"THE ACTION UKRAINE REPORT"
An International Newsletter
In-Depth Ukrainian News, Analysis, and Commentary
"The Art of Ukrainian History, Culture, Arts, Business, Religion,
Sports, Government, and Politics, in Ukraine and Around the World"
"THE ACTION UKRAINE REPORT" Year 04, Number 198
The Action Ukraine Coalition (AUC), Washington, D.C.
Ukrainian Federation of America (UFA), Huntingdon Valley, PA
morganw@patriot.net, ArtUkraine.com@starpower.net (ARTUIS)
Washington, D.C.; Kyiv, Ukraine, SUNDAY, October 24, 2004
-----INDEX OF ARTICLES-----
"Major International News Headlines and Articles"
1. UKRAINIAN SECURITY SERVICE RAIDS AND SEARCHES U.S.-
FUNDED FREE AND FAIR ELECTION PROGRAM ZNAYU (I KNOW)
Several former US Congressmen at the scene of the search
TV 5 Kanal, Kiev, in Ukrainian, 1400 gmt 22 Oct 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Fri, Oct 22, 2004
2. U.S. USES RARE VISA DENIAL TO PRESS UKRAINE ON VOTE
Key Ukrainian official Grigory Surkis denied a visa
REUTERS, Washington, D.C., Thursday, Oct, 21, 2004
3. RAIDS CARRIED OUT ON YOUNG UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION OPPONENTS' OFFICES AND APARTMENTS
By Helen Fawkes, BBC News, Kiev, Ukraine, Friday, October 23, 2004
4. UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT LEONID KUCHMA CONGRATULATES
BELARUSIAN PRESIDENT ON REFERENDUM VICTORY
Belarusian television, Minsk, in Russian 1400 gmt 22 Oct 04
BBC Monitoring Service,UK, in English, Fri, Oct 22, 2004
5. UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT AND PRIME MINISTER MEET
WITH FORMER US SECRETARY OF STATE HENRY KISSINGER
Kuchma told Kissinger that Ukraine is doing everything
possible to ensure a democratic and fair election.
UT1 TV, Kiev, in Ukrainian, 22 Oct 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Fri, Oct 22, 2004
6. TWO TOP PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES YUSHCHENKO AND
YANUKOVYCH DISCUSS ELECTION WITH HENRY KISSINGER
Ukrainian News Agency, Kiev, Ukraine, Fri, October 22, 2004
7. YANUKOVYCH SAYS CABINET INTENDS TO IMPLEMENT
INSURANCE MEDICINE PROVIDER
Ukrainian News Agency, Kiev, Ukraine, October 23, 2004
8. EASTERN ORTHODOX CHURCH BELIEVERS HOLDS ANTI-
EURO-ATLANTIC, PRO-RUSSIAN MARCH IN UKRAINE'S CAPITAL
ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow, in English, 21 Oct 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, Thu, Oct 21, 2004
9. VIKTOR YUSHCHENKO CALLED ON UKRAINIANS TO
DEMAND HONEST ELECTIONS, TOGETHER WE WILL WIN
Our Ukraine Website, Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, October 23, 2004
10. UKRAINE: TV CHANNEL FINDS ITSELF UNDER HOSTILE
FIRE IN FIGHT FOR COUNTRY'S PRESIDENCY
FEATURE ARTICLE: By Askold Krushelnycky
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)
Prague, Czech Republic, Friday, 22 October 2004
11. UKRAINIAN AUTHORITIES TARGET STUDENT AND YOUTH
ELECTION-MONITORING GROUPS
By Taras Kuzio, Eurasia Daily Monitor
Volume 1 Issue 104, The Jamestown Foundation
Washington, D.C., Wednesday, October 13, 2004
12. UKRAINIAN TOP LEADERS CRACK DOWN HARD ON YOUTH
GROUPS AHEAD OF ELECTION
By Taras Kuzio, Eurasia Daily Monitor
Volume 1 Issue 109, The Jamestown Foundation
Washington, D.C., Wednesday, October 20, 2004
13. MAJORITY OF REQUESTS TO SET UP ADDITIONAL ELECTION
STATIONS IN RUSSIA HAVE BEEN FORGED
UNIAN news agency, Kiev, in Ukrainian, 23 Oct 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Sat, Oct 23, 2004
14. OUR UKRAINE CANDIDATE YUSHCHENKO SAY AUTHORITIES
ARE READY TO RIG 3.5 -5.5 MILLION VOTES
UNIAN news agency, Kiev, in Ukrainian, 21 Oct 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Thu, Oct 21, 2004
15. VISIT THE INTERNET ENCYCLOPEDIA OF UKRAINE
Internet Encyclopedia of Ukraine
Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies (CIUS)
University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada, Friday, October 22, 2004
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ACTION UKRAINE REPORT-04, No.198: ARTICLE NUMBER ONE
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1. UKRAINIAN SECURITY SERVICE RAIDS AND SEARCHES U.S.-
FUNDED FREE AND FAIR ELECTION PROGRAM ZNAYU (I KNOW)
Several former US Congressmen at the scene of the search
TV 5 Kanal, Kiev, in Ukrainian, 1400 gmt 22 Oct 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Fri, Oct 22, 2004
KYIV - The Security Service of Ukraine has searched an office of the Znayu
(I Know) NGO nine days ahead of the presidential election scheduled for 31
October, the opposition TV channel reported. Znayu is officially funded by
the USAID US government programme and is campaigning for a fair election.
