockets of tration of President Viktor Yanukovych of citizen to five years in prison, but ordered prove Demjanjuk’s direct participation in Lviv on May 9 when a few hundred pro- enabling radicals to provoke the residents of him released pending an appeal, noting the killings. Russian provocateurs traveled from Lviv, who were terrorized by the that he did not pose a flight risk. It is not “ ‘The witnesses are all dead and there Odesa and Crimea for the Victory Day Communists for half a century. Political clear, however, where Mr. Demjanjuk, 91 are no documents because he was only a holiday to raise Soviet-era and hold observers concluded it was a provocation and in ill health, will go when he is freed. small fish,’ Klarsfeld told AFP. A guilty meetings to honor Army veterans. approved by the Ukrainian government Nor is it clear whether he will be credited verdict ‘would open the door to accusa- More than 2,000 demonstrators, many with the Kremlin’s involvement. for time already served in prison. tions of unfair justice,’ he added.” of them members of nationalist groups, “This was part of a large script of man- Mr. Demjanjuk’s son, John Jr., told the Bloomberg News interviewed Frank fought furiously to prevent red flags from aged chaos in Ukraine which has been AP news service that his father would Saliger, a professor of criminal law and being hoisted throughout the city. implemented for a long time,” Ihor appeal. “The Germans have built a house philosophy of law at Hamburg’s Bucerius Authorities said they are prosecuting five Markov, of the ethno-social of cards and it will not stand for long,” he rioters out of about a dozen arrested, but research department at the National stated. (Continued on page 21) will consider more upon review. A provo- Academy of Sciences of Ukraine in Lviv, told the ZIK news service. Evidence of cooperation between Kyiv officials and agents was ample. Regions deputies in D.C. to promote their agenda Among the organizations involved in the melee was the violent Rodina (Homeland) by Yaro Bihun could not be ascertained. They were Ukrainian schools, selling off its heri- organization of Odesa, whose ties to Russian Special to The Ukrainian Weekly closed and/or “off the record.” tage and denigrating its historic patriot- secret services was confirmed by the The May 4 meeting with Ukrainian ic organizations – like the Ukrainian Ukrainian government several years back. WASHINGTON – A delegation of Americans at St. Andrew Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), the Galicia Instead of arresting them, local police five members of the Orthodox Cathedral in Silver Spring, Division, Sichovi Striltsi – and their offered protection to the provocateurs, Ukrainian visited the U.S. Md., on the other hand, was open, and activist members, which, she said, who defied a decision by Lviv Oblast capital on May 3-6 trying to convince from the outset it was clear that there is included her father and other relatives. authorities to celebrate Victory Day under official and unofficial Washington of a great divide between their party’s , deputy chairman of the Ukrainian state only, and a Lviv the righteousness of the policies pur- political and national goals and what the International Relations Committee, court ruling that banned any events and sued by President Viktor Yanukovych the majority of Ukrainian Americans who headed the delegation, explained activities on May 9 other than those and their party. would like to see develop in their native that some of those stressful issues result approved by the Lviv Oblast State The extent of the national deputies’ land. from Ukraine’s civil wars, and pointed Administration and Lviv City Council. success, if any, in their meetings with a “Vstyd i hanba (shame and dis- out that Ukraine is a country of many The arrival in Lviv of the radical orga- few members of Congress and their grace)” was how the first discussant nationalities and languages. nizations Rodina and Russkoye staff, among them Rep. Marcy Kaptur, concluded her remarks after the delega- Olena Bondarenko, who serves on Yedinstvo (Russian Unity) for a mass who co-chairs the Congressional tion’s initial presentation. She criticized the Freedom of Speech and Information meeting with their red banners appeared Ukrainian Caucus, and think-tanks – the majority party for downgrading the to violate those decisions. like the National Democratic Institute – role of the , closing (Continued on page 5) (Continued on page 22) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 15, 2011 No. 20 NEWS ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFS

One newspaper triumphs. Yanukovych on Victory Day a continuation of the rhetoric that the war was won by another country and that this Now what about the rest? KYIV – President Viktor Yanukovych could have been done without the emphasized, in his speech during celebra- Ukrainians, as Russian Prime Minister by Alexa Chopivsky er Vadim Kolesnichenko called the State tions dedicated to the 66th anniversary of has said. Ms. RFE/RL Department’s report “absolutely false.” the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany, Tymoshenko said that the red banner dur- Mr. Bonner disagrees. For most that Victory Day is the most important ing the war of 1941-1945 was really a On April 20 the reinstated Ukrainian journalists, he says, editorial landmark on the road to creating a new symbol of unification of the whole coun- Brian Bonner. That was one small victory interference is a fact of life. In his case humane peace, since just 66 years ago the try in fighting the enemy. However, for freedom of the press in Ukraine. Many powerful supporters enabled him to fight construction of single democratic Europe “today it is a technology of separation, a other reporters in the country are still wait- back. “I hope other Ukrainian journalists started, which Ukraine strives to join technology of supervision that seeks to ing for a break. take heart,” Mr. Bonner said. Yet he con- today. Speaking on Independence Square divert attention from real social prob- Five days earlier Mr. Bonner was fired cedes that most Ukrainian reporters face an in Kyiv on May 9, he said, “Today, we lems: jobs, doing business, education and from his job as the newspaper’s chief edi- uphill battle. “I’m an American. I have a celebrate an outstanding event of our his- medical care.” (Ukrinform) tor after refusing to obey an order by its contract. I put in legal protections. Most tory – 66 years ago, the Ukrainian people, owner to kill an interview with the minister Ukrainian journalists don’t have this.” shoulder to shoulder with other peoples Huge victory banner in Mykolaiv of agriculture. of Europe and the world, defeated the “Most of the media in Ukraine is domi- KYIV – A huge red Soviet victory “Our reporters had not even returned to nated by oligarchs that are close to the most dangerous enemy of humanity– banner – more than 160 square meters in the office after the interview before I start- administration,” said Roman Olearchyk, a Nazism.” He said that this victory is “our size – was hoisted near the Olshansky ed getting calls from [management] saying Kyiv Post editorial board member and common holiday,” uniting the people of Heroes Memorial in Mykolaiv, it was the agriculture minister had complained Financial Times stringer. “Some are not, Ukraine and all the peoples of the world. reported on May 6. It was delivered to the about the aggressive style of the interview, but journalists often are far too beholden to “The ghost of death and slavery was con- city as part of the all-Ukrainian motor the questions, raising big concerns about the interests of their oligarch owners.” traposed by the heroism and self-sacrifice rally – from Odesa to Kyiv, via Mykolaiv, what kind of story is going to come out of of millions of people, their striving Kherson, Sevastopol, Symferopol, this,” said Mr. Bonner, who added that it Political pressure toward freedom, peace and happiness. Zaporizhia and Dnipropetrovsk, which was the first time that owner Mohammad Thanks to the feat of our parents and The Kyiv Post interview with Agriculture was conducted on May 5-9 under the aus- Zahoor had interfered in the paper’s edito- grandparents, the forces that were trying Minister Mykola Prysyazhnyuk allegedly pices of the Coordinating Council of rial work since buying it two years ago. to enslave and to annihilate entire peoples triggered controversy because of questions Youth Organizations of Ukraine. When Mr. Bonner insisted on publish- were overcome,” the president said. put to Mr. Prysyazhnyuk about his Participating in the motor rally were ing the story, Mr. Zahoor, a British citizen rumored ties to a powerful businessman, “May 9 is a sacred date for all of us. It is vehicles of the Great Patriotic War. and steel tycoon who made his fortune in Yuriy Ivaniushchenko. washed with the blood of heroes, martyrs (Ukrinform) Ukraine, fired him. Mr. Zahoor said that Critics allege that Mr. Ivaniushchenko and the righteous, the memory about the article didn’t meet proper journalistic controls a grain-trading company that is them will never be erased,” he said. Mr. Lviv to celebrate under standards, telling the Russian newspaper said to have locked up the lion’s share of Yanukovych also stated that he would not Kommersant in an interview that the piece grain-export quotas established by the gov- allow speculation on the theme of trage- LVIV – The Lviv region will mark was “unprepared and flabby.” Then the ernment in the wake of a bad harvest last dies of the 20th century, in particular, the Victory Day under the state flag of 30-strong staff at the Kyiv Post walked off year. Mr. Ivaniushchenko, who hails from theme of the Great Patriotic War. “I am Ukraine, said Mykhailo Tsymbaliuk, the job. the hometown of President Yanukovych deeply indignant at attempts of political chairman (governor) of the Lviv Oblast The case triggered a storm of interna- and claims to know him well, also happens speculation on the tragedies of the 20th State Administration. “We will mark tional attention, including articles in the to hold a seat in Parliament for the ruling century. For the sake of cheap popularity, Victory Day in the Lviv region under Financial Times and The Wall Street Party of Regions. some public figures are trying to split national flags. We will not allow any Journal, as well as a U.S. Embassy state- In an interview, Mr. Ivaniushchenko Ukrainians again,” he said. (Ukrinform) marches and provocations aimed at ment. Visiting U.S. senators expressed denied having interests in the company. undermining stability or causing distur- “serious concern” that Mr. Bonner’s firing Minister Prysyazhnyuk has admitted to Tymoshenko on red flags of May 9 bance in Lviv and the region,” Mr. had undermined freedom of the press in Tsymbaliuk said. The committee in knowing the identity of the company’s KYIV – The leader of the opposition Ukraine. Press-freedom watchdog charge of organizing the 66th Victory owner and promised to provide registration party Batkivschyna, , Reporters Without Borders also issued a Day anniversary festivities held a meet- documents disclosing the information. He has said that the red flags to be posted on strongly worded note of concern. ing on May 4, the administration leader has yet to deliver them, despite repeated May 9 to mark the Victory Day will The backlash bore fruit. Five days later requests by the Kyiv Post. said. “The meeting was attended by vet- Mr. Bonner went back to work, now as part impose on citizens the feeling that the erans of both the Soviet army and the James Marson, a member of the Kyiv contributions of Ukrainians to the out- of a four-member editorial board, and the Post editorial board, says that while Mr. Ukrainian Insurgent Army, and we Post’s reporters went back on the job. come of World War II was minor. agreed to hold May 9 under Ukraine’s Bonner’s return to the paper is a victory for Speaking in Sumy on May 6, Ms. independent journalism in Ukraine, the national flag,” Mr. Tsymbaliuk reported. A trying environment Tymoshenko said the adoption of the law incident has served as a sobering reminder on displaying the victory flag on May 9 is (Continued on page 14) All’s well that ends well? Not quite. Mr. of the realities for Ukrainian journalists. “If Bonner is the first to acknowledge that his Mr. Zahoor did get the phone calls that he story stands out in a country where most allegedly got [from the Agriculture reporters can’t count on comparable atten- Ministry], then it shows what a tough envi- FOUNDED 1933 tion from the international press. ronment there currently is for media own- The Ukrainian Weekly Over the past year, Ukraine’s ranking in ers and journalists.” several internationally recognized surveys An English-language newspaper published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., of measures of freedom has dropped mark- Ukraine’s window to the West a non-profit association, at 2200 Route 10, P.O. Box 280, Parsippany, NJ 07054. Yearly subscription rate: $55; for UNA members — $45. edly. In its 2011 report Freedom House Mr. Marson adds that the Kyiv Post downgraded Ukraine from “free” to “partly plays a unique role in the Ukrainian media Periodicals postage paid at Caldwell, NJ 07006 and additional mailing offices. free,” citing a “deterioration in press free- market because it is widely read by mem- (ISSN — 0273-9348) dom.” Reporters Without Borders pointed bers of the expatriate community inside The Weekly: UNA: to “the slow and steady deterioration in Ukraine and many others internationally Tel: (973) 292-9800; Fax: (973) 644-9510 Tel: (973) 292-9800; Fax: (973) 292-0900 press freedom since Viktor Yanukovych’s who use it to follow affairs in the country. election as president in February.” “The Ukrainian leadership seems to care Postmaster, send address changes to: The U.S. State Department’s 2010 what the rest of the world thinks [about The Ukrainian Weekly Editor-in-chief: Roma Hadzewycz “Human Rights Report” for Ukraine noted Ukraine]. They know that if Ukraine starts 2200 Route 10 Editors: Matthew Dubas that, while the country’s Constitution pro- to backslide on democracy, the West will P.O. Box 280 Zenon Zawada (Kyiv) claims freedom of the press, “in practice give it a harder time.” Parsippany, NJ 07054 government pressure on the media intimi- Yuriy Lukanov, chairman of the Kyiv dated journalists and media owners in Independent Media Trade Union, agrees The Ukrainian Weekly Archive: www.ukrweekly.com; e-mail: [email protected] some cases into practicing self-censor- that Western publications carry more influ- ship.” ence with government officials. “When it The Ukrainian Weekly, May 15, 2011, No. 20, Vol. LXXIX Government officials say it’s all bunk. comes to the Western press, [the people in Copyright © 2011 The Ukrainian Weekly Presidential adviser Hanna Herman dis- power] are like attentive boys. They react missed the Freedom House ranking as because they care about their reputation in “biased.” Ruling Party of Regions lawmak- the West. They’re not as interested in their ADMINISTRATION OF THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY AND SVOBODA domestic reputation.” According to Natalia Lygachova, Walter Honcharyk, administrator (973) 292-9800, ext. 3041 director of the media-monitoring compa- e-mail: [email protected] Correction Maria Oscislawski, advertising manager (973) 292-9800, ext. 3040 The USCAK calendar (May 8) had the ny Telekritika, “The two main censorship fax: (973) 644-9510 wrong extension (.com) for the website problems in Ukraine today are [so- e-mail: [email protected] of the Ukrainian Sports Federation of the called] telephone censorship [or warning Mariyka Pendzola, subscriptions (973) 292-9800, ext. 3042 US.A. and Canada. The web address phone calls from high-placed officials] e-mail: [email protected] should read www.uscak.org. (Continued on page 3) No.20 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 15, 2011 3 NEWS ANALYSIS: Kyiv insists on revision of gas contract with

