Chicago-area community rallies in support of Viktor Yushchenko (11/28/04)

Chicago-area community rallies in support of Viktor Yushchenko

by Pavlo T. Bandriwsky

CHICAGO - On the heels of Sunday's Ukrainian presidential run-off election where 3,807 people voted at Chicago's Ukrainian Consulate - casting over 99 percent of their votes for Viktor Yushchenko - a call went out to the community that a rally would be held on Tuesday, November 23, at noon in response to the announced election results.

The midwest is Mr. Yushchenko country, as evidenced both by the paltry voting for Viktor Yanukovych, who received a mere 29 votes in the first round and 28 in the second out of a total of over 6,300 cast, and the highly visible sea of orange hats, coats, scarves and flags at every public gathering.

The three objectives of the Chicago rally were: to demonstrate support for our brothers and sisters in Ukraine who voted in the majority for Mr. Yushchenko; to call on the administration of President George W. Bush and the U.S. government not to recognize the illegitimate results announced by the CEC; and to send a message to President Vladimir Putin that the Ukrainian diaspora wants Russia to stop interfering with Ukraine's internal affairs.

The rally was held on the plaza adjacent to the Dirksen Federal Center. Chicago police estimated the orderly, yet highly energized crowd at nearly 1,200 participants. New immigrants comprised about 70 percent of the marchers.

Orest Baranyk, president of the Illinois Branch of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, began with a speech declaring outrage with the CEC and the falsified election results. He stated "The situation in Ukraine has gone beyond the point of return and the people of Ukraine know that we in the diaspora stand with them in support of a democratically elected president, Viktor Yushchenko."

Yuri Melnyk, chairman of the Chicago committee "Presidential Elections 2004" said, "We are united and there is no need to fear because we are together and we will prevail." Julian Kulas drew on the point that the rally was taking place in front of the U.S. federal government building which houses hundreds of employees of the U.S. Federal Court, the FBI and other agencies, whose employees were watching with interest and became aware of Ukrainian Americans' concerns about a fair and democratic presidential election in their homeland. Mr. Kulas also reported that Sen. Dick Durbin's office had received 70 telephone calls that morning from constituents asking for the senator's assistance in ensuring that the U.S. not recognize the illegitimately elected Mr. Yanukovych.

Eight Catholic and Orthodox priests led the crowd in prayer and song. A march to the offices of the Chicago Tribune was led by a color guard carrying the Ukrainian and American flags, followed by hundreds of marchers carrying vibrant signs, including: "America: Recognize President Yushchenko" and "President Bush: It is time to stand up for democracy, not just in Iraq."

As the crowd stretching, over five city blocks, marched through downtown, people chanting "U.S.A. support Ukraine" often were joined in the chant by onlookers. Finally the march led over the Chicago River to the plaza in front of the Chicago Tribune Building. There the group gathered to express its solidarity with Yushchenko supporters in Ukraine.

In light of the Tribune's front-page coverage of the protests in Ukraine that morning, a delegation met with a Tribune reporter who expressed keen interest in writing about the Chicago community's rally. The event was also covered by three television stations, several radio stations and the full local Ukrainian media complement.

Singing of the Ukrainian national anthem marked the end of the rally.

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