ubiished by the Ukrainian National Association Inc.. a fraternal non-profit associitiori rainian Weekly Vol. LVII No. 21 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 21, 1989 50 cents National democratic movements' Ukrainian Catholic delegation representatives meet in Estonia stages hunger Strike ІП MOSCOW NEW YORK - A meeting of 100 According to Tunne Kelam of the MOSCOW - A delegation of Ukrai­ from Ivano-Frankivske told Reuters on leaders of national democratic and Estonian National Independence Party, nian Catholic bishops and clergy will Tuesday, May 16. His group's visit was independence movements in the Soviet the fact that such a "radical"group was continue a hunger strike until it is granted timed to raise the issue prior to the Union and the Soviet-occupied Baltic not only given official permission to a meeting with the Soviet leadership to opening later this month,; of the new states was held in Estonia on April 30 to meet but also was not interfered with is discuss the legalization of the Ukrainian Congress of People's Deputies. They May 1, reported the Estonian American "a first for the Soviet Union." Catholic Church, the Ukrainian Hel­ had been told that they would be met by National Council (EANC). Seven non- The first day was spent exchanging sinki Union's press service, based in a senior government official on Wed­ Soviet flags - (Estonian, Latvian, information about recent events in the Moscow, reported on Thursday, May nesday, May 17. Lithuanian, Byelorussian, Ukrainian, various occupied nations as well as the 18. For full text of the appeal to Soviet Georgian and Armenian - were flown status of the non-Russian minorities. It According to reports from Moscow, leader Mikhail Gorbachev, see page at the Loodi manor south of Viljandi. became clear that perestroika has Bishops Pavlo Vasylyk, Filemon Kur- 7. Also in attendance were Crimean brought no major improvements for chaba and Sofron Dmyterko, as well as' Tatars, an Azerbaidzhani Popular any of these. priests, the Revs. Mykola Simkailo, Wednesday passed, and no such Front representative, a correspondent The Ukrainians reported that their Volodymyr Viytyshyn and Ihor Voz- meeting occurred. It was then that the of Moscow's Glasnost magazine and a situation is as difficult as before, even niak, arrived in Moscow on Tuesday, clerics decided to stage the hunger strike Russian Youth Democratic Union repre­ tragic, without any amelioration in the May 16, with a petition to legalize the in the reception room of the Supreme sentative. About 60 of the participants language and culture situation. In fact, Church which was banned in 1946 after Soviet building. They were then pro­ came from outside of Estonia, the rest local authorities seem most concerned a "pseudo-synod" in Lviv and "reunited'' mised a meeting on Thursday morning were from Estonia. Several of the about not hurting the feelings of the with the Russian Orthodox Church. in the offices of the Presidium of the participants represented political par­ Russian-speaking population in U- "We have not come begging, only to Supreme Soviet, the highest state body. ties created as opposition to the Com­ kraine. demand the return of what was taken They left the reception area, but vowed munist Party. (Continued on page 10) away from us in 1946," Bishop Vasylyk to continue the hunger strike until they meet with either Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev or Deputy Chair­ Narodychi: a raion in distress after Cfjornoby/ disaster man of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet Anatoly Lukianov. (Continued on page 16) by Dr. David Marples Mr. Lekhtarov claimed that such a in the eastern part of the raion, reported figure could not be correct, but Maka­ that in the backyard near his house the The newspaper of the Narodychi renko declared that not only had this radiation levels were changing regularly Raion Party Committee (Zhytomyr and other figures not been corrected, by entire milliroentgens. "But no one Bishop Borecky ajgain Oblast, Ukrainian SSR), a copy of they had also been delivered at that time says anything about this. What is the which was recently brought to the West to the oblast's civil defense headquarters. point of these stupid conversations that denies resignation by a Soviet visitor, has provided detail­ Such a high level of radiation clearly have been continuing for nearly three ed information about the radiation merited an evacuation of the popula­ years?" M.T. Kobernyk, an assistant JERSEY CITY, N.J. - As The contamination in the raion as a result of tion. What has incensed the local medical officer in the raion, stated Weekly was going to press, it re­ the 1986 disaster at the Chornobyl residents is that no action has been simply: "The point is that, it is not safe ceived a release from the chancery nuclear plant. taken for three years, even though the to live in the raion. So why should we office of the Ukrainian Catholic An article written by M. Ataman- situation was made known to the take