Ukrainian World Congress holds its first post-congress meeting (04/11/99)

Ukrainian World Congress holds its first post-congress meeting

by Andrij Kudla Wynnyckyj
Toronto Press Bureau

TORONTO - Ukrainian World Congress President Askold Lozynskyj returned to North America from Ukraine only three days prior to the first meeting of the new Presidium of the Ukrainian World Congress, which took place at the world umbrella body's headquarters here on February 19-20.

Stepping into his role as chief of the Ukrainian diaspora's umbrella body, Mr. Lozynskyj, an attorney based in New York, said he would spearhead a drive to secure non-governmental organization (NGO) observer status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council.

Mr. Lozynskyj said a thoroughgoing overhaul of the UWC's by-laws is necessary, and expressed his wish that the positions on the Presidium and the status of the UWC's various commissions be formalized.

The UWC president said he intends to continue the practice of his predecessor, Dr. Dmytro Cipywnyk, in traveling to Ukrainian communities around the world. Mr. Lozynskyj said he hopes to travel to Russia, Kazakstan and Central Europe (Hungary, Poland and Slovakia) this year.

Mr. Lozynskyj averred that he had been unsuccessful in securing a meeting with Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma. He added it was difficult to tell whether Ukraine's administration had snubbed him or whether he had left things too late in his monthlong sojourn in Ukraine, primarily devoted to personal concerns.

Mr. Lozynskyj said he would redouble efforts to secure a meeting when he returns to Ukraine in May. He reported that he had conferred with various Ukrainian officials concerning the proposed Law on Ukrainians Abroad. Mr. Lozynskyj related that since left-wing factions balk at the mere possibility the Ukrainian government would pay pensions to elderly arrivals and provide free education as afforded to citizens by birth, the controversial legislation has almost no chance of being adopted by the Verkhovna Rada.

Adding his voice to that of many activists in the diaspora opposed to the draft law both in principle and in its present form, Mr. Lozynskyj contended that this was a good thing, since its current provisions would require visiting "Ukrainians from abroad" to register their whereabouts with local authorities.

"Even so-called democratic faction members can't be convinced to eliminate Soviet methods of control of movement," Mr. Lozynskyj commented.

He expressed concern over allegations that the government of Slovakia is discriminating against the Ukrainian minority in that country, but added that the matter require additional study before the UWC adopts a formal position.

The UWC president outlined his contacts with the U.S. State Department concerning the use of slave labor by German companies during World War II. Mr. Lozynskyj said he had been offered assistance in pursuing the issue with a view to secure compensation for individuals victimized.

Ukrainian World Coordinating Council

The UWC's relations with the Ukrainian World Coordinating Council (UWCC) had been in suspended animation since a resolution limiting them was passed in February 1998.

At the presidium meeting this year, Mr. Lozynskyj stated that the concerns set forth by the previous UWC administration had been sufficiently addressed and urged the Presidium to delegate three UWC representatives to the UWCC general meeting in May.

In particular, he expressed satisfaction with the name changes to the Ukraina Society (now known as the Ukraine-World Society) and the newspaper News from Ukraine (now known as Ukrainian Forum), as he had argued both institutions were tainted by their activity conducted under those names during the Soviet era.

Mr. Lozynskyj played down the significance of confusion engendered by the multiple versions of UWCC by-laws in existence, asserting that disparities between them are minimal.

The UWC president said the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) should also reconsider its stance about avoiding direct membership and paying dues to the UWCC. UCC President Eugene Czolij resisted, asserting that "the UCC trusts the UWC to elect delegates who will appropriately represent the diaspora," adding that the present consensus in his organization precluded direct membership in the UWCC.

Mr. Czolij also said he could not agree that UWCC by-law confusions are insignificant, and insisted that they be clarified, particularly with regard to the UWCC's mandate. He also expressed continued dissatisfaction with the complete absence of financial accountability in an organization that is so insistent about collecting dues.

Dr. Oleh Romanyshyn, speaking as a UCC representative, reminded the UWC Presidium that the previous administration had mandated the preparation of a position paper according to which relations with the UWCC would be maintained.

Mr. Lozynskyj then relented and asked the UCC president to resubmit a summary of his organization's demands.

The Presidium agreed to send Mr. Lozynskyj, General Secretary Viktor Pedenko and Vice-President Maria Szkambara to the UWCC's general meetings on May 19-20 in Kyiv.

Commission redefined?

One aspect of the UWC's functioning appeared headed for a substantial change, namely the relation of the Commission on Human and Civil Rights (CHCR) to the Presidium.

Formerly constituted as an ad hoc executive arm of the UWC's presidium and entirely funded by the world umbrella organization, over the years it garnered the resentment of various officials among other commissions and committees who were not afforded a similar financial base or special status.

At the February meeting of the presidium, Mr. Lozynskyj appeared to favor changing the CHCR to a commission on the same footing as others, supported in particular by Mr. Czolij and by his successor as chair of the Conference of Ukrainian Youth Organizations, Oksana Horikh.

Veteran activist Christina Isajiw, who agreed to serve as CHCR chair at the UWC congress in December, was asked by Mr. Lozynskyj to prepare a summary of issues the CHCR would address.

Ms. Isajiw pointed out that this is a reversal of precedent, according to which the Presidium gave the CHCR a mandate to mobilize the Ukrainian community and diaspora community institutions on particular issues.

However, she agreed to prepare an overview of matters of concern for the plenary meetings scheduled for May 14-15.

