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The Ukrainian Weekly 2009, No.17

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The Ukrainian Weekly 2009, No.17 www.ukrweekly.com INSIDE: • Canada’s governor general headed for Ukraine – page 4. • The “Great Catastrophe”: the Armenian Genocide – page 6. • A visit to folk art center in Petrykivka – page 13. THEPublished U byKRAINIAN the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profitW associationEEKLY Vol. LXXVII No.17 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 26, 2009 $1/$2 in Ukraine Murder of young radical refocuses IMF mission chief recommends attention on ethnic strife in Odesa next tranche of loan for Ukraine by Zenon Zawada didn’t have conflicts with the police in Kyiv Press Bureau relation to that.” A native of the Luhansk Oblast, Mr. KYIV – Ethnic strife resurfaced in Chaika came to Odesa to study journal- Odesa when self-described anti-fascist ism at the Mechnykov National activists on April 17 stabbed and mur- University. Last year he launched Sich, dered Maksym Chaika, a 21-year-old uni- an acronym for “Slava i Chest” (Glory versity student who characterized himself and Honor), “to demonstrate our ideas to as a Ukrainian nationalist but also appar- people.” ently had ties to neo-Nazis. As Sich’s first event, Mr. Chaika orga- The next day, Odesa police announced nized 60 activists to march in Odesa on an investigation into the murder. As of June 29 in honor of Ukrainian Insurgent April 23, no arrests had been made. Army Commander-in-Chief Roman Mr. Chaika’s murder is the latest attack Shukhevych. Subsequently, the NTV tele- amidst a pattern of aggression against vision network smeared the march. ethnic Ukrainians and Ukrainian-language “We were called ‘a Nazi group,’ mean- speakers in Odesa, a city that prides itself ing portrayed in a bad way,” Mr. Chaika on ethnic tolerance but has fallen short of said in the YouTube video, speaking in its image in recent years. his native Russian. About two dozen Ukrainian activists Mr. Chaika admired Gen. Shukhevych, and nationalists were viciously beaten in as seen in numerous photographs of him September 2007 when they protested the wearing T-shirts that depicted the leader Web-Portal of the Ukrainian Government city’s planned establishment of the of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). Ceyla Pazarbasioglu, head of the International Monetary Fund’s mission in Ukraine, Empress Catherine II monument. Although he said he had been smeared and Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko during a press conference in Kyiv. A year later, Russian chauvinists as a fascist or Nazi, Mr. Chaika insisted harassed the local chapter of Prosvita, the that he is only a nationalist, “and there by Zenon Zawada bilize the nation’s economy. national organization promoting the are such people like me, and they are Kyiv Press Bureau Ms. Pazarbasioglu is recommending Ukrainian language and culture. even in Odesa, in such a city where you the larger-than-expected loan despite her Millionaire businessman Igor Markov, feel everyone is against you if you say KYIV – International Monetary Fund mission’s criticism of the Ukrainian econ- leader of the Russian radical political you are a nationalist.” (IMF) Mission Chief in Ukraine Ceyla omy, particularly an unacceptable budget party Rodina (Homeland), was directly Yet, in numerous photographs that Pazarbasioglu announced on April 17 that deficit, and Ukraine’s failure to meet involved in both incidents, and is sus- have cropped up throughout the Internet she will ask its council of directors to demands, such as parliamentary approval pected of providing support for the anti- extend Ukraine $2.8 billion in May as fascist skinheads as well. (Continued on page 9) part of the second tranche of a loan to sta- (Continued on page 9) Only a month ago Odesa’s Ukrainian organizations issued a statement protest- ing the refusal of local prosecutors and law enforcement officers to investigate Ukrainian American Chamber of Commerce founded in Michigan and prosecute the city’s anti-Ukrainian agitators, especially Mr. Markov, for by John Fedynsky inciting ethnic and religious conflict. DETROIT – Ukrainians are organiz- This time, some activists accused Mr. ing in a fresh and exciting way in met- Markov of organizing Mr. Chaika’s mur- ropolitan Detroit. The newly founded der because he was a Ukrainian activist Ukrainian American Chamber of who demanded that the authorities prose- Commerce of Southeast Michigan has cute Mr. Markov for his violence against hit the ground running with its series of ethnic Ukrainians and Ukrainian-language networking events and roundtable dis- speakers. cussions. Mr. Chaika’s murder is distinct in the “Those of us who grew up in the aggression campaigns because of his Ukrainian American community here admitted violent past and ties to neo- know that there is untapped potential Nazis, whereas prior victims of for harnessing the many success stories Ukrainophobic attacks in Odesa were of our professionals and entrepreneurs,” law-abiding members of nationalist and said Vice-President Walter Pytiak, who right-wing parties and Ukrainian cultural owns a construction company. organizations. The chamber’s guiding principle is A product of the Internet age, Mr. to work together on common ground Chaika left behind dozens of photographs toward the economic empowerment of and even a five-minute YouTube video in Ukrainian American professionals and Several founding directors with prospective members of the Ukrainian American which he discusses his still-budding polit- those who do business or would like to Chamber of Commerce of Southeast Michigan: (standing, from left) Dmitry ical views, appearing unsure and trying to do business in and with Ukraine. Koublitsky, Paul Mychalowych, Eugene Mychalowych, Walter Pytiak, Andrij sort out his views for himself. Toward that end, the chamber offers a Birko, Andrew Smyk, (seated) Elias Xenos, Olena Palyvoda and John Fedynsky. In the video labeled “Maksym Chaika’s full calendar of networking and educa- Discussion about Himself and His tional activities that promote the suc- ty to explore doing business in and with was its inaugural Open House, which ‘Struggle,’” Mr. Chaika described his dis- cess and professional advancement of Ukraine,” said Director Olena occurred on October 25, 2008, at the like of foreigners and what he described members and friends. Palyvoda, a researcher and assistant Crash Landing. The board of directors as their rude, boorish behavior and disre- “New immigrants and grandchildren professor at Wayne State University’s welcomed the nearly 100 guests and spect toward Ukrainian women. of immigrants alike will benefit from College of Engineering. “I fought with them because I didn’t networking opportunities and the abili- The chamber’s first successful event (Continued on page 11) like their rude behavior,” he said. “I 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 26, 2009 No. 17 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFS Political instability in Ukraine raises Presidential campaign begins Verkhovna Rada. Mr. Yanukovych also emphasized that the creation of a broad KYIV – Leading political scientists coalition in Parliament is possible under fears of intervention by security forces agreed that the reason for the failed vote in “quite strict conditions.” He said that the the Verkhovna Rada on April 14 on the gov- by Taras Kuzio to bring order to Ukraine” (Ukrayinska party “can renounce its ambitions and agree ernmental bailout package necessary for on the decision [creation of a broad coalition Eurasia Daily Monitor Pravda, March 21). Shchyt promised to cooperation with the International Monetary “assist in undertaking order on the streets - ed.], but this requires discussing a lot of On April 13 Verkhovna Rada Chairman Fund (IMF) is the start of the presidential contradictions; our opponents have to admit of our cities” (Ukrayinska Pravda, March pre-election campaign. Forces of the opposi- Volodymyr Lytvyn said on ICTV: “There their mistakes,” he noted. The Verkhovna 27). tion and a part of the presidential faction is a potential threat of a forced takeover Rada has set regular presidential elections Politicians incessantly debate the pos- Our Ukraine – People’s Self-Defense of power [in Ukraine].” A possible can- for October 25. (Ukrinform) sible consequences of pre-term presiden- refused to include the bills on the agenda. cellation of elections could be part of an tial and parliamentary elections and “attempt to maintain oneself in power by Afterwards, the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc UNICEF to provide $20 million whether there is sufficient time or enough directly blamed President Viktor Yushchenko undertaking any risky action,” Mr. Lytvyn parliamentary votes to change the KYIV – Ukraine’s Minister of Family, added (ICTV, April 13). Ukrainian politi- for the failed vote and charged that he had Constitution again (the last time being in adopted an “anti-state and anti-Ukrainian Youth and Sports Yurii Pavlenko and cal consultant Kost Bondarenko warned 2006). There is also continued specula- position.” The president denied the accusa- UNICEF Permanent Representative to that Ukraine was on the verge of “chaos tion concerning a possible impeachment tions and said he has nothing to do with the Ukraine Jeremy Hartley on April 21 signed and dictatorship” and that such a threat, of President Viktor Yushchenko. failure. He placed blame on Prime Minister the annual cooperation plan for 2009. Mr. “appears where there is the temptation to Mr. Lytvyn’s warnings are reminiscent Yulia Tymoshenko and her bloc. However, Pavlenko’s said the ministry signed this seek simple solutions to problems” of ex-President Leonid Kuchma and his according to the director of the Sofia Center annual cooperation plan within the frame- (Ukrayinska Pravda, March 16). presidential administration head Viktor for Social Studies, Andrii Yermolayev, there work of the 2006-2010 action program, Ukraine, together with Latvia and Medvedchuk attempting to extricate undoubtedly was some sort of “intrigue” by which was adopted for implementation of Hungary, are the three post-Communist themselves from impending election Mr. Yushchenko and his team. He said he the United Nations Convention on the countries hardest hit by the global finan- defeat.
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