by Pavel Korduban coefficient to the price of gas.” He made it Ukraine’s Energy Minister Yurii Boiko Kazakhstan or Uzbekistan offered cheaper Eurasia Daily Monitor clear this was a concession offered to arrived in Moscow to meet with Gazprom gas Ukraine would buy it from them (Inter Russia (Interfax-Ukraine, April 21). Mr. CEO Aleksey Miller. The formal start of TV, April 29). Ukraine has launched talks to revise the Yanukovych spoke one day after Mr. the talks, according to Zerkalo Nedeli’s It is not clear how this can be achieved January 2009 gas contract with Russia Putin’s announcement to the Russian sources, means that if no compromise is given that it is currently impossible for according to which the base price was Duma that Ukraine wanted to pay for gas reached by the end of May, Ukraine will Ukraine to buy gas from Central Asia with- hiked from $179 to $450 per 1,000 cubic in rubles, rather than U.S. dollars as has be entitled to dispute the 2009 contract in out Russian mediation. The Ukrainian bil- meters of gas. Kyiv hopes the contract will been the case thus far. a Swedish court according to the con- lionaire Dmytro Firtash, a long-term partner be revised by the end of the summer. Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola tract’s provisions. In particular, the con- of Gazprom, may be involved at some Ukraine’s ruling Party of Regions cannot Azarov persuaded Mr. Putin to send his tract may be invalidated if it is proved that point. Mr. Firtash’s Ostchem Group started afford high domestic gas prices ahead of deputy Igor Sechin to Kyiv in order to it was concluded under pressure or as a buying gas from Central Asia for its the October 2012 parliamentary elections check why the contracts “did not suit result of fraud (Zerkalo Nedeli, April 28). Ukrainian chemical factories this past April. as its popularity is crumbling, hence the Ukraine,” as Mr. Putin put it. Mr. Sechin Ukrainian prosecutors started preparing On Ukraina TV on May 1, Prime rapid revision of the contract. arrived in Kyiv on April 19, but nothing the basis for litigation with Gazprom by Minister Azarov insisted that Russia would President Viktor Mr. Yanukovych is has been reported about the results of his charging former Prime Minister Yulia have to agree to revise gas prices. Again, he ready to pay for Russian gas in rubles but meeting with Ukrainian officials. Tymoshenko with exceeding her authority did not specify how this may be achieved, he is not willing to secure cheaper gas by Apparently there was no tangible result, as when she instructed the Naftohaz Ukrainy saying only that expensive gas for Ukraine joining the Moscow-dominated Customs the Russian prime minister had rejected national oil and gas company to conclude did not correspond with the spirit of strate- Union. Kyiv is also apparently trying to any revision of the contract ahead of Mr. the contract and by opening a criminal gic partnership between the two nations play on differences between Russian Sechin’s trip, saying that the contract sim- case against the then CEO of Naftohaz, and that Mr. Boiko’s talks with Mr. Miller President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime ply had to be adhered to (Nezavisimaya Oleg Dubyna (EDM, April 22). on April 28 were “constructive.” Like Mr. Minister Vladimir Putin ahead of next Gazeta, April 20). Mr. Boiko said a new gas contract Boiko, Mr. Azarov said that a lawsuit year’s Russian presidential elections. By contrast, some progress was report- would be concluded by the end of summer against Russia would only be the last resort. Ukrainian leaders told Mr. Putin on his edly achieved with President Medvedev’s 2011. He pledged to do his utmost to recent visit to Kyiv that the gas contract team. According to the sources of the achieve this and confirmed that a lawsuit The article above is reprinted from had to be revised. At the same time, Mr. Ukrainian weekly newspaper Zerkalo might be an option, although he insisted Eurasia Daily Monitor with permission Putin’s invitation for Ukraine to join the Nedeli, during his visit to Kyiv on April that an agreement should be reached with- from its publisher, the Jamestown Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and 26, Mr. Medvedev agreed to discuss the out courts. He added that if either Foundation, www.jamestown.org. Kazakhstan was ignored (Eurasia Daily contract formula that would base the price Monitor, April 22). Mr. Yanukovych con- for Ukraine on international oil prices firmed in an interview with The Wall (Zerkalo Nedeli, April 27). Street Journal on April 26, that he pre- Such a formula, at a time when oil prices Commission calls attention ferred a free trade deal, which Ukraine is are rising, is expected to cause the price for negotiating with the European Union, to Ukraine to jump from the current $293 per to disturbing trends in media freedom the Customs Union. Moreover, he dis- 1,000 cubic meters of gas to as much as missed Mr. Putin’s comments that Ukraine $340 by the end of 2011 – even with the WASHINGTON – In conjunction ble for exposing human rights abuses would earn an additional $6.5 billion to $9 discount which Ukraine secured last year in with World Press Freedom Day, and corruption. I again urge participat- billion per annum if it joined the Customs exchange for allowing the Russian Black marked annually on May 3, the leaders ing states to repeal criminal defamation Union as empty talk. Sea Fleet to stay in Sevastopol until 2042. of the bicameral, bipartisan U.S. statutes, one device often used in an At the same time, Mr. Yanukovych said Following the agreement with Commission on Security and attempt to muzzle independent media.” it should be possible to pay for Russian Medvedev, talks to settle the gas price dis- Cooperation in Europe (U.S. Helsinki Sen. Cardin decried the fact that gas in rubles if Russia “applied a lowering pute were started on April 28, when Commission) called attention to dis- “seemingly on a daily basis we receive turbing trends affecting media freedom reports documenting harassment of in countries belonging to the independent media and journalists by comes to the owner’s defense. “We think Organization for Security and the authorities in some participating it’s undeserving that Mr. Zahoor got caught Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). states. From burdensome registration One newspaper... As a case in point, Rep. Christopher requirements or visits by the tax (Continued from page 2) up in this, as by and large he has been the best of owners, investing heavily and not H. Smith cited repeated police raids police, to the confiscation of entire targeting Belarus’ beleaguered inde- print runs or imposition of crippling and self-censorship. Managers and owners interfering in editorial,” he noted. “The roots of censorship in Ukraine stem from pendent media and arrests of journal- fines from criminal charges for defa- know there are certain themes the people in ists. mation of individuals, institutions or power don’t want to see covered.” the nation’s dominant oligarchs and politi- cians, not Mr. Zahoor.” “I am deeply concerned by the pre- the state, free media face a multitude The Kyiv Post was able to compromise cipitous decline in press freedom in a of threats and challenges today.” because it “plays a big role with the West Kyiv Post readers can take heart from a statement Mr. Bonner issued on the day of number of OSCE countries over the In addition to pointing to Belarus, and because it separates the two functions past year,” said Rep. Smith (R-N.J.), Rep. Smith also condemned the of the editorial side and the commercial his reinstatement: “The message to the community is: The Kyiv Post is back, chairman of the Commission and a deplorable situation in Turkmenistan side.” That, she notes, is not a common leading human rights lawmaker in the and Uzbekistan, expressed concern at arrangement in Ukraine. stronger than ever, committed to the high- est standards of journalistic independence U.S. Congress. “Independent media the heightened repression of indepen- committed to honest reporting are dent media in Azerbaijan and Turkey, Standards kept, for now and integrity.” That sounds promising. It remains to be essential to any genuinely democratic as well as ongoing reprisals against Readers will now be waiting to see if seen, of course, what will happen the next society,” he added. journalists in Russia and Kazakhstan. the Kyiv Post is allowed to live up to its time the Kyiv Post faces pressure from the “We have always known that egre- Additionally, Rep. Smith noted with high standards. On April 27, the paper’s politically well-connected. The experiences gious violations of freedom of the concern the backsliding on media free- journalists and Mr. Zahoor announced that of many other journalists in Ukraine do not press are commonplace in countries doms in Ukraine. they had found a way to patch things up. A bode well. where democracy is held in outright Chairman Smith and Co-Chairman joint statement described Mr. Zahoor as “a contempt. Yet over the past year we Cardin welcomed the important work consistent supporter of editorial indepen- Alexa Chopivsky is a journalist based have seen stepped-up attempts to muz- of OSCE Representative on Freedom dence since he acquired the Kyiv Post two in Kyiv. zle independent media and journalists,” of the Media Dunja Mijatovic, who years ago in what is a very testing environ- Copyright 2011, RFE/RL Inc. Rep. Smith noted. testified at a Helsinki Commission ment for a media owner.” Reprinted with the permission of Radio “I call upon the regime in Belarus to hearing, “Threats to Free Media in the Mr. Zahoor also offered to sell the Kyiv Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 end its unrelenting campaign against OSCE Region.” Post to editorial staff for $1 if they can Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington DC independent media and individual jour- Both Rep. Smith and Sen. Cardin arrange financing by September 1 to cover 20036; www.rferl.org. (See http://www. nalists, as well as to bring its policies, welcomed the initiative of the the newspaper’s $2.4 million in costs and rferl.org/content/commentary_one_news- including those restricting access to the Lithuanian OSCE Chairmanship to debts. paper_triumphs_in_ukraine_what_ Internet, into line with its OSCE com- convene a conference, early next Mr. Olearchyk of the editorial board about_others/16798137.html.) mitments,” urged Rep. Smith, sponsor month in Vilnius, on safety of journal- of the Belarus Democracy Act and ists in the OSCE region. Dozens of related measures, including the Belarus investigative journalists, including Democracy and Human Rights Act of American Paul Klebnikov, have been Quotable notes 2011, which seeks to support demo- murdered over the past decade in a cratic activists and break the informa- handful of OSCE countries, with few “Nationalism is not chauvinism. Chauvinism is when you love only what is tion blockade erected by the regime. of the perpetrators brought to justice. yours and hate anything that belongs to other people. To be a patriot means to The Helsinki Commission’s co- “I commend Lithuanian Foreign love your own nation and also respect others, other nationalities. Therefore, true chairman, Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin Minister Ažubalis for taking the initia- patriots who consider themselves nationalists are those who are able to love what (D-Md.) observed: “Instead of promot- tive to convene a conference on safety is theirs without hating what is other people’s, to defend their own rights without ing the freer and wider dissemination of journalists,” said Rep. Smith, encroaching on the rights of others.” of information, numerous OSCE coun- “because in several OSCE countries a – Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, former major archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek- tries are imposing myriad restrictions career in journalism is a high-risk pro- Catholic Church, in an interview with the online publication Istorychna Pravda, on independent media outlets, fre- fession with some paying the ultimate as quoted by the Religious Information Service of Ukraine (May 9). quently targeting journalists responsi- price for pursuit of the truth.” 4 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 15, 2011 No. 20

Ukrainian American community promotes its interests in Washington by Michael Sawkiw Jr. Ukrainian National Information Service WASHINGTON – Within the frame- work of programs to promote closer rela- tions between Ukrainian Americans and their members of Congress, the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA) and its Washington bureau, the Ukrainian National Information Service (UNIS), organized Ukrainian Days in Washington on April 6-7. The intent of Ukrainian Days is to pro- mote the concerns of the Ukrainian American community, and to establish better contacts with its elected representa- tives in Washington. Over a dozen community members participated in the two-day advocacy event, which began with a briefing ses- sion on on Wednesday morn- ing, April 6. Communities represented included the states of New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Maryland, Virginia, Illinois, and California. UNIS In his greeting to the participants of Rep. Mike Quigley of Illinois (center) with participants of the Ukrainian Days advocacy event in Washington. Ukrainian Days, UNIS Director Michael Sawkiw underscored that such events are director of the Ukraine, Belarus, and essential for expanding the community’s Desk. Mr. Silverman briefed influence on U.S. policy toward Ukraine. the participants about the current status of “Now our community has a chance to U.S.-Ukraine relations, in particular the develop closer relations between the new February meetings of the U.S.-Ukraine congressional leadership, as well as to Strategic Partnership Commission, during continue advocating our concerns to the which discussions were held on topics Obama administration,” he said. such as energy, Chornobyl, civil liberties “Given the backsliding of democratic violations in Ukraine and security con- trends in Ukraine, it is incumbent upon cerns. the to demonstrate support Ukrainian Days participants ques- for the Ukrainian people and their tioned the director about the upcoming unequivocal choice in favor of democrat- Chornobyl conference in Ukraine, foreign ic institutions,” Mr. Sawkiw added. assistance programs designed to combat During the two-hour briefing session, a corruption and the energy concerns of representative from the Central and East Ukraine. European Coalition (CEEC) also briefed At all of the meetings on Capitol Hill participants about the need for closer the participants of Ukrainian Days pre- relationships among the various Central sented members of Congress with various and East European communities through- policy papers on issues of importance to out the United States. “Strength in diver- the Ukrainian American community. sity,” said Alice Kipel of the CEEC, Topics covered included: the “demonstrates our resolve to advocate issues of concern to many of our respec- U.S.-Ukraine Strategic Partnership, for- tive communities.” eign assistance to Ukraine, the Ukrainian The afternoon of April 6 was dedicated Genocide, civil liberties violations in Ukraine, the Congressional Ukrainian to meetings with various congressional Rep. Danny Davis of Illinois (second from right) meets with a group of Ukrainian Caucus, and, the 25th anniversary of offices, among them those of Sen. Joseph Days participants. Lieberman (I-Conn.); Rep, Mike Quigley Chornobyl nuclear disaster. (D-Ill.); Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill.); Rep. visas to the United States for Ukrainians, tions with the people of Ukraine as he As regards U.S. foreign assistance to Jim Himes (D-Conn.); Rep. Peter as well as the need for restructuring U.S. joined participants of Ukrainian Days for Ukraine, Tamara Olexy, president of the Roskam (R-Ill.); Rep. Janice Schakowsky foreign assistance to Ukraine. The con- an early morning breakfast in the Ukrainian Congress Committee of (D-Ill.). gressman also received information about Members’ Dining Room. America (UCCA), pointed out that the In a meeting with Rep. Himes, his the Congressional Ukrainian Caucus and Rep. Quigley commented that he is U.S. Agency for International Ukrainian American constituents briefed its membership. glad to see that Ukrainian Days in Development (USAID) bypasses ethnic the congressman on the issue of travel Later that afternoon, Ariel Cohen, Washington is becoming a tradition. The organizations when considering grant Ph.D., senior research fellow at the congressman mentioned that Ukrainian applications. Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis issues are extremely important and time- “Our organizations have been involved Institute for International Studies at the ly, and said he would gladly assist the in Ukraine since the late 1980s and have Foundation, met with Ukrainian Ukrainian American community in ensur- a wide network of contacts, as well as a Days participants during an evening ing U.S. maximum assistance and partici- deep understanding of cooperating with reception and provided his perspective on pation in establishing and solidifying Ukrainian partners. Our community is the current situation in Ukraine. A brief Ukrainian democracy. very upset that the money intended to question and answer session followed his Congressional staffers from Reps. help Ukraine is not used effectively when presentation. Questions related to the Sander Levin’s (D-Mich.) and Marcy the opportunity to achieve better results U.S.-Russia “reset” and its effects on Kaptur’s (D-Ohio) office also participat- at cheaper costs is readily available,” stat- Ukraine were foremost on the minds of ed in the breakfast. ed Mrs. Olexy. the participants. Afterwards participants divided into Members of Congress said they would On April 7, Rep. Quigley emphasized groups to once again tackle meetings at examine this issue and assist Ukrainian his support for developing closer rela- the offices of the Senate Foreign American civic organizations, as well as Relations Committee. Rep. Nydia other ethnic organizations, to receive Velasquez (D-N.Y.); Sen. Barbara Boxer access to federal funding. (D-Calif.), Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.); Understanding that not everyone was Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.); Sen. Robert able to attend Ukrainian Days in Menendez (D-N.J.); Sen. Kirsten Washington, the UCCA encouraged Gillibrand (D-N.Y.); Sen. Charles Ukrainian American community mem- Schumer (D-N.Y.); Sen. Frank bers to meet with their elected officials at Lautenberg (D-N.J.); and the Helsinki their district offices. Copies of the policy Commission. papers presented at Ukrainian Days can The highlight of the two-day advocacy be obtained at the UCCA National Office event was an opportunity to visit the U.S. and at the Ukrainian National Department of State and discuss U.S.- Information Service, or on the UCCA’s A group of Ukrainian Days participants in front of the U.S. Capitol. Ukraine issues with Larry Silverman, website at www.ucca.org. No.20 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 15, 2011 5 Poltava’s Ukrainian Catholics face multiple hurdles in building a church

