The Ukrainian Weekly 2009-39

8/14/2019 The Ukrainian Weekly 2009-39

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Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association

$1/$2 in UkraineVol. LXXVII No.39 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2009THEUKRAINIANWEEKLY

INSIDE:

N.J. governor promises Eastern European Heritage Commission page 4. USCAK national tennis championships held at Soyuzivka page 11. Ilona Sochynskys works on exhibit at Ukrainian Institute page 12.

Ukrainians recall glory days of Rukhby Marta Kolomayets

Special to The Ukrainian Weekly

KYIV Many came to reminisceabout days of glory past, to see old

friends and exchange war stories,while others came to see PresidentViktor Yushchenko and offer their sup-port for his 2010 presidential bid. Stillothers were curious to see if Rukh, thePopular Movement of Ukraine forPerebudova, has any relevance intodays Ukraine and if there is a placefor it amidst the realities of todays pol-itics.

Such was the gathering at theUkraina Palace on Saturday, September12, celebrating the 20th anniversary ofRukh, which was the precursor toUkraines grassroots movement forindependence in the early 1990s. It wasthe movement that encouraged massdemonstrations against the Communist

regime, raised hopes for an independentUkraine and later gave birth to numer-ous democratic parties that today makeup the countrys political landscape.

I greet you, the people of Ukraineand the state of Ukraine on this 20thanniversary of the creation of thePeoples Movement of Ukraine. Thisevent changed our lives, changed usand defined the fate of Ukraine. Rukhwas the first to specifically and clearlyshape our main goal: to achieve and

The jubilant scene at the inaugural congress of Rukh, the Popular Movement

of Ukraine for Perebudova, held on September 8-10, 1989, in Kyiv.

realize independence, to achieve and real-ize our statehood, President Yushchenkotold the more than 3,000 gathered at theanniversary meeting. Many in the audi-ence chanted his name enthusiastically,while some shouted out despondently,Tell us what to do now, referring to theimpending start of the presidential cam-paign.

In a year that celebrates 20 years since

the fall of the Berlin Wall, the heyday ofPolands Solidarity movement, the birthof national democratic campaigns in theBaltic states, such as Sajudis in Lithuaniaand the Latvian and Estonian NationalFronts, Rukh stands out as a symbol ofdemocratic rebirth in the region.

Without this Ukrainian movement,

(Continued on page 8)

by Zenon Zawada

Kyiv Press Bureau

KYIV In a desperate bid to raise gov-ernment revenue, Prime Minister YuliaTymoshenko will try on September 29 toauction off a state-owned, nationally strate-gic asset, ignoring at least two court rulingsand a presidential decree issued by ViktorYushchenko forbidding the sale.

The Odesa Portside Plant is among theworlds biggest producers of ammonia andcarbamide, and the State Property Fund hasset a starting price of $500 million.However, its doubtful a promising buyerwill emerge, experts said, given Ukrainespolitical instability and depressed marketconditions.

The price is not as attractive as it was in2008, said Tamara Levchenko, a senior

analyst at Dragon Capital in Kyiv, Ukrainestop investment bank.Fertilizer is selling at between $230 and

$250 a ton, compared to prices as high as$800 a ton last year. Sales and profits havedeclined along with dropping demand relat-ed to the financial crisis. But Im not sureits worth delaying the sale, she said.

President Yushchenko on September 17

issued a decree forbidding the sale of theeconomically strategic factory, which hesaid doesnt adhere to national security inter-

ests.During his three-day visit to the United

Nations, he accused Ms. Tymoshenko ofpreparing a fixed auction and called oninvestors to avoid the show, vowing anysale would be canceled by the courts.

These backroom deals surrounding theportside plant are my serious complaint thatthe government has prepared a non-compet-itive, non-market privatization of this site,he told a September 22 press conference inNew York.

A September 29 auction will result in ahighly dubious and disputable title to theproperty and repel legitimate investors as aresult, said Ivan Lozowy, president of theInstitute of Statehood and Democracy inKyiv.

With his threats of blocking the sale, thepresident significantly reduced the potentialprice for which the plant could sell, whichDragon Capital estimated at only $200 to$250 million. In July, State Property FundActing Chair Dmytro Parfenenko estimatedthe sale could earn as much as $1 billion.

Tymoshenko and Yushchenko spar

over sale of state-owned strategic asset


by Zenon ZawadaKyiv Press Bureau

KYIV U.S. Assistant Surgeon GeneralBoris Lushniak, a top authority on the H1N1virus, presented the latest U.S. governmentinformation on the growing pandemic to aSeptember 16 international conference inKyiv.

Dr. Daniel Hryhorczuk, a professor at theUniversity of Illinois in Chicago School ofPublic Health, and Ulana Mazurkevich,president of the Ukrainian Human RightsCommittee, organized the conference, whichwas Dr. Lushniaks first visit to Ukraineafter he took the oath of office as assistantsurgeon general and was promoted to rearadmiral on August 31, 2006. He is the high-

est ranking active-duty Ukrainian Americanofficer in the U.S. uniformed services.

The conference, which addressed inter-national approaches to coping with theH1N1 pandemic, was attended by nearly100 participants, including public healthprofessionals from Georgia, Belarus and theRussian Federation.

Conferences like this are key to us hav-ing contact internationally on a very impor-tant public health matter, which is the begin-nings of a pandemic influenza, Dr.Lushniak said.

Without having international coopera-tion and the ability for nations to talk witheach other and describe experiences andplanning efforts, then the pandemic will bea much more difficult process to undergo,

he added.Most post-Soviet nations have avoided

the H1N1 virus thus far, with only onerecorded case in Ukraine a laborer whocontacted the virus through his job sellingvegetables in Detroit, First Deputy HealthMinister Dr. Oleksander Bilovol told a pressconference.

The Ukrainian citizen fell ill uponreturning to his homeland in April andsought treatment in a Kyiv hospital afterfeeling weakness, a high temperature andpain in his joints.

U.S. assistant surgeon general

visits Ukraine to speak on H1N1

A working group of epidemiologists wasassembled within 30 minutes, Dr. Bilovolsaid. They confirmed the H1N1 virus within11 hours, using Russian and American diag-nostic equipment, as well as with the help ofdiagnostic tests performed at theHromoshevskyi Institute of Epidemiology

U.S. Assistant Surgeon General Boris Lushniak (left) with Academy of MedicalSciences President Dr. Oleksander Vozianov (center) and First Deputy HealthMinister Oleksander Bilovol, addressed a September 16 conference in Kyiv dis-

cussing international approaches to the H1N1 pandemic.

Zenon Zawada



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THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 20092 No. 39

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New start for NATO-Russia relations

BRUSSELS Anders Fogh Rasmussen,the new secretary general of NATO, onSeptember 18 gave his first major publicspeech, titled NATO and Russia: A NewBeginning. Mr. Rasmussen presented hisvision of a strategic partnership with Russia,outlining concrete proposals aimed atimproving and energizing this relationship.Specifically, the secretary general suggestedfocusing on the reinforcement of practicalcooperation, rejuvenating the NATO-RussiaCouncil (NRC) and conducting a jointreview of new security challenges. Heargued that, A time-out may have been use-ful to rethink our relationship. But the inter-national security environment does not waitfor NATO and Russia to sort out their act.Quite simply, NATO-Russia cooperation isnot a matter of choice it is a matter ofnecessity. He also said: This new relation-ship will require a lot of hard work. But if

we manage to get away from the reflex ofassuming the worst about each other andfocus instead on our common interests, thenwe can make a genuine new beginning inour relationship in our own interest andthat of the entire international community.(NATO)

OSCE project to dispose of rocket fuel

KYIV Secretary General Marc Perrinde Brichambaut of the Organization onSecurity and Cooperation in Europe andUkraines acting Defense Minister ValeriiIvaschenko on September 16 signed a con-tract with a Russian consortium that allowsfor the safe disposal of more than 3,000metric tons of toxic rocket fuel componentstored in rusting containers at two storage

depots in Ukraine. Starting in earlyNovember, the rocket fuel component,which is known as Mlange, will be loadedon to trains that will be transported to spe-cialized chemical plants in Russia, where itwill be disposed of. In a process that willlast 12 months, the noxious substance willbe transported by six trains in total and con-verted into chemical products with industrialuses. The contract signed provides for thedisposal of 3,168 tons. According to theMemorandum of Understanding betweenthe OSCE and the Cabinet of Ministers ofUkraine on the Mlange project, Ukraine

has a total of some 16,000 tons, the remain-der of which will be disposed of in later,planned stages. This event has been pre-ceded by four years of hard work by theMinistry of Defense of Ukraine and the

OSCE. Every step of the way was wellworth it for the sake of the human andenvironmental security of this country. Thisproject is vital for Ukraine and it is impor-tant for the security of the OSCE area, saidMr. de Brichambaut. A 400-pageEnvironmental Impact Assessment Reportfound that the deteriorating containers thathold the noxious substance in Ukraine posea risk that is unacceptably high. Mr.Ivaschenko said: The problem, the solutionfor which starts today, is a part of the Sovietlegacy inherited by Ukraine. Unfortunately,Ukraine was not able to eliminate theMlange on its own due to technical andfinancial constraints. Thanks to the coopera-tion with the OSCE Secretariat we can saythat it will be solved in the near future.

