The Ukrainian Weekly 1988
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J I 1 1 Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc.c.. a fraternal non-profit association| ranian И у Vol. LVI No. 16 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 17,1988 25 cents News from Ukraine analyzes Millenniuin Committee responds to Soviets Great Famine of 1932-33 WASHINGTON - The National tion of Churches and the faithful in Committee to Commemorate the Ukraine. (For full text of letter, see page by Dr. David Marples The article by Stanislav Kulchytsky Millennium of Christianity in Ukraine 3.) in Visti z Ukrainy provides an insight has responded to a letter by 10 deputies It goes on to note the following: EDMONTON - In January, two into current Soviet thinking about an of the Supreme Soviet of the Ukrainian "The irony that the Millennium of issues of Visti z Ukrainy (News from event that until recently remained very Soviet Socialist Republic by sending a Christianity will be commemorated Ukraine), a weekly newspaper publish much a taboo subject for Soviet scholars letter to Speaker of the House Jim without either of the Kievan Church's ed in Kiev for Ukrainians living abroad, and publicists. Wright. primary descendants, the Ukrainian examined the famine in Ukraine that It is evident that the newspaper had The National Millennium Com Orthodox and Ukrainian Catholic had its origins in 1931 and reached crisis been conducting an internal debate on mittee's letter was sent to Rep. Wright Churches, leaves one to question the proportions in 1932-1933. the agricultural situation in the 1930s (D-Texas) since the deputies' letter was Kremlin's motives in its worldwide In late December 1987, Ukrainian for some time. In December 1987, its addressed to him. The Supreme Soviet promotion of this seemingly religious Party First Secretary Volodymyr Sh- . editor, Viktor Stelmakh, visited North deputies' letter protested a joint con event. The fact that international atten cherbytsky had publicly acknowledged America. During a question-and-answer gressional resolution dealing with the tion will lie focused on Moscow, a city the occurrence of the famine in an session at the University of Alberta, he Millennium of Christianity in Ukraine that will mark its 850th anniversary in address to a meeting in Kiev comme was quick to acknowledge that "major and Repression of religious believers in 1997 and is more than 500 miles from morating the 70th anniversary of the mistakes" had been made during collec Ukraine by Soviet authorities. the Kievan banks of the Dnieper River, proclamation of Soviet power in U- tivization in Ukraine and that the whole Rep. Wright forwarded the Soviet where the actual baptismal occurred, kraine and the establishment of the topic was under review. At that time, he letter to the U.S. Commission on leads us to conclude that the Kremlin's Ukrainian SSR. promised that his newspaper would be Security and Cooperation in Europe Millennial celebrations are nothing discussing some of the more contro (the Helsinki Commission), since he felt more than propaganda designed to versial issues involved. that was the appropriate body to pro exploit its reformist image and further Demjanjuk sues The Ukrainian famine received wide vide a response. downgrade Ukrainian national senti spread publicity in the West in 1983, The National Millennium Committee ments." U.S. officials when its 50th anniversary was com stated in its letter: "We find it appalling The National Millennium Committee memorated widely in North America. JERSEY CITY, N.J. - Edward that the deputies of the Ukrainian concludes with the statement that Two major books on the subject have Supreme Soviet have acted as willing "Ukrainian Americans are confident Nishnic, acting on behalf of his father- been published, (Robert Conquest, in-law, John Demjanjuk, who is await surrogates in whitewashing the Krem that matters such as persecution in "The Harvest of Sorrow: Soviet Collec lin's religious rights abuses in Ukraine. Ukraine will not be overlooked" during ing the verdict of an Israeli court, on tivization and the Terror-Famine," New Friday, April 8, filed suit in U.S. Under the guise of 'fraternity among this new era of East-West relations, and York, Oxford University Press, 1986; Soviet nations' their statement attempts by urging support of the joint congres District Court in Cleveland against the Roman Serbyn and Bohdan Kraw- U.S. government. to further promote misconceptions and sional resolution which "would send a chenko (eds.), ''Famine in Ukraine historical accuracies designed to usurp signal of hope and greeting to the The suits seeks to overturn the dena- 1932-1933," Edmonton, Canadian In turalization of Mr. Demjanjuk, as well Ukrainian identity." Ukrainian people as they mark a stitute of Ukrainian Studies, 1986.) the The Millennium Committee's letter Millennium of Christianity in the as to have findings regarding his depor- (Continued on page 15) tability and extraditability