by Yevhen Yankevych Holy Trinity Parish submitted its first request to the City Council in the spring Special to The Ukrainian Weekly 2005 after parishioners found a 2.5-acre POLTAVA – The Poltava City Council vacant lot on the city’s edge, which had abstained on April 28 from approving the the luxury of being near a bus station. allocation of one acre of land to the local The second attempt came in February parish of the Ukrainian Catholic Church 2007, when Ukrainophobe Andrii to build its first church in the city. Matkovskyi served as mayor. Blueprints It was the third time in the last six called for not only a church, but also an years that authorities denied the request orphanage, hospice, soup kitchen and of the city’s Ukrainian Catholics, who charity offices. believe politicians capitulated to pressure That plan was again rejected by the from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Poltava City Council, which claimed that Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) to pre- “current norms recommend locating a vent any Ukrainian Catholic church from monastery complex in the [city’s] subur- being built in Poltava. ban zone.” Priests took this draft to the “We decided that we’re Orthodox and Ternopil and Ivano-Frankivsk oblasts, don’t need Catholicism,” a City Council where two such complexes were built. deputy, who requested anonymity, told Meantime the pastor, the Rev. The Ukrainian Weekly. She represents the Krolevskyi, went back to the drawing Conscience of Ukraine (Sovist Ukrainy) board, settling on a modest church that party. The parishioners were hoping for required one acre of land. A draft was the land after two similar parcels were prepared, which the Architectural-City granted to the UOC-MP in the last five Planning Council of Poltava “approved in years. principle.” The UOC-MP exerts a large influence The parish raised $875 to prepare the Courtesy of Father Yurii Krolevskyi over Ukraine’s government organs, easily draft, a significant sum for a parish with Father Yurii Krolevskyi, pastor of the Holy Trinity Parish of the Ukrainian obtaining approval for its own church only about 90 members. That plan gained Catholic Church in Poltava, blesses his parishioners and their Easter baskets on constructions – which observers said 13 signatures from the mayoral staff, as April 24. He has tried for six years to obtain land for his parish to build the city’s often violate land permits and building well as the approval of four City Council first Ukrainian Catholic church. codes – while acting to prevent other commissions. churches from getting the same approval. Opposition surfaced even before the ing firm to ask the residents of neighbor- Their main arguments were that the Poltava runs right along Ukraine’s civ- vote of the City Council, which decided to ing streets whether they oppose having a Ukrainian Catholic Church is “foreign” ilizational faultline, between eastern and form new special commissions and hold a Ukrainian Catholic church as their neigh- to Poltava, is pseudo-“Western” and is southern Ukraine – where residents tend public hearing on the church only after bor, revealing that only 25 percent were hostile to Orthodoxy, he said. to hold Russian values of orthodoxy and Holy Trinity Parish had expended years of in favor. It wasn’t explained how the sur- In 2009, parishioners got the approval imperialism – and central and western effort towards preparing the draft. vey was conducted and whether leading of the administration of the city’s arts Ukraine, whose residents embrace Parishioners met in early 2010 with questions were posed. gallery to display the embroidered icons European values of rule of law and toler- City Council Secretary Oleksander The survey’s results, as well as peti- of the Rev. Dmytro Blazejowski (who ance. Kozub, who already made up his mind tions signed against the construction, died in April of this year). Yet UOC-MP In Poltava’s case, local parishioners that under no circumstances would a were triumphantly presented by opposing Archbishop Filip of Poltava and obtained more than 30 licenses and per- Ukrainian Catholic church be built on the deputies, including those of the seeming- Myrhorod interfered, pressuring officials mits for the land from city bureaucrats. square between Selianska and Velyka ly pro-Western Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc, to close the exhibit. Finally Pastor Yurii Krolevskyi met with streets. at the same session at which the vote to Only after turning to the Poltava Oblast City Council Chair (Mayor) Oleksander Instead he suggested a different parcel, grant land failed by abstention. State Administration did the parish get the Mamai on April 4, who assured him the on the outskirts of Poltava in the newly Other forms of pressure also were go-ahead to the artwork, but only land would be granted. Mr. Mamai is also built bedroom community of Yar, three applied against Poltava’s Ukrainian in a small hall in the oblast library. a member of Conscience of Ukraine kilometers (1.9 miles) from the nearest Catholics. Poltava’s Ukrainian Catholics current- party. available public transportation. Beginning in 2007, Poltava business- ly worship at a makeshift church located That promise was repeated a week When the parishioners pointed out that men reported being visited numerous in a simple building on 43B Pushkin St., later by City Council Secretary Oksana he was practically confiscating a parcel times by UOC-MP priests, who asked comprising 25 square meters, which is Derkach, a member of the Party of that had gained all the necessary approv- them to lead employees in protesting not enough space for the worshippers, the Regions of Ukraine, which is hostile to als, he reportedly threw the two parish against the church’s construction and Rev. Krolevskyi said. the Ukrainian Catholic Church. representatives – including a priest – out organizing collections of signatures, said “We will keep praying and submit the Yet the deputies suddenly abstained of the office. Yevhen Khailov, a director of a nearby request once again,” he stated, when when the moment of truth arrived. By then, the City Council hired a poll- poultry-processing plant. asked what he plans to do next.

cial appearances. Some in the audience official national flag of the Soviet Union, and Ms. Bondarenko, for the most part – Regions deputies... thought otherwise. but the Soviet army unit flag that was also described the economic situation in The evening discussion at St. raised over the Reichstag on May 9, 1945. Ukraine and the need to undo what they (Continued from page 1) Andrew’s was being conducted in One day before the delegation’s arrival described as the economic mistakes and Ukrainian. here, The Washington Post carried an corruption of the Yushchenko administra- Committee, noted that she grew up in a One questioner asked why the analytical arrticle about President tion. They said that Ukraine has the Russian-speaking family, learning agreed to include the Yanukovych and his policies, headlined potential, among other things, to become Ukrainian only later on in her life. She, as Soviet flag in commemorations celebrat- “Ukraine’s Putin,” by Anders Aslund, a the largest trade transit country between did Mr. Kozhara, also noted that the pres- ing the victory over Nazi Germany. Mr. senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for Europe and Asia and should develop its ident speaks only in Ukrainian in his offi- Kozhara explained that it was not the International Economics. In it, Dr. Aslund airports in Kyiv and elsewhere with that noted that one year after his election, Mr. in mind. Yanukovych “appears to be following the The other members of the Party of prescription of his political model, Regions delegation were: Vitaliy Russia’s Vladimir Putin, by swiftly con- Kaliuzhny (Finance and Banking centrating power in his own hands and Committee), Maksym Lutsky (Science wealth among a small circle of associ- and Education Committee) and Oleksiy ates.” Plotnikov (Economic Policy Committee). As a result, his party’s popularity has Before coming to Washington, the del- fallen by two-thirds to 14 percent and his egation spent two days in New York City, personal approval rating to 17 percent. “A where they visited The Ukrainian large majority of Ukrainians, including in Museum, had lunch at the Veselka restau- the Russian-dominated east, believe their rant, met with former New York Mayor country is going in the wrong direction,” Rudy Giuliani, as well as with some Dr. Aslund wrote. Ukrainian Americans. Asked to comment on this article, Mr. Mr. Kozhara stressed that the trip was Kozhara questioned Dr. Aslund’s motiva- organized and financed by the Party of Yaro Bihun tion in writing this piece. In his words: Regions. While in the United States, their Leonid Kozhara, the head of the Party of Regions parliamentary delegation visit- “He is being financed by Yulia agenda was facilitated by the ing Washington, addresses a group of Ukrainian Americans during a discussion Tymoshenko” – the former prime minis- U.S.-Ukraine Foundation. The Ukrainian at St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in Silver Spring, Md. Seated at the ter and Mr. Yanukovych’s opponent in the American Coordinating Council joined in head table are his colleagues (from left) Maksym Lutsky, Olena Bondarenko, presidential election. organizing the meeting with Ukrainian Oleksiy Plotnikov and Vitaliy Kaliuzhny. The national deputies – Mr. Kozhara Americans at St. Andrew Cathedral. 6 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 15, 2011 No. 20

WINDOW ON EURASIA The Ukrainian Weekly Scripted turmoil Encouraged by Moscow, Rusyns The trap was set weeks ago. The only question was whether there were enough fools who would fall into it. As it turns out, indeed there were. step up drive for autonomy In deciding to display Soviet flags throughout Ukraine on May 9 – for the first by Paul Goble Ukrainian authorities opened a case against time since Ukraine declared independence in 1991 – the pro-Russian government Only weeks after Russia’s consul general Father Sidor for threatening the territorial of Ukraine was aiming to provoke its enemies, namely the residents of western independence of the country. But since that Ukraine who suffered unspeakable horror at the hands of the Soviets. in Lviv called him the “Moses” of his peo- ple, Dmitry Sidor, an Uzhhorod priest loyal time, two things have changed. A government should serve the interests of the people, which comes down to There is now a pro-Moscow government ensuring peace and stability within society. But not in Ukraine, where the Party of to Moscow who heads the Rusyn move- ment in Zakarpattia, declared that “after in Kyiv, and last fall Russia’s consul gener- Regions thrives on inciting social tension, ethnic conflict and mayhem. Not in al in Lviv met with Father Sidor and com- Ukraine, where the Yanukovych administration is intent on distracting the masses many years” of using only political tactics, the Rusyns are now prepared to “defend pared him to Moses because, he said, the from real problems, namely the highest inflation rates in Europe amidst the conti- Rusyn priest, who is affiliated with the nent’s lowest wages. their freedom with arms in their hands.” How seriously this threat should be Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Moscow Fights over flags and symbols are easier to engineer and far more convenient Patriarchate, is leading his people out of the than, say, drafting a tax code that would enable a middle class to emerge. The Party taken is an open question. On the one hand, the Rusyns have made similar threats wilderness (ru.tsn.ua/ukrayina/genkonsul- of Regions’ love for would be better proven by providing free educa- rf-nazval-lidera-podkarpatskih-rusinov- tion and medical care for Ukrainians. But that also won’t happen under its watch. before, most notably at the end of 2008. And on the other, an actual revolt as novym-moiseem.html). In allowing the Lviv provocations, the Yanukovych administration wanted to Almost exactly two years ago, the humiliate the city’s residents, as well as incite them to violence so that the Russian opposed to the threat of one would compli- cate Russian-Ukrainian relations and threat- Rusyns asked Moscow to recognize them media – and Ukraine’s pro-Russian media – would reinforce the message that as an independent country because Kyiv and Ukrainians would be united, if not for the crazy Halychany. en Moscow’s oil and gas exports to Europe, much of which flows via Zakarpattia. was ignoring their demands for autonomy The vast majority of Lviv’s residents didn’t fall into the trap, because they know within Ukraine. That followed the Second But, however that may be, Father Sidor’s from a lifetime of experience how to deal with the Kremlin’s agents. They know European Congress of Rusyns in Mukachiv, remark, especially coming in the wake of the current government is packed with charlatans and opportunists who exploit sen- which declared that the Rusyns would seek the comment by the Russian diplomat, sitive issues like religion, culture and history to manipulate the public for political independence on December 1, 2008, if seems intended both to remind the gain, who preach the glories of the USSR in public, while expanding their oppres- they didn’t get autonomy. Ukrainian authorities that the Rusyns have sive oligarchies behind the scenes. Most Halychyny were wise enough to know that December 1 came and went, but on civil conflict serves only the Kremlin’s interests. not gone away and to send a message to December 19, 2008, an international scien- However, after the debacle of the presidency of Viktor Yushchenko, a new force Kyiv that Moscow is paying attention to tific practical conference on “Genocide and emerged on the Ukrainian political scene to capitalize on the disillusionment and that community and is prepared to exploit Cultural Ethnocide of the Rusyns of desperation harbored by many Halychany. They claim to be nationalists, but they that group if Ukraine does not bend to Carpathian Rus (the End of the 19th misrepresent the healthy form of nationalism that prior generations endorsed. The Russia’s will. Century to the Beginning of the 21st behavior of members of the Svoboda nationalist party is just as aggressive and On January 6, Father Sidor said that the Century)” assembled in Rostov-na-Donu destructive as that of their enemies. A significant portion of its members are well- Rusyns “are accusing Kyiv of ethnocide and adopted a resolution on their cause. meaning but misguided patriots, of all ages and backgrounds, who think it’s time and discrimination with obvious elements Among the resolution’s key points was for the “eye-for-an-eye” approach. Their approach proved to be disastrous on May of genocide” because of Ukraine’s “barbar- an insistence that alongside the Armenians, 9. Videos of rioting Halychany – smashing bus windows and attacking peaceful ic” failure to recognize the Rusyns and “its the Rusyns – or Ruthenians, as they are also Red Army sympathizers – filled the evening news broadcasts of TV networks loyal ban on Rusyn schools and the study of the known – were the victims of the first geno- to the Party of Regions, such as Inter and 1+1. Rusyn language” (vvnews.info/analytics/ cide of the 20th century, one carried out by Even more eager to capitalize on the conflicts was the Russian media, which region/65736-Rusyny-zakarpatya-gotovy- the Austro-Hungarians. Today, the resolu- scooped up the carnage with delight. Finally they had the video evidence to back up k-voyne-s-ukrainoy.html). tion continued, Kyiv is extending this what their FSB handlers had maintained all along: that western Ukrainians are blood- If Ukraine and the new authorities will through “a policy of cultural ethnocide.” thirsty fascists. In attempting to rebuild its empire, the Kremlin needs scapegoats to be able to recognize the rights of Rusyns,” In addition, that document declared that rally against. It’s the Chechens in Russia. It’s the Halychany in Ukraine, who, as he continued, “then we Rusyns are ready to the Ruthenians are recognized as a unique alleged by Education Minister , have nothing in common with remain a Ukrainian enclave, a Ukrainian people in all countries of the region except “Greater Ukraine.” The Kremlin’s strategy is to turn Halychyna into an isolated ghet- Kaliningrad.” But if Ukraine won’t recog- Ukraine and that they enjoy the support of to, making sure its worldview and patriotism don’t seep east of the Zbruch River. nize “our lawful status of autonomy,” then international organizations like the United Ukraine needs a political force that defends the individual and cultural rights of “we will peacefully divorce. Like the Czech Nations, whose committee on the liquida- ethnically conscious Ukrainians, but in a way that promotes understanding among Republic from Slovakia.” tion of racial discrimination in August 2006 all of Ukraine’s citizens instead of exacerbating conflict. That can take place peacefully, the priest criticized Kyiv for not supporting them. Svoboda demonstrates time and again that it’s not a party that will contribute to said. But “international law” allows for a And it pointed out that the status of the progress in Ukraine. Its zealotry plays right into the hands of Ukraine’s enemies, solution brought about by force. “A people Rusyns in Zakarpattia has not yet been lending credibility to the widely held suspicions that the party leadership is reading after many years of seeking its rights,” he defined – Kyiv has not yet recognized the from a script written in the halls of the Kremlin and the HQ of the Party of Regions. said, “has the right with arms in its hands to 1946 treaty which incorporated them into defend its freedom,” just as the internation- the Soviet Union – and that the Ukrainian al community recognized in the case of the government continues to ignore the Croatians. December 1991 referendum in which the Father Sidor says that “we do not intend Rusyns voted for autonomy as well as for to fight and seek a diplomatic path because Ukrainian independence. May Turning the pages back... we believe in the reality of the achievement But perhaps most important, Rusyn lead- of our rights.” “At a minimum,” 70 percent ers then and now noted that “the lion’s of the residents of Zakarpattia are Rusyns, share” of Russian gas on its way to 19 making them “a titular nation” numbering European markets flows through Three years ago, on May 19, 2008, the U.S. Supreme Court today “approximately 800,000.” Subcarpathian Rus, “twice more than 2008 refused to hear an appeal of a 2005 deportation order for John Two years ago, when he and the Rusyns through the Baltic states [in 2008] and Demjanjuk, a retired autoworker whom the U.S. government made similar declarations and asked that twice more than through other neighboring has accused of complicity in Nazi war crimes since 1977. The Moscow recognize their independence, the countries” as well. appeal, filed in April 2008, was rejected without comment. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit had ruled on January 30, 2008, that a U.S. immigration judge had the authority to order the deportation of Mr. Demjanjuk. In December 2005 the court ruled that Mr. Demjanjuk had concealed his service as a Must reads guard at the Sobibor, Majdanek and Flossenburg Nazi concentration camps. The Court of Appeals heard arguments in the case on November 29, 2007. This week, we inaugurate a new fea- • In “Viktor Yanukovych, Splittist” Chief Immigration Judge Michael Creppy ruled in June 2005 that Mr. Demjanjuk ture intended to spotlight articles (February 7), on his blog “Ukraine’s could be deported from the United States to his native Ukraine, or to Germany or worth reading in full. Below, our first Orange Blues,” Alexander J. Motyl Poland if Ukraine refused to accept him. three suggestions. writes about how “Ukraine’s President Mr. Demjanjuk maintains that he is a victim of mistaken identity. He denies that he • In “Remembering the Soviet Viktor Yanukovych who, in typically ever served the Nazis, but admitted to giving false statements when entering the Response to Chornobyl,” National splittist fashion, preaches unity while United States in order to escape repatriation to the Soviet Union. Mr. Demjanjuk also Review Online, April 26, Robert promoting discord.” See http://www. maintains he was a prisoner of war captured by the Germans, but denies that he ever McConnell argues that, “It would be a worldaffairsjournal.org/new/blogs/ served the Nazis as a guard. serious mistake not to appreciate the motyl/Viktor_Yanukovych_Splittist. A March 4, 1985, report by the Cleveland field office of the U.S. Federal Bureau of differences between the two events” – • In “Naming the Crime,” National Investigation that was kept secret for 25 years and was discovered by the Associated Fukushima and Chornobyl – “or to for- Review Online, March 18, Andrew Press in April of this year noted that the Trawniki identification card used in Mr. get the genuine evil revealed in the Stuttaford writes about two new books Demjanjuk’s deportation trial was “quite likely fabricated.” The FBI recently declassi- Soviet Union’s response to Chornobyl. by American historians that shed light fied report was the first known confirmation that American investigators had such The distinctions matter.” See http:// on the Soviet past and those who still doubts, although the Demjanjuk defense has repeatedly made such arguments. www.nationalreview.com/cor- avoid its implications. See http://www. ner/265612/remembering-soviet- nationalreview.com/articles/262400/ Source: “Supreme Court declines to hear last appeal by John Demjanjuk,” The response-chornobyl-robert-mcconnell. naming-crime-andrew-stuttaford?page=1. Ukrainian Weekly, May 25, 2008. No.20 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 15, 2011 7 ESSAY PERSPECTIVES 25 years later, Japan’s tragedy brings back Chornobyl’s terror by Andrew Fedynsky

