UUARC's Kyiv office delivers aid to miners' families in Krasnodon (05/21/00)

UUARC's Kyiv office delivers aid to miners' families in Krasnodon

United Ukrainian American Relief Committee

PHILADELPHIA - As soon as Stefan Hawrysz, executive director of the United Ukrainian American Relief Committee Inc., received word from the Embassy of Ukraine of the disastrous mine accident, an emergency phone chain went into action and all of the directors on the board unanimously agreed to immediately authorize the director of UUARC's Kyiv office to distribute funds to the families of the miners killed and injured in Krasnodon, Ukraine.

The sums to be donated were $200 (U.S.) per family for the kin of miners killed in the accident, and $100 per injured miner, for a total of $16,700. UUARC had previously assisted victims of other mining disasters, but in this case it was decided that Vira Prynko of the UUARC's Kyiv office would personally deliver the funds to suffering families to ensure safe and prompt distribution.

This decision raised the question of logistics: how to travel from Kyiv to Luhansk carrying cash. In the brief time between the accident and Ms. Prynko's departure from Kyiv, arrangements could not be made with a dependable bank in Luhansk, so help came from the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the persons of Dr. Viktor Rehulsky, general major of the militia and rector of the Academy of the Internal Affairs, and Mykola Anufriev, vice-minister of internal affairs.

Ms. Prynko was given an armed escort and safely flew into Luhansk and then traveled overland to Krasnodon. Over 200 people assembled in the activity hall of the Krasnodon Museum. With Oleksander Efremov, the head of the Luhansk Oblast Administration officiating, one by one the devastated family members of the 80 miners who lost their lives in the explosion gratefully received and signed for their $200.

Each one of the widows, mothers and children expressed their thanks and cried tears of relief, as not only was this the first aid they had received from anyone since the accident, but prior to the tragedy, their husbands, fathers and sons had not been paid in months for the work they had done.

The international press corps was fascinated with how the UUARC was able to mobilize the funding for these families so quickly, and interviewed Ms. Pynko at length about the activities of this organization. A great deal of emphasis was placed on the fact that this was the first assistance actually distributed to the victims' families.

While reports circulated that $5 million (U.S.) of international aid had been given to the Ukrainian government specifically for these families, there was no sign of this money. The families questioned why representatives of various foreign governments had not taken steps to ascertain whether their help was received.

Ms. Prynko's report to the UUARC's executive board confirmed the wisdom of "hand to hand" delivery of the aid, as the survival of these widows and orphans seemed truly in question.

The UUARC is encouraging further contributions toward aid to the miners' families. As donations from the Ukrainian American community pour in, the UUARC will continue to provide the families with financial aid for the future.

Donations may be sent to: UUARC Inc., 1206 Cottman Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19111. For information call (215) 728-1630.

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