The security service seized video tapes and some documents. Police searched
offices of the Pora (It is Time) NGO, charged with terrorism, and homes of
its activists today. The following is the text of a report by Ukrainian
television TV 5 Kanal on 22 October:
[Presenter] Ukraine is getting ready for presidential elections. According
to news agency reports and our own observations, nine days prior to the
election, there are numerous searches at the offices of public
organizations, vigorous checks of transport and a ban on selling tickets to
Kiev from the regions. The opposition is saying that the authorities are
preparing for a violent scenario of the election. The authorities explain
that all their actions are aimed at maintaining public order. With a view to
maintaining order, the security service and police began numerous searches
at the offices of public organizations and homes of their activists this
morning.
These organizations are in some way connected with the forthcoming
presidential election. A court issued search warrants as part of an
investigation into a criminal case on terrorism, which was launched after
explosives or fake explosives were found at the office of the Pora public
organization. The video you are watching now shows a search at the flat of
Oleh Yatsenko. The security service calls him a Pora activist. He says he is
not a member of any organization.
The security service also searched the Kiev offices of the Freedom of Choice
NGO and the Znayu NGO. However, the legitimacy of the searches at the
offices of these NGOs is questionable because only Pora is mentioned in the
criminal case.
Znayu is officially funded by the USAID US government fund. A US
congressman and a representative from the US embassy came to the scene
of the incident. No explosives were found during the search, but several
video tapes and some documents were seized.
A four-hour search at the office of Znayu, which is campaigning for a fair
election, surprised experienced international observers, who have been
officially registered by the Central Electorate Commission. They witnessed
the actions of law-enforcement agencies.
[James Slattery, captioned as an election observer, in English fading into
Ukrainian translation] I have observed elections in many countries,
including Nicaragua under a Communist regime. But I have not seen anything
like this there. I think it is frightening when offices are being occupied,
people detained and searches carried out. Observers will report about this
to the governments of their countries.
[Video shows Oleh Yatsenko speaking at the threshold of his home,
observers showing their ID cards, soldiers from the Berkut special-purpose
police unit, observer James Slattery being interviewed.] -30-
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FOOTNOTE: There was a six person election monitoring delegation
in Kyiv last week. The delegation was composed of 5 former members
of the U.S. House and one former member of the European Parliament.
The delegation represented the Former Members Of Ukraine
Organization who were participating in a program organized under an
excellent program designed and implemented by the U.S.-Ukraine
Foundation and funded by USAID.
The member of the delegation that was actually inside the office in
Kyiv when the security service raided it was former U.S. Congressman
Samuel G. Coppersmith (D-AZ).
Four other members of the delegation came later and were outside
the building around noon. This is when the events related in the news
statement below happened and former U.S. Congressman Jim Slattery
(D-KS) was interviewed outside the building.
The four members of the delegation outside were Richard Balfe
(UK), James Hubert Bilbray (D-NV), Marjorie Margolies-
Mezvinsky (D-PA), and James Slattery (D-KS). The sixth member
of the delegation left Kyiv early Friday morning. This was Robert
McEwen (R-NY).