by Alexander Kuzma plume reached Sweden – approximately the distance from New York City to Crimean complexities In 1986, during the summer following Hudson Bay. The hydrogen explosion at the Chornobyl meltdown, I had the oppor- Chornobyl spewed more radiation than One of the myths poisoning Ukrainian shows, Crimea has a long and complex tunity to enjoy the stunning beauty of 180 Hiroshima bombs. politics is the one where Nikita history. In fact, Neolithic Neanderthal and Alaska’s wilderness. It was two years Japanese nuclear authorities were quick Khrushchev, on a whim, “gave” Crimea to Cro-Magnon remains from over 30,000 before the Exxon-Valdez disaster. A sum- to reassure their population that even in Soviet Ukraine in 1954 to celebrate the years ago have been found there. Those mer internship with a law firm in the event of a major meltdown, most of 300th anniversary of the Pereyaslav served as the basis for Jean M. Auel’s best- Anchorage gave me a weekend kayak trip Fukushima’s radiation would drift out to Agreement. In his book, “Ukraine – Not selling “Earth’s Children” series of novels. on the crystalline waters of Prince sea. Russia,” , Ukraine’s presi- Crimea entered recorded history in the William Sound. However, we should never underesti- dent from 1994 to 2005, effectively 5th century B.C., when Greek historian After threading our way through miles mate the enormous distances that radia- debunks that story. Herodotus visited Chersonesos, where the of turquoise ice and mist-shrouded water tion can travel. Chornobyl fallout contam- In 1954 – just two years after Stalin’s Scythians traded grain, furs, honey and teeming with sea otters and arctic water- inated foodstuffs as far away as Ireland demise – Khrushchev was the head of a other products for gold, wine, olive oil and fowl, my friends and I camped on a gravel and Wales and parts of the French collective leadership. A significant decision other luxury goods. The city thrived for sandbar a mile from a spectacular glacier. Pyrenees. like the transfer of territory from one union another 1,000 years. Its stunning ruins, fea- We knew there was some risk of the gla- Nuclear promoters will be quick to republic to another would have required tured on the one-hryvnia note, are now a cier “calving,” melting a chunk of its ice point out that the tsunami and the earth- careful review and consensus. And indeed, national preserve. face and plunging it into the sea, but we quake took a far greater toll on the com- the Soviet Presidium did pass an appropri- Tracing the history of Crimea, Ms. thought we were too far away to worry. munities surrounding Sendai than any ate resolution. Newman notes that “[it] has passed from That night, we awoke to a dull roar and nuclear disaster. In terms of immediate, As a practical matter, the transfer made hand to hand, from Scythians to Greeks to the ground trembling beneath us. The gla- tangible consequences, they are right. sense. Kyiv was and still is much closer to Romans, Goths, Huns, Mongols and cier had calved, sending a wave of ice However, the Fukushima reactors were Crimea than Moscow. Moscow (no sur- .” In 1783, Russia under Empress water rushing toward our campsite. A small built to withstand far greater earthquakes prise) was not particularly responsive to Catherine II annexed Crimea (in violation tsunami blasted through our tent, soaking than the San Onofre Nuclear Station Crimea’s everyday economic and adminis- of a 1774 treaty guaranteeing Tatar inde- our sleeping bags and leaving us freezing located near an active earthquake fault trative needs; the expectation was that pendence) and maintained control there cold and shaken but otherwise unharmed. line between San Diego and Los Angeles. Kyiv would be. As for the politics, it didn’t until the collapse of the Soviet Union in It is hard to fathom what the people of A tsunami there would not allow for such matter to the empire or the residents of 1991. Now it belongs to Ukraine, but as Japan have endured since March. Yet fol- a large margin of error. Crimea that the peninsula had become part the author cautions: “Crimean history lowing the news of the cataclysmic earth- The explosions and partial meltdowns of Soviet Ukraine. Everyone knew that would suggest that it is folly to think that quake and tsunami that devastated Japan, at the Fukushima reactors raise other Moscow was firmly in charge. possession of any place, particularly para- I was reminded of the raw terror of that questions: Why are we still providing Today, of course, the politics matter a dise, is anything other than a tenancy.” night in Alaska and our close call with a massive subsidies for nuclear construction great deal. It’s no secret that many She describes the tragic fate of the Tatar wave of much smaller proportions. at the expense of mass transit, conserva- Russians deeply regret the fall of the peoples who were deported en masse by As if the earthquake and resulting tsu- tion programs, and decentralized sources Soviet Union. For them, Crimea is both a Stalin in World War II, tens of thousands of nami were not already beyond human of energy like wind and solar that would symbol of their “humiliation” and a poten- whom died in the process. Today, their endurance, we have also witnessed anoth- create far more jobs per dollar invested tial weak point to attack Ukraine’s sover- descendents are returning. I stumbled er major radiation disaster unfold. We than capital intensive nuclear projects? eignty. The April 2011 issue of National across a rally in Yalta where Tatars com- have watched heart-rending scenes pain- For all their vaunted safety features, no Geographic examines these issues in memorated the anniversary of the deporta- fully reminiscent of Chornobyl: heroic insurance company will insure commer- “Crimea: A Jewel in Two Crowns.” tion, demanding it be designated a geno- emergency workers scrambling to extin- cial nuclear power plants, and under the The author, Cathy Newman, describes cide and that their property be returned. I guish fires and prevent further meltdowns; Price-Anderson Act, U.S. taxpayers, not a Crimea as a “paradise lost,” at least from also spoke with ethnic Russians (those who the evacuation of over 200,000 residents; negligent utility, would be forced to cover Russia’s perspective. Having spent a week weren’t horrified to hear me speaking mothers and small children undergoing the costs of any disaster. Experts who there in 2006, I can confirm that it is Ukrainian) who believe Crimea should testing for radiation exposure; govern- stake their profits on accurate risk assess- indeed a paradise, albeit imperfect. I revert to Moscow. Russia, of course, main- ment officials limiting public information, ment have concluded that the nuclear risk enjoyed wonderful restaurants, visited his- tains a significant presence in Crimea, par- ostensibly to prevent widespread panic. is neither negligible nor worth their toric sights, including Livadia Palace ticularly in Sevastopol where their Black There is a poignant kinship between investment. where the tsar spent his summers and the Sea fleet is anchored pursuant to a long- Ukrainians and the Japanese – a kinship This too should give us pause: The Yalta Agreement was signed in 1945, and term lease with Ukraine. The “taxi” that re-intensified by the still unfolding Japanese government will have to spend marveled at the Crimean Mountains rising took me out to the U.S.-Ukraine expedition Fukushima disaster. In 2003 I attended a hundreds of billions on the massive clean- almost from the sea floor to high above the sailed past the fleet: I saw a long row of conference in the Marshall Islands where up and reconstruction effort in Sendai and beaches below, even as I shook my head at rusting ships sitting idle with no more than survivors of Hiroshima and the hydrogen Fukushima. At a time when we hear a the appalling amounts of litter and trash. half a dozen sailors dozing or tending a bomb tests on Bikini Atoll shared their constant drumbeat from certain quarters to I was in Crimea on a joint U.S.-Ukraine fishing pole. On the streets of Sevastopol, experiences with Ukrainian researchers reduce taxes and the federal budget to a expedition to explore the Black Sea, led by on the other hand, I saw lots of Russian studying the consequences of the bare minimum, who do we think will pro- Dr. Robert Ballard, the oceanographer best officers with briefcases. There were also Chornobyl disaster. vide disaster relief in the event of another known for discovering the wreck of the Ukrainian naval personnel, but not as Nuclear experts have learned much Katrina, or Gulf oil spill, a massive earth- Titanic, and Dr. Serhiy Voronov from the many. from Hiroshima and Chornobyl, but not quake or a Fukushima? Even 25 years National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. There’s no doubt that Crimea is divided enough. Reactors and containment build- later, the world continues to spend billions I worked mostly on shore but did get to over its identity. In 1991 when more than ings have been reinforced. Safety systems on Chornobyl relief. spend two nights on board ship. I was 90 percent of Ukrainians voted for inde- have been enhanced. Training of emergen- Who will safeguard Americans from awakened the first night by urgent knock- pendence, only 54 percent of Crimeans cy workers has improved. other man-made disasters should the ing and a call of “Pane Andriyu. We’ve voted that way. Ms. Newman cites a recent Yet hubris remains. The Japanese Environmental Protection Agency be found something!” poll where nearly a third of Crimeans sup- response to Fukushima was delayed as stripped of its enforcement powers in the I hurried to the ship’s common room to port a return to Russia. But, to put that authorities waited for the arrival of latest budget-cutting frenzy of the new the big TV screen to see images of a ship- another way, more than two-thirds want to American remote control robots they radicals in Congress? Ironically, those wreck which robotic cameras tethered to stay with Ukraine. assumed they would never need. The who demand deeper tax cuts and budget the ship’s control room were scanning just As always, National Geographic fea- cooling systems at all four of the reductions still expect lavish government a few hundred meters below. We soon tures terrific photographs – these are by Fukushima reactors failed in the wake of subsidies to oil, gas and nuclear indus- learned it was the Soviet destroyer Gerd Ludwig. One of them showing a the earthquake and tsunami. tries, and will be the first to demand fed- Dzherzhinsky, sunk by the Germans in parade honoring Soviet military heroes Nuclear energy remains an inherently eral aid when disaster strikes. 1942 during the yearlong siege of who defended Sevastopol in World War II dangerous technology. A witches’ brew of Currently, America is in the thrall of Sevastopol. It was eerie, viewing what was is worth a thousand words. An elderly man the wrong circumstances – a tsunami, an ideologues that still fantasize about a basically a graveyard that had been hidden is out front with the obligatory uniform and earthquake, a terrorist attack – can lead to dwarfed federal government “small for more than 60 years. dozens of Soviet-era medals. But his hat meltdowns and explosions and disasters enough to drown in a bathtub.” Earlier, the expedition had discovered a and tie clip? Those feature the Ukrainian can ensue. Fukushima and Chornobyl remind us: Byzantine shipwreck that had been plying trident. Go figure. Certainly, the design of the Japanese Beware what you wish for. the trade route between Chersonesos, My favorite, though, is the guy with the reactors was much better than the slipshod located in present-day Sevastopol, to chest-full of hammer-and-sickle medals, Soviet design for the Chornobyl nuclear Alexander Kuzma is the former execu- Byzantium. That ship had been on the sea but also the Order of Khmelnytsky issued power plant that relied on an unstable tive director of the Children of Chornobyl bottom for more than 1,000 years. The by independent Ukraine and a Chicago graphite core and never bothered with a Relief and Development Fund. The views expedition would later discover shipwrecks White Sox baseball . Now that’s prog- containment building. Chunks from expressed in this commentary are strictly from the Crimean War (1853-1856), a ship ress. Chornobyl’s core were found as far away his own and not necessarily the views of that went down in World War I and a heli- as the Rivne Oblast, more than 100 miles any organization with which he is affiliat- copter lost during the . Andrew Fedynsky’s e-mail address is west of Chornobyl, and the radioactive ed. As the tangle of shipwrecks off-shore [email protected]. 8 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 15, 2011 No. 20 No.20 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 15, 2011 9 The art of gerdany: preserving old traditions and creating new ones

by Petrusia Sawchak JENKINTOWN, Pa. – Throughout the years, Branch 88 of the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America (UNWLA), Philadelphia Regional Council, in conjunction with the Ukrainian Heritage Studies Center (UHSC) at Manor College, has conducted workshops, seminars and held exhibits to preserve and promulgate Ukrainian folk arts. This year was no exception. The exhibit “Gerdany – Ukrainian Beadwork” was held at the Ukrainian Educational and Cultural Center (UECC) for three days, April 1-3. The gerdany displayed came from various sources: some from Ukraine, featuring artists working on both tra- ditional and contemporary gerdany; some from the UHSC and private collections of the members of UNWLA Branch 88; and others made by the Manorly Bead Club. Associated with the UHSC at Manor College, the Manorly Bead Club also provided much assistance and guidance for the exhibit. Six basic styles of gerdany were presented in the exhibit, ranging from long, thin beaded necklaces with many variations, to beaded collars in different widths, which represent various regions of Ukraine. The magnifi- cent Lemko beaded collars called the “krayka” or “kryza” measured about five inches in width and were characterized by tricolored diamonds on a red back- Renya Cehelsky-Ciuk Petrusia Sawchak ground. The opening of the exhibit was held on Friday night, Natalia Mykytiuch (left) and Irena Gramiak conduct April 1, in the Dr. Alexander B. Chernyk Gallery at the a gerdany workshop for the children from the UECC. The room was literally ablaze in vibrant colors: Ukrainian Heritage School. , oranges, greens, blues, blacks, whites, coppers and yellows in beautiful patterns and designs – an aesthetic well as the Harman Importing Corp. delight for the senses. The project was also supported by the Pennsylvania Many attended this exhibit, which was one of the first Council on the Arts, a state agency, through its regional to be exclusively held for the art of Gerdany held at arts funding partnership, Pennsylvania Partners in the UECC. Arts (PPA). State government funding for the arts Ulana Prociuk, president of UNWLA Branch 88, depends upon an annual appropriation by the opened the program by thanking all for their contribu- Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and support from the Petrusia Sawchak tions and assistance in making this exhibit possible. She National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. The gave a brief overview of history of the gerdany, which Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance administers PPA Examples of diverse gerdany. date back to the 8th -10th centuries in Rus’ (Ukraine). in this region. More information about the history of bead making Ms. Prokopovych also acknowledged the Sisters of St. seminars in the English language on Saturday. was described in a brochure adapted from “Baubles, Basil the Great for their support of and Ms. Wolynetz, a professor of Ukrainian language and Bangles and Beads” by Tamara Stadnychenko the work at UHSC. literature, American Culture and Library Orientation at (September 1995, Our Life). She added, “The resurgence of interest in gerdany had St. Basil College Seminary in Stanford, Conn., is also Chrystyna Prokopovych, curator of the UHSC at its roots right here at UECC when Lucia Hryciw with the the curator and librarian at the Ukrainian Museum and Manor College, thanked the major sponsors of the help of her husband, Theodosij, started teaching work- Library of Stanford and curator of the Folk Art exhibit: MB Financial Bank, Ukrainian Selfreliance shops to a few people. The workshops grew and expand- Collection at The Ukrainian Museum in New York City. Federal Credit Union (Philadelphia) and Selfreliance ed, and now there is a large group of people in the Ms. Wolynetz gave a very interesting historical per- Ukrainian American Federal Credit Union (Newark), as Philadelphia area who are addicted to gerdany, as you spective about the background of bead making from can see by the number of pieces on display here today.” Neolithic times through the centuries in Ukraine and An elegant wine and cheese reception followed the other parts of the world. The adornment of the body and formal introductions. All were invited to attend clothing is inherent in all cultures throughout time. She the seminars and workshops that continued explained how beads worn as jewelry were initially con- the next day. sidered magical and were believed to contain healing Workshops and seminar powers that also protected the wearer from evil spirits. Later, beads came to signify ethnic identity, social sta- On Saturday, students from the Ukrainian tus, wealth and expressions of love. Most of the early Heritage School at the UECC were invited gerdany were round collars; long gerdany came about to participate in workshops to acquaint later to suit modern dress. them with the art of making gerdany. There is evidence that the prototype of gerdany After viewing the exhibit, the students appeared as early as the 10th century, but the first writ- learned more about this craft and the ten record of Ukrainian beadwork did not appear until history of its development. Many the end of the 18th century. By the mid-19th century, were intrigued with the tech- seed beads were manufactured in Ukraine in gerdany niques and hoped to learn Ms. Wolynetz noted. more about them in the Many designs used were similar to those in Ukrainian future. embroidery, such as geometric and floral motifs. The Three well-known community judged gerdany by the techniques used, authorities on gerdany – quality of workmanship, artistry of the piece, how it Lubow Wolynetz, Olga laid, fell and hung on the neck, and the combination of Kolodij and Maria colors and symbols. Young maidens in the villages were Rypan – conducted expected to make gerdany, and often wore them to attract possible suitors for marriage, according to folk- lore. The second speaker was Ms. Kolodij, whose main interest is the development of gerdany from traditional to contemporary. She has received grants from the Pennsylvania Council of the Arts, including a fellowship grant in 2005, and her works were recently exhibited at the Ukrainian Museum in Cleveland. Her annual trips to Ukraine include visits with master gerdany artists. Ms. Kolodij explained that gerdany, as we know them, are a western Ukrainian item. Eastern Ukrainian women wore balamuty (beads made from mother-of- pearl), Venetian beads and coral stones. She delivered a PowerPoint presentation giving examples of gerdany from various regions in Ukraine: Borschiv (Ternopilska Oblast) liked the use of black, Renya Cehelsky-Ciuk Display of gerdany at the Ukrainian Educational and Cultural Center. (Continued on page 16) 10 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 15, 2011 No. 20

Montreal community marks anniversary of Chornobyl nuclear disaster

by Bohdanna Klecor-Hawryluk Ukrainian Catholic churches in Montreal and the Revs. Ihor Kutash, Wolodymyr MONTREAL – The Montreal Kouchnir from the Ukrainian Orthodox Ukrainian community joined Ukainians churches. The church choir was led by worldwide in marking the 25th anniversa- choir conductor Marika Czolij. ry of the Chornobyl nuclear disaster on The Rev. Korecky read the sermon Tuesday, April 26. A commemorative ser- recalling the impact the Chornobyl disaster vice was held together with representatives had on the population and its long-term of the Ukrainian Catholic and Ukrainian effects on Ukraine and its people today. Orthodox churches, followed by a solemn The program consisted of the trio of remembrance program held at the singers Vera Turko-Kulycka, Oksana Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Kotskovych and Roman Kostyk; poetry Parish in Rosemount. readings by Sonia Kulyckya and Irena The Ukrainian Canadian Congress, Pawliw; and a performance by bass bari- Montreal branch, marks Ukraine’s tragic tone and bandurist Wolodymyr Mota. nuclear disaster every year. Bohdanna Klecor-Hawryluk UCC cul- Participating in the service were the tural chairperson and coordinator of the Revs. Oleh Korecky, Roman Lahola, Ihor event, in her concluding remarks men- Oshchipko and Nazar Yuriv from the tioned that Evhen Czolij, president of

Yurko Kulyckyj At the Chornobyl commemoration: (standing, from left) are: the Rev. Oleh Korecky, UCC Cultural Chairperson Bohdanna Klecor-Hawryluk, choir conduc- tor Marika Czolij, UCC Montreal President Zorianna Hrycenko-Luhova and (seated, front) bandurist Wolodymyr Mota.

