LETTERS TO THE EDITOR (06/20/99)

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

The Great Famine and genocide

Dear Editor:

I would like to respond one last time to the various responses to my two articles on the Ukrainian Famine both in The Weekly and in Internet discussion groups. My definition of genocide in those articles was based on the literal translation from the Latin, signifying the destruction of or attempt to destroy an entire race.

However, if one adheres to the definition of the Convention on Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, then the Great Famine was indeed an act of genocide.

I apologize for any offense my comments may have caused to members of the Ukrainian community.

David R. Marples
Edmonton

The writer is professor of history and director of the Stasiuk Program on Contemporary Ukraine at the University of Alberta.

EDITOR'S NOTE: According to the Convention on Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, genocide is defined as: "any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group, such as: a) killing members of the group; b) causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group; c) deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part; d) imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group; e) forcibly transferring children of the group to another group."

Language is key to Ukraine's survival

Dear Editor:

I agree with Mykola Ryabchuk's commentary that describes the current state of the Ukrainian language in Ukraine. He describes Ukraine as a potentially two-language and three-culture society.

I have been to Ukraine seven times with the U.S. military. My perspective is limited but it isn't hard to come up with reasons and questions regarding the language issue: Can Ukraine survive without its national language? What is the end game of Russians in Ukraine?

During our first mission to Ukraine in 1993, everyone tried to use Ukrainian as often as possible. Also, in Kyiv you could hear Ukrainian at least a third of the time. Programs were initiated to teach Ukrainian history and language in the military. By 1997 all this had changed. In May of 1997 in Kyiv, the welcoming Ukrainian general greeted us in Russian, even though he knew we had only Ukrainian interpreters. In 1996 at Peace Shield, the same general spoke to me in fluent Ukrainian. In 1997 I did not hear one word of Ukrainian on the streets of Kyiv.

In 1998 we attended a conference on infectious diseases in Kyiv and we gave our scientific presentations in Ukrainian. The Ukrainian conference bulletins were all in Ukrainian, but the presenters from Ukraine, with three exceptions, presented in Russian.

Russians in Ukraine despise the Ukrainian language because of what it stands for: freedom. Ukrainian reminds them of the failed empire. They are determined to finish the job the USSR could not: to eliminate a language and thus, its people. Russians know that without Ukrainian, the Ukrainian people will cease to exist and independence will be lost.

Our national interests lie in supporting a free democratic Ukraine, therefore we must support the language. The military should insist that only Ukrainian interpreters be used in Ukraine. Would anyone suggest using Ukrainian interpreters in Russia? I don't think so.

The Ukrainian American Veterans and the Ukrainian American Military Association will be discussing these issues on September 25 at 1-5 p.m. in Chicago.

Roman G. Golash
Palatine, Ill.

Sitch grateful for cooperation

Dear Editor:

It is my pleasure to thank you on behalf of the officers and the entire membership of Chornomorska Sitch for the prominent coverage provided by The Ukrainian Weekly (May 30) regarding the history and activities of our society in conjunction with its 75th anniversary.

We particularly appreciate the fact that you not only published the lengthy article on Chornomorska Sitch submitted by Dr. Orest Popovych, but took the trouble of suggesting it be illustrated with photographs, which enlivened the text.

The resulting article in the centerfold of The Ukrainian Weekly represents more than a fitting component of our yearlong celebrations of the anniversary of Chornomorska Sitch. By providing publicity to the activities of our society, you encourage all Ukrainian sports organizations in North America to continue or to revive their own efforts on behalf of Ukrainian youth and the entire community.

We are confident that we can look forward to your valuable cooperation with Ukrainian sports organizations in the future.

Myron Stebelsky
Newark, N.J.

The writer is president of the Ukrainian Athletic-Educational Association Chornomorska Sitch.

UCCA should respond to article

Dear Editor:

Thank you for publishing in your "News and Views" a commentary regarding "reasons for the doom of the Ukrainian Festival U.S.A." (June 6). It is long overdue as there are some of us who want to understand the full reasons for the demise of the Ukrainian Festival U.S.A., which was a glorious exhibit of the Ukrainian community's culture and heritage in America during the years it was produced in June.

Since Stan Jakubowycz puts the finger of blame on the New Jersey Coordinating Council of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, it seems to me that you ought to have a reply from either or both the NJCC and the parent organization, as well as other branches.

Considering all of the good work that has been done to keep Ukrainian culture and language in the forefront of the international community, the discontinuation of the festival each year in June is truly a disgrace. The UCCA needs to determine if the Ukrainian Festival is salvageable.

Joseph Jackson
New Providence, N.J.

| Home Page |