In the interim, however, following a meeting of the UWC's executive on March 28-29, a press release was issued which mentioned "the need for the CHCR to act in the matter of Slovakia, Zakerzonnia [Ukrainian settlements in Poland] and Ukrainian sailors in Nigeria." No further elaboration was offered.

Ms. Isajiw had formerly acted as the paid executive director of the Human Rights Commission (as the CHCR's was known) in the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s up to 1993, when the UWC's financial difficulties required severe budget cutbacks. At the request of past UWC President Cipywnyk, she helped revive the body as the CHCR which, she said, "was able to maintain partial activity in 1997-1998."

Ms. Isajiw said that, if it is to function effectively, it is essential for the CHCR to have a paid full-time or at least regular part-time staffer who would provide continuity in the conduct of research; collate material assembled by various other UWC commissions and officials, and obtained externally; handle inquiries; act as liaison with communities under threat; and lobbying.

There were two principal dissenters from the meeting's groundswell for change in the CHCR.

World Ukrainian Coordinating Educational Council Chair Iroida Wynnyckyj said Ms. Isajiw's description of the CHCR's role is consistent with the UWC's present by-laws. The CHCR and the Sports Commission are the only bodies that are fully funded by the UWC, Mrs. Wynnyckyj said.

Prof. Lubomyr Wynar, chair of the recently revived UWC Scholarly Council concurred with the CHCR chair's assessment of the commission's needs. Prof. Wynar also reported that an executive of the Scholarly Council had been assembled, with himself as chair, Prof. Wsevolod Isajiw as vice-chair, Vasyl Veryha as secretary, Osyp Martyniuk as treasurer, and Jaroslav Trofimenko as legal advisor.

Transcarpathian flood aid

Regarding assistance given to the Transcarpathian regions stricken by flooding in November 1998, World Council of Ukrainian Social Services (WCUSS) Chair Olga Danylak reported that over $55,000 in donations had been forwarded to aid agencies in Ukraine by the UWC, and about the same amount has passed through the various levels of WCUSS agencies.

She said the International Red Cross was most helpful, while various national agencies either set stipulations for assisting in relief efforts and conveying gathered material, or referred interested parties to the IRC.

Ms. Danylak cautioned against allowing the effort to lapse, since the displacement caused by such natural disasters produces long-term needs. She explained that many former residents of Transcarpathia have been rendered homeless, have migrated from the region and are living in the streets of several major Ukrainian cities.

Mr. Czolij pointed out that UNICEF Kyiv had handled a $540,000 (U.S.) effort directed at children's health needs in the area. Mr. Lozynskyj indicated that the U.S. government (in part through the Peace Corps program, in part through the U.S. Agency for International Development) had provided transport of food and clothing.

The UWC president added that petitions to President Kuchma to lift taxes and tariffs from humanitarian aid had resulted in partial success with a temporary lifting of the levies on goods and funds specifically directed to Transcarpathia.

Sports Commission

The new chair of the UWC's Sports Commission, Laryssa Barabash Temple, is also the head of the U.S. Friends of the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Ukraine.

Ms. Temple outlined her commission's general plan for the coming five years, which includes coordination of diaspora participation in this summer's All-Ukrainian Games; assistance to the Ukrainian Diaspora Olympics in July 2000 in Philadelphia; support for Ukraine's athletes competing at the Summer Olymics in Sydney, Australia, in 2000 and the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City.

Ms. Temple reported on the Ukrainian government's massive expansion of this year's All-Ukrainian Games into an extravaganza that is to last from its opening ceremonies in Kyiv on June 27 at the Olympic Stadium to September 11. Prime Minister Valerii Pustovoitenko and the Cabinet of Ministers officially assumed control of the games in September 1998. The games' scope has ballooned to include competitions among professionals, amateurs, the disabled, youth/children and "families."

According to a preliminary schedule, events will be scattered about the country - athletics in Kyiv, handball in Zaporizhia, field hockey in Vinnytsia, baseball in Kirovohrad, badminton and tae kwon do in Dnipropetrovsk, basketball in Donetsk, road cycling in Crimea, boxing in Kharkiv, Graeco-Roman wrestling in Ternopil, triathlon in Zhytomyr.

Ms. Temple expressed dismay at the negative reaction directed at the recent agreement signed by the NOCs of Ukraine and Russia. The UWC commissioner offerred assurances that this in no way limits the independence of Ukraine's sports effort, and is identical to agreements signed with other countries, such as Italy. She explained that Ukraine's winter athletes are in particular need of this agreement, because Ukraine's facilities (such as ice rinks) have deteriorated substantially and Ukraine's relatively mild climate makes it difficult to train for a sufficient period.

Ms. Temple also mentioned that Ivan Fedorchuk, a man close to Mr. Pustovoitenko and with a strong background in Ukraine's sports bureaucracy, has replaced Valerii Borzov as Ukraine's NOC president. She noted that the new man has considerable work to do to ensure that the endorsement packages secured by Mr. Borzov are maintained.

UWC website

Various members of the Presidium expressed frustration with the UWC's current website (address: http://www.htplus.net/congress).

Ms. Horikh, chair of the Conference of Ukrainian Youth Organizations, addressed the issue of establishing an effective website, noting that once the UWC makes clear decisions, the site can serve many functions, including providing information to the community and its own officers; serving as an archive; gathering information; facilitating the circulation of petitions; acting as a fund-raising tool; and serving as a newsletter.

Presidium members agreed that she should head a website committee whose members include UWC Treasurer Chrystia Bidiak, Ms. Szkambara and UWC Chief Financial Officer William Sametz.

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