Ukrainian World Congress and former CBC radio by host Loreen Pendera, who president of UCC Montreal, spoke at conducted an interview with Olena United Nations in New York on a session Kulishova who was in Kyiv when the on the 25th anniversary of Chornobyl and explosion took place and is currently liv- that Pavlo Grod, president of UCC ing in Montreal. Simon Kouklewsky, pro- National, sent a press release to all media ducer of “Ukrainian Time” community in Canada concerning this year’s com- radio, provided special coverage of the memoration events. The president of UCC event. Montreal branch is Zorianna Hrycenko- Symbolically, at the end of the program, Luhova. individual white carnations were placed in Simon Kouklewsky An article about the Chornobyl disaster front of the church altar, in remembrance Priests from the Ukrainian Catholic and Ukrainian Orthodox churches in the appeared in the Aril 26 issue of Montreal’s of the many children affected by Montreal area during the Chornobyl commemorative service. The Gazette and coverage was given on Chornobyl’s radiation. No.20 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 15, 2011 11

Boston organizes series of events recalling Chornobyl accident by Peter T. Woloschuk On Tuesday, April 26, the Harvard Ukrainian Research Center (HURI) in con- BOSTON – The Ukrainian Congress junction with the Davis Center for Russian Committee of America, Boston branch, and Eurasian Studies sponsored a one-day working in conjunction with internationally seminar “Chernobyl [sic]: 25 Years Later” noted photographer Tania Mychajlyshyn- and launched a photo exhibit “…the day D’Avignon of Newton, Mass., put together the Ferris wheel stood still…” consisting of an exhibition of 54 sepia toned photographs 60 color photographs taken by Ms. taken by Ms. Mychajlyshyn-D’Avignon Mychajlyshyn-D’Avignon. The exhibit will during her 10 visits to the 60-kilometer be on display in the Fischer Commons of “Forbidden Zone” around Chornobyl, the Knafel Building of Harvard’s Center for Prypiat and Slavutych. The photo display Government and International Studies was enhanced by appropriate explanatory through Friday, August 12. texts and captions and launched the first In discussing her work on the various weeklong showing of “…remembering exhibits, Ms. Mychajlyshyn D’Avignon Chornobyl…” in the Atrium Gallery of the said, “Photos are a reminder what can John Joseph Moakley Federal Courthouse happen when people or governments are on Monday, April 25. irresponsible and deceitful towards their The traveling exhibit is co-sponsored by citizens. Chornobyl was a man-made mis- the Ukrainian American Educational take and not a natural disaster. By sharing Vsevolod Petriv Center of Boston, the Ukrainian American these photos, I want people to care. Tania Mychajlyshyn D’Avignon with Harvard Gazette reporter Corydon Ireland Youth Association - Boston branch and the Unless people are directly affected, their in front of a portion of the photo exhibit. Ukrainian Federal Credit Union, and will memories of tragedies fade and are even- be shown in a number of other venues in tually forgotten. Unfortunately, Chornobyl plants, which today are dramatically safer “Right from its inception, the V.I. Lenin the greater Boston area. is not, nor will it ever be, over. For exam- than 25 years ago.” nuclear power plant at Chornobyl was In discussing the various Chornobyl ple, the city of Prypiat is death, it is a city Prof. Josephson remarked on the world’s regarded as a strategic economic object commemorations planned in greater Boston that will never be resurrected – it is con- still incomplete understanding of the of the USSR and was under the control of over the next few months UCCA-Boston taminated forever and the ruins will stand health effects of ionizing radiation, but the all-union ministry in Moscow,” Mr. President Vsevolod Petriv said, “It is there for centuries as a memorial.” estimated that the accident will spawn Viatrovych pointed out. “It was made important to remember the Chornobyl acci- “I still am trying to understand the hor- 50,000 extra cancer deaths. Meanwhile, clear that the Ukrainian government dent on this its 25th anniversary for three ror of a catastrophe of that magnitude that he said, the natural environment – trees, would have no input and it did not have reasons. First, it is a stark reminder of the affected thousands of lives and removed a wildlife and cropland – is recovering with the required expertise to oversee nuclear potential negative aspects of nuclear power. part of a country from normal life,” she surprising rapidity. energy. It was also made clear that the This is especially clear in light of the major continued. “Going to the ‘Zone’ is a sober- Dr. Lynch emphasized, “The real story KGB would oversee both the construc- problems that are currently unfolding in ing experience – and by returning to it and of Chornobyl is personal and not scientific, tion and running of the plant.” Japanese nuclear power plants impacted by by documenting the progress of deteriora- and 2.4 million residents of the former “A review of the KGB reports during the recent earthquake. Secondly, it is also an tion, I hope to keep alive the memory of the Soviet Union have the status of being the years of construction, reveal concern excellent example of what can occur when tragedy of the dangers of irresponsible “Chornobyl-affected.” with the quality of the building material a totalitarian government tries to control the advancements in technology.” On Friday, April 29, the Goethe Institute and also the personnel. Cement blocks flow of information in an environment The seminar itself was held on the 25th of Boston, in cooperation with Brandeis were substandard and pipes had defects where image is more important than truth, anniversary of the Chornobyl nuclear University’s Center for German and in them,” Mr. Viatrovych said. an environment where there is no strong, disaster, which was the world’s worst European Studies, showed the first of three “Before the first section of the power free media. In the case of Chornobyl, the nuclear disaster. It released 400 times the films which it will run in the next month, plant went into operation, the KGB report- Soviet government denied the event had radiation of Hiroshima and contaminated highlighting Austrian, German and ed that the building and equipping of the happened until outside observers forced its 2,600 square kilometers of land in Swedish film-makers’ attempts to grapple facility did not meet prescribed norms and hand. By doing so, it withheld basic life- Ukraine, Belarus and Russia, forcing the with the Chornobyl nuclear disaster on could result in a major accident,” Mr. saving information from its own citizens, permanent evacuation of more than film. The 1996 Swedish documentary film Viatrovych emphasized. “Within two compounding both the magnitude and the 350,000 people. The daylong event was “Ljudmila and Anatolij” by Gunnar months of the start-up of the plant, there horror of the disaster not to mention endan- opened by Cris Martin, director of the Bergdahl was introduced by its director in was an accident and an emission of radia- gering people in neighboring countries. Davis Center’s Outreach Program for its U.S. premier and deals with the harrow- tion that impacted the surrounding area, Finally, the handling of this situation was Russian and Eurasian Studies serving ing story of a fireman’s widow, Ljudmila, and in a three-year period there were 29 one of the major contributing factors to K-12 public, private and charter schools who loses both her husband and unborn accidents, eight attributed to the actions of Ukraine’s push for independence. How in the greater New England area in pro- child in the aftermath of the nuclear disas- the plant’s workers.” could rational people accept such disregard viding resources for teaching about ter. It is only through the birth of her son “In spite of these accidents, the KGB for human life and well-being from those in Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Anatolij that Ljudmila is eventually able to pushed for the completion of the work on power? We hope that by sponsoring these Among the presenters were Igor Lukes, find comfort and hope for the future. sections two, three and four and wanted it events we will both remember the victims Boston University professor of internation- Christ the King Ukrainian Catholic finished before the upcoming plenum ses- and highlight these issues.” al relations and history, who spoke on the Church held a “panakhyda” (requiem ser- sion of the Communist Party,” Mr. Maria Fedynyshyn Saxe, coordinator “History of the Chornobyl Disaster”; Paul vice) for the victims of the Chornobyl Viatrovych continued. “Agents reported and principal organizer of the various Josephson associate professor of history disaster on Sunday, May 1, between its two that the work on the third and fourth sec- events, said, “These events not only give from Colby College, who addressed the liturgies. tions was much better than on the first two our local Ukrainian American community issue of the “Ecological Consequences of On Monday, May 2, the Goethe-Institut and pushed for the testing of block four, an opportunity to work together and the Chornobyl Disaster”; independent showed the documentary film “Oasis” by which was done on April 26, 1986, and remember and reflect on the human aspects researcher Dr. Tammy Lynch, a fellow at Belarusian director Jurij resulted in a series of explosions and fire.” of the tragedy of Chornobyl but also allow the Institute for the Study of Conflict, Chaschtschewatskij, a well know critic of “At first the KGB tried to minimize the us to remind the general public of what Ideology and Policy at Boston University, the Soviet regime. A German-Belarussian scope of the disaster and reassured local happened.” who looked at “Chornobyl’s Impact on co-production the film highlights a number Ukrainian officials that the problem had Local Life and Politics”; and Matthew of incredible people that the director met on been contained. It was only after 36 hours Bunn, Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School his many trips to the Chornobyl area. that evacuations began in the immediate of Government associate professor of pub- UCCA-Boston, in conjunction with vicinity of the plant. On May 3 it was lic policy who talked about “Nuclear Christ the King Ukrainian Catholic decided to evacuate everyone within a Power in the 21st Century.” Parish, sponsored a talk by Volodymyr 10-kilometer zone of the plant and on the “Stress likely took a greater toll fol- Viatrovych, a post-doctoral research fel- 5th it was decided to expand this to a lowing the accident than radiation did,” low at HURI who served as the Security 30-kilometer zone,” Mr. Viatrovych related. said Prof. Bunn, an expert on nuclear Services of Ukraine (SBU) archive direc- “On May 1 KGB officials wrote that the energy, proliferation, theft and terrorism. tor until February 2010, when he was dis- reactor in the fourth block of the nuclear “But,” he said, “the still-unfolding nucle- missed from his position by the newly power plant had never been properly tested ar disaster in Japan – though now the installed Yanukovych administration. He and never functioned according to the sanc- only other Level 7 on the International spoke on Chornobyl and the materials tioned norms. On May 7 they reported that Nuclear Event Scale – has so far released preserved in the national archives which the cause of the accident was the low level only 10 percent of Chornobyl’s radiation, reveal what Soviet officials actually knew of training of the plant workers; their and most of it to the sea.” and what they decided not to tell the citi- incompetence and their lack of caring,” Mr. “Chornobyl was really a very different zenry. The talk was held in the parish Viatrovych added. story,” he added, “mostly because of the center on Sunday, May 8, at the same “The KGB also reported that local gov- Vsevolod Petriv Soviet Union’s clumsy attempts to conceal time that UCCA Boston’s photo exhibit ernment officials had no understanding of Volodymyr Viatrovych during his pre- the accident. But the accident focused the “…remembering…Chornobyl” was sentation at Harvard. world anew on safety at nuclear power opened for viewing. (Continued on page 21) 12 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 15, 2011 No. 20 No.20 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 15, 2011 13 14 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 15, 2011 No. 20

