INSIDE: l The Tymoshenko case versus the Ukrainian cause – page 6 l PROFILE: Andriy Milavsky, talented multi-instrumentalist – page 11 l Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus performs in Pittsburgh – page 13 THEPublished U by theKRAINIAN Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal W non-profit associationEEKLY Vol. LXXIX No. 44 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2011 $1/$2 in Ukraine Europarliament resolution At U.N. screening of ‘The Whistleblower,’ supports EU recommendation filmmaker confronts secretary-general for meeting with Yanukovych by Oksana Zakydalsky STRASBOURG, France – The European Parliament on Special to The Ukrainian Weekly October 27 supported a joint resolution on Ukraine TORONTO – Larysa Kondracki’s film “The which proposed that the European Commission hold a Whistleblower” was screened at the United Nations on meeting with Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych October 14 and was followed by a panel discussion on ahead of the EU-Ukraine summit in order to “re-establish the topic of “Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in Conflict a constructive dialogue.” and Post-Conflict Situations.” The vote took place during a plenary session in The panel was opened by Secretary-General Ban Strasbourg without any debate beforehand and was Ki-moon; Ms. Kondracki and Madeleine Rees (the former passed by a simple majority. U.N. rights lawyer played in the film by Vanessa “[The EP] considers that the recently postponed meeting Redgrave) participated in the panel, along with several with President Yanukovych would have offered an excellent senior U.N. officials. During the discussion, the filmmaker opportunity to tackle serious concerns addressed towards directly confronted the secretary general about “the the Ukrainian government and re-establish a constructive wrongdoings of the U.N.” dialogue that could lead to the Association Agreement to “The Whistleblower,” directed and co-authored by Ms. be initialed provided there is significant progress on both Kondracki, premiered at the Toronto International Film technical and vital political obstacles still in place; calls Festival in 2010 and received U.S. and Canada-wide dis- on the [EU] Council and the [European] Commission to tribution in August of this year. The film was inspired by reschedule the recently postponed meeting with the real-life story of Kathryn Bolkovac (played in the film President Yanukovych ahead of the foreseen EU-Ukraine by Rachel Weisz), a Nebraska cop who served as a U.N. Summit in December 2011,” reads the document. police officer in Bosnia in the late 1990s and who was That clause is preceded by other provisions that cover a forced out of the United Nations after uncovering evi- range of bilateral relations, starting from the strategic level dence of U.N. peacekeepers’ participation in prostitution – the recognition of Ukraine’s aspirations for EU member- with trafficked women. ship, and ending with recommendations on the examina- In August, Ms. Kondracki wrote to the U.N. secretary- Toronto International Film Festival tion of possible mistakes in decision-making at the govern- general, sent him a DVD of “The Whistleblower” and rec- Larysa Kondracki, whose fact-based film “The ment level in special parliamentary commissions. ommended that the United Nations hold a viewing of the Whistleblower” about the United Nations’ complicity in sex trafficking was screened at the U.N. on October 14. “[The EP] takes the view that a deepening of relations film for its officials. According to Foreign Policy magazine between the EU and Ukraine and the fact of offering (August 15), some top U.N. officials advised against a Ukraine a European perspective are of great significance tives of governments that supply peacekeepers to U.N. viewing, saying it would be better to ignore the film, missions. He also invited Ms. Kondracki to participate in a and in the interests of both parties; recognizing while others argued in favor of confronting the U.N.’s sor- panel discussion on sex trafficking and wrote to her that Ukraine’s aspirations pursuant to Article 49 of the Treaty did past and using the viewing as an opportunity to draw the U.N. General Assembly president fully supported this on European Union, provided that all criteria, including attention to sex trafficking. respect for the principles of democracy, human rights, Mr. Ban agreed to show the film at the secretary-gen- initiative. eral’s headquarters to top U.N. officials and representa- (Continued on page 5) (Continued on page 5) Early child development center focuses on Ukrainian heritage by Mark Raczkiewycz and playing musical instruments are the center’s main activities. Special to The Ukrainian Weekly Although the Education Ministry says KYIV – As more continued trickling in, that all of Kyiv’s more than 450 public pre- five preschoolers started singing a schools teach in the Ukrainian language Ukrainian folk song on a late Wednesday and only eight of 400 primary schools afternoon in a downtown Kyiv early child teach in Russian, parents say teachers development center. selectively speak Russian to children. Straw-woven puppets were set neatly Moreover, parents