www.ukrweekly.com INSIDE: • Ukraine's troubled nuclear industry — page 2. • CBS refuses Rabbi Bleichs request for fairness — page 4. • Ukrainian American Bar Association focuses on CBS controversy — page 8. THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association Vol. LXIII No. 1 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 1, 1995 75 cents Ukrainian community reacts Parliament approves draft law to Canadian deniai of redress on powers of government bodies by Christopher Guly survivor of the Canadian camps. KYYIV — The Ukrainian Parliament to form a Cabinet of Ministers without Mr. Gregorovich said he thinks that if on December 28, 1994, passed the draft the approval of the Parliament, to dis­ OTTAWA - Is redress a way to the Canadian government wants to play of a bill on the division of government band the Parliament if the legislature dis­ rewrite history? One Canadian historian fair now, it should ask for the $360 mil­ powers, following a heated debate that agrees twice with a governmental plan of thinks so. lion compensation package given to the lasted two days. action, and the right to veto legislation Stella Hryniuk, a Ukrainian Canadian Japanese Canadian community. "It's On the last day of their plenary session, passed by the Parliament. history professor at the University of either equal justice for all or none." the deputies passed the "Law on State The draft law has now gone back to a Manitoba in Winnipeg, says the Canadian Power and Local Self-Government" by a special committee that will review it and government was right to deny compensa­ That's like comparing apples and oranges, suggested Dr. Hryniuk. She said vote of 220-109, with 18 abstentions. The present it again to the Parliament in early tion for the internment of as many as 6,000 law delineates the responsibilities of the January for final approval. Ukrainian Canadians during the first world the Japanese Canadian settlement was justifiable. "They were Canadian citi­ executive, legislative and judicial branches In order to pass in the first reading, war. Some 80,000 Ukrainian Canadians of government, as well as local govern­ the bill needed a simple majority. were also declared enemy aliens. zens, while, in my research I maybe found two Ukrainian Canadians who ment. However, in order for the bill to take "I don' think any injustice should be were Canadian citizens." As envisioned by President Leonid effect as law, it must pass by a two-thirds forgotten," Dr. Hryniuk explained. "But I There were about 170,000 Ukrainians Kuchma and presented on December 2, majority plus one, or 301 votes, since it don't believe in rewriting history. The 1994, the measure gives the president deals with a constitutional issue. [Canadian] government was acting in (Continued on page 3) much more power, such as the authority The special committee charged with accordance with the thinking of the day. I reviewing the legislation is composed of don't think we have that kind of wisdom one representative from each of the where a government today can impose its Parliament's nine factions: Vasyl morals on a previous government." CHRIST IS BORN Durdynets (Center), Roman Bezsmertny However, Ihor Bardyn, chairperson of (Statehood), Valentyn Nedryhaylo the Ukrainian Canadian Congress's (Independents), Serhiy Holovaty (Reforms) (UCC) redress committee, said the Viktor Omelych (Unity), Oleksander Canadian government's action is not only Lavrynovych (Rukh), Vasyl Korneliuk wrong by today's standards, but was (Agrarians), Gennadiy Dolzhenko wrong back then. "[Former Liberal Prime (Communists), and one from the Socialists, Minister] Sir Wilfrid Laurier resigned whose name was unavailable at press time. from [Conservative] Prime Minister The committee will work on various Robert Borden's wartime coalition Union sections of the law. As it now stands, the on September 17, 1917, over the issue of bill provides for a strong executive, Ukrainian internment. He said back then while the Parliament is seen as simply a that some day the government of Canada law-making body. The country is envi­ would have to atone for its decision." sioned as a strong presidential republic, On December 13, 1994, Progressive like the France of Gen. Charles DeGaulle Conservative Sen. Raynell Andreychuk and Francois Mitterand. told tlie Senate that "redressing a historical Urging the Parliament to adopt the law injustice is fundamental to the ability of the in its first reading, Presidential Chief of Ukrainian Canadian community to regain Staff Dmytro Tabachnyk presented a 15- and sustain its sense of identity and moral minute speech on behalf of Mr. Kuchma worth. Only in facing up to this tragedy, by on Wednesday morning, December 28. admitting mistakes, acknowledging hard­ ships and most of all, by educating those who come after us, can we ever hope to remove the threat of this occurring again." Ukraine receives A day later, Canada's secretary of state for muiticulturalism, Sheila