Russian diplomats attacked in Lviv Lviv governor on May 9 clashes Husar comments on nationalism NEWSBRIEFS LVIV – A wreath that Russian Consul KYIV – Law enforcement authorities KYIV – In an interview with the online (Continued from page 2) General in Lviv Oleg Astakhov was to have to find out why a court decision ban- publication Istorychna Pravda, Cardinal place at the Lviv military cemetery was ning any events and activities on May 9 Lubomyr Husar said that today there are The proposal to hold Victory Day under grabbed and shredded to pieces as a other than those approved by the Lviv very clear indications strange views are the national flag was made by leaders of Russian diplomatic delegation was on Oblast State Administration and Lviv City being imposed on the people of Ukraine. the Lviv Oblast department of the All- its way to the Hill of Glory memorial Council were not enforced, said Lviv “It is important for us to remember the Ukrainian Veterans’ Union, the gover- on May 9. “The wreath I was to lay at Oblast State Administration Chairman experience of many centuries of the strug- nor’s spokesperson said. Ms. Tsymbaliuk the Hill of Glory memorial at the mili- (Governor) Mykhailo Tsymbaliuk. He was gle of our nation for freedom, which they asked all political forces in the region tary cemetery was torn to pieces,” the commenting on the violent clashes in Lviv now want to deny us. The Ukrainian “not to escalate the situation around the consul general said in an interview with between supporters of the nationalistic Kozaks, Mazepa, the figures of the national May 9 holiday and not to yield to any the magazine ZIK. “Russia and the Svoboda party and representatives the revival of the 19th century – all of them speculative statements.” (Interfax- whole of the sane world are celebrating Rodina and Russian Unity parties that and many others in different ways defended Ukraine) Victory Day. All of these games on this came to the city with red flags. The official our dignity, our right to be an independent day are an insult to the memory of thanked the people who took part in offi- people. In this sense, we can call them all Lviv nationalists clash with police those buried here, who sacrificed their cial events, the representatives of all veter- ‘nationalists’ in the good, authentic mean- an organizations, who kept their word with LVIV – Ukrainian nationalists in Lviv lives to allow us to live in a normal ing of the word,” he stressed. “Nationalism society,” he said. World War II veterans respect to activities under the official state is not chauvinism. Chauvinism is when you clashed with police on May 9 during a . “Yesterday we remem- ceremony commemorating the victory of and activists of public organizations love only what is yours and hate anything complained that assailants tore off their bered those who died in World War II, vis- that belongs to other people. To be a patriot the Soviet Union over Nazi Germany ited veterans in hospitals. I’m sorry that in orange-and-black memorial ribbons and means to love your own nation and also during World War II. The incident our state, in the Lviv region, where democ- insulted them. Some women hid their respect others, other nationalities. occurred as about 100 people, among racy prevails, there are people, representa- orange-and-black ribbons in their pock- Therefore, true patriots who consider them- them World War II veterans, gathered for tives of political forces, who ignore court ets and produced them again past a selves nationalists are those who are able to a ceremony at the Hill of Glory memorial decisions. These are questions to law in Lviv jointly with members of the police cordon at the Hill of Glory love what is theirs without hating what is enforcement authorities, who should have other people’s, to defend their own rights Russian Unity and Motherland parties, memorial. Activists of the Svoboda enforced the court decision,” Ms. who arrived in Lviv with a 30-meter-long organization, who had gathered on the without encroaching on the rights of oth- Tsymbaliuk stressed. He added that he had ers,” added the cardinal. Regarding World Soviet victory flag. The coordinator of other side of the police cordon, chanted already talked to Internal Affairs Minister the event, Serhii Yukhin, told Interfax- anti-Russian slogans. Despite a court War II, Cardinal Lubomyr stressed that Anatoliy Mohyliov, and that specialists Germany was the first to attack the Soviet Ukraine that the banner bears the signa- ban on mass rallies on Victory Day, were to be sent to Lviv to assess the tures of World War II veterans from all large groups of opponents of the Union in 1941. But before that, there was actions of law enforcement officers on an agreement between Hitler and Stalin, the parts of Ukraine. When the banner was Victory Day celebrations and other May 9. “They will assess whether the com- being handed over to local war veterans, groups marching with red banners were Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. Therefore, to say petent law enforcement authorities were today that only the Nazis were to blame for 10 nationalists broke the police barricade seen on the city’s streets, a Channel 5 working that day,” Mr. Tsymbaliuk said. and ran to the scene of the ceremony. correspondent reported. Clashes with the instigation of the bloody slaughter is He also added that he has really tendered nonsense, he commented. “One cannot for- Police interfered, trying to keep them in police occurred at Victory Day venues. his resignation under pressure from city their place. Some activists of the Channel 5 also aired footage of get also that in 1945, the victory over Nazi and regional deputies of the Svoboda party. Germany was won jointly by the partici- Svoboda party offered fierce resistance to Svoboda activists’ clashes with oppo- (Ukrinform) police, shaking the fence put up around nents, when a shot was fired at a nation- pants of the anti-Hitler coalition and not the Hill of Glory memorial. Scuffles alist with a pneumatic pistol. (Interfax- Communists want to ban Svoboda party just USSR… But it did not mean the end of erupted with police. (Interfax-Ukraine) Ukraine) bloody, troubled times for the Ukrainian KYIV – The leader of the Zaporizhia nation. The reign of one inhuman regime branch of the Communist Party of Ukraine was replaced by another one, which was (CPU), National Deputy Oleksii Baburin, probably even worse! We continued to CLACLASSSSIFIEDIFIEDSS described the events in Lviv on May 9, defend ourselves, our right to existence and where leftists clashed with rightists, as a even today we are still defending the con- TO PLACE YOUR AD CALL MARIA OSCISLAWSKI (973) 292-9800 x 3040 “fascist gathering” and said that “a fascist science of our identity,” Cardinal Husar regime was established in western or e-mail [email protected] told Istorychna Pravda. (Religious Ukraine.” His comments appeared on the Information Service of Ukraine) official website of the Communist Party of SERVICES PROFESSIONALS Ukraine. “What happened in Lviv on May Medvedev on attempts to rewrite history 9 will make the Europeans look at this city through different eyes,” said Mr. Baburin, KYIV – Russian President Dmitry who is planning to initiate the issue of Medvedev has called on his Ukrainian depriving Lviv of its right to host the Euro- counterpart, Viktor Yanukovych, to pre- 2012 soccer championship. The first secre- serve the truth about the Great Patriotic tary of the Zaporizhia Oblast Committee of War (World War II) for future generations. the CPU proposed submitting a letter mak- “I heartily congratulate you and the broth- ing that demand to UEFA President Michel erly Ukrainian people on the 66th anniver- Platini. Mr. Baburin also demanded that sary of victory in the Great Patriotic War. “all participants of these fascist speeches be On this day, we pay tribute to frontline sol- called to account” and that Svoboda be diers and home front workers – World War banned as “as a fascist party.” The Svoboda II veterans who brought us to the victory Party has 41 seats on the Lviv Oblast over the Nazi invaders and their accomplic- Council, making it that body’s largest fac- es,” reads a letter of congratulations sent by tion; it has 55 deputies on the Lviv City Mr. Medvedev to Mr. Yanukovych, which Council. (Ukrinform) was posted on the website of the Russian Embassy in Ukraine on May 6. “Facing tre- Working group to study events mendous hardships and incurring heavy KYIV – President Viktor Yanukovych losses, our people not only defended the on May 11 instructed Procurator General independence of their homeland, but also to set up a working group saved the world from the deadly threat. to study the events that took place on May This unprecedented feat will forever 9 in Lviv during celebrations of Victory remain in the memory of our grateful Day. He proposed that representatives of descendants. It is important to preserve the the Security Service of Ukraine and the truth about the Great Patriotic War for Internal Affairs Ministry be included in the future generations and to rebuff any group. The group is to examine violations attempts to rewrite history,” the Russian of human rights and freedoms, and the president said. Mr. Medvedev noted that Procurator General’s Office is to take the heroic past of the two peoples and their appropriate actions “in compliance with the desire to preserve and enhance their com- FOR SALE law,” the president’s instructions read. In mon cultural and spiritual heritage would addition, the Verkhovna Rada has approved bolster the further strengthening of the stra- a proposal by 240 national deputies to hear tegic partnership between Russia and OPPORTUNITIES Fully furnished 1BR/1Bath Ukraine. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir apartment in Ukrainian Village, Somerset, NJ. a report by Internal Affairs Minister Recently renovated, new hardwood floors,oriental Anatoliy Mohyliov on May 13, about the Putin, in turn, congratulated his Ukrainian rugs, freshly painted, new flooring in kitchen, flat May 9 clashes in Lviv. Representatives of counterpart, . “Our com- screen TV in living room and regular TV in bedroom, mon debt to the generation of winners is to Earn extra income! new window treatments. Laundry in same building. Odesa and Crimea-based parties Rodina Fully furnished 78,000 or unfurnished 72,000. (Motherland) and Russkoye Natsionalnoye cherish the memory of the unprecedented The Ukrainian Weekly is looking Contact at 908-601-4405 Yedinstvo (Russian National Unity), feat of tens of millions of people who died for advertising sales agents. despite courts decisions and promises by for the sake of the freedom and indepen- dence of our homeland, as well as to sup- For additional information contact Run your advertisement here, their leaders, came to Lviv to mark Victory Maria Oscislawski, Advertising Manager, Day under red banners. On that day, several port and pay more attention to all frontline in The Ukrainian Weekly’s The Ukrainian Weekly, 973-292-9800, ext 3040. incidents took place, and 14 people were CLASSIFIEDS section. injured. (Ukrinform) (Continued on page 15) No.20 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 15, 2011 15

commemorating the end of the second NEWSBRIEFS world war will be negatively perceived by the international community.” A copy of (Continued from page 14) the UCC’s letter to President Yanukovych was sent to Canadian Prime Minister soldiers and home front workers,” he Stephen Harper and Ukrainian World wrote. Mr. Putin also said that “the battle- Congress President Eugene Czolij. The hardened brotherly Russian-Ukrainian UCC urged Mr. Yanukovych “to do the friendship” would continue to provide a right thing and veto this provocative legis- Ostap Omelian Wengerchuk solid basis for strengthening the strategic lation.” That would “assure the citizens of passed away on Saturday, April 30, at Southampton Hospital, NY. partnership between the two countries. Mr. Ukraine and the world community that the Putin asked Mr. Azarov to convey his sin- cere congratulations to Ukrainian veterans return of past totalitarian symbols is impos- and wish them longevity, good health and sible and the development of Ukraine as a prosperity. (Interfax-Ukraine) free democratic state is irreversible,” the UCC stated. (Ukrainian Canadian Congress) UCC protests Soviet victory banner 70% see Victory Day as great holiday WINNIPEG, Manitoba – The Ukrainian Canadian Congress on May 5 wrote to KYIV – Seventy percent of those polled President Viktor Yanukovych of Ukraine, by the Razumkov Center view Victory Day expressing its deep concern over a law on as a great holiday, while for 23.6 percent of flying a banner bearing the Soviet hammer Ukrainians it is a regular holiday. A small and sickle alongside the national flag of minority, 4.7 percent, does not consider Ukraine as part of official Victory Day Victory Day a holiday at all, it was reported Ostap was born May 16, 1943 in , Germany. He was active in commemorations on May 9. The UCC on May 4. Most respondents – 62 percent – Ukrainian-American organizations in NY and Florida, and most recently called upon the Canadian community and of the Razumkov center’s poll call the sec- in the Glen Cove Senior Center and the Knights of Columbus. ond world war the Great Patriotic War, Ukrainians worldwide to sign a petition The Funeral Mass was on May 7 at St. George Ukrainian Catholic opposing this legislation. “Restoring and while 28.6 percent call it World War II. The idea of reconciliation between the Church in NYC, followed by burial at St. Andrew Cemetery in South honoring the symbols of this totalitarian Bound Brook, NJ. past adversely affects the education of Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists/ younger generations and is unacceptable in Ukrainian Insurgent Army and Soviet army He is survived by : civilized and democratic countries. As such veterans has nearly the same number of Sisters: Irene Czorny Andreadis, with husband Nicolas we were appalled when Ukraine’s supporters (34.6 percent) as opponents and children Larysa and Nicolas; Parliament (Verkhovna Rada) passed a bill (37.2 percent). More than a quarter of Lydia Czorny Matiaszek, with husband Petro, and titled ‘Memorializing the Victory in the respondents treated this initiative indiffer- daughter Ksenia; Great Patriotic War 1941-1945,’ which des- ently or were unable to answer the ques- Sister-in-law: Oksana Wengerchuk ignates the Soviet Red Army flag an offi- tion. Respondents were mostly against cial World War II victory celebration ban- establishing monuments to Joseph Stalin in Niece: Andrea Young with husband Bryan ner that would be included as part of offi- Ukraine’s cities. Only 5.7 percent of and family in the US, Canada and Ukraine cial Victory Day commemorations on May respondents supported this idea, compared May he rest in peace with our parents Stefania and Mykola Czorny- 9,” stated UCC President Paul Grod. to 68 percent who voiced negative opin- Dosinchuk, and our brother Oleh Wengerchuk. “Exalting this during the events ions. (Ukrinform) Donations can be made to the Ukrainian Catholic Education Foundation to support the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv. Please make checks payable to UCEF and send to 2247 W. Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL 60622. Donations can also be made online at www.UCEF.org.

207 16 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 15, 2011 No. 20

ing the style. The art of gerdany... The art of making gerdany faded in the mid-20th century, Ms. Kolodij said, but (Continued from page 9) was revived by two important publica- tions about this art: Enhelysa Lutvynec’s Verkhovyna used dark backgrounds “Charivni Vizerunky” (1970), and Olena because the nights were long, Kosiv pre- Fedorchyk’s, “Ukrayinski Narodni ferred lots of turquoise color, Zakarpattia Prykrasy z Biseru,” (2007). was the only area to use the symbol of A noted beadwork artist, designer, the ladder. instructor and publisher of several bead- Zhytomyr designs were very difficult work instruction books, Ms. Rypan was to make and very few examples were the third speaker. She uses various beads available, Zhovkivski (Lvivska Oblast) and crystallized Swarovski elements into gerdany were made on looms, while her designs. Since 1995, she has also been Pokuttia gerdany were worked across with teaching her craft internationally and is 20 to 30 needles, rather than up and down often featured in Ukraine. with two needles. During her trips to Ivano-Frankivsk, Bukovyna had a strong influence from Kyiv and Lviv, Ms. Rypan has gathered Romania, which used many floral patterns unique information about the newest and beads sewn onto to embroidery piec- beadwork being done by local artisans. es, Kosmach designs were very colorful, Her PowerPoint presentation showed the and Ternopil preferred V-shaped gerdany. work contemporary bead workers in Renya Cehelsky-Ciuk Ms. Kolodij explained that the change Ukraine. Members of UNWLA Branch 88 and (seated from left) Ulana Prociuk, Chrystyna from traditional to contemporary designs Ms. Rypan also explained how beads Prokopovych and Christine Shwed. came about as the result of mobility, the are used in other art forms – not only for desire for creativity, the availability of She added, “There are now different There is no end to what can be done in printed material, and the attitude of the making of gerdany. Other beadwork applications include decorating eggs with techniques for loom weaving, ranging netting. Currently, they’re embellishing women who wanted their gerdany to coor- from fashionable medallions to swags to neckpieces with 3-D beaded flowers.” dinate with their modern clothing. She beads inspired by the traditional pysanky, the newest work on a 300-warp thread According to Ms. Rypan, the new ger- added that traditional gerdany could making bead-embroidered floral Bukovynian shirts, vests and overskirt frame loom. Beaded flowers come in all dany from Ukraine are nothing like those become contemporary by simply chang- made in the past, and beads are used in ing the color or size of the bead and alter- wraps, and using beads to make icons shapes and techniques, and can be used called “Ikony z Bisery.” on 3-D wall hangings, icons and clothing. many different art forms, not just for ger- dany. Two workshops were offered on Saturday. Ms. Rypan taught how to make “Scythian embellished triple V’s” neck- lace, and Joanna Matyka demonstrated the art of making “royal crystal drops,” which is a necklace suitable for formal occasions or a stunning bridal necklace. Her beadwork featured contemporary designs. Ms. Matyka is also the activities direc- tor and vice-president of the Manorly Bead Club. Her beautiful beaded Christmas ornaments were also show- cased on a Christmas tree displayed at the Pearl S. Buck House in Doylestown, Pa., winning first place in the “Festival of Trees – A Celebration of Light.” The dis- play was organized and executed by the UHSC and UNWLA Branch 88. On Sunday, three workshops were con- ducted. Sophie Dubil taught how to make a traditional gerdan called “endless dia- monds” in two colors of the individual’s choice. A medallion is featured in the cen- ter of this net weave design. Ms. Dubil began beading 16 years ago by taking a gerdany class at Manor College where she learned traditional designs, and now enjoys more contemporary approaches. Her ornaments also were showcased on the Christmas tree display at the Pearl S. Buck House. Ms. Prokopovych started beading in 1988 and has been teaching traditional and contemporary beadwork at Manor College since 1995. She uses Ukrainian motifs in designing her pieces. As curator of the UHSC, she has devoted her time to the preservation and promotion of Ukrainian folk arts. For that reason, she works with various community groups and schools to teach Ukrainian crafts. She gave a workshop on the making of a “Byzantine Princess” necklace inspired by Ukrainian embroidery. It includes the addition of Swarovski crystals suitable for formal occasions. Ms. Kolodij, who taught the making of an “Egyptian Princess” bracelet, an adap- tation of a traditional gerdany design made on a loom, gave the last workshop. The bracelet was a good project for both beginners and advanced students. Many other types of exhibits have been organized in the past to highlight different Ukrainian folk arts. In 2009, “Ukrainian Embroidery – A Metamorphosis in Beauty and Function” was held “Pysanky Through the Ages” was presented in 2010. Presently, the members of UNWLA Branch 88 are working on topics for next year’s Ukrainian folk art exhibit. No.20 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 15, 2011 17 18 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 15, 2011 No. 20

