1984: A LOOK BACK: U.S. Ukrainian community life (12/30/84)

1984: A LOOK BACK

U.S. Ukrainian community life

Static is perhaps the only way to describe the status of Ukrainian community life in the United States during 1984, as the rift that had occurred during the 13th UCCA Congress continued to exist a full four years later. If there was any movement at all in the U.S. community, it certainly was not in the direction of healing, and by the end of the year the rift seemed to have become a canyon.

The year started off on a bright note in the aftermath of the Fourth World Congress of Free Ukrainians, at which both the Ukrainian American Coordinating Council and the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America were recognized as central organizations of Ukrainian Americans. These two organizations, plus the Shevchenko Scientific Society, on March 14 announced the formation of an ad hoc committee to plan and direct commemorations of the 20th anniversary of the unveiling of the Taras Shevchenko monument in Washington.

The group gave itself the cumbersome name Committee for Defense of National Rights for Ukraine Commemorating the 20th Anniversary of the Unveiling of the Shevchenko Monument in Washington. Thankfully, the name was later changed to the much more succinct National Committee to Protest the Russification of Ukraine.

For a while, preparations for the September 16 observances of the anniversary kept everyone occupied, although there were, of course, some behind-the-scenes rumblings.

The September 16 observances, which included a demonstration at the site of the Shevchenko monument, a march to the Soviet Embassy, a rally at Lafayette Park (directly across from the White House) and a concert at the Kennedy Center, were months in the planning. Ultimately, the events were a success as 10,000 participated in the Ukrainian community's protest against the ongoing Russification of the Ukrainian nation and the news media provide ample coverage.

On the day after the anniversary observances, that is, on Monday, September 17, President Ronald Reagan met with a delegation of representatives of the two Ukrainian American central organizations, the UACCouncil and the UCCA. The composition of the delegation turned out to be a matter of controversy, however, as certain UCCA representatives attempted to change the agreed-upon formula for selecting delegation members, namely that six representatives each be designated by the UACCouncil and UCCA. To make a long story short, the delegation finally included six UACCouncil representatives, five UCCA representatives and two Shevchenko Scientific Society members. Pity that the Ukrainian American community's infighting had to be demonstrated for the White House.

During 1984, the Ukrainian American Coordinating Council continued its community activity, first, by pledging to make 1984 a year to focus on the Russification of Ukraine by the Soviet regime; and second, by forming several more local branches throughout the United States.

Also, the UACCouncil on May 19 issued a position paper "regarding the present state, needs and potential of our community," in which it welcomed the designation of Bishop Basil Losten of the Stamford Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy to continue the Church's efforts at mediating the dispute between the two U.S. central organizations. Previously, the mediation efforts were led by Msgr. Stephen Chomko.

The UACCouncil asserted that it would begin serious negotiations with the UCCA as soon as the UCCA agreed to four basic preconditions: participation in the negotiations of representatives of the Churches of all faiths of Ukrainians in America; creation of a joint by-laws committee for the purpose of preparing a draft of new by-laws; agreement on a new name for the central organization of Ukrainian Americans; and cancellation of the 14th UCCA Congress that was to take place in the fall of 1984.

The position paper also noted that the UACCouncil considered the formation of an ad hoc committee to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Shevchenko monument as a positive step toward the eventual reunification of Ukrainians in America, and that the joint commemoration provides hope for a positive conclusion to Bishop Losten's mediation.

In July, the UACCouncil announced that it would heed the appeal of the president of the World Congress of Free Ukrainians, Peter Savaryn, and would postpone the convention it had planned to hold in the fall. The UACCouncil also called on the UCCA to cancel its congress that was already scheduled to take place November 23-25 in New York City. The WCFU president had made his appeal to the two groups in the hope that if the organizations' respective conclaves were postponed, negotiations between the two would resume and bear fruit.

By August, it became clear that not only would the UCCA not postpone its congress, but that the Liberation Front-controlled group had no intentions of negotiating in good faith toward the reunification of the Ukrainian American community in one central organization representing all Ukrainians in the United States.

The Liberation Front press continued to publish scathing attacks on the UACCouncil and its president, John O. Flis, while simultaneously the UCCA continued to give lip service the notion that it was interested in conducting serious negotiations toward the establishment of one central community organization.

Finally, the UCCA crossed the Rubicon, so to speak, by holding its 14th Congress. The Ukrainian community, it now appeared, was doomed to divisiveness. The community was effectively dissected into three: the UCCA, the UACCouncil and those organizations that chose not to join either group and continued their activities on their own.

A nagging question remains: who stands to benefit?