1NS1DE: t Canada launches S2.5 million aid to Ukraine program - page 2. e Third anniversary celebrations of Ukraine s independence - page 5. -s ^ The Baba chronicles: Researching a Ukrainian family history - page 1 2. Published by the Ukrainian National Association inc., a fraternal non-profit association vol. LXII No. 36 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 4,1994 75 cents international forum on crime Shmarov appointed Ukraine's Ukraine addresses escalating problem first civilian defense minister by Marta Kolomayets Ukraine currently is a major trans-ship– by Marta Kolomayets Kyylv Press Bureau ment avenue for drugs, but it's not an Kyyiv Press Bureau end country yet. it's where everybody The fall of communism has opened up goes. Drugs move through Ukraine, par– KYYiv - valeriy Shmarov was new drug routes from East and Central ticularly from Southwest Asia to Europe, appointed Ukraine's acting minister of Asia and created a huge potential clien– but there are just not enough customers defense by President Leonid Kuchma on tele in Central and Eastern Europe. here," explained Lt. Andres Durbak, a Friday, August 26, replacing Gen. vitaliy "Drugs in Europe," Newsweek, July 4 tactical operations officer with the Radetsky. Mr. Shmarov, 49, is the first civilian to KYYiv - Although Ukraine's drug Chicago Police Department. But, in the first six months of 1994, be named to this post, but his appointment problem and crime rate have not yet must be approved by Ukraine's Parliament, reached the proportions recorded in the Ministry of internal Affairs reported that it dealt with 44,222 drug users in which convenes on September 15. American cities, or even Central and independent Ukraine's first defense minis– West European hubs, government offi– Ukraine; for a 12-month period in 1992, that number was 33,5-82. The number of ter was Gen. Kostyantyn Morozov, who cials here see these two issues as escalat– served in 1992-1993; he was succeeded by ing problems, ranking them among the addicts in ministry files has also Gen. Radetsky in October 1993. most serious concerns of this newly inde– increased from 25,292 in 1992, to 32,676 in the first half of 1994 (See Table 1). Mr. Shmarov is currently Ukraine's pendent state. deputy prime minister in charge of the During an August 16-19 international "Yes, there is a narcotics problem in military industrial complex and defense conference on "Strategy and Experience Ukraine," added Lt. Durbak, "but at this conversion, and for the time being will in Combating Organized Crime and Drug point, most of the drug abuse problems in Ukraine deal with substances that are remain at that post. grown and produced here, like deriva– Speaking at a Cabinet of Ministers tives from poppy or from marijuana. meeting last week, Mr. Shmarov said that The Ukrainian government There isn't sufficient wealth here to he was not going "to teach generals how blames the increase in drug attract an international drug cartel deal– to shoot and drive tanks," but would ing with cocaine, for example." guide the ministry's political course. valeriy Shmarov, newly appointed act– use... ^'on the collapse of the "But, it's only right that Ukraine is (Continued on page 2) ing minister of defense. Soviet Union, the destruc– booking at this problem seriously now, because it will come up, and if the tion of old values and the Ukrainians face the problem today and absence of new ones... and a start organizing, they will be able to cope UNA Executive Committee holds general atmosphere of insta– with it better in the future," added the Chicago cop, who also lectures at an area bility in the country." university. first post-convention meeting Drugs, including heroin, cocaine and 9 Ministry of internal Affairs report crack, are illegal in Ukraine. However, JERSEY C1TY, N.J. - The Establishment, in accordance with a raw resources such as hemp (marijuana Executive Committee of the Ukrainian convention resolution, of the Youth and hemp belong to the same plant fami– National Association held its first post- Committee, a standing committee Trafficking," sponsored by Ukraine's ly, cannabis sativa) and poppy (from convention meeting here at the UNA charged with developing a comprehen– Ministry of internal Affairs and the which opium is made) are still grown in Home Office on Friday, August 5. sive program aimed at attracting new Ukrainian American Police Association, Ukraine because they are used for house- Present were re-elected members of members into the UNA and assisting Ukrainian experts predicted that in 1994- hold purposes, such as rope and baking. the Executive Committee, President young UNA'ers in assuming leadership 1995, drug trafficking and organized A law passed in 1987 prohibits Ulana Diachuk, vice-President Nestor positions within various UNA bodies on crime will be on the rise. Ukraine's citizens from growing poppies, Olesnycky and Treasurer Alexander the branch, district and national levels. "The economic situation in our coun– while a recent decree by the Cabinet of Blahitka, as well as the three newly