declared goes on to list facts about the persecu history of their nation." void. The 678-page complaint for declara tory judgement and injunctive relief was designated case No. C88-0864 and was assigned to Judge George W. White. Named in the suit are: the U.S. district attorney in Cleveland; Alan C. Nelson of the Immigration and Natura lization Service; Neal Sher of the Office of Special Investigations; Allan A. Ryan Jr., formerly of the OSI; and Attorney General Edwin Meese, The defendants have 28 days to res pond to the suit. The Ukrainian Weekly attempted to contact Messrs. Sher, Ryan and Meese for their reactions, but the former two men were out of town, while Mr. Meese was unavailable. A U.S. Justice Department spokes man, however, did return The Weekly's calls. John Russell said, "We have no comment. We will make our response in court." The Demjanjuk defense alleges in its suit that U.S. government officials perpetrated fraud upon U.S. courts and thus secured judgements favorable to it. "As a result thereof, plaintiff (Mr. Demjanjuk) has wrongfully suffered denaturalization, deportation and ex tradition for war crimes." Meanwhile, the verdict in the Nazi If Ukrainians were free to worship as they choose, the attended last August by some 9,000 faithful of the war crimes case against Mr. Demjanjuk National Millennium Committee argues, scenes such as banned Ukrainian Catholic Church. On the right is the is to be announced tomorrow, Monday, the one pictured above would not be common. A icon of Our Lady of Zarvanytsia. (Continued on page 3) clandestine liturgy in a forest in western Ukraine was THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 17,1988 No. 16 A GLIMPSE OF SOVIET REALITY Baits recall 1949 deportations dye to Stalm's collectivization Ukrainian atheist journal condemns NEW YORK - Thirty-nine years Soviet-occupied Baltic states. The ago, on March 25, 1949, Stalin deport wreaths had ribbons of the three coun ed almost 200,000 Estonian, Latvian tries' national colors and the number of "vulgar atheism" as failed policy and Lithuania farmers and their fami people deported from each country. by Dr. Roman Solchanyk by young people, atheism has simply lies to Siberia. Most were never again The group, along with reporters and a become old fashioned, it is the view of seen. TV camera crew, was able to enter the The recent issue of the Kiev monthly grandfathers and grandmothers," he These deportations were part of the grounds but was turned away at the atheist journal Liudyna і Svit (Man and says. brutal forced collectivization of farms door by a female embassy employee the World) carries a lead article calling Looking at the situation today, ordered by Stalin — the same collec who cried "Go away! Go away!" and for "a thorough restructuring" of atheis maintains Mr. Tancher, one comes to tivization that resulted in 7 million closed the door. tic work and condemning "vulgar the conclusion that alongside Leninist Ukrainians being starved to death The delegation remained in the court atheism" as a total failure. scientific atheism there was "a sponta between 1929 and 1933. yard and prayed for victims of Stalinist The article by Volodymyr Karlovych neous development of vulgar atheism as Recently, even the Soviet-controlled terror and for freedom for the Baltic Tancher, a leading expert on religion a by-product of the contradictory and press has begun to admit that several States, concluding: "God helps those and head of the Department of the multi-varied paths of socialist progres mass deportations took place after the who help themselves and with the help History and Theory of Atheism at Kiev sive development." USSR invaded Estonia, Latvia and of God, we are going to help the Baltic State University, also argues that This "vulgar atheism" has certain Lithuania in 1940. States regain their freedom!" relations between Church and state defining characteristics. "It puts forth Detailed statistics published in the The three wreaths were initially left need to be further democratized and atheism as the primary factor, a posi Estonian cultural weekly Sirp ja Vasar on the Embassy grounds, but the police that a comprehensive law on religion tion that it clearly does not deserve." (November 27, 1987) show that 80 asked the group to remove them. The should be adopted in the Soviet Union. According to the author, it divides all of percent of the Estonians shipped to wreaths were then placed on the side Both the tone of Mr. Tancher's argu humanity into "atheists" and "non- Siberia were women, old people and walk in front of the Embassy, along ments and the specific proposals that he atheists"; considers atheism a necessary children. Some 1,500 of the more than with signs saying, "Freedom for Latvia, advances sets the article apart from element in the solution of all political 10,000 Estonian deportees in 1941 were (Continued on page 16) recent Soviet writings on religion in the problems; and imparts on atheistic children under age 7.