Several OSCE participating states are pay-ing for the project through voluntary contri-butions and fund-raising continues. Donorsso far include Sweden/SIDA, Denmark,Norway, Spain, Germany, Finland, theCzech Republic, Poland and Ukraine itself.(OSCE)

Journalists mark Gongadze anniversary

KYIV Journalists and rights activists inKyiv marked the ninth anniversary of jour-nalist Heorhii Gongadzes abduction andkilling. Gongadze was kidnapped onSeptember 16, 2000. His decapitated bodywas found two months later. The circum-stances of his death became a national scan-dal and a focus for protests against the gov-ernment of President Leonid Kuchma. Last

year, three former officials from the InternalAffairs Ministrys Foreign SurveillanceDepartment and the Criminal IntelligenceUnit were found guilty of Gongadzes mur-der and sentenced to long terms in jail. Then,on July 22, former Ukrainian police officialOleksii Pukach was detained; he allegedlyconfessed that he was directly involved inkilling Gongadze. Gongadzes relatives andtheir lawyers think the journalist was killedbecause of his investigative reporting. Theactivists gathered near the main post office


The Center for Ukrainian CanadianStudies has informed The Ukrainian Weeklythat in the story Canadas Dauphin andUkraines Kosiv sign sister-city agreement(September 20), it was incorrectly reportedthat the city of Dauphin, Manitoba, housesthe Beautiful Plains School Division. Infact, Dauphin is home to the MountainView School Division.

Correction

by Pavel Korduban

Eurasia Daily Monitor

Ukrainian lawmaking has fallen victimto the presidential election campaign.Parliament has failed to resume its workafter the summer vacation as the opposi-tion Party of Regions of Ukraine (PRU)physically blocks the rostrum making itimpossible to vote. The party is protestingagainst the refusal by the pro-governmentmajority to increase minimum wages andpensions.

It is likely that the present crisis willpersist for some time to come. The twomain players, the PRU and the YuliaTymoshenko Bloc (YTB) are apparentlyboth satisfied with the status quo. PRUleader Viktor Yanukovych has attempted

to win the hearts and minds of voters byhis populist demands, while Ms.Tymoshenko hoped that the uncivilizedbehavior of her main opponents mightincrease her own chances for victory in theJanuary 2010 presidential election.

On September 1, at its first sitting afterthe vacation, the Verkhovna Rada rejectedthe PRUs proposal to increase the mini-mum wage. The bill was backed by 200votes, 26 short of the required number.The PRU reacted by blocking the rostrum,saying that it was determined to continuethe blockade until the majority agreed tomore than double minimum monthlywages to the equivalent of $190 and raisepensions by a similar amount (UkrayinskaPravda, September 1).

Mr. Yanukovych signaled that he wouldnot stop short of organizing street proteststo increase wages and pensions (UT1 TV,

September 11). Mr. Yanukovych claims

that there are enough funds in the statecoffers for the increase, and that Ms.Tymoshenko only wants to use the issue inher election campaign (Inter TV,September 6).

Ms. Tymoshenkos team argues that thePRUs demands are purely populist andthat inflation would spiral if they weremet. We flatly object to an insufficientlymotivated increase of social standards[which would] only add 10 hrv ($1.10) topensions and later 100 hrv will be lostbecause of inflation and devaluation, saidYTB caucus leader Ivan Kyrylenko(Channel 5, August 31).

If the YTB agreed to the increase, thestate finances would be unbalanced andrelations with the International Monetary

Fund (IMF) would be seriously damaged.Prime Minister Tymoshenko promised theIMF that the budget deficit would be keptto under 6 percent in 2009 and under 4percent in 2010. This was among the con-ditions for the IMFs $16.4 billion loan Ukraine has already received three tranch-es totaling over $10 billion.

It is an open secret that the PRU isattempting to fool its potential voters. OneUkrainian weekly noted that PRU mem-bers are not interested in increasing pen-sions and wages, as most of them are busi-nessmen who are not ready to pay theiremployees more (Zerkalo Nedeli ,September 12). However, by advocatingthis policy the PRU is not risking any-thing, understanding that its demands will

not be met by Ms. Tymoshenko because of

Presidential election campaign

paralyzes Ukrainian Parliament


by Taras Kuzio

Eurasia Daily Monitor

The poor state of Ukrainian-Russian rela-tions as vividly noted in Russian PresidentDmitry Medvedevs August letter toPresident Viktor Yushchenko, the expulsionof two Russian spies from Ukraine andRussias newly adopted law giving its mili-tary the right to intervene abroad is inten-

sifying the debate in Ukraine over theRussian threat.

On September 18 three journalists fromthe Rossiya channel were banned for fiveyears from entering Ukraine for conductingfalsified information propaganda againstUkraine (www.pravda.com.ua, September18). Earlier, Mr. Medvedev told the ValdaiClub that his letter had fulfilled its purpose(Ukrayinska Pravda, September 15).

Ukraines acting Foreign Affairs MinisterYurii Kostenko explained that the expulsionof the two spies was seen by Moscow as anaggressive attack against Russia and aprovocation (Ukrayinsky Tyzhden, August28-September 3). Russia did not attempt tounderstand Ukraines argument that thespies were acting in a manner contrary to

Ukraine debates the Russian threat

their diplomatic status.Mr. Medvedevs staunch and unprece-

dented criticism of Ukrainian domestic andforeign policies was worsened by the factthat two of the three leading presidentialcandidates Party of Regions leader ViktorYanukovych and Front for Change leaderArseniy Yatsenyuk supported the Russianside. On August 26 Mr. Yanukovych told aphone-in to Segodnya: Never before have

we had such unpleasant relations withRussia as at present.

Mr. Yanukovych promised that relationswould improve if he is elected. Such prom-ises echo the 1994 presidential electionswhen Leonid Kuchma claimed that he rather than the incumbent Leonid Kravchuk would be in a position to improve suchrelations.

Both Mr. Kuchma and Mr. Yanukovychfailed to see the deeper issue involved;namely, Moscows refusal to recognize theexistence of the Ukrainian nation, explainedVolodymyr Horbulin, former secretary ofthe National Security and Defense Counciland security expert Valentyn Badrak(Zerkalo Nedeli, September 12-18). In thelast 18 years since the disintegration of theUSSR the Kremlin elite has not come toterms with the existence of an independentUkraine, as another Ukrainian newspapernoted (Ukrayinsky Tyzhden, August28-September 3).

These experts suggested that the situationin Ukraine resembled Austria in the 1930sbefore its anschluss with Germany(Ukrayinsky Tyzhden, August 28-September3). Various political experts provided pessi-mistic answers as to why they did not



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New Jersey governor pledges to set up Eastern European Heritage CommissionRUTHERFORD, N.J. New Jersey

Gov. Jon S. Corzine on Monday,September 14, pledged he would estab-lish an Eastern European HeritageCommission in the state.

Speaking at a reception at the home ofCami Huk-Masier, a member of the

Governors Ethnic Advisory Council,Gov. Corzine said he would sign an exec-utive order establishing the 16-membercommission before the end of the year,adding that this would happen regardlessof the results of the gubernatorial electionin New Jersey.

Ms. Huk-Masier, who hosted thereception as part of Mr. Corzines re-elec-tion effort, explained that the executiveorder had not yet been signed because thegovernors office is awaiting moreresumes from potential commission mem-bers. She added that the governors officeis already reviewing resumes and thestatements submitted by applicants, andthat funding is being sought.

At this time the commission is envi-

sioned as being composed of four Poles,three Ukrainians, two Hungarians, and twoSlovaks and others, but members will alsobe needed to serve on various committees.(No information about the EasternEuropean Commission has yet been made

available on the governors website.)The reception at Ms. Huk-Masiers

home was attended by representatives ofthe states Polish, Ukrainian, Hungarian,Belarusian, Macedonian and Slovak com-munities. Among those in attendancewere Michael Koziupa, a member of the

Governors Ethnic Advisory Council,who is also second-vice-president of theUkrainian National Association, as wellas Roma Lisovich, UNA treasurer.

Addressing the gathering, Gov. Corzinepaid homage to immigrants and their con-tributions to the economy and culture ofthe United States. We live in an ethni-cally diverse society. We were raisedtogether, and it is very important that wework together. Thats why we need theEastern European Heritage Commission,he stated.

Gov. Corzine also said that one of hispriorities is the education of young gener-ations, including children from immigrantfamilies.

The governor focused special attention

on the Polish community, underscoringthat There is no greater supporter [of theU.S.] than Poland and noting that Polesplayed a role in establishing this country.

The host for the evening reception, Ms.Huk-Masier, was a member of the

New Jersey Gov. Jon S. Corzine (right) is welcomed by (from left) MichaelKoziupa, Peter Eagler and Cami Huk-Masier at a reception at Ms. Huk-Masiers

home in Rutherford, N.J.

Markian Hadzewycz

Governors Blue Ribbon Panel onImmigrant Policies, which recently sub-mitted its report to the governor calling

for, among other things, in-state collegetuition for immigrant children who com-plete high school in the New Jersey.

Ms. Huk-Masier , a Ukrain ianAmerican, has also been involved inadvocating humane treatment for undocu-

mented immigrants, including Ukrainiansand Poles, who are often targeted fordeportation. These groups are usually

hard-working, nonviolent and, because oftheir stable lifestyles, easy to trace, Ms.Huk-Masier noted. We should be work-ing to help those immigrants who contrib-ute significantly to our society, she toldThe Ukrainian Weekly.

Rep. Frelinghuysen pays a visit to Ukrainian school in Morris County, N.J.

Capitol Hill briefing focuses on Ukraine

WHIPPANY, N.J. CongressmanRodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ) visited theUkrainian American Cultural Center of NewJersey (UAACNJ) on Saturday, September12, for the first day of classes at the LesiaUkrainka School of Ukrainian Studies.

Addressing a parents meeting, the con-

gressman discussed his long ties to theUkrainian American community, recallinghow his father had taken him to St. Johnthe Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church inWhippany, N.J., decades earlier. It was

there that Rep. Frelinghuysen first becamefamiliar with the Ukrainian Americancommunity, and was deeply touched bythe Ukrainian song and music he experi-enced there.