Finestone, announced that the Canadian government $500 million loan would not compensate $400 million in redress claims from six Canadian ethnic from World Bank groups, including Ukrainian Canadians. JERSEY CITY, N.J. — The World Instead, Prime Minister Jean Chretien's Bank agreed on December 22, 1994, to government will establish a $24 million loan Ukraine $500 million in support of Canadian Race Relations Foundation in the country's transition to a market econo­ Toronto next spring. my. It is the single largest disbursement of Half of the funding toward that center Western assistance to Ukraine thus far. will come from a 1988 Canadian govern­ The money will be used to stabilize and ment settlement with the Japanese revitalize Ukraine's economy, specifically Canadian community over World War II to cover the cost of essential imports such internment, said John Gregorovich, as natural gas and oil. Ukraine relies heav­ chairman of the Ukrainian Canadian ily on energy imports, which have left it Civil Liberties Association (UCCLA), almost $4 billion in debt and short of which he said spent close to $40,000 money needed to bankroll economic stabi­ over the past three years pressing for a lization and reform. resolution of the redress issue. The disbursement comes after the Six years ago, former Prime Minister country, which still has seen little move­ Brian Mulroney allotted $12 million ment toward a market-oriented system, toward a community development fund finally agreed to reform by way of price to the National Association of Japanese Bas-relief by Zenon V. Holubec, from a Christmas card published by St John the I Canadians, along with $21,000 to every Catholic Church, Hunter, N.Y. (Continued on page 16) THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 1, 1995 No. 1 Nuclear power in Ukraine: a look at a troubled industry by David R. Marples switched off because of problems: one Suicides in Ukrainian military revealed deeds, in a letter sent from the couple's hometown of Kherson, Ukraine, to severe — the discovery of a defect in the KYYIV — An official from the Ukraine's energy troubles have led to cooling system at the third reactor unit; and Ukraine's Embassy in Canada on Sunday, a new emphasis on the development of Defense Ministry of Ukraine told a news December 11. Larysa Taranov, whose one minor — a spillage at the first reactor conference on December 12, 1994, that nuclear power and to a desire among the when a container was dropped by a crane. spouse, Oleksander, third engineer on the country's nuclear authorities to maintain more than 500 soldiers and officers died Allende, was rescued by the U.S. Coast On April 20, it was also reported by in the Ukrainian armed forces in the first the Chornobyl station in operation in the Deputy Premier Valeriy Shmarov that Guard after a 32-hour ordeal, expressed her face of opposition from international 11 months of 1994 — most of them by deepest gratitude to the U.S. and Canadian the covering over the destroyed fourth suicide. As reported by Interfax, the offi­ nuclear experts. reactor was in danger of collapse and governments for their critical role in the Throughout the course of the year, cial said that nearly half of those who search and rescue operation that saved her that about one-fifth of qualified person­ died were officers. He added that the Ukraine altered its position on Chornobyl nel at Chornobyl had left the station in husband. Mrs. Taranov's warmest words and eventually adopted an obdurate stance. death rate was down 13 percent from the went to the helicopter crew that plucked her 1993. At that point, Ukraine began to put previous year. (RFE/RL Daily Report) There appears to be general agreement on a substantial pricetag of $6 billion to $8 husband from the cold ocean waters as well this issue between the State Committee for billion on the closure of Chornobyl. Ethnic Russians also Chechnya victims as the medical staff of the Dartmouth, Nova the Safe Use of Nuclear Energy (Mykhailo Scotia, hospital where Mr. Taranov was By late May, after a visit to the station GROZNY, Chechnya — Ethnic Umanets), the Supreme Council Committee by then President Leonid Kravchuk, Mr. treated for severe injuries. (Svoboda) on the Questions of Nuclear Policies and Russians, who constitute a substantial Parashin declared that the station could portion of the population of the Chechen Ministry denounces Russian meddling Nuclear Safety (Mykhailo Pavlovsky) and operate until the year 2007. the director of the Chornobyl station (Sergei capital and its environs, are suffering the WASHINGTON — The Foreign In late September, Mr. Parashin elabo­ rigors of bombardment and blockade Parashin). In addition to the controversial rated on this theme, stating that to decom­ Ministry of Ukraine issued a statement on Chornobyl station, Ukraine's nuclear alongside the indigenous Chechen popu­ December 26, 1994, condemning the mission the Chornobyl reactors would take lation.