Soccer Portuguese club advanced to the final pion. Haye, who defeated Russia’s Aisam Ul-Haq Qureshi of Pakistan 3-6, match against Porto to be held on May 18 Nikolai Valuev in 2009 to win the WBA 6-3, 10-8. The Ukrainian-Belgian duo • Oleg Blokhin extended his contract at Dublin Arena in Dublin, Ireland. title, was initially to fight Klitschko in defeated Andy Murray and Jamie Murray as head of the Football Federation of Dynamo led Group E with three wins, 2008, but the fight fell through because of Great Britain 6-7, 6-3, 10-8 in the Ukraine (FFU), as announced at a press two draws, one loss, with 10 goals for of an injury to the British fighter. quarterfinals, and the team defeated conference in Kyiv on April 28. On April and six against, for a final tally of 11 brothers Mike Bryan and Bob Bryan 7-5, 21 he was appointed as head coach of points. • , the WBC heavy- 6-7, 10-7 in the second round. In their Ukraine’s national soccer team. Ukraine’s weight champion will defend his title opening match against Tomas Berdych of former coach, , • Ukraine is to host France in an inter- against mandatory challenger Tomsz the Czech Republic and Janko Tipsarevic resigned in August 2010, and Yuriy national friendly soccer match on June 6 Adamek of Poland on September 10 in of Serbia, the team won 4-6, 6-4, 10-8. Kalitvintsev served as interim head coach at Donbas Arena in , Ukraine. Wroclaw, Poland. The stadium seats Chess for the past eight months. Blokhin said he The match is part of preparations for the 43,000 and will host matches during the may extend his contract depending on Euro-2012 soccer championships. Euro-2012 soccer championship. • Vasyl Ivanchuk was confirmed for Ukraine’s performance in the Euro-2012 the Elite Group at the 46th Capablanca soccer championship. • The Berezhany district in the Chess Memorial tournament in Havana, Ternopil Oblast is preparing to host an • Sergiy Stakhovsky reached the third Cuba, on May 9-21. The Elite Group fea- • scored his 75th international soccer tournament in 2012 round of the Mutua Open tennis tures six players in a double round-robin goal for Dynamo Kyiv in the Ukrainian with participation from the Ukrainian tournament on April 30-May 8. format. Ivanchuk is a four-time winner of Premier League on April 26 against diaspora. Participants from 14 countries, Stakhovsky was eliminated by David the tournament. Arsenal Kyiv in a 3-0 victory. It was where there are strong Ukrainian commu- Ferrer of Spain 6-3, 7-6. Along the way Shevchenko’s eighth goal of the season. nities, will compete in the tournament. A Stakhovsky defeated American John • Kateryna Lahno qualified for the Isner 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 in the second round, World Chess Federation Women’s Grand • Shakhtar Donetsk was eliminated by wide-scale cultural program has been developed for partipicants, including and Albert Montanes of Spain 7-6, 3-6, Prix 2011-2012 chess tournaments, which Barcelona in the UEFA Champions 7-6 in the first round. Novak Djokovic of will feature six events. Chess players League quarterfinals, losing 1-5 in the familiarization with folk arts, the city’s Town Hall, the Holy Trinity Greek- Serbia defeated Rafael Nadal of Spain in from China, India, Russia, Bulgaria, first leg on April 6 in Spain, and losing the final match 7-5, 6-4. Slovenia and Lithuania also qualified for 0-1 at home on April 12. Barcelona Catholic Church, a complex of the Armenian Church, the Senavsky castle, competition. Six nominees are also to be advanced to the finals against Manchester • Alexander Dolgopolov is ranked 20th selected for the tournament, with the United, with the match to be played on the summer hunter’s castle and a park in the village of Rai. by the Association of Tennis Women’s World Championship final May 28 at Wembley Stadium in . Professionals, the highest ranking in his match in 2013. Shakhtar led Group H after six games Boxing career. Sergiy Stakhovsky remained in played with five wins and one loss, 12 36th place, while Illya Marchenko occu- • Yuri Solodovnichenko won the 29th • champions Wladimir goals for and six against, for a final point pies the 99th spot. international chess tournament in Metz, tally of 15. Klitschko (53-3, 49 KO) and France, on May 2-8 that attracted 40 (25-1, 23 KO) of Britain confirmed on • Ukraine’s and players. The Ukrainian scored 7.5 points • Dynamo Kyiv was eliminated by April 20 that a unification bout is to be Vitalia Diatchenko of Russia advanced to out of nine, 1.5 points ahead of Abhijeet Braga of Portugal in the UEFA Europa held at the 57,000-seat Imtech Arena in the third round of the Porche Grand Prix Gupta of India. Third place was awarded League quarterfinals, with a 1-1 draw to Hamburg, Germany, on July 2. Haye, the tennis tournament in , Germany, to Viacheslav Eingorn of Ukraine. Braga on April 7 in Kyiv and a 0-0 draw WBA champion, will square off against on April 21-29. In their opening match, at Estadio Municipal de Braga. The Klitschko, the IBF, IBO and WBO cham- the team defeated Natalia Grandin of • Dr. Andriy Slyusarchuk, a neurosur- South Africa and Vladimira Uhlirova of geon who only months earlier had begun the Czech Republic 6-1, 4-6, 10-4. In the playing chess, defeated the strongest second match, the Ukrainian-Russian computer chess program “Rybka 4” on team defeated Emma Laine of April 27 in Kyiv. In the first match, and Laura Siegemund of Germany 6-0, Slyusarchuk, 39, played white, blindfold- 6-2. The team lost 2-6, 4-6 to Sabine ed, and won; and in the second leg he Lisicki of Germany and Samantha Stosur played black to a draw. The matches last- of , who won the doubles tourna- ed about two hours. Slyusarchuk is the ment. holder of several records, including mem- orizing huge volumes of data and reciting • Ukraine’s women’s team defeated Pi to its 30-millionth decimal place. In Australia in a Fed Cup tournament held 2006 he named 400 geometrical figures on April 15-16 at Green Iris Valley that were given to him randomly after Recreation Club in Melbourne, Australia. only 20 seconds of memorization, and The matches were all tied up and the also recited 5,000 digits in perfect order, decision rested on a final doubles match. as well as reproduced Pi to its one-mil- The Australian team was represented by lionth decimal place. Jarmila Gorth and Anastasia Rodianova. In singles matches, Groth beat Savchuk • Ukraine’s team, including Valeriy 6-1, 6-1, then on the second leg Kpyl, Volodymyr Pohorelov, Oleksiy Rodianova lost 1-6, 4-6 to Tsurenko. On Solovchuk, Vasyl Diachuk and team April 16, in the second round of singles coach Valeriy Kryvenko, won first place play, Groth beat Tsurenko 6-1, 6-3, and at the seventh European Chess Solving Rodianova lost to Savchuk 6-7, 6-7, 3-7, Championship in Lowicz, Poland, on 12-14. In doubles, after losing the first April 11. The tournament attracted com- set, Savchuk and Tsurenko came back to petitors from more than 20 countries. win 0-6, 7-6, 7-3, 6-3. • Alexander Zubarev scored five out of • Alexander Dolgopolov made it to the seven points and won the first interna- quarterfinals of the Sony Ericsson Open tional open chess tournament in Anzere, tennis tournament in Miami held on , on March 17-20. The tour- March 22-April 3. In the quarterfinal nament attracted 17 players from eight match, Dolgopolov lost to No. 1 seed European countries. Rafael Nadal of Spain 1-6, 2-6. Along the way, Dolgopolov defeated Andrea Seppi • Yuriy Kuzubov won the Reykjavik of Italy 6-1, 5-3, and Seppi retired during Open chess tournament, held on March the second set. In the second round, 9-16 in Reykjavik, Iceland. Kuzubov Dolgopolov defeated Jo-Wilfried Tsonga scored seven out of nine points. The tour- of France 6-7, 6-4, 7-5. nament attracted 166 players from 30 countries. • Alexander Dolgopolov and Xavier Malisse of Belgium won the Masters • Ukraine’s Alexander Zubarev came Series BNP Paribas Open tennis tourna- in second place at an international chess ment in Indian Wells, Calif., on March festival in Bad Worishofen, Germany, on 10-20. In the final match, the team beat March 2-10. In the final match, Sergey Roger Federer of Switzerland and Kasparov of Belarus defeated Zubarev, Stanislas Wawrinka of Poland 6-4, 6-7, scoring 7.5 points out of nine. The tour- (5-7), 10-7. In the semifinal, the team nament attracted more than 200 players – defeated Rohan Bopana of India and 17 of them grandmasters.

194 No.20 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 15, 2011 19

COMMUNITY CHRONICLE Boston activists promote study of Ukraine’s Famine-Genocide

A total of 90 booklets were forwarded ers and spectators were on hand for this for presentation to other members of the yearly event. The collection drive that NERC who could not attend the presen- day netted 630 signatures. tation. Many of the people who signed the In related news, Boston’s Ukrainian petition, and some of those who didn’t, American community is gathering signa- citing lack of information on their part, tures on a petition to be presented at the asked for more information. The two June 14 hearing for S 234, a bill on the activists passed out leaflets prepared by teaching of the Ukrainian genocide in the Boston branch of the Ukrainian Massachusetts schools. The hearing will Congress Committee of America, told be at 10 a.m. in the State House before those interested about various websites the Joint Committee on Education. where they could find more information, Thus far, activists have collected 5,600 and showed them copies of a small por- signatures; their goal is 10,000 signatures tion of the report issued by the U.S. for it to have an impact at the hearing. Commission on the Ukraine Famine. On April 18, Patriots’ Day for the Ms. Walzer noted that more signatures state of Massachusetts, Hania are needed from the western part of Kurniawka and Ms. Walzer were at the Massachusetts. Those who can assist in start of the Boston Marathon at the collection of signatures are encour- Hopkinton, Mass., to collect signatures aged to contact Ms. Walzer at 508-533- in support of the bill. Thousands of rac- 7289.

At the Northeast Regional Conference on the Social Studies (from left) are: Tamara Nary, Maria Walzer, Paul Rabchenuk and Patricia Libby.

BOSTON – The Northeast Regional The presenters of the infor- Conference on the Social Studies mation during one of the conference’s (NERC) sponsored a two-and-a-half-hour many clinics on social studies topics were: presentation about the Ukrainian Famine- Tamara Nary, program administrator at Genocide of 1932-1933 in Ukraine dur- the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute; ing its annual gathering held on April Paul Rabchenuk, an attorney and head of 11-13 in Sturbridge, Mass. Boston’s Holodomor Committee; Maria The Northeast Regional Conference Walzer, coordinator of the event; and the encompasses the states of Connecticut, Rev. Yaroslav Nalysnyk, pastor of the Vermont, Rhode Island, New Jersey, New Christ the King Ukrainian Catholic York, Maine, New Hampshire and Church in Boston. The Rev. Nalysnyk was Massachusetts. It is also sponsored by the scheduled to make a speech, but due to New England History Teachers’ pastoral duties was not able to attend; his Association, Northeast Regional reflections were read by Mr. Rabchenuk. Geographic Alliances - New England, After the oral presentations, parts of the and the New York and New Jersey State film “Harvest of Despair” were shown. Departments of Education. Portions of the report of the U.S. The teachers, who sponsor the event, Commission on the Ukraine Famine, a send to the schools in their states a book- bibliography and other written materials let that includes a synopsis of the about the Holodomor were distributed to Ukrainian Genocide, or Holodomor. the audience.

Wherever you are, The Ukrainian Weekly can be there with you

Hania Kurniawka (left) and Maria Walzer at the start of the Boston Marathon on Check out The Ukrainian Weekly online at Patriots’ Day, when they collected signatures on a petition seeking support for a www.ukrweekly.com bill on including the Holodomor in the curriculum of Massachusetts schools. 20 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 15, 2011 No. 20 No.20 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 15, 2011 21

accessory to murder while allegedly serving as a guard 30 years withheld, contrary to court rule and order, doc- German court convicts... at the Sobibor death camp in Nazi-occupied Poland. The uments which on their face are plainly exculpatory and prosecution has argued that after he was captured by the relevant?” (Continued from page 1) Nazis, Mr. Demjanjuk volunteered to serve as a camp “The government should welcome the chance to have guard. that cloud lifted so that the outcome of its prosecution is Law School. “If you look at Demjanjuk, you don’t see Mr. Demjanjuk denies the charges. He says he was a not tainted — unless, of course, it has something to the typical Nazi criminal you’d imagine,” Mr. Saliger prisoner of war – a Red Army soldier captured by the hide,” Mr. Terez said, according to the AP. said. “Many other perpetrators were never brought to Germans. His attorney has told the court that his client Mr. Terez’s April 29 motion for reappointment of justice – and that’s just one of the case’s many imbalanc- never served as a Nazi guard and that he suffered under counsel, a copy of which was received by The Ukrainian es, which leave you with a bitter taste.” both the Soviet and Nazi regimes. Mr. Busch said in Weekly, noted that the Office of the Public Defender had The Demjanjuk case dates back to 1977, when the court on May 3 that, regardless of the trial’s outcome, represented Mr. Demjanjuk almost two decades ago in Office of Special Investigations, the Nazi-hunting arm the 91-year-old Mr. Demjanjuk is already “a victim of his denaturalization case. Mr. Terez emphasized: “All of of the Justice Department began proceedings against German justice.” Mr. Demjanjuk’s proceedings to date have been poten- him based largely on Soviet-supplied evidence. Mr. The Associated Press noted that Mr. Demjanjuk lay in tially tainted by the failure of the United States to pro- Demjanjuk was stripped of his U.S. citizenship in 1981 a bed during the court session on May 11, as he has for vide to defense counsel a document that came to the for concealing information at the time he applied for most of the trial, wearing dark sunglasses and showing undersigned’s attention last week and was the subject of entry into the U.S., and was extradited in 1986 to Israel, no reaction to Mr. Busch’s remarks. an AP news article on April 12, 2011.” where he stood trial for Nazi war crimes committed at The prosecution has called for Mr. Demjanjuk’s con- He went on to note that, “Because the full scope of Treblinka and was sentenced to death in 1988. The viction and a sentence of six years in prison, while the Israeli Supreme Court overturned the conviction in the withholding of documents is unknown, undersigned defense argued for an acquittal, his immediate release counsel cannot accurately predict at this time which spe- 1993, after newly unearthed evidence showed that and unspecified damages, the AP reported. another man was the notorious Treblinka death camp cific types of proceeding to seek relief for Mr. In an e-mail message to the AP, John Demjanjuk Jr., Demjanjuk may be appropriate.” guard known as “Ivan the Terrible.” commented on his father’s case: “My dad is a survivor Mr. Demjanjuk was allowed to return to the U.S. and The Terez motion also stated: “The proceedings of the Genocide-Famine in Ukraine, of the war fighting appointed counsel would pursue regarding the newly regained his citizenship in 1998, only to be accused by the Nazis, of the Nazi POW camps... and now of the U.S Justice Department of concealing his service at disclosed documents would be ancillary to this court’s Germany’s attempt to finish the job left unfinished by past denaturalization and deportation proceedings three other Nazi camps. He was yet again stripped of his Hitler’s real henchmen.” citizenship in 2002 and a ruling in 2005 paved the way against Mr. Demjanjuk. Indeed, should a court find any “While some who refuse to accept the history of that such future efforts for relief to be meritorious, the end for his deportation to Ukraine, Poland or Germany. period may take satisfaction from this event, nothing the Armed with documentation provided by the U.S. Office result could be the restoration of Mr. Demjanjuk’s Munich court can say will erase the true suffering he has American citizenship – which, of course, would remove of Special Investigations, Germany decided to prosecute endured to this day,” he underscored. him. Mr. Demjanjuk was deported to Germany on May the basis on which his presence in Germany rests.” 12, 2009, and his trial in Munich began on November 30 The motion noted that “the government knew then of that year. Public defender appointed in U.S. what the world knows now, namely, that its case had been judged not credible by its own FBI – a conclusion PARSIPPANY, N.J. – A U.S. judge on May 10 contained in perhaps other exculpatory materials con- Demjanjuk attorney accuses Germany appointed a public defender to represent John tained in undisclosed files shrouded in secrecy.” Demjanjuk’s interests in the United States, indicating of minimizing its own Holocaust guilt It adds, “Mr. Demjanjuk, now stateless, sits before a that his denaturalization case might be reopened in view tribunal in Germany perhaps unjustly.” PARSIPPANY, N.J. – In his final arguments on of a recently declassified FBI report that questioned the Meanwhile, the U.S. government on May 6 asked the Wednesday, May 11, to the Munich court hearing the authenticity of the Trawniki ID card purportedly issued U.S. District Court to reject the federal public defender’s Nazi war crimes trial of John Demjanjuk, defense attor- to Mr. Demjanjuk. ney Ulrich Busch accused Germany of trying to mini- U.S. District Judge Dan Aaron Polster’s order request to represent Mr. Demjanjuk. According to the mize its own culpability by prosecuting foreigners like appointed the Office of the Federal Public Defender as Daily Mail (United Kingdom), the U.S. government his client. co-counsel to pro bono counsel Michael E. Tigar. argued that there are no legal proceedings against Mr. The Associated Press reported that Mr. Busch “noted The Office of the Federal Public Defender in Ohio Demjanjuk in the U.S., he himself hadn’t requested a that high-ranking Germans, such as the commander of had asked to be appointed co-counsel, citing a 1985 FBI public defender and he already has an attorney who has the Trawniki SS camp where Demjanjuk allegedly field office report uncovered by the Associated Press agreed to work pro bono. trained, had been acquitted in the past by German that questions a key piece of evidence against Mr. John Demjanjuk Jr. issued a statement in response to courts.” The news service quoted the lawyer as asking Demjanjuk used in legal proceedings in the United the U.S. government’s position: “As an American, it is the court: “Should foreigners pay for the crimes of the States, Israel and Germany. The identity card was con- appalling to me that the exact same Justice Department Germans... in order to acquit Germany of its responsibil- sidered proof that the defendant, after training at the division which was found to have committed fraud on ity alone for the Holocaust?” Trawniki camp, served as a guard at the Sobibor death the court in the Demjanjuk case does not want the FBI During the court session on May 10, Mr. Busch ques- camp in Nazi-occupied Poland. There are no witnesses report matter to be fully investigated now that it appears tioned the German trial’s legitimacy. The AP reported who have placed Mr. Demjanjuk at Sobibor. they have cheated my father and the U.S. judiciary again that the attorney argued the trial lacks a legal basis The day after the AP story hit the wires on April 12, – in the very proceedings that were investigating their because the Sobibor camp is in Poland. Mr. Busch point- Dr. Busch asked the Munich court to suspend his client’s prior fraud.” ed out that Polish authorities had already dropped an trial, saying he needed more time to investigate whether In his May 10 order, Judge Polster said, “It is the investigation of his client due to lack of evidence. more such material could be found at the National responsibility of the court to insure the integrity of court “I call for the immediate release of my client who has Archives in Maryland, where the AP found the FBI field proceedings. There has already been one confirmed been detained for two years on an illegal and unconstitu- report. Judges in Munich denied his request, with Judge instance of fraud against the court in the first denatural- tional basis,” Mr. Busch told the Munich court, accord- Ralph Alt saying the AP story “does not offer any ization trial.” ing to the AP. grounds for suspension” of the trial. The judge was referring to the 1993 finding by a fed- Mr. Busch also cited widely differing documents and The May 10 ruling in the United States came after eral appeals panel that the U.S. Justice Department had testimonies, saying there must have been about six dif- Federal Public Defender Dennis G. Terez argued that the engaged in “prosecutorial misconduct that seriously mis- ferent Demjanjuks, thus pointing to the possibility of FBI report raises “a fundamental issue of fairness” in the led the court” by withholding exculpatory evidence in mistaken identity. Demjanjuk case. the Demjanjuk case. Mr. Demjanjuk, a Ukrainian-born former citizen of The Associated Press quoted Mr. Terez’s May 6 fil- the United States, was charged with 28,060 counts of ing: “That issue is: Why has the government for almost – compiled by Roma Hadzewycz

