Kyiv requiem recalls events of 9/11 (12/16/01)

Kyiv requiem recalls events of 9/11

by Roman Woronowycz
Kyiv Press Bureau

KYIV - U.S. citizens, members of the international diplomatic corps, Ukrainian government officials and residents of Kyiv filled St. Alexander's Roman Catholic Cathedral on December 11 for a memorial service marking three months since the terrorist acts of September 11.

The requiem was one of hundreds, and perhaps thousands, in scores of capitals around the world and in towns and cities throughout the United States organized as a result of a request from U.S. President George W. Bush to "not forget what took place."

It came from a speech delivered from the White House on December 5 in which Mr. Bush called on nations "to play their own national anthems and/or appropriate tunes at about the same time" as the first of the tragic events occurred, to send a clear signal to the terrorists that the world will not forget what took place and that those responsible will be brought to justice.

In Kyiv, more than 300 people listened to the ambassadors of the United States, Great Britain and Pakistan call on the world community to remember that not just U.S. citizens, but people from across the globe, died as a result of the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, as well as the crash of a hijacked plane in Pennsylvania.

While British Ambassador Roland Smith called the calamities "attacks on civilization, on freedom, on democracy," U.S. Ambassador Carlos Pascual said that from the rubble of the disasters a new hope could arise.

"History has been our fate, but the future is our opportunity," said Ambassador Pascual. "Now we have an opportunity to turn this day into a galvanizing force for current and future generations."

Mr. Pascual mentioned the names of Yurii Mushinsky and Volodymyr Savinkin, two Ukrainians who died in the World Trade Center that fateful day, as well as the name of Oleh Wengerchuk, a Ukrainian American who also perished. Mr. Pascual said Ukraine was one of more than 80 countries whose citizens were murdered in the attacks.

Pakistani Ambassador Shamoon Alam Khan emphasized that the terrorists who claimed to be doing their dirty work in the name of Allah were far from good Muslims.

"Islam is a religion of peace, tolerance and forgiveness," explained Ambassador Khan. "It forbids killing for revenge, killing of non-combatants and killing of civilians, and even goes to the extent of forbidding the cutting of trees in captured territories."

Mr. Khan called "significant" the fact that the Taliban and the terrorist group Al Qaeda were destroyed during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

President Leonid Kuchma's chief of staff, Volodymyr Lytvyn, also spoke, assuring the United States that Ukraine would continue to be a strong partner in the war against terrorism "politically, practically and organizationally."

At 3:46 p.m. Kyiv time - 8:46 a.m. New York time - with the bells of the cathedral tolling, a sound heard throughout downtown Kyiv, those assembled stood in silence to honor the dead at that moment three months ago when the first airliner pierced the North Tower of the World Trade Center and exploded into a horrendous ball of flame.

Afterwards Ukrainian folk singer Maria Burmaka sang two selections from her repertoire, which was followed by poetry recitations by two students of two English-language schools, the Kyiv International School and the Pechersk International School. Pop singer Oksana Bilozir closed out the short program, which was followed by remarks from Oleksander Lialka, president of the organization Youth Against Corruption.

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