Rep. Frelinghuysen first served the localcommunity as a Morris County freeholder

and later as a state assemblyman.Comparing this Ukrainian studies

school to similar schools in Morris Countyserving children of German, Greek orChinese heritage, Rep. Frelinghuysen

praised the parents for instilling in theirchildren respect for the importance of theirUkrainian culture and history.

Rep. Frelinghuysen then visited eachclassroom, where he introduced himself tothe students and teachers, took questions,posed for photographs and encouraged

students to take pride in their studies andvisit his office in Washington.

The congressman was welcomed to theUkrainian school, which now boasts near-ly 190 students, by Lubodar Olesnycky,

president of the Parents Committee. Hewas introduced to the audience of parentsby Markian Hadzewycz, a former internat Rep. Frelinghuysens Washingtonoffice. Myron Bytz facilitated the con-gressmans visit.

Community members expressed their

pleasure that the congressman had takentime out of his busy schedule (he hadseven other events that day) to visit thiscorner of the Ukrainian American commu-nity in Morris County.

Ukrainian National Information Service

WASHINGTON The CongressionalUkrainian Caucus, in conjunction with

the Ukrainian National InformationService (UNIS), the Washington publicaffairs bureau of the Ukrainian CongressCommittee of America (UCCA), onSeptember 16 sponsored a briefing ses-sion on Capitol Hill with former U.S.Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor.

Three co-chairs of the Caucus, Reps.Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio); Roscoe Bartlett(R-Md.); and, Jim Gerlach (R-Pa.),attended the hearing along with over adozen staffers of the CongressionalUkrainian Caucus, as well as representa-

tives from the House Foreign AffairsCommittee and its Subcommittee onEurope.

Additional guests included Michael

Sawkiw Jr., director of UNIS; MartaFarion, president of the Kyiv MohylaFoundat ion of America; MorganWilliams, president of the U.S.-UkraineBusiness Council; and representativesfrom the Embassy of Ukraine.

The hourlong briefing began withopening remarks by Ambassador Taylor,who eloquently described the currentpolitical situation in Ukraine and its manynuances. Topics of discussion included

In one of the classes, the congressman signs a students notebook as another stu-dent snaps a photo with his cellphone.

Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (second from left) with local community activistMyron Bytz and Ukrainian school teachers Oksana Stanko and Olha Maryn.

Markian Hadzewycz

At a briefing on Ukraine (from left) are: co-chairs of the Congressional UkrainianCaucus, Rep. Jim Gerlach (R-Pa.), Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-Md.) and Rep. Marcy

Kaptur (D-Ohio); and Ambassador William Taylor.(Continued on page 20)


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THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2009 5No. 39

THEUKRAINIANNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FORUM

THE UNA: 115 YEARS OF SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY

We have weathered the storm, and 2009 looks like a good yearby Roma Lisovich

UNA Treasurer

2008 was among the worst in memoryfor life insurers operating performances,reports the National Association ofInsurance Commissioners (NAIC). InSeptember of last year, the world wasthrown into turmoil as the financial mar-kets and major institutions collapsedworldwide. The recession has continuedin 2009, but there is seemingly goodnews, as most economists predict that amodest economic recovery should beginin the second half of this year. I remaincautiously optimistic.

Can it be true that the end of therecession is in sight, as reported in arecent CNN Money News Report? If the

insurance industry had one of its worstyears in history in 2008, how did thesmaller insurance providers fare? Whatabout fraternal societies, and, specificallythe Ukrainian National Association(UNA)?

According to statistics obtained fromthe NAIC, on the up side, when review-ing the entire system of fraternal societ-ies, the total premiums collected werehigher for the year 2008 than in 2007, andfraternals as a whole reported a net gainfrom operations.

But what about the UNA? The UNAhas been fortunate to weather the finan-cial storm well and achieve excellentsales and revenue growth. Not only are

sales and revenues surpassing 2008 fig-

ures, but also our investment portfolioremains strong. Total investment incomerose from $3.5 million as of yearend 2007to $4 million at the end of 2008. We con-sider a 15 percent increase in investmentincome in 2008 over the prior year anexcellent achievement given the financialcrisis.

The UNAs investment portfolio hasexperienced no defaults and continues toperform well, maintaining a yield around6 percent through the second quarter of2009. As of June 30 of this year, the UNArecorded investment income of $2.2 mil-lion, which when annualized brings totalnet investment income to a projected $4.4million for the year ending December 31,2009.

Pressures continue and yield is becom-ing increasingly more difficult to main-tain at current levels. A market of fallingrates requires a vigilant and continuousmonitoring of our offered rates againstthe yields our portfolio achieves. Creditrisk also has to be considered in this care-ful balancing act. The average life of ourportfolio remains at just under five years,and 96 percent of our portfolio remains inAgency and/or AAA-BBB bonds. TheUNAs conservative posture and invest-ment policy have served us well throughthe financial turmoil.

The UNAs premium collections per-formance beginning in 2008 has beenunprecedented. New marketing and

advertising efforts, coupled with the

engagement of over 100 independentagents led to unprecedented growth in2008. Premium income increased from$4.7 million at yearend 2007 to $12.7million by the end of 2008.

Many consumers began diverting theirbusiness to smaller institutions when thelarge insurers began experiencing signifi-cant losses in the market. The UNA, inthis case, benefited from its solid, conser-vative investment approach. 2009 contin-ues to be a banner year and we are righton budget. Premium income for the firsthalf of 2009 stood at $12.8 million, whichresulted in a modest gain in net operatingincome. If this trend continues (and weexpect it to), the UNA should meet itsprojected goal of $20 million in premium

income by yearend 2009.We are very pleased with this perfor-

mance and thank all of our members fortheir continued support. The UNAs solidand simple product line is attractive toconsumers looking to get back to basicsand move away from fancy, intricateproducts.

On the down side, the entire frater-nal system in 2008 saw declines in TotalAdmitted Assets and Surplus. In fact, 83percent of all fraternal societies reporteda decline in surplus for 2008 and theworst decline reported was a negative 76percent. The UNA was not immune to theimpact of the financial crisis on its sur-plus and experienced a decline. The UNA

is required to hold Canadian dollar

reserves to cover its Canadian policyhold-ers. In 2009, as the Canadian dollarrecovers from the impact of the marketcollapse, the surplus position hasincreased by $426,000 for the first sixmonths of 2009, after a loss of $465,000recorded for the same period in the prioryear.

Although most fraternals recordeddeclines in Total Admitted Assets, theUNA achieved a healthy 15 percentincrease in Total Admitted Assets in 2008,rising from $68.9 million for the yearending December 31, 2007, to $76.7 mil-lion at the end of the recording period in2008. This positive trend continues in2009 and Total Net Admitted Assets as ofJune 30 of this year were $88.3 million

an increase of 15 percent over the previ-ous year ending December 31, 2008.

We are pleased with our progress sofar in 2009 and will continue to bring youupdates.


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Last year, on September 29, 2008, Presidents ViktorYushchenko and George Bush held an hourlong meeting at theWhite House and discussed the developing bilateral relationsbetween the two countries and other important issues of shared

concern.Mr. Yushchenko said the talks were very constructive and included regional security

issues, Ukraines Euro-integration, energy cooperation and other matters of mutual concern.President Bush commented on Mr. Yushchenkos steadfast support for democratic val-

ues and principles. A lot of Americans have watched with amazement how your countrybecame a democracy, he said. We strongly support your democracy. We look forward toworking with you to strengthen that democracy.

Mr. Yushchenkos visit to Washington lasted just one day, but he was in New York Cityfor the opening session of the United Nations General Assembly.

While in Washington, Mr. Yushchenko held a press conference at the National PressClub, a working breakfast with members of the U.S.-Ukraine Business Council, visited thejournalism museum Newseum and laid a wreath at the monument to Taras Shevchenko.

At the press club, Mr. Yushchenko was questioned on concerns in Crimea after the previ-ous months Russian invasion of Georgia. Like any other area of Ukraine, Crimea is anintegral and inseparable part of Ukraine, he said. Ukraine will not take part in any negotia-tions about its territorial integrity, he added.

Commenting on U.S.-Ukraine relations, Mr. Yushchenko said, I am happy to note thatAmerican policy places relations with Ukraine at such a high level and that it now is a mat-ter for discussion during a presidential election campaign. Mr. Yushchenko also comparedthe U.S.-Ukraine course of development to advancements in Ukraines relations with Polandover the past 10 years.

Source: Yushchenko meets with Bush, Addresses business leaders, national press, byYaro Bihun, The Ukrainian Weekly, October 5, 2008.

Sept.

292008

Turning the pages back...

The Canadian First World War Internment Recognition Fund was officiallylaunched on September 14, with the publication of a notice in The Globe and Mail,Canadas national newspaper. (The notice was reproduced in last weeks issue of The

Weekly on page 4.). The announcement was the culmination of an agreement reachedby representatives of the Ukrainian Canadian community with the government ofCanada.

The endowment received $10 million from the Canadian federal government foractivities related to the 1914-1920 national internment operations, i.e. commemora-tive, educational, scholarly and cultural projects whose aim is to teach and remind allCanadians of this little-known chapter in the nations history. The funds are to beavailable to Ukrainian and other Eastern European communities who were subjectedto the internment operations.

