LETTERS TO THE EDITOR (10/17/99)

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Remember results of communism

Dear Editor:

I could hardly believe my eyes when I read a letter to the editor on behalf of Natalia Vitrenko, an avowed Marxist. I wonder whether the writer remembers what Marxism, (a.k.a Communism) has done to Ukraine for 70 years.

It is utterly ridiculous that anyone, let alone Ukraine would espouse the cause that has caused so much grief to so much of Eastern Europe. The espousal of Marxism would be analagous to Israelis embracing the Nazi Party.

Unfortunately, there is still a hard core of communists unwilling to embrace a free market system. I hope the voters of Ukraine wake up and throw them into the same waste bin as that occupied by Stalin and Lenin.

Michael Berezowski
Haddonfield, N.J.

"Kleptocracy" is more accurate

Dear Editor:

Prof. Mykola Tomenko of the National University of Kyiv Mohyla Academy claims that "financial/political oligarchies controlled by a few" are evolving into quasi-democratic form of government in Ukraine (August 22). The mainstream press, including The New York Times, similarly characterize ruling establishments in the other former Soviet republics. However, this is not an entirely accurate characterization.

The oligarchy was one of the evolutionary stages in the political development of ancient Athens that eventually led to democracy. I do not believe that the present form of governance in Ukraine or Russia falls under this definition. A more accurate term to describe the current political establishment in the former Soviet Union would be "kleptocracy," from Greek the "klepto," which stands for "to steal or rob" - in short, government by thieves.

Support for this notion can be found in a number of recent news dispatches. For example, Grant McCool (AOL News, August 20) writes: "The advantage that the Russian criminal element has is that the government is part of it." And no less an authority on the subject than Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov (himself no saint) claims: "The country is being robbed in a way which is unprecedented in the cynicism and permissiveness!' (Adam Tanner, AOL News August 21).

It is hard for us in the diaspora, and for the rest of civilized world, to comprehend the enormity of the public wealth that is being looted in the former Soviet republics. The New York Times (August 19 and 20) reports than one New York bank, currently under Federal investigation, channeled as much as $10 billion in what is believed to be a major money-laundering operation by Russian organized crime - the largest money laundering operation in American history. This is more than the national budgets of many countries.

According to Time Daily (www.time.com, August 23), Federal authorities are investigating whether some of the loot was siphoned off from IMF funds loaned to Russia to stave off its financial collapse. Those funds are subsidized by American taxpayers. Not surprisingly, Brian Killen (AOL News, August 23) headlines a story: "Russian officials stay mum on money-laundering."

The situation in Ukraine is not much different, with former prime minister the subject of extradition proceedings by Swiss authorities on money laundering charges.

I have been wondering for a long time how it is possible that such a potentially prosperous country as Ukraine, endowed with outstanding natural resources and a highly educated population can be in such an economic mess. The news dispatches cited above suggest that systematic looting of public wealth by financialpolitical elites might be the answer. Those elites in Ukraine comprise relatively few incredibly rich kleptocrats, while the rest of the people suffer the misery of economic deprivation unknown since World War II.

There is no quick and easy solution to the social and economic malaise that overtook Ukraine since the collapse of the Soviet Union. It will take generations of those yet unborn to shed the terrible legacy of 70 years of Communist rule and 300 years of Russian occupation that led to this condition. Meanwhile, the long-suffering people of Ukraine need our help more than ever. While such support from the diaspora should continue on a people-to-people basis, we should re-examine critically our relation with the kleptocrats (both in the Verkhovna Rada and the executive branch) who are responsible for this dismal situation.

Ihor Lysyj
Austin, Texas

U.S. News prints letter to the editor

Dear Editor:

The September 20 issue of U.S. News & World Report contains a letter I sent in response to their issue on the year 1000 A.D., pointing out their incorrect usage of Ukrainian proper and place names.

Though I wish I could claim full credit for this missive, I must give credit to one of my e-mail correspondents on the Ukraine List. Whoever it was actually wrote the lion's share of the letter and sent it out on the list inviting all and sundry to send it in to U.S. News. I made some minor changes and pushed the send button.

Lo and behold, U.S. News selected my message to print albeit with even further edits.

I wish I could remember the original author's name, but unfortunately, I don't. All praise for getting this correction printed in a major national news organ should go to him (or her).

The important thing is that our message got through and was published, and for this I am grateful to both the original author and U.S. News & World Report.

Orest J. Jowyk
Centreville, Va.

Fedynsky, Kuzych are appreciated

Dear Editor:

I want to congratulate and thank Andrew Fedynsky and Ingert Kuzych for their in-depth articles that have enlightened us all. They, as relatively new contributors to The Ukrainian Weekly, and others very well-known, such as Dr. Myron Kuropas, make The Ukrainian Weekly a first-rate paper, one of which to be proud.

Those who do not read The Ukrainian Weekly are missing a great deal.

Zynowij Kwit
Philadelphia

| Home Page |