The "I KNOW" program is sponsored by a coalition of private,
voluntary organizations composed of the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation
(USUF), Europe 21, and Freedom House. -30-
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ACTION UKRAINE REPORT-04, No.198: ARTICLE NUMBER TWO
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2. U.S. USES RARE VISA DENIAL TO PRESS UKRAINE ON VOTE
Key Ukrainian official Grigory Surkis denied a visa
REUTERS, Washington, D.C., Thursday, Oct, 21, 2004
WASHINGTON - The United States has denied a visa to a key
Ukrainian official suspected of corruption to intensify pressure on
military ally Kiev to hold fair elections this month, U.S. officials said
on Thursday.
Washington blocked Grigory Surkis, a lawmaker who acquired much
of the country's electricity distribution in privatization deals, from
coming to the United States with a new and rarely used ban against
allegedly corrupt officials.
"We are obviously worried about the election but we didn't want to take
a shotgun approach," a State Department official, who asked not to be
named, said. "This helps sends a message that we are not against Ukraine
as a whole, or even for that matter all of the government, but we are
targeting individuals."
Surkis, known as an oligarch, was the first Ukrainian and one of only a
handful of people worldwide to be denied entry into the United States
under the ban issued by President George W. Bush this year, another
State Department official said.
Last week, the United States warned the ex-Soviet Union bloc country
to hold fair presidential elections on Oct. 31 or face the possibility of
losing U.S. support for its ambitions to move closer to the West.
The United States seeks to strike a delicate balance between criticizing
Ukraine's human rights record and rewarding a country that provided
troops for the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq.
President Leonid Kuchma, whose decade in office has been marked by
allegations of corruption and media clampdowns, backs the candidacy
of his Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich in a campaign marred by claims
of opposition harassment. -30-
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ACTION UKRAINE REPORT-04, No.198: ARTICLE NUMBER THREE
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3. RAIDS CARRIED OUT ON YOUNG UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION OPPONENTS OFFICES AND APARTMENTS
By Helen Fawkes, BBC News, iev, Ukraine, Friday, October 23, 2004
KIEV - A series of raids have been carried out on opposition buildings in
Ukraine with just over a week to go before presidential elections are held.
The election campaign has become increasingly tense, with the opposition
accusing the authorities of violence.
The government warned opponents it will use force if civil unrest breaks
out. The vote is a contest between two men. The pro-western opposition
leader, and the prime minister, who has the backing of the outgoing
president.
Ukraine's security service, as well as the police, carried out the searches.
Offices and homes of members of the opposition were raided in Kiev and
at least four other cities.
PROTEST PLAN
One of the organisations targeted was Pora, a student group which is already
the subject of an investigation into allegations of terrorism. Last week,
police said they discovered explosives at the group's office. Pora has
denied the charge. The president's spokesman said the searches were done
to restore order.
As the operation was carried out, the Ukrainian opposition leader claimed in
an interview on national TV that the authorities were plotting acts of
terrorism. Viktor Yushchenko, who is also a presidential candidate, alleged
the searches were part of a general plan to destabilise the situation in the
run-up to the election.
Members of the opposition are planning a mass protest on polling day, 31
October, if the result is seen as fraudulent. On Thursday, the Mayor of Kiev
warned the opposition that if there is a major disruption in the capital he
will declare a state of emergency.
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LINK: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3946185.stm
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ACTION UKRAINE REPORT-04, No.198: ARTICLE NUMBER FOUR
Your comments about the Report are always welcome
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4. UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT LEONID KUCHMA CONGRATULATES
BELARUSIAN PRESIDENT ON REFERENDUM VICTORY
Belarusian television, Minsk, in Russian 1400 gmt 22 Oct 04
BBC Monitoring Service,UK, in English, Fri, Oct 22, 2004
MINSK - Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka had a telephone
conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart, Leonid Kuchma, the Belarusian
president's press secretary, Natallya Pyatkevich, said today.
Leonid Kuchma congratulated Alyaksandr Lukashenka on the successful
holding of the parliamentary elections and referendum victory. The heads of
state discussed a range of issues related to broadening bilateral relations
in all spheres of mutual interest. Leanid Kuchma invited Alyaksandr
Lukashenka to attend the celebration of the 60th anniversary of Ukraine's
liberation [from Nazis, to be marked on 28 October]. -30-
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ACTION UKRAINE REPORT-04, No.198: ARTICLE NUMBER FIVE
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5. UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT AND PRIME MINISTER MEET
WITH FORMER US SECRETARY OF STATE HENRY KISSINGER
Kuchma told Kissinger that Ukraine is doing everything
possible to ensure a democratic and fair election.