Committee members are: Taras try may not only energize the existing Ministers foresees the eventual liquida– elected officers, Director for Canada Szmagala of Cleveland and Stefko drug trafficking network in Ukraine, but tion of hemp plantations, gradually Peter Savaryn, vice-Presidentess Kuropas of Chicago, co-chairmen; Nick it may also attract the poorer segments of decreasing the hectare allowance for this Anya Dydyk-Petrenko and Secretary Diakiwsky, Pittsburgh; Walter the population, including youth and stu– crop. However, this has not stopped Martha Lysko. Korchynsky, Horseheads, N.Y.; dents," states a recently issued report by some of Ukraine's citizens from planting Also present was a representative of Alexander Kicak, Montreal; Alexandra the Ministry of internal Affairs. hemp and poppies in their private land the UNA Auditing Committee, Mysak, Philadelphia; Maryanna Cizdyn, The Ukrainian government blames the plots near their homes. William Pastuszek, and the editors-in- Baltimore; Jarema Rakoczy, Whippany, increase in drug use on a number of fac– "it is basically a tradition here," com– chief of Svoboda and The Ukrainian N.J.; Laryssa Gwozdulycz, Toronto; and tors, including "the loss of social orienta– ments one agriculture ministry official. Weekly, respectively, Zenon Snylyk Mary Bergman, Miami. tion after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and Roma Hadzewycz. ф Creation of a special committee that the destruction of old values and the Attempts to fight drug trafficking fPreviously, only the editor-in-chief is to realize the erection at Soyuzivka of absence of new ones, the collapse of old of Svoboda had been present to report Since Ukraine proclaimed its indepen– a monument to the late Patriarch state structures and a general atmosphere on the Executive Committee meetings, dence in 1991, the Ministry of internal Mstyslav 1 of the Ukrainian Orthodox of instability in the country." Affairs has been actively cooperating at the as Svoboda was the lone "official organ" Church. A convention resolution stipu– However, it is not only in the former international level to combat crime. A of the UNA and The Weekly had no lated that this should be accomplished Soviet Union that drug use is on the rise. member of interpol (the international such status and, indeed, was not even within two years. Committee members The war on drugs, declared in the United Criminal Police Organization) since 1993, cited in the UNA By-Laws. However, are: Mr. Pastuszek, chairman; Auditor States, is a battle being fought through- Ukraine has also signed a number of bilater– an amendment to the UNA By-Laws Anatole Doroshenko; Advisors out Europe, where European Union offi– al agreements on dealing with the "narko– adopted at the 33rd Regular Convention Alexander Chudolij and Anne Remick; cials estimate there are 5 million hard biznes" with Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, held in May recognized that both news- the very Rev. Stephen Bilak, honorary drug users today, of which one million Georgia, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Russia, papers are "official publications" of this member of the UNA General Assembly; are addicts. Official estimates on hashish Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, fraternal society.! and Mr. Blahitka. and marijuana users range from 20-30 Estonia and Latvia, it has also signed simi– Among the major decisions at the million in the European Union. meeting were the following: (Continued on page 7) "From an international point of view, (Cont!nued on page 3) THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 4,1994 No. 36 Canada launches S2.5 million NEWSBmEFS assistance program in Ukraine Dysentery, typhoid break out in Ukraine against "being in a hurry to reconstruct" OTTAWA - Foreign Affairs Minister Canada for short-term training. the Security Service of Ukraine, which he KYYiv — An outbreak of dysentery characterized as a "healthy organism" with Andre Ouellet on August 23 announced it is estimated that over 50 organiza– has killed 10 people in Ukraine's eastern the launching of the Canada-Ukraine tions and institutions in Ukraine will be "great specialists" who need proper work– Luhanske Oblast, and 23 people across the ing conditions. (interfax-Ukraine) Partners Program. The goal of this new strengthened through the transfer of skills country have contracted typhoid fever, program is to promote democratic devel– through this initiative. The program will Ukrinform reported on August 22. More Ukraine envoy to israel meets with Arafat opment and support the transition to a also facilitate the creation of 25 to 35 than 3,000 Ukrainians have contracted market-based economy in Ukraine ongoing institutional links between various life-threatening diseases such as GAZA, israel — Ukraine's through the implementation of small- Canadian and Ukrainian institutions. hepatitis and salmonella, of which more Ambassador to israel Yuriy Scherbak met scale, practical, technical assistance pro– The program will be managed by the than 700 are children.