New Jersey Ukrainian Americans confer with Democratic gubernatorial candidate (05/27/01)

New Jersey Ukrainian Americans confer with Democratic gubernatorial candidate

by Walter Bodnar

NEWARK - A group of Ukrainian Americans met with Jim E. McGreevey, Democratic Party candidate for governor of New Jersey, at the Newark Airport Marriott Hotel on May 6. The group of 10 discussed public affairs and concerns of the Ukrainian American community for about two hours. The meeting was coordinated by the League of Ukrainian Voters (LUV).

The main topics of discussion were: international trafficking of women and reactivation of the N.J. Governor's Ethnic Advisory Council.

Present at the gathering were: Daria Bekesewycz (Ukrainian American Association Self Reliance), Walter Bodnar (League of Ukrainian Voters), Jaroslava Mulyk (president of the New Jersey Regional Council of the Ukrainian National Women's League of America), Bozhena Olshaniwsky (Americans for Human Rights in Ukraine), Maria Wasiluk (Ukrainian National Center: History and Information Network), Walter Zalisko (New Jersey Ethnic Advisory Council), Khrystyna Chaban, Antoni Wasiluk and Dmytro Khlibkevych.

Ms. Olshaniwsky, president of AHRU, opened the meeting by briefing Mr. McGreevey about the tragic situation of trafficked women who live in a virtual modern-day slavery - many of whom gravitate to New Jersey and surrounding areas. She outlined the new Public Law 106-386, which was recently enacted by the U.S. Congress and signed by President Bill Clinton at the end of his term.

She asked Mr. McGreevey as the future chief executive of New Jersey, to intercede on behalf of the victims. Mr. McGreevey was taken aback by this modern-day slavery happening in our backyard and promised to research and investigate the possibility of New Jersey's involvement in fighting this international and domestic crime.

In addition, Mr. McGreevy promised, when elected, to reactivate the New Jersey Ethnic Advisory Council, which became defunct when Gov. Christine Todd Whitman transferred all of its funds to another agency. This council, which comprised 35 ethnic groups, was created under the governorship of Brendan Byrne and, since its inception, always had a Ukrainian representative on it.

The international trafficking of women has reached ominous proportions and has surpassed drug trafficking in profits for criminal groups. New Jersey is purported to have more "sex clubs" (about 300) than any other state in the U.S. Many women who were promised job opportunities outside the borders of Ukraine became ensnared in this lucrative trade. Responding to inquiries from candidate Mr. McGreevey, Mr. Zalisko, an investigative police officer with considerable expertise in trafficking and abuse, supplied pertinent information about these problems.

One of the main reasons this phenomenon is growing is the dire economic conditions and unemployment of women in Eastern European countries, coupled with a lack of concern by governments and law enforcement agencies in host countries and countries of origin.

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