said. “The Soviet government intentionally drew most of unveiled in the Doric Hall of Massachusetts State House the workers to deal with Chornobyl from those areas of the and will be on exhibit for one week. Boston organizes... country that were most inimical to its regime.” On Thursday, May 26, the Goethe-Institut will air its (Continued from page 11) “To counteract negative publicity,” Mr. Viatrovych final Chornobyl-themed film, “England” by German the risk or the problem, or how to deal with it, and the local said, “the KGB organized visits to the zone by sympa- director Achim von Borries. The film focuses on termi- thetic journalists from Communist newspapers in France nally ill Chornobyl clean-up crew member Valeri Sikorski population was also totally unprepared,” Mr. Viatrovych and Denmark, and they closely collaborated with a CBS who realizes that he is dying and wants to fulfill his long- indicated. “The surviving documents show that, when radi- film crew from the Moscow bureau to show the efficient time dream of traveling to England. The film follows him ation levels in Kyiv began to increase precipitously three way that the government was dealing with the aftermath across Europe to his death in Calais, and concludes with days after the explosion, Volodymyr Shcherbytsky, first of the explosion and how quickly everything was return- the decision to make his wish a reality and shows his cof- secretary of the Communist Party of the Ukrainian SSR, ing to normal.” fin being taken across the English Channel. had no idea what the figures meant and did nothing as a “The KGB continued to work hard to keep the truth Among other Chornobyl commemoration events that result. The incompetence and indifference of the leadership about what happened at Chornobyl from leaking out and are still being finalized are a memorial service showing of of the Ukrainian SSR prevented them from assessing the actively blocked any demonstrations within the Soviet the UCCA Boston photo exhibit at St. Andrew’s Ukrainian seriousness of the problem and adequately dealing with the Union,” Mr. Viatrovych pointed out. “And the govern- Orthodox Church and photo exhibits in the main gallery of disaster. As a result, even the May Day celebrations in ment in Moscow did the same, ultimately discrediting Boston’s City Hall, at the Boston Public Library, at the Kyiv went forward and thousands of people, particularly itself in the eyes of the world, and, ultimately its actions Lexington Historical Society and at several venues in children, were exposed to major doses of radiation as they led to the of the USSR.” Rhode Island. A commemoration at Boston’s Chornobyl greeted the party leadership on “the holiday of labor.” Mr. Viatrovych noted that all government documents Memorial Tree, which was planted on the fifth anniversary “At first, units of the army were sent to the area to help pertaining to the Chornobyl disaster that were found in of the disaster in 1991 on Boston Common directly in front deal with the fires at the plant and then word was sent out Ukraine after independence were put online and can be of the Massachusetts State House, is also being organized. to the commissariats of the Latvian and Lithuanian repub- viewed at http://www.sbu.gov.ua/sbu/control/ul/publish/ For further information as well as a list of the finalized lics and the Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk oblasts to try to get article?art_id=49046 and http://sbu.gov.ua/sbu/control/ venues with dates, times and locations see www.ukraini- volunteers by promising various benefits and by not telling uk/publish/article?art_id=39296&cat_id=53043. ancenter.org or contact Mrs. Fedynyshyn Saxe at 617-894- them that they were going to Chornobyl,” Mr. Viatrovych On Monday, May 23, the UCCA exhibit will be 1891. 22 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 15, 2011 No. 20

“In civilized society, which we consider Clashes break out... ourselves, such things simply aren’t allowed,” he said, adding, “Several lunatics (Continued from page 1) who stomp on a country’s flag don’t offend the diplomats of that country, but they Meanwhile Oleg Astakhov, the Russian offend that country, and we’ve already Federation’s consul general in Lviv, arrived decided to turn to the police and prosecu- for the wreath-laying ceremony at the Hill tors. I’m not handling it, but someone high- of Glory (Pahorb Slavy) without being er.” scheduled to participate in the official cere- Correspondents from most of Russia’s mony organized by the Lviv State Oblast major television networks – which are Administration, the local organ that serves under the Kremlin’s thumb – were ready to the Presidential Administration. capture such nasty moments, which were When participating in the ceremony, Mr. broadcast for the Russian public to reel in Astakhov didn’t stand with Ukrainian offi- disgust. cials but stood alongside youths wearing “It’s not for nothing that the camera striped orange-and-black St. George crews of RTR, NTV and Russian state tele- Ribbons, the Kremlin-invented symbol for vision were dispatched to Lviv,” Yaroslav Soviet unity, Iryna Sekh, chair of the Hinka, a Lviv City Council deputy with the UNIAN/Alexander Senko Svoboda nationalist faction in the Lviv UDAR party, told the ZIK news service. National Deputy Yevhen Tsarkov (left), a member of the Communist Party of Oblast Council, said in a May 12 statement “They recorded a horror film ordered by Ukraine, and a colleague hold the Soviet victory flag in the Verkhovna Rada on to the press. Therefore, she accused Mr. the Russian Federation. These are provoca- April 21, the day the Parliament passed a law directing that the Soviet-era ban- Astakhov of violating the tions all aimed at Ukraine’s division. And ner be displayed on Victory Day, May 9, throughout Ukraine. Convention on Consular Relations, which everything rests on the presidential elec- forbids interference in a state’s domestic tions in Russia, in order to show what’s Nationalist provocateur Vladimir Shuvalov, a Russian citizen and political affairs. happening in Ukraine,” he commented. Zhirinovsky declared it had been a mistake scientist who was reportedly involved in the Mr. Astakhov expressed outrage at hav- As if reading from a script, deputies of for Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin to annex government’s ethnic provocations leading ing a wreath ripped from his hands and the Russian Duma issued fierce condemna- the Halychyna region. up to the Orange . He also serves trampled by nationalists as he walked tion of Ukrainian nationalists, making pro- Politicians blamed the Presidential as a consultant to the Inter television net- towards the cemetery at the Hill of Glory, vocative statements that demonized resi- Administration on in Kyiv. work, which serves as a propaganda arm for where he intended to place it. He compared dents of the Halychyna region and ques- Among the key media advisors to the the Party of Regions of Ukraine. the act to stomping on the Russian flag. tioned the territorial integrity of Ukraine. Yanukovych administration is Igor Mr. Shuvalov “likely wrote this script,” Roman Ilyk, chair of the Lviv Oblast organization of the Batkivschyna party, told the Ukrayina Moloda newspaper. “This is being done to introduce Russian policies to Ukraine and deflect attention from what’s truly happening in the country today. Truly the government doesn’t have anything to boast of – not on the central level or in the Lviv Oblast. Only empty promises,” he said. Observers said Russian correspon- dents, as well as those from Ukrainian networks loyal to the pro-Russian govern- ment, eagerly exploited violent scenes to further several themes of Kremlin propa- ganda: that the Halychyna region is hos- tile to the rest of Ukraine and that the independent Ukrainian state is failing. The groundwork for the provocation was laid on April 21, when Ukraine’s rub- ber-stamp Parliament passed a law requir- ing the Soviet victory flag to be displayed alongside the Ukrainian state flag on gov- ernment buildings on May 9, for the first time in independent Ukraine’s history. In the view of Ivan Lozowy, a Kyiv lawyer and political insider, it was a polit- ical miscalculation and a mistake for the Yanukovych administration to allow radi- cal elements within the Party of Regions to implement such a provocation, Neither the president nor the party had any political dividends to gain from the conflict, since it only appeals to their rad- ical wing and doesn’t expand its base of support, he said. “The Party of Regions has been hijacked by a strong, ideological faction from within that pushed this thing through,” Mr. Lozowy said. “There’s no future for the Party of Regions going in a pro-Russian vector. Yanukovych got used.” Other observers see a more sinister plan unfolding, in which the Russian Federation is laying the groundwork for a divided Ukraine in preparation for an impending conquest of its territory. The pro-Russian parliamentary coali- tion passed legislation in June of 2010 that establishes a procedure for holding a referendum on changing Ukrainian terri- tory, pointed out Oleksander Danyliuk, coordinator of the civic movement Common Matter and a leader of the November national tax protests. “After the ‘show’ that was held on May 9 in Lviv and the intentional inflam- mation of anti-Halychyna hysteria by government forces, it’s obvious that the first step towards carving up our state is the separation of western Ukraine,” he wrote on his Internet blog. No.20 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 15, 2011 23 OUT AND ABOUT

Through May 22 Art exhibit, featuring works by Michael Hosaluk, May 24 Concert featuring Nina Matvienko, Robert E. Parilla Ottawa Snapdragon Gallery, 613-233-1296 Rockville, MD Performing Arts Center, 202-465-6465 or 410-935-0225

Through May 29 Art exhibit, featuring sculptural works in wood by Michael May 25 Lecture by Halyna Mokrushyna, “Ukrainian Sentiments Ottawa Hosaluk, Karsh-Masson Gallery, 613-580-2424 Ottawa and Canadian Sustenance: Telling the Story of the Holodomor,” St. Paul University, 613-596-8188 May 17 to June 19 Photo exhibit, “Through Ukrainian Eyes” by Evgen New York Kovtonyuk, Ukrainian Institute of America, 212-288-8660 May 27-30 29th convention, Ukrainian National Women’s League of Whippany, NJ America, hosted by the New Jersey Regional Council, May 19 Lecture by Steven A. Barnes, “Death and Redemption: The Marriott Hotel, 973-376-4829 or 201-438-1262 Washington and the Shaping of Soviet Society,” Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Ronald Reagan May 28 Charivni Ochi dance, featuring music by Klooch, Bayda, Building and International Trade Center, 202-691-4000 Mississauga Skora and DJ Oh.Ball, Anapilis Hall, 519-546-8080 or www.ticketpicket.com/charivniochi May 20 Book presentation, “The Jew Who Was Ukrainian” by Philadelphia Alexander Motyl, Ukrainian League of Philadelphia, May 28-30 Great Lakes Cup soccer tournament, hosted by Connection [email protected] Plano, IL Soccer Club of Chicago, Polish National Alliance Youth Camp, 773-299-8833 May 20 Film screening, “Bilyi Ptakh z Chornoyu Oznakoyu” by New York Yurii Illienko, The Ukrainian Museum, 212-228-0110 May 29 Memorial Day picnic, New Kuban Free Cossack or www.ukrainianmuseum.org Buena, NJ Community, Cossack Heritage Museum, 856-697-2255

May 21 Selo Fest, featuring music, humor and dance, May 29 Picnic, for members and prospective members, Ukrainian Chicago Ukrainian American Youth Association – Chicago Branch, Lehighton, PA Homestead, 610-377-4621 or www.ukrhomestead.com 773-486-4204 May 30 Memorial Day commemoration, Ukrainian American May 21 Presentation by John D. Pihach, “Discovering Your Family North Port, FL Veterans – Post 40, Veterans Memorial Park, Chicago History: A Beginner’s Guide to Ukrainian Genealogy,” 941-492-4860 Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art, 773-227-5522 May 31 Lecture by Alexander Motyl, “Ukraine After One Year of May 22 “Sviachene” dinner, St. Vladimir Ukrainian Greek Catholic Washington Yanukovych,” Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scranton, PA Church, 570-346-2414 Scholars, Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, 202-691-4000 May 23-27 Photo exhibit, “Remembering Chornobyl” by Tania Boston, MA D’Avignion, Massachusetts State House – Doric Hall, May 31 Book presentation, “The Jew Who Was Ukrainian” by www.ukrainiancenter.org Washington Alexander Motyl, The Washington Group, [email protected]

Correction Entries in “Out and About” are listed free of charge. Priority is given to events The listing for an exhibit on May 18-20, “Archives of Life in the advertised in The Ukrainian Weekly. However, we also welcome submissions Displaced Persons’ Camp” at the Ukrainian Educational and Cultural Center from all our readers. Items will be published at the discretion of the editors in Jenkintown, Pa., is scheduled for 2012, not 2011. and as space allows. Please send e-mail to [email protected]. 24 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 15, 2011 No. 20

PREVIEW OF EVENTS

Friday, May 20 discuss sources available in the United States, Ukraine and Europe. The presenta- NEW YORK: A film screening of the tion, followed by a wine and cheese recep- Ukrainian classic “Bilyi Ptakh z Chornoyu tion, will be held at the Ukrainian Institute Oznakoyu” (White Bird with a Black Mark, of Modern Art, 2320 W. Chicago Ave., at 7 English subtitles, 1970, digitally restored p.m. Admission: $10 for CBPG members; version), directed by Yurii Illienko will take $15 for non-members and guests. place at 7:30 p.m. at The Ukrainian Museum. This captivating story of the Sunday, June 19 Dzvonar family unfolds against the beautiful HORSHAM, Pa.: The popular Father’s backdrop of the Carpathian Mountains, and Day Ukrainian Fest will commence at 1 features actors Ivan Mykolaichuk, Larysa p.m., at Tryzubivka (Ukrainian American Kadochnykova, Kostiantyn Stepankov, Sport Center, County Line and Lower State Bohdan Stupka and Natalia Naum. The roads). A 2 p.m. stage show will feature the screening is presented in conjunction with Voloshky School of Ukrainian Dance, the the Ukrainian Film Club of Columbia Svitlychka School’s Children’s Performing University; introduction by Prof. Yuri Shevchuk. Admission: $15; $10 for museum Group and the Karpaty Orchestra. A zabava- members and seniors; $5 for students. The dance to the tunes of the orchestra will fol- Ukrainian Museum is located at 222 E. low. Tryzubivka will also host the U.S. Sixth St.; telephone, 212-228-0110; website, Amateur Soccer Association National Cups www.ukrainianmuseum.org. (Open and Amateur, Men’s and Women’s) Region I Championship Tournament from Saturday, May 21 10 a.m. through 7 p.m. (on both Saturday, CHICAGO: The Chicago Business and June 19, and Sunday, June 20). Some of the Professional Group (CBPG) invites mem- best amateur soccer teams in America will bers and the community to a presentation by compete for the U.S. Open and Amateur John D. Pihach titled “Discovering Your Region I Cups. There will be plentiful Family History: A Beginner’s Guide to Ukrainian homemade foods and baked Ukrainian Genealogy.” Mr. Pihach, author goods, picnic fare and cool refreshments. of the seminal work “Ukrainian Genealogy” Admission on Sunday: $5 for adults; chil- (Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies dren age 14 and under: free. Admission on Press) and a recognized specialist on Saturday: free. For more information call Ukrainian genealogical research, will pro- 215-362-5331, e-mail [email protected] , vide an overview of the most effective tac- log on to www..org , or check out tics for tracing one’s Ukrainian ancestry and Tryzub UkrainianClub on Facebook.

PREVIEW OF EVENTS GUIDELINES Preview of Events is a listing of community events open to the public. It is a service provided at minimal cost ($20 per listing) by The Ukrainian Weekly to the Ukrainian community. Items should be no more than 100 words long.

Information should be sent to: [email protected] or Preview of Events, The Ukrainian Weekly, 2200 Route 10, P.O. Box 280, Parsippany, NJ 07054; fax, 973- 644-9510. NB: If e-mailing, please do not send items as attachments; simply type the text into the body of the e-mail message.