LETTERS TO THE EDITOR (08/25/02)

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Ukraine needs Truth Commission

Dear Editor:

Almost as disturbing as the discovery of human remains at the Basilian monastery in Zhovkva is the report that the archival documents that might shed light on this atrocity remain inaccessible. (The Weekly, July 28). If Ukraine and Russia wish to be treated as post-Soviet states, they should show that the Soviet era is closed by making its documentation available to scholars.

Opening up the archives, however, would only be the first step. It is generally acknowledged that a psychically healthy society, like a psychically healthy individual, must come to terms with its past. The first step in this process is to discover what in fact happened. Some two dozen countries with a history of massive human-rights violations, mostly in the Third World, have established Truth (or Truth and Reconciliation) Commissions. Sponsored by international organizations, governments or both, these commissions enable victims to tell their stories. They reconstruct the history of state crimes against humanity and help clear the national conscience.

A Truth Commission would make it possible for Ukraine to understand its Soviet past, to come to terms with it and to transcend it. Indeed, it is possible that much of Ukraine's current malaise stems from an inability to confront what happened under Soviet rule.

Unfortunately, the objections of various constituencies make such a project impossible. The perpetrators of such atrocities as those of Bykivnia, Demianiv Laz and Zhovkva, and their descendants, would block any such exposure in order to avoid criminal prosecution or public shame. Communists would seek to avoid negative publicity for their party. Understandably, many ordinary Ukrainians instinctively distrust the notion of retribution, knowing that it only perpetuates conflict and suffering. They might consider a Truth Commission socially and politically divisive. Christians in particular seek forgiveness and abhor vengeance.

These objections miss the mark. A Truth Commission would not be in the business of criminal prosecution. True, the evidence it gathered could be used by Ukrainian courts, or even an international criminal court, in prosecuting suspected perpetrators of crimes against humanity, and U.S. federal courts might take jurisdiction over suits for civil damages brought by victims against persecutors present in the United States. But the brief of a Truth Commission would be limited to uncovering the facts. Communists would be free to interpret or dispute those facts - a skill they surely have not lost. Any social or political divisions resulting from the revelation of unpleasant historical data would be outweighed by the healing power of truth. Since the commission would not be empowered to seek individual or collective justice - much less retribution - the people would retain the right to decide between forgiveness and punishment.

A more difficult objection would be that, by focusing on the Soviet past, a Truth Commission might draw attention away from more recent human rights abuses. The possibility that justice might not be achieved in one area, however, is hardly a convincing argument for not pursuing it in another. On the contrary, a public investigation of Soviet crimes against humanity might set the stage for an inquest into post-Soviet violations of human rights.

Non-governmental organizations like Smoloskyp and Memorial have done important work in researching, documenting and publicizing Soviet crimes against humanity. Unfortunately, their findings lack the perceived authority of a national or international inquiry. The socio-psychological benefits of a Truth Commission with broad investigative powers and full access to Ukrainian and Russian police and Communist Party archives would be immense.

Only the light of exposure can dispel the spectres that haunt our collective memory. But for the time being, Ukraine, like one unwilling or unable to acknowledge and confess grave sin, cannot shake the moral paralysis of a bad conscience.

Andrew Sorokowski
Rockville, Md.

Thanks on behalf of the Rotarians

Dear Editor:

I would like to thank The Ukrainian Weekly for publishing an article about Rotary International in the June 16 issue. Rotary International now has 35 clubs in major cities of Ukraine, which provide very significant assistance to Ukraine in terms of medical supplies, student exchanges, professional exchanges, business contacts, medical missions, book shipments, aid to orphanages and hospital equipment shipments, as well as other humanitarian assistance.

By publishing this article, your paper has not only informed its readers of the huge, private Rotary assistance effort benefiting the needy Ukrainian populace, but you have also rendered great encouragement to Rotarians both in Ukraine and abroad by recognizing their significant yet often unnoticed efforts.

Please convey my sincerest appreciation to Roman Woronowycz for writing this article. I was very much impressed with the journalistic quality of his report and his keen grasp of the Rotary International spirit permeating the organization's humanitarian endeavors. I often marvel at his prolific and informative coverage of the political and economic scene in Ukraine, and his stories, which are always written in an interesting, insightful and clear way.

Lubomyr O. Hewko
Clarkston, Mich.

The Ukrainian Weekly welcomes letters to the editor and commentaries on a variety of topics of concern to the Ukrainian American and Ukrainian Canadian communities. Opinions expressed by columnists, commentators and letter-writers are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of either The Weekly editorial staff or its publisher, the Ukrainian National Association.

Letters should be typed (double-spaced) and signed; they must be originals, not photocopies. The daytime phone number and address of the letter-writer must be given for verification purposes.

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