UT1 TV, Kiev, in Ukrainian, 22 Oct 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Fri, Oct 22, 2004
KIEV - [Presenter] Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma has discussed
development of Ukrainian-US relations with the former US secretary of
state, Henry Kissinger. The meeting discussed the current state of and
prospects for cooperation in trade and the development of political dialogue
between Ukraine and the USA. Kissinger said that Ukraine has made
significant progress in the economy since independence. He also stressed
Ukraine's big role in global politics.
Kuchma and Kissinger also discussed the presidential campaigns in Ukraine
and the USA. Kuchma noted that Ukraine is doing everything possible to
ensure a democratic and fair election. Kuchma noted that he has personally
invited observers from across the world. Kuchma and Kissinger condemned
the use of dirty tricks during the campaign.
Ukrainian Prime Minister [and presidential candidate] Viktor Yanukovych also
met Henry Kissinger. They discussed Ukraine's participation in peacekeeping
in Iraq as well as the peculiarities of the presidential campaign in
Ukraine. Kissinger said that the USA does not favour any candidate but
insists on democratic principles of the campaign and hopes that Ukrainians
will be free to make their choice. Ukraine has a key place in Europe and is
very interesting to Washington, Kissinger stressed. -30-
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ACTION UKRAINE REPORT-04, No.198: ARTICLE NUMBER SIX
Additional names for the distribution list are always welcome
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6. TWO TOP PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES YUSHCHENKO AND
YANUKOVYCH DISCUSS ELECTION WITH HENRY KISSINGER
Yanukovych said that the Ukrainian government would exert all efforts to
ensure creation of equal opportunities for all presidential candidates.
Yushchenko says Kissinger shocked at campaign violations.
Ukrainian News Agency, Kiev, Ukraine, Fri, October 22, 2004
KIEV - The Our Ukraine coalition's leader and presidential candidate
Viktor Yuschenko and Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, who is also
a candidate in this year's presidential elections, have discussed the
situation in Ukraine ahead of the presidential elections with former United
States secretary of state Henry Kissinger.
The press service of Yuschenko's election campaign headquarters and the
press service of the Cabinet of Ministers announced this in separate
statements, texts of which Ukrainian News obtained.
Yuschenko and Kissinger also discussed the role of Ukraine in the
formulation of geopolitics on the European continent. Yuschenko stressed
that the role of Ukraine is not that of a buffer but that of a switchboard.
Yuschenko and Kissinger also discussed Ukrainian-Russian relations.
Yuschenko called for admission of Ukraine into the World Trade Organization
and deepening of its integration onto NATO.
Yuschenko also informed Kissinger about the arrests of the leaders of youth
organizations, the anti-American campaign materials printed and distributed
by the authorities to discredit Yuschenko, and the numerous violations that
have been committed during the presidential election campaign.
According to the press service, Kissinger was shocked. "He agreed that this
is Sicily," the press service of Yuschenko's campaign headquarters quoted
Yuschenko as saying.
Meanwhile, Yanukovych and Kissinger discussed Ukraine's assistance to
the peacekeeping process in Iraq as well as the increase in the volume of
bilateral trade between Ukraine and the United States. According to the
press service of the Cabinet of Ministers, the meeting between Yanukovych
and Kissinger took place in a warm and friendly atmosphere.
Yanukovych and Kissinger discussed the election situations in both Ukraine
and the United States. According to the press service of the Cabinet of
Ministers, Kissinger said he liked the working style of Yanukovych's team.
Yanukovych said that the Ukrainian government would exert all efforts to
ensure creation of equal opportunities for all presidential candidates.
Kissinger said he was positively amazed by the calm confidence of
Yanukovych ahead of the presidential elections.
Asked by Kissinger about relations between the government and the
opposition, Yanukovych said he had never been aggressive in his relations
with his opponents. As Ukrainian News earlier reported, Kissinger is in
Ukraine on a private visit. -30-
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ACTION UKRAINE REPORT-04, No.198: ARTICLE NUMBER SEVEN
Suggested articles for publication in the Report are always welcome
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7. YANUKOVYCH SAYS CABINET INTENDS TO IMPLEMENT
INSURANCE MEDICINE PROVIDER
Ukrainian News Agency, Kiev, Ukraine, October 23, 2004