More than 8,500 men, women and children were unjustly disenfranchised andinterned in 24 camps during World War I when they were branded as enemy alienssimply because of where theyd come from. Some 5,000 Ukrainians were targetedbecause they had the bad luck of to be immigrants from Ukrainian lands then undercontrol of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

The endowment fund is the result of 20 years of hard work by a small group ofdedicated and determined activists chief among them Dr. Lubomyr Luciuk. Therewere many stops and starts along the way, but these undaunted activists continued tofight for recognition, restitution and reconciliation for righting a grievous wrong

committed by the Canadian government.In the beginning, there were those who didnt believe there could have been intern-

ment camps in Canada. Even the families of some internees were incredulous afterall, they had never learned about this in school, read about it in history books, or heardthe Canadian government acknowledge this grave injustice. Inky Mark, a member ofParliament who represents a riding in Manitoba that is home to many UkrainianCanadians, told The Globe and Mail: I live in the center of Ukrainian culture inCanada, and I didnt know a thing about this period. These stories need to be told. Itwas Mr. Marks private members bill The Internment of Persons of Ukrainian OriginRecognition Act that finally obliged the Canadian government to reach an agreementwith Ukrainian Canadian community representatives on a redress settlement.

Today, thanks to the efforts of the UCCLA and its supporters, there are trilingual(English-French-Ukrainian) markers at most of the internment camp sites, andCanadians are becoming aware of the countrys first national internment operation.

Much more, however, needs to be done. And it will be done, thanks to the docu-ment establishing the redress endowment fund that was signed in May 2008 on behalfof the Ukrainian Canadian community by Dr. Luciuk of the Ukrainian Canadian CivilLiberties Association, Andrew Hladyshevsky of the Ukrainian Canadian Foundation

of Taras Shevchenko (the entity that manages the endowment fund) and Paul Grod ofthe Ukrainian Canadian Congress with representatives of the government of Canada.

Dr. Luciuk has said he has only one regret: that so much time has passed that noneof the internees had the opportunity to see the fund created and the injustice perpetrat-ed against them addressed. Thought for years to be the last known survivor, MaryManko Haskett, who was 6 when she and her family were sent to the Spirit Lakecamp, died in July 2007. Another survivor of the internment operation, MaryHancharuk, who was born at Spirit Lake in 1915, passed away in January 2008.

Dr. Luciuk told the Whig Standard: That is my only sorrow in all this that thelast survivors died before they could see this. However, Mrs. Hasketts daughter Franput it all into perspective, telling The Globe and Mail: If she [my mother] were here,I think she would just say, At last. I told you.

In the end, the truth will be told and justice will prevail.

The redress endowment

THE UKRAINIANWEEKLY

To understand the difference between the2004 presidential elections and this yearscampaign, one didnt need to look any fur-ther than the scene on Kyivs IndependenceSquare on September 12.

Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko kickedoff a nationwide Z Ukrayinoyu v Sertsi(With Ukraine at Heart) pop concert tour insupport of her presidential candidacy.

Although official campaigning shouldntstart until October 19, that hasnt preventedpoliticians from sidestepping the rules, par-ticularly Ms. Tymoshenko. None of theadvertising, concert props, songs or state-ments on stage directly endorsed Ms.Tymoshenkos candidacy, but tens of thou-

sands of concert viewers got the messageloud and clear.Besides the red, black and white colors

of the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc flagsthroughout the audience, the stage wasdraped on all sides by the giant image of ared heart and Cyryllic Yu, the letter thathas become synonymous with Yulia.

Performers like Ruslana, who as early astwo years ago served in the Our Ukraineparliamentary faction, offered codedendorsements: We dont need to believewords anymore. We need to believe inwhats been done. She seems stronger to methan men.

To eliminate any doubt what the concertwas intended for, Ms. Tymoshenko herselfemerged at the concerts end, her braid

undone, wearning a pair of jeans, and offer-ing what sounded awfully like a campaignspeech: We cant allow those dreams, thosehopes and that powerful impulse thatemerged from that maidan several years agoto shrink or die, she declared. Are youready to continue this matter?

Its a far cry from the 2004 presidentialelection, and its a reflection of just howmuch Ukrainian society has changed in fiveyears.

Hundreds of thousands believed thatViktor Yushchenko would be the man toturn things around implement the rule oflaw, clean up the courts, arrest criminals andprovide the economic conditions for a mid-dle class to emerge.

They genuinely believed in him, and

they believed in Ukraines future. But it wasmore than politics and economics. Thosegathered on the maidan in 2004 described a

spiritual, cathartic experience that resultedin born-again Ukrainians who gained a newlove for their nation and culture.

When rock stars werent singing fromthe stage, the Orange rebels sang their ownfolk songs passed down from their ances-tors. The days began and nights concludedwith earnest renditions of the nationalanthem. No one was paid. Well, apparentlysome were paid, but not the bulk. Mr.Yushchenko, Ms. Tymoshenko andUkrainian patriotism, language and culturewere fashionable in 2004. The maidansongs were, Dont Sleep, My Dear Land,There is Hope, and I Dont Want to be aHero of Ukraine, Tartaks beloved protest

song.The contrast is startling.With the demise of Mr. Yushchenko, so

fell out of style the bold, unapologeticUkrainian patriotism he represented also fellout of style. Noticeably absent from theTymoshenko event were Tartak, Mandryand Oleh Skrypka, artists who express theirdeep love for Ukraine in their lyrics.

Consider the songs performed by currentmaidan stars, Potap and Nastia Kamensky Dont Screw With My Mind, Firm Nut,and Have Fun all sung in Russian.

The Ukrainian language was sacred dur-ing the 2004 movement, which relied heav-ily on the Halychany to provide the zeitgeistthat the Soviet tyranny had bled and starvedfrom most of Ukraines regions.

The rise of Ms. Tymoshenko, who ismost popular in the central oblasts, reflectsthe triumph of central Ukrainian values thatesteem both the Russian and Ukrainian lan-guages.

Indeed, Halychany have become to Ms.Tymoshenko what evangelical Christiansare to the Republicans a reliable voterbase whose interests can be sacrificedbecause they will have no other choicewhen the final vote dawns.

In 2004, Ukrainians were willing to risktheir lives for Mr. Yushchenko. This timearound, Ms. Tymoshenko looks to be thelesser of two evils in the probable secondround run-off vote, set for February 7.

Most Ukrainians dont support her or anyother single candidate, as polls report, yet

theyll choose her out of repulsion for a

2004 and 2009: a study in contrasts

Pop stars Oleksander Ponomariov (left) and Ruslana (right) join Prime MinisterYulia Tymoshenko (center) in singing her campaign theme song, Red Heart on

White, at a September 12 concert on Independence Square in Kyiv.

Tymoshenko Press Service



7/24


Political rant

out of placeDear Editor:

I received my copy of the most recentWeekly (September 6) and when I got tothe op-ed page, I was shocked to see adisturbing example of a decline in youreditorial standards.

The political rant of your new contrib-utor, Alex Kuzma, is entirely out of placeon the pages of The Ukrainian Weekly.There is zero Ukrainian relevance with-in this screed, other than comparing thethoroughly discredited 46 million unin-sured Americans claim to the populationof Ukraine. If that is all it takes to placean opinion piece in your publication, Ican submit articles about the 46 millionabortions performed annually around theworld (equivalent to the population ofUkraine) or the 46 million batteries

recently recalled by Nokia (that is onebattery for every citizen of Ukraine),neither of which would be appropriate.The article has zero relevance to a publi-cation of Ukrainian interest, is hyperbolicand inappropriately vitriolic. I questionThe Weeklys editorial judgment in invit-ing and printing it.

In all fairness, Dr. Myron Kuropascolumns have an opposing political bent,but if you read his column on the samepage, it is clear that: He writes on a topicthat is relevant in a Ukrainian interestpublication; the article appears to be fact-checked; the language is evenhanded andnot incendiary; and the author eschewsad-hominem attacks on those holdingopposing views, avoiding calling them

hysterics and the like.In the future, both authors should be

reminded not to violate any of the above.If I wanted to read or view Socialist

apologia, I would only need to turn onCNN, ABC or read The New York Times. Isubscribe to The Ukrainian Weekly to readarticles that have a Ukrainian content, andwould hope that this sort of editorial lapsusdoes not recur weekly.

Vsevolod OnyshkevychPrinceton, N.J.

A reaction

to Kuzma columnDear Editor:

It was not hysteria but frustrationthat prompted my response to AlexKuzmas column Can reform survive theage of hysteria? (September 6) Heclaims a desire for rational discourse butimmediately descends into name-call-ing. He owes the readers of The Weeklyan attempt at honesty. A few facts wouldbe appropriate.

First Mr. Kuzma should make clear thatthis proposed health insurance does notapply to members of Congress. PresidentBarack Obama and his cronies have a veryelite plan, just for themselves. It is ironicthat Mr. Kuzma mocks the opposition withreferences to the gulag when theCommunist elite, just like our Congress,had its special healthcare, just like our con-gress does.

Second, I would like his sources for

the number of uninsured. Mr. Obamahimself has cited various numbers. That46 million Mr. Kuzma cites include 24million illegal aliens (Rep. Joe Wilson ofSouth Carolina brought out that fact), 12million who do not wish to be insured

and 12 million who make frequent freeuse of the ER.Third, the Republicans have many

alternate plans that could solve ourhealthcare problems Health SavingsAccounts, catastrophic health insurance,tort reform, etc. Mr. Kuzma should actu-ally listen to the other side and learnsomething.

Mr. Kuzma also wants to hear from ourCanadian neighbors. He enumeratesclaims of their superior system. What arehis sources? I would appreciate some reli-able facts from reliable sources. So far hehas heard from one of our bishops whoendorses the Canadian plan.

My personal experience with Canadianhealth care was quite disappointing. A

broken arm over a weekend in Canadarequired my husband to reach deep intohis pockets to bribe the doctor because,we were informed, they do not set brokenbones on weekends. I suggest that every-one should break their bones in the U.S.

I know Mr. Kuzma feels a deep kinshipand love for his fellow community orga-nizer, President Obama, but I think Mr.Obama was a big mistake.

Lydia Kossak Kernitsky, D.M.D.Colts Neck, N.J.

Lozynskyj sets

the record straightDear Editor:It has come to my attention that some

statements attributed by me from varioussources to Sen. Charles Schumer in myarticle Beware the Russian Bear(August 20) cannot be authenticated.

I would like to retract those statementsand apologize to Sen. Schumer for mis-quoting him if, in fact, I did.

However, the senators statementsfrom The Wall Street Journal dated June3, 2008, can be authenticated and, relyingon those alone, does not detract from thethrust of my argument.

Askold S. Lozynskyj

New York

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

We welcome your opinion

The Ukrainian Weekly welcomes lettersto the editor and commentaries on a vari-ety of topics of concern to the UkrainianAmerican and Ukrainian Canadian com-munities. Opinions expressed by colum-nists, commentators and letter-writers aretheir own and do not necessarily reflectthe opinions of either The Weekly edito-rial staff or its publisher, the UkrainianNational Association.

Letters should be typed and signed (anon-ymous letters are not published). Letters areaccepted also via e-mail at [email protected]. The daytime phone number andaddress of the letter-writer must be given

for verification purposes. Please note that adaytime phone number is essential in orderfor editors to contact letter-writers regardingclarifications or questions.

Please note: THE LENGTH OF LETTERSCANNOT EXCEED 500 WORDS.

Despite being seen as the most demo-cratic of the former Soviet republics,Ukraine faces many challenges. High onthe list is becoming a normal state like Canada or the United States whererule of law prevails and transgressionsare handled impartially. A daunting taskin itself, it is compounded by systematicexternal attacks by an unfriendly Russia.

Yet, despite 18 years of attempted landgrabs, threats of nuclear annihilation,meddling in elections and perennial gaswars, Russia has been the loser aremarkable achievement for Ukraine.However, the attacks are accelerating andUkraine needs help in dealing with exter-nal challenges posed by its neighbor.

Here are some key challenges. Europes fear of Russia: The sheer

size of Russia, its nuclear threat anddependence on its energy intimidateEurope, too often resulting in appease-ment of Russia. For instance, Russiasopposition to Ukraines membership inNATO needs to be trumped as it servesRussias and not alliance members bestinterests.

And, the Black Sea must stay interna-tional, rather than become subject to uni-lateral domination. In just one year, byannexing Georgias Abkhazia, Russia hasdoubled its Black Sea shoreline. Now itsseducing Turkey via the proposed SouthStream energy pipeline while challengingUkraine in Crimea, in what is an ongoingsport. Canada is smart to pay attention toour Arctic. Politics of the seas may be agood place to look for bilateral coopera-tion with Ukraine.

Energy: Ukraine must convincestakeholders that the current pipelineroute through its territory despiteRussias energy cut-offs is the safestand most efficient into Europe. Russia isattempting to factor Ukraine out of theenergy equation by negotiating the Nordand South stream pipelines throughTurkey. This may have more to do withcontrolling the Dardanelles and access tothe Mediterranean and onwards, thanwith energy.

Ukraine must stress the obvious flaws

in the initiative. Russias control of theregion is bad for Europe, Turkey andUkraine. It needs to be recalled that suchperverted logic on the part of the Westernpowers forced Ukraine to hand over itsnuclear power to the sole control ofRussia. Such flawed and dangerous deci-sions must not be repeated.

The importance of internationalfriends: In dealing with challenges set byRussia, Ukraine welcomes support fromfriends, like Poland. But it needs others.Germany, in particular, needs attention.Chancellor Angela Merkels short-termneed to deal with the pre-elections econ-omy is laying long-term linkages withRussias strategic car and ship manufac-turing, as well as energy. The price, it

appears, is blocking Ukraines entry toNATO. In 1939, another tough economicera, Germany and Russia agreed toinvade what was then Poland. And therest, as the saying goes, is history. Help

from other Europeans to turn Germanyaround would be welcome.

Ukraine also needs friends amongnon-European counties. Certainly theUnited States is critical, and on side, butit is preoccupied with numerous issues.Canada, with 1.2 million citizens ofUkrainian decent has a special relation-ship agreement with Ukraine and sup-ports its entry into NATO. New initia-tives like Russias interests in Canadasnorthern waters should renew interest inUkraines world-class icebreaker build-ing know-how. Trade needs encourage-ment. The recent visit to Ukraine by thegovernor general of Canada and the

upcoming one by the speaker of CanadasParliament are important especially ifthey develop into sustainable relation-ships. An entity working through withUkraine the subtleties of internationalinstitutions backroom politics wouldbe helpful. Overarching all this is theobvious fact: Canada also lives aside aglobal giant. The excellent relationsbetween the two amigos are well worthemulating.

Argentina or Brazil fellow agricul-tural giants could also make fine men-tors for Ukraine, while Japan, Singaporeand Taiwan offer brilliant examples ofsmall states living in the shadow ofsometimes belligerent giants, and suc-ceeding.

A fine asset, in strengthening externalrelations, would be a move to have, by2011 Ukraines 20th anniversary ofindependence Ukrainian politicians andother decision-makers speaking English.The rest of the official world does.

In ternat ional publ ic image.Fortunately, the now better informed andsympathetic international media anachievement of the Orange Revolutionand individuals like Anna MazepaPolitkovskaya, the executed Ukrainian journalist have little patience withRussias bad behavior. Its latest salvo,President Dmitry Medvedevs letteraccusing Ukraine of anti-Russianism e.g., defense of Georgia, standing up toRussia during the gas crisis has back-

fired. International media called it crude,stinging and meddling in Ukrainesaffairs.

Getting Ukraines perspective acrossin the media is encouraging. Ukrainemust push for more. A better understand-ing of Russias gamesmanship with itsneighbor is critical to our understandingof Russia itself.

Ukraines external challenges are for-midable. By finding partners and mentorsin other like-minded states and learninghow to make a strong case on Ukrainesbehalf, Kyiv can move its agenda along.Thats how other countries do it.

However, reality will be quite differentshould Ukraine elect a pro-Russian presi-dent on January 17, 2010. This possibility

is looming.

External challenges for Ukraine

From a Canadian Angleby Oksana Bashuk Hepburn

Oksana Bashuk Hepburn may be con-tacted at [email protected].

Visit our archive online:

www.ukrweekly.comTo subscribe to The Ukrainian Weekly,

call 973-292-9800, ext. 3042


8/24


democracy would not have taken root inthe Soviet Union, said Ilko Kucheriv,president of the Democratic InitiativesFoundation, who recently traveled toVilnius to collect archives, including poly-graphic plates from which the early Rukhnewspapers were printed. The Balticswere fine-tuned to what was going on inUkraine, and they looked to the leadershere to measure the Communist mood, togauge the atmosphere of [Mikhail]Gorbachevs perestroika, he added.

Mr. Kucheriv fondly recalled many tripsto Vilnius in the late 1980s, to the basementof Liudmilla Zhyltsovas apartment build-ing, where materials were mocked up andprinted. Today, those materials are safelyhoused in the archives of the NationalUniversity of Kyiv Mohyla Academy forhistorians to study and analyze.

Ms. Zhyltsova also made the pilgrimageto Rukhs 20th anniversary gathering andspent the day meeting with old friends andrecalling the days of life in the under-

ground. Although she currently lives inLos Angeles, she said she would not havemissed this reunion, which highlighted theearly days of this civic organization.

For many of the guests at this 20th anni-versary celebration, however, the day wasbittersweet.

Unlike 20 years ago, when the air waselectrified with the promise of change andhundreds of volunteers worked 18-hourdays, sheer adrenalin racing through theirveins, this crowd was subdued, a bit olderand wiser, but nostalgic for a time whentheir dream of a free and independentUkraine was only starting to take shapeand anything seemed possible.

These people here today are thosewho still believe in a democratic, indepen-

dent Ukraine, people who still believeunity is possible, said Tetyana Serhiyenko,who worked in Rukhs Secretariat in theearly 1990s, as she listened to Ivan Drach,the first head of the Popular Movement ofUkraine, as he read the list of Rukh mem-bers who have passed away, among themVyacheslav Chornovil, Vasyl Chervoniyand Anatoliy Lupynis.

This time the hall was sparsely decorat-ed; just one large banner proclaimed thatthis was a celebration of the 20th anniver-sary of Rukh. Unlike past conventions,there was no presidium adorned with blueand yellow flowers, just two chairs and amicrophone on the stage where Mr. Drachand Dmytro Pavlychko took turns leadingthe two-session anniversary celebration,

introducing such honored guests asPresident Yushchenko, Patriarch Filaret ofthe Ukrainian Orthodox Church KyivPatriarchate and former President LeonidKravchuk.

Whereas two decades ago the hall at thePolytechnic Institute was decorated withbanners depicting the various Ukrainianoblasts and ethnic lands, as well as theUkrainian flag (at that point still bannedby authorities of the Ukrainian SSR), veryfew symbols of Ukraines statehood thistime graced the walls of the UkrainaPalace, which was the site in 1990 ofRukhs second convention.

This celebration honors Rukh, and rec-ognizes its role in the history of an inde-pendent Ukraine, said Mykhailyna

Boroday, who in 1989 was in charge oflogistics for the founding meeting, findinglodging for the hundreds of delegates whocame from almost every oblast, from theneighboring republics and from theUkrainian diaspora. Today, she resides inFlorida, but often travels to Ukraine, keep-ing up with the latest political news in hernative land.

The role of Rukh has been underesti-mated over the years, said Serhiy Odarych,who worked long hours behind the scenesat the founding meeting of Rukh in

ister of culture. We dont have unity

among the so-called democrats, heexplained.

Mr. Tarasyuk jumped the gun and heldhis own celebrations on September 6 atKyiv Polytechnic University. You mightsay that was Prime Minister YuliaTymoshenkos celebration of Rukh andSeptember 12 was President Yushchenkoscelebration, added Mr. Yahovyna.

Former President Kravchuk took thestage at the September 12 conclave andMr. Pavlychko recalled that this introduc-tion was the same honor bestowed uponhim in 1989, when Mr. Kravchuk, then thechief ideologue of the Communist Party,addressed the delegates of the foundingcongress.

Now, two decades later, Mr. Kravchuktold the audience to look for compromise.We will never succeed if we continue tolook for enemies amongst ourselves, hesaid, adding that Ukrainians must worktogether to build a strong state and be tol-erant of others. He was greeted by theaudience much as he had been 20 yearsearlier with boos and hisses.

The Ukrainian leaders who considerthemselves national democrats did notmove to mark 20 years of nation-building.

Nowhere to be seen was VolodymyrYavorivsky, who in 1989, as a deputy of

the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, chaired

the organizing committee of the foundingmeeting. Mr. Drach, who headed Rukh in1989-1993, could not resist attacking theabsent Mr. Yavorivsky, calling him a poli-tician who jumps from one party toanother, as is convenient.

Others who stayed away from the 20thanniversary celebration on September 12were Serhiy Holovaty, who headed up theKyiv Rukh organization in the early 1990s,and Oleksander Lavrynovych, both cur-rently in the Party of Regions.

Mykhailo Horyn, who headed up theSecretariat of Rukh for many years, cameto the 20th anniversary celebration, look-ing frail but in good spirits, while hisbrother Bohdan stayed away, opting tosupport Mr. Tarasyuks celebrations onSeptember 6.

For Yevhen Zherebetsky, who was amajor organizer for Rukh in Lviv in 1989and later moved to Kyiv to work for theorganization, on September 12 confirmedsomething that he has known for 20 years:Rukh was a movement of the patriots ofUkraine, people on the grassroots level whoworked for the good of the country, not fortheir own pockets. I saw those people fromall corners of the country here again today,and they have not changed. Ukraine is itspeople and I believe in them.

Seen during Rukhs second congress (from left) are: Vyacheslav Chornovil, IvanDrach and Mykhailo Horyn.

(Continued from page 1)

Ukrainians recall...

A view of the second congress of Rukh held in 1990.

Roma Hadzewycz

September 1989, preparing materials forprint and distributing documents to the del-egates at that conclave. Today, Mr. Odarychis the mayor of Cherkasy, in centralUkraine, but is often inspired by his days ofworking in the trenches of Rukh.

Without Rukh, the magnitude of theOrange Revolution, the maidan would nothave been possible, commented Mr.

Odarych, who remembers the organization-al efforts of Mykhailo Horyn in planningand executing the human chain in January1990 to celebrate the unity of the WesternUkrainian National Republic and theUkrainian National Republic in 1919, or thesummer 1990 pilgrimage to Khortytsia tocelebrate the glory of the Kozak state.

Indeed, coverage of the official 20thanniversary celebration, which funded bythe Ukrainian government, was light. FewTV channels aired even brief news clipsabout this event; some carried short seg-ments noting that the president had attend-ed the event. Even on the Internet therewas scant news of the 20th anniversarycelebrations.

The manifesto of this 20th anniversary

celebration, proclaimed by Mr. Drach atthe end of the four-hour meeting, calledfor unity in Ukraine and asked Ukrainescitizens to support a movement that standsfor democracy and statehood. The mani-festo has not been publicized, and wasregarded by all as a mere formality, not aserious document.

Scandal plagued the 20th anniversarycelebration as Borys Tarasyuks RukhParty members did not attend this particu-lar conference, having convened its own aweek earlier. Originally the official Rukhanniversary celebrations were planned tobe an event that united all the foundingfathers of the civic movement that hassince spent in two. But with the PeoplesRukh Party headed by Borys Tarasyuk andthe Ukrainian Peoples Party led by YuriyKostenko, this was not to be.

Mr. Tarasyuk said that he could not takepart in the presidential celebration,because the organizing committee wascomposed of the people who in the pasthad divided Rukh, not united it, referringto Messrs. Drach and Pavlychko and anni-versary coordinator Mykola Porovsky.

Everything was done Ukrainian-style, said Mykola Yakovyna, a memberof the first organizing committee fromIvano-Frankivsk and currently deputy min-


9/24


UKRAINIAN INDEPENDENCE DAY 2009

Lehighton, Pa.LEHIGHTON, Pa. The 18th anniver-

sary of Ukraines Independence was cele-brated during the annual UkrainianFestival that began on Saturday, August15, at the Ukrainian Homestead in thefoothills of the Pocono Mountains inLehighton, Pa.

Under glorious blue skies and brightsunshine, the large audience loudly wel-comed NASA astronaut Capt. HeidemarieStefanyshyn-Piper, who continually andproudly acknowledges her Ukrainianroots. Capt. Stefanyshyn-Piper was invit-ed to attend the festival by Orest Hanas,who met her during a visit to the Embassyof Ukraine in Washington.

The mistresses of ceremonies for theprogram were Dr. Paula Holowiak andUlana Prociuk, who, after the greetingand ceremonial singing of the U.S.,Canadian and Ukrainian anthems, intro-duced Alex Prociuk, president of CentralExecutive Committee of the Organizationfor the Rebirth of Ukraine.

M r . P ro c iu k we lco med Cap t .Stefanyshyn-Piper and presented her withan Outstanding Achievement Award fromhis organization, and a gift of a traditionalUkrainian embroidered cloth.

Capt. Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piperwas warmly embraced by the audience,particularly by the children, who sur-rounded her as she signed autographs andregaled her with endless questions abouther experiences. The astronaut was alsoformally greeted by the UkrainianVeterans Organization.

Everyone was charmed by Capt.Stefanyshyn-Pipers lovely words of thanks

delivered in Ukrainian, which she learned athome and in the Ukrainian community ofMinneapolis, where she was raised.

The artistic program of the festivalincluded Ukrainian dancing by theBarvinok ensemble and school fromWindsor, Ontario, singing and dancing byKazka, folk songs performed by theDobriansky Brothers, and lovely melo-dies expertly played on the violin byInessa Tymochko-Dekajlo.

During the intermission, BohdanMykytiuk won the varenyky-eating con-test, and guests were able to watch dem-onstrations of embroidery, pysanky-andgerdany-making, as well as view a tradi-tional korovai (ornate Ukrainian weddingbread) and a Ukrainian Christmas Evetable featuring traditional courses.

In the second half of the program, thevocal trio Prostory sang favorite folksongs, and Barvinok, Kazka, theDobriansky Brothers and Ms. Tymochko-Dekajlo returned with their colorful per-formances. At 7 p.m. everyone was invit-ed to the zabava (dance) to the tunes ofDJ Captain Mike.

On Sunday morning at the Chapel ofSt. Andrew, Mr. and Mrs. Prociuk greetedArchbishop-Metropolitan Stefan Sorokaof the Ukrainian Catholic Church, who joined the Rev. Eugene Moniuk in cele-brating liturgy.

The festival continued throughout theafternoon with additional entertainmentby all the performers. Ukrainian books,CDs and crafts, as well as favorite ethnicfoods along with American fare, wereavailable for purchase.

President Alex Prociuk of the Organization for the Rebirth of Ukraine and theUkrainian Homestead presents Capt. Heidemaire Stefanyshyn-Piper with the

Outstanding Achievement Award.

The Barvinok ensemble of Windsor, Ontario, performs the Pryvit.

Christine Syzonenko

Chicago

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas poses with members of UkrainianAmerican Veterans Post 32.

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas takes a moment topose with local Ukrainian American youths.

UCCA-Illinois Vice-President Pavlo Bandriwskyreceives a community service award from Cook

County Treasurer Maria Pappas.

Konstyantyn Kudrykaddressed the audi-ence, extending awarm welcome onbehalf of the Ukrainiangovernment.

Illinois Secretary ofState Jesse Whitethanked UkrainianAmericans for all thepositive contributions

they have made inAmerica and for gra-ciously sharing theirrich culture and historywith their neighbors.

Fanchion Blumen-berg, chief deputyclerk, of the CircuitCourt of Cook County,read a greeting fromChief Clerk DorothyBrown. She pointedout that the Ukrainian

American communi ty inChicago is one of the best orga-nized ethnic communities in thecity with its own churches,schools, publications, seniorsgroups, radio programs and pub-lic institutions. She stated thatthe Circuit Court of CookCounty prides itself on the diver-sity of its workforce and com-

mended Ukrainian AmericanGeorge Panczyszyn for his con-tributions for the past 22 years asa Circuit Court employee.

Scott Waguespack, aldermanof the 32nd Ward, read a copyof the resolution presented toCity Council of Chicago inobservance of the 18th anni-versary of Ukraines indepen-dence. Mr. Waguespack is on


by Katya Mischenko-Mycyk

CHICAGO Chicagos Richard J.Daley Plaza was filled on Friday, August21, with hundreds of UkrainianAmericans in Ukrainian embroideredattire attending the citys annualUkrainian Independence Day flag-raisingceremony.

In commemoration of the 18th anni-versary of Ukraines independence, theCity of Chicago and the UkrainianCongress Committee of America IllinoisDivision (UCCA-Illinois) coordinated thelunchtime ceremony in downtownChicago. The Ukrainian flag was proudlyflown on Daley Plaza alongside the flagsof the United States and the City ofChicago.

At precisely noon Richard J. Daley

Plaza was filled with the sound of theUkrainian national anthem as theUkrainian flag was raised high above thegathered crowd by members of UkrainianAmerican Veterans Post 32. Hundreds ofpassers-by, tourists and lunching workersstopped momentarily and stood in silenceas the flag was raised.

Pavlo Bandriwsky, vice-president ofthe UCCA-Illinois, served as the masterof ceremonies along with board memberNadiya Ilkiv.

Mr. Bandriwsky invited Bishop Daniel

of St. Volodymyr Ukrainian OrthodoxEparchy to deliver the invocation inEnglish. The Rev. Mychajlo Melnyk of StNicholas Ukrainian Catholic Cathedralthen delivered a prayer in Ukrainian.

Ukraines Consul General in Chicago


10/24


(Mr. Parfenenko became acting chair inDecember after the prime minister dismissedValentyna Semeniuk-Samsonenko. It iswidely believed she was dismissed becauseshe refused to support the Odesa PortsidePlants privatization.)

As many as 13 buyers were reported by

the Ukrainian media to be interested in theplant before the presidents decree barredthe sale, including the worlds biggest fertil-izer producer, Yara International of Norway.

Now itll probably be Russian money,oligarch money or mafia money, Mr.Lozowy said.

As of September 23, only three firmsplaced the 400 million hrv ($47 million)deposits required to participate in the con-

troversial auction, the State Property Fund


Tymoshenko and...

and Infectious Diseases in Kyiv, directed byDr. Viktor Mariyevskyi.

A verification lab in London confirmedthe H1N1 virus within a week.

The case was isolated, therapy wasconducted, and today he feels well, Dr.

Bilovol said.American epidemiologists, on the otherhand, are coping with a pandemic thatexploded from a single infection in April tomore than 1 million affected in August, Dr.Lushniak said. We are no longer countingcases, he noted.

Americans with basic symptoms such asfever, sore throat or cough are automaticallydiagnosed with the H1N1 virus since 98percent of all current circulatory influenzaare H1N1, Dr. Lushniak said.

Vaccines, antiviral drugs and communi-ty efforts are all critical elements in solv-ing the H1N1 pandemic, he explained. Forexample, people will need to learn how tocough and sneeze properly and perhapsgreet each other without shaking hands

during the pandemic.Ukraine has prepared about 275 hospital

beds and 30,000 reserved observational bedsin infectious diseases departments through-out state hospitals, Dr. Bilovol said.

When the first H1N1 case surfaced inUkraine, a Health Ministry operational staffwas formed; its consists of scientists fromthe Academy of Medical Sciences, HealthMinistry officials and medical professionals.

A government commission issuedinstructions, the government earmarkedfunds for preventive and disinfection mea-sures, and a special government commissionstrengthened laboratory diagnostics, national

criteria and the formation of an influenzacenter, Dr. Bilovol said.

Until such a center is formed, its testingand diagnostic functions will be handledby Kyivs Sanitary-EpidemiologicalStation and the Hromoshevskyi Institute,he said. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Healthhas already distributed instructions nation-ally on what measures to take to preventinfection.

Despite such assurances from the govern-ment, Ukraine is not prepared for a nationalpandemic, said Dr. Yuriy Kundiyev, thevice-president of the Academy of MedicalSciences, who helped Dr. Hryhorczuk orga-nize the conference.

Only two institutes at the Academy ofMedical Sciences, and one academy at theHealth Ministry, are equipped to address apotential pandemic as clinics throughout thecountry having been shutting down for lackof financing, he said.

Furthermore, the material basis is not


U.S. assistant...

Dr. Boris Lushniak (center), rear admiral and U.S. assistant surgeon general,addressed a September 16 conference in Kyiv on international approaches to theH1N1 pandemic. The conference was organized by Ulana Mazurkevich (left) ofthe Ukrainian Human Rights Committee and Dr. Daniel Hryhorczuk (right), a

professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health.

Illya M. Labunka

reported.They are SIBUR Holding, an affiliate of

the Russian natural gas monopoly Gazprom;a firm owned by Russian businessmanKonstantin Grigorishin; and the firmNortima, owned by magnates IgorKolomoisky and Oleksander Yaroslavskyi,Ukrayinska Pravda reported.

Mr. Kolomoisky is a Ukrainian-born bil-lionaire who resides in Switzerland, and Mr.

Yaroslavskyi is a mega-millionaire construc-tion magnate from Kharkiv, who also ownsthe CherkasyAzot plant, another top ammo-nia producer.

Despite their bid, the two businessmenhave actively tried to block the September 29auction, even obtaining a ruling from a Kyivdistrict court on September 22 in their favor.The pair wants to recruit more partners, par-ticularly RosUkrEnergo middleman DmytroFirtash, but they havent yet succeeded.

Ms. Tymoshenko is advocating the facto-rys sale just as her government is facingmounting budgetary problems amidst aworsening financial crisis.

Thus far she has survived the financialcrisis with three tranches of loans providedby the International Monetary Fund totaling

$10.6 billion. That money has helped hercover various debts. On September 16 Ms.Tymoshenko announced she had paid down$753 million on government bonds sold toforeign investors in 2006 by then-PrimeMinister Viktor Yanukovych and then-Finance Minister Mykola Azarov.

Only with IMF loan money, or by sellingUkraines foreign exchange (gold-currency)reserves, could Ms. Tymoshenko have paidoff this loan, said Oleh Soskin, director ofthe Western-financed Institute of SocietyTransformation in Kyiv. I think the IMFgave her money so she could pay them backand stabilize the financial currency system,he said.

Other debts are around the corner, suchas the October 7 payment to Gazprom for

September supplies of natural gas. Thentheres Naftohaz Ukrainy, the state-ownednatural gas distribution monopoly, whichannounced on September 23 it could defaulton $500 million in Eurobond payments dueSeptember 30.

While the Cabinet of Ministers hasordered Naftohaz officials to restructure theloan, its questionable whether the negotia-tions can conclude by the deadline. TheLuxembourg exchange halted trade of theseEurobonds on September 24.

Observers also note that Ms. Tymoshenkorolled over many revenue and spending tar-gets that she couldnt achieve in the first andsecond quarters into the fourth quarter, fur-

ther compounding shortfalls and planting apotential ticking time bomb for herself.Theres hell to pay in the fourth quarter,

which is why shes been running around toRussia and China looking to borrowmoney, Mr. Lozowy said, adding that sell-ing strategic assets is also part of her desper-ate attempts.

Aware of the prime ministers financialwoes, her political opponents are doingeverything to ensure she fails, observerssaid, which could devastate her candidacy inthe January 17, 2010, presidential elections.

Yushchenko doesnt want her to pay thedebts, because that will strengthen her, Dr.Soskin said. He wants to push her out ofgovernment instead.

While government coffers are bare, Ms.

Tymoshenko has already spent at least $50million on her presidential campaign, accor-ding to the pro-Russian daily newspaperSegodnya, including a nationwide pop starconcert tour, as well as banners, billboardsand television ads that have blanketed thecountry.

Mr. Azarov of the Party of Regions ofUkraine labeled the IMF a financial spon-sor of Ms. Tymoshenkos election cam-paign. National Parliamentary DeputyAndrii Parubii of Our Ukraine asked theProcurator Generals Office to investigatethe sources of financing for Ms.Tymoshenkos campaign advertising.

Meanwhile Mr. Yanukovych speculatedon September 18 that Ms. Tymoshenkocould use the money from the sale of Odesa

Portside Plant for her campaign. The hastewith which the government is trying to sellstate property before the elections attests tocorruption, as well as the candidate-in-powers attempts to additionally finance theelection campaign, he commented.

being prepared at all for a pandemic, hesaid. Prevention is only being declared, butit isnt being implemented. Theres noMinistry of Health Defense, only a Ministryof Diseases.

Prevention measures must be pursued,and information needs to be distributed,otherwise scary times await us, Dr.Kundiyev said. This conference affirms theneed for actions in this direction.

To subscribe to The Ukrainian Weekly,

call 973-292-9800, ext. 3042


11/24


54th USCAK tennis championships held at Soyuzivkaby Petrusia Sawchak

KERHONKSON, NY. Focused anddetermined, both Dennis Chorny of NewYork and Olenka Olesnycky of NewJersey retained their champions titles inthe mens and womens divisions in the

national tennis championships of theUkrainian Sports Federation of the U.S.A.and Canada (known by its Ukrainian-based acronym USCAK). The tournamentwas held at the Soyuzivka HeritageCenter during the Labor Day Weekend.

Both Chorny and Olesnycky wereawarded substantial monetary stipendsfrom the Winner Group Inc. owned byMr. John Hynansky, who was a frequentguest and tennis player at Soyuzivkayears ago. They also received USCAKtrophies funded by the Ukrainian NationalAssociation and memorial trophies donat-ed this year by Roman Rakoczy, one ofthe original organizers of this tournamentand also the tennis director for manyyears.

Unfortunately, Mr. Rakoczy, who hascome to every USCAK tournament heldduring the Labor Day weekend, wasunable to attend this year to make the pre-sentations.

To win his title for the fourth time, theformidable Chorny defeated MykolaStroynick, 6-4, 6-3, in a highly competi-tive match. With his powerful strokes andmethodical playing style, Chorny has wona total of 17 USCAK tournaments, 13 ofthem USCAK-East held in the spring.Now a lawyer by profession, he startedplaying tennis at Soyuzivkas TennisCamp years ago and has continued toplay every Labor Day since then.

Wiry and fast on his feet, 22year-oldStroynick, soon to graduate from college,

has won several USCAK-East tourna-ments and the gold medal in the UkrainianDiaspora Olympiad held last year atTryzubivka in suburban Philadelphia.

A blue-eyed blond like her mother,Zenia Matkiwsky, who was a USCAKchampion some years ago, 16-year-oldOlenka Olesnycky beat Adrienne (Ada)Kowcz, a college freshman fromConnecticut, 6-1, 6-2 repeating last yearsvictory in the finals. Some may rememberthat Olesnycky also won the gold medalin the Ukrainian Diaspora Olympiad inthe girls 18 group last year. Her father,sister and brother also competed in theLabor Day tournament. Ada has been acounselor at Soyuzivkas Tennis Campfor many years.

The opening ceremonies for both theswim meet and tennis tournament wereheld by the swimming pool on Saturday,September 5. During the ceremonies, thenational anthems of Ukraine, the UnitedStates and Canada were played as theflags were raised.

Trophy winners at the 54th annual tennis championships of the Ukrainian Sports Federation of the U.S.A. and Canada.

At the closing ceremonies, mens winner Dennis Chorny and finalist MykolaStroynick receive their awards; from left are: Mr. Stroynick, Ivan Durbak, Roma

Lisovich, George Sawchak, Mr. Chorny and George Hrabec.

Top women players with tennis committee members (from left): winner OlenkaOlesnycky, George Hrabec, UNA Treasurer Roma Lisovich, finalist Ada Kowcz,semifinalist Olesia Foty, Ivan Durbak, semifinalist Nadia Olesnycky and Petrusia

Sawchak.

Petrusia Sawchak

The winner in the older boys group, Gregory Olesnycky (second from right) andfinalist Paul DeVassal (second from left) with (from left) George Hrabec, Roma

Lisovich and Ivan Durbak.

The top players in the mens 55 group, winner Jaroslaw Sydorak (center) andfinalist George Walchuk (second from right), are flanked by George Hrabec,

Roma Lisovich and Ivan Durbak.

USCAK Tennis Director George

Sawchak welcomed everyone and intro-duced Marika Bokalo, USCAKs directorof the swimming competition, whowished all the participants much success.Omelan Twardowsky, representative ofUSCAK, also extended his greetings.Congratulating the players for their par-ticipation and wishing them good luck inthe competitions was UNA TreasurerRoma Lisovich. UNA Secretary ChristineKozak also was introduced.

Sponsors of the tennis tournamentincluded the Ukrain ian Nat ionalAssociation, which has provided commu-nity support and funded the trophies formore than 50 years, and Mr. Hynansky,entrepreneur, philanthropist and owner ofWinner Group Inc. from Wilmington,

Del. The Winner Group represents numer-ous automobile dealerships plus otherbusiness endeavors in the United Statesand Ukraine. For more than 30 years, Mr.Hynansky has contributed financial sti-pends ($3,400 in total this year) to thewinners in the mens, womens and juniorgroups, which help attract players to thetournament.

This year players also contributed anadditional $10 each to SoyuzivkasHeritage Foundation for the repair of ten-nis courts.

The players came from different partsof the United States and Canada. Some ofthem entered the tournament in severalgroups.

In the semifinals, Chorny beat YuriPereyaslawsky 6-2, 6-0, and Stroynickovercame young Alex Charchalis 6-2,6-3. In the quarterfinals, Chorny tookPaul DeVassal 6-1, 6-2; Pereyaslawskydefeated Gregory Olesnycky 6-2, 6-4;



12/24


ART SCENE: Ilona Sochynskys works at the Ukrainian Instituteby Jeffrey Wechsler

NEW YORK The Ukrainian Instituteof America will present a major soloexhibition by artist Ilona Sochynsky titledFragments. Fetishes. Capriccios fromOctober 8 through November 1, with an

artists opening reception on Friday,October 16, at 6-8 p.m.The exhibit, which features over 25 oil

paintings on canvas in varying levels ofabstraction, is the artists fourth solo showat The Ukrainian Institute. Exhibit hoursare Tuesday through Sunday, noon to 6p.m.

The diversity of art of the modern erahas sometimes been viewed as a conflictbetween two basic approaches: the realis-tic and the abstract. How enlighteningand enjoyable it is, therefore, to see anoeuvre that renders the issue mootthrough a hybrid art that encompassesboth realism and abstraction, delving intothe visual and conceptual potential ofboth of these artistic worlds.

The paintings of Ms. Sochynsky, asrepresented by the several series in thecurrent exhibition, demonstrate that thevisualization of the non-objective and thenatural may be marked by a surprisingmutual interrelationship, and that a fasci-nating art can be built on the borderlineof the two approaches.

While this selection covers a relativelybrief chronological range, from 2006 to2009, it displays the ongoing develop-ment and transformation of the artistsvision into connected yet distinct themes,each partaking of essential aspects of Ms.Sochynskys basic concepts of imageconstruction.

Crucial to Ms. Sochynskys art is theemphasis upon, and appreciation of, the

detail. In general, paintings are usuallyperceived as a whole, after which anobserver may study various small parts details that comprise the full image. Ms.Sochynskys paintings can be apprehend-ed as overall compositions, of course, asall well-made paintings should be, butthey are in essence created from details.They may coalesce from bits of shatteredimagery that interlock, as in Odyssey

or Night Shadows, or they may domi-nate a surface, presenting nothing butwhat would normally be considered amere detail, such as the textured surfacesof Fragments #13 and #14. In suchworks the potential for abstraction inher-ent in a detail becomes the visual building

block from which the total image is gen-erated.

With their highly irregular contours,relatively large size and pinwheelingcomplexity of imagery, the Capricciosare perhaps the most spectacular of theseries, and also the most demonstrative ofMs. Sochynskys methodology. In thesepaintings, objects have been eccentricallyfragmented, usually to the point of unrec-ognizability, and then cunningly arrangedand interspersed so as to produce power-ful conjunctions of color and shape.

An odd yet compelling psychic state iscreated, like the tug of imprecise memo-ries, or the enticement of a partiallyobscured scene. The effect may behumorous, providing the viewer with a

game of perceptual hide-and-seek isthat a golf ball over there, a bit of a tooth-brush over there? But the works are alsopuzzling, sometimes even unsettling, intheir frenetic press of unknown things,providing a sense of the allusive and themysterious.

In the Fragments, Ms. Sochynskyforgoes complication and presents pri-marily single-image, small paintings thatfocus down upon a detail. With theirreduced dimensions inviting close-upinspection, the Fragments enjoin theviewer to appreciate the visual propertiesof the tiniest bits of reality and the starkor sensuous compositions that residewithin them.

Fragment #5, with its vague sugges-

tion of a folded surface and linear net-work, almost seems a mathematicallyderived abstraction of graph paper. But itsimagery and diamond shape offer it as apossible transit ional work to theFetishes, the most recent series on dis-play. Here Ms. Sochynsky has decided toembrace, to some extent, a more straight-forward realism, with images that areimmediately recognizable as folded fab-rics upon which a delicate mesh has beenoverlaid.

Indeed, the Fetishes, as may be sur-mised by the series title, add to this oeuvrea flirtation with eroticism, acknowledging

Jeffrey Wechsler is senior curator atthe Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museumat Rutgers, The State University of NewJersey.

Odyssey (2008, oil on linen, 66 by 48 inches).

Conundrum (2008, oil on linen, diptych, each panel 16 by 16 inches).

Ilona Sochynskys Capriccio #20 (2006, oil on shaped canvas, 79.25 by 80 inches).

Fragment #5 (2006, oil on canvas, 12 by 12 inches).

the use of mesh materials in fishnet stock-ings, lingerie and the like. But as with vir-tually all imagery in Ms. Sochynskys art,it is a fragment, a fleeting suggestion, ulti-mately subsumed within the overall struc-ture of the composition.

In its evocation of vaguely organic

forms the indistinct flickerings of sug-gested vegetal or flesh-like surfaces in theCapriccios or the seductive involutionsof fabric in the Fetishes Ms.Sochynskys work prods the viewers

imagination toward an animation of theabstract. In its impingement upon geo-metric art and near non-objectivity (seeFetish #5), this art acknowledges boththe underlying structure of nature and theartificial constructs of human intelli-gence.

Ultimately, through the blending of thenaturalistic and the abstract, the ongoingstylistic progression of Sochynskys artoffers both stability and transformation,and an art of intriguing effect.


13/24


To find the missing G: My trip to the Sanok landsby Michael Buryk

CONCLUSION

The archives again

On Tuesday morning Volodya and I

rose early as usual and had our usual veryfilling Polish breakfast downstairs. Wepacked our bags and dropped them off inmy tiny rented Opel, which had sat lonelyin the back parking lot since Saturday.Then it was a climb up the long hill to theSanok archives again to arrive thereshortly after 8 a.m. when they opened forthe day.

We agreed the previous night to meetthe Romaniuks at our hotel at noon forlunch. Our hope was to put in a goodchunk of time that morning trying to fillin the blank spots of our family tree. Fourhours melted away like four minutes as Ifollowed genealogy threads of not onlythe Gbur/Gburyk families but also theSzwajlyks and Charowskis, all of whom

were distant cousins. Volodya focusedstrictly on the Czerepaniaks and seemedtotally engrossed in his work.

Noon came quickly. It was time tohand back the green-covered metrykybooks that held all the secrets of ourancestral past in Siemuszowa. If onlythere was some way to digitize bothbooks, which would probably not lastanother 10 years in their current form.Still I was very pleased and grateful forthese hours we spent digging for deadrelatives and the bumper crop it produced.All the previously disconnected threadson both the Czerepaniak and Gburyk sidenow led back to the earliest known ances-tors who were archived in the Austriancadester (land census) of 1785.

Both Kost (Konstantine) Czerepaniakat house No. 43 and Seyka (Simeon)Gbur (Gburyk) at No. 35 had an almostcomplete list of descendants stretchingright down to the 21st century. If only lit-tle Benjamin Buryk, just 6 weeks old nowand the son of my brothers son Peter andhis wife Missy, could know that he nowhad more ancestors than most EuropeanRoyals. One day he would get his veryown copy of the completed chart.

Volodya and I reluctantly said good-bye to the archives and trudged down thelong hill to the hotel. The Romaniuksarrived just as we did and we all wentdown into the basement restaurant forlunch. The food was good as usual. Whilewe were there, Volodya got a call on his

The Ukrainian Weekly 2009-39

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