risks?" Eparchy of Toronto, regarding the status of Bishop Isidore Borecky of chuk describes a packed and often authorities from the first. Other participants noted that the sick Toronto. Headlined "Bishop Isidore . raucous meeting, convoked on March Citing data from the Center for are not being hospitalized, that there is a Borecky has not resigned" and dated 30 at the House of Culture in Narodychi Radiation Medicine itself, one partici­ "bureaucratic" attitude toward the May 17, the full text of the release to discuss the latest information about pant noted that in the village of Stare medical observation of the population, follows. living conditions. People reportedly Sharne (just north of Narodychi), the that medical test results were not being came from all over the raion to attend level of cesium contamination in the soil provided, and that both the oblast and the meeting. The hall was so full that exceeds 50 curies per square kilometer republican health authorities had many had to listen to the proceedings (the level at which the soil is considered adopted a "passive" attitude to the The Chancery of the Ukrainian through loudspeakers that were placed dangerous to humans is 15 curies per situation. Catholic Eparchy (diocese) of To­ ronto and Eastern Canada today in the corridors. square kilometer). "How can children The deputy chairman of the Na­ released an authoritative statement The meeting was addressed by oblast be expected to live in such conditions?" rodychi Oblast Executive Committee, on various speculative reports in the and raion party and government offi­ asked the man. "They cannot," Mr. H.O. Hotochyts, informed the audience public press concerning the possibi­ cials, by members of the Ukrainian Lekhtarov replied. that "at the request and insistence" of lity that His Grace Bishop Isidore Hydrometerological Committee, and Another person asked why there have the raion and oblast authorities, a may retire. by I.O. Lekhtarov, head of the section been so many contradictory statements decision has been taken in Moscow to for dosimetry and radiation hygiene in the press about the radiation situa­ evacuate those villages now believed to 1. The provisions of Roman Ca­ with the All-Union Center for Radia­ tion. The scientist laid the blame on be unsafe for habitation. The criterion tholic church law regarding the tion Medicine of the USSR Academy of appraisals and prognoses by people for evacuation is that no person should retirement of bishops at the age of 75 Medical Sciences. who are incompetent. ''Well then," be permitted to accrue more than a do not apply to the Eastern Catholic shouted another onlooker, "Can one lifetime dose of 35 rems of radiation. Churches. Hence His Grace Bishop Various questions and statements live in Narodychi Raion or not?" Mr, Taken literally, and excluding those Isidore has no obligation to tender a were apparently shouted from the floor. Lekhtarov responded that in 12 involved in clean-up work or nuclear resignation because of his age. Thus the chairman of the raion's civil villages the radiation background level industry personnel, this indicates an 2. On the advice of recognized defense committee, I.P. Makarenko, presented a serious danger to the annual dose per person of 0.5 rems, church lawyers. Bishop Isidore has testified that on the morning after the population, particularly to children. assuming a 70-year lifespan. Г not tendered any such resignation. accident, April 27, 1986, the radiation 3. It is the most ancient tradition of measurements in Narodychi itself This answer evidently did not satisfy The future of the settlement of Na­ the Eastern Churches that diocesan reached as much as three roentgens per the large audience. Many described rodychi itself is being re-examined, but bishops do not resign, but when they hour, i.e, three times higher than the situations in their villages that they felt Mr. Hotochyts did not feel that the reach more advanced years they may merited more urgent attention. A col­ officially recorded peak averaged out current situation there warranted a (Continued on page 16) for the evacuated 30-kilometer zone. lective farm worker from Khrystynivka, (Continued on page 10) THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 21,1989 No. 21 Portrait of a Ukrainiar^ deputy: Congressmen defend Ukrainian rights activists WASHINGTON - Ninety-seven Indiana: Dan Burton (R). writer/physician Yuriy Shcherbak members of the House of Representa­ Kansas: Jan Meyers (R), tives have signed a letter to Soviet leader Maryland: Steny Hoyer (D), Benjamin by Dr. David Marples springs to mind). Dr. Shcherbak's Mikhail Gorbachev calling for a cessa­ Cardin (D), Constance Morella (R), Roy medical career culminated in the receipt tion of punitive measures against Ukrai­ Dyson (D). EDMONTON - One of the surprise of the Order of the Toiling Red Banner, nian activists seeking democratization Massachusetts: Silvio Conte (R), Chester victors in last month's elections to the for his work in combatting cholera in Ukraine.