Ukrainians in Canada try to organize relief efforts (05/04/86)

Ukrainians in Canada try to organize relief efforts

JERSEY CITY, N.J. - The Ukrainian Canadian Committee offered its support to the Canadian government for help in relief efforts to the victims of the nuclear accident at the Chornobyl power plant in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, the Alberta Provincial Council of the UCC contacted the Canadian Red Cross, which in turn contacted the International Red Cross to ask that it confer with Soviet authorities in order to establish a fund for aid to the disaster victims.

On Wednesday, April 30, however, word had come from Soviet authorities that they would not accept the International Red Cross's aid, reported Myron Spolsky, executive director of the UCC's Alberta Provincial Council.

At a Wednesday morning, April 30, press conference, the UCC applauded External Affairs Minister Joe Clark's offer to provide technical aid to the Soviet Union and urged the government to provide immediate humanitarian assistance.

The UCC said it urges the Canadian government:

to seek and obtain all relevant information and press the Soviet Union for complete disclosure of facts;
to make every effort to facilitate contact between Canada and Ukraine;
to take initiative to establish an independent inquiry of experts to investigate the Chornobyl disaster; and
to press for formation of any international commission to monitor and control the safety of all nuclear plants.

"The Ukrainian community is in the process of establishing an aid and monitoring committee for coordinated relief efforts in Canada. The Ukrainian community expects every effort will be made to counteract the damage caused by this nuclear disaster to human life and the ecology," said UCC executive director Yuriy Weretelnyk.

The UCC's statement was broadcast by 12 local television stations.

In other developments in Canada, Canadian parishes of all faiths throughout the country are planning special services on Sunday evening at 7 p.m. At press time, Church hierarchs were attempting to get as many local parishes as possible involved in the coordinated services.

Nadia Diakun, The Weekly's Canadian columnist, reported on Wednesday, April 30, that members of Parliament are being bombarded with phone calls from concerned relatives of persons living and traveling in Ukraine. There are reportedly some 16 Ukrainian Canadian students now visiting Ukraine. The 16 are from all areas of Canada, and it is not clear whether they are all part of the same tour.

A demonstration in front of the Soviet Consulate in Montreal will be held on May 7 by members of Montreal's Ukrainian student community. The students are also briefing the media on the relevant aspects of the nuclear disaster .

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