say, children aren’t across a table. Ukrainian fairy tale, folk immersed in a Ukrainian environment song and lullaby books lined a walled book- where learning folk traditions is part of the case in the studio. This is where 30 mostly curriculum. preschool-age children engage in extracur- The Pravytsia center’s co-founders, Marta Liubchyk and Myroslava Tuziuk, said ricular activities devoted to learning basi- they wanted to meet this need in 2010 cally who they are and the customs and tra- when they started giving folk lessons to a ditions that make up their heritage. group of 10 children. That number has Called Pravytsia – a reference to the tree since tripled and the number of courses of life – the folk studio is an island in the has expanded to accommodate older chil- nation’s Russified capital where the prac- dren, including masterclasses that were tice and observation of traditional Pravytsia added on Saturdays for all age groups in A class in making woven-straw dolls that was held during the Trypilske Kolo festival Ukrainian holidays is far from mainstream. of the Pravytsia folk studio in Kyiv. Singing, choreography, theatrical plays (Continued on page 20) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2011 No. 44 ANALYSIS Old case against Tymoshenko revived cases were opened against Ms. Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan Tymoshenko on charges of the misuse of KYIV – Ukraine’s Procurator-General’s 200 million euros received by Ukraine from Office says it has revived an investigation the sale of quotas for greenhouse gas emis- forced into Customs Union into the alleged embezzlement of about $3 sions, as well as on charges of illegally pur- form a special commission to examine the million and evasion of some $2.5 million in by Erica Marat chasing ambulances. (Ukrinform) country’s potential membership. taxes by jailed former Prime Minister Yulia Eurasia Daily Monitor Contradicting Prime Minister Almazbek Tymoshenko when she headed an energy Ukraine on list of rights violators On October 19, members of the Atambayev’s earlier statement, firm 15 years ago. Ukraine’s main opposi- Eurasian Economic Community Kyrgyzstan will not join the Customs tion leader was sentenced to seven years in KYIV – The International Federation for (EurAsEC) announced in St. Petersburg, Union in early 2012. Tajikistan, in turn, prison earlier this month on charges of Human Rights (FIDH) has published an Russia, that both Kyrgyzstan and has been cautious about making any abuse of office. The United States and the annual report on the activities of human Tajikistan are eligible to join the Russia- statements regarding the union (www.24. European Union have condemned the case rights defenders in various states. Ukraine Belarus-Kazakhstan Customs Union kg, October 19). as politically motivated. Ms. Tymoshenko was included in the category of states where (www.24.kg, October 19). Kyrgyzstan can already feel the impact says she is the victim of a political vendetta “the most serious pressure on human Although the Customs Union positions of the Customs Union’s work. It takes any- by President Viktor Yanukovych. A new rights” is applied, according to an October itself as an economic alignment, it has thing between two to eight hours to cross charge brought against her since she was 26 1+1 TV Channel report. In terms of the long acquired political significance. The the Kyrgyz-Kazakh border. Before the jailed alleges that she took part in a “crimi- significance of violations, Ukraine was Customs Union’s main architect, Russian Customs Union began functioning last nal conspiracy” in the 1990s to embezzle included in the same group of countries as Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, has used summer, it took two hours at most to state funds, resulting in $405 million of debt Uganda, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Latvia, the grouping as a policy instrument in cross the border. Travelers and cargo are to Russia. (RFE/RL with agency reports) Iraq, Rwanda, Indonesia, India, Myanmar both the regional and international are- scrutinized at the Kazakh border, and and most Latin American countries were nas. According to Mr. Putin, the Customs more labor migrants are prevented from Yulia’s supporters remain in tent camp also included in this group. The state of Union provides a basis for further politi- crossing the frontier. Corruption and ill- KYIV – The Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc and human rights defenders in Ukraine was ana- cal and economic integration among for- treatment among customs control per- the Batkivschyna Party are not planning to lyzed in the context of Eastern Europe and mer Soviet states (see Eurasia Daily sonnel also flourishes. dismantle the tent camp outside of Kyiv’s Central Asia. The authors of the report Monitor, October 6). What the Russian Kyrgyz experts are divided on the Pechersky District Court, the first deputy noted that from early 2010 to mid-2011, the leader does not mention is that countries potential benefits of Customs Union head of the party, Oleksander Turchynov, situation in the region has significantly dete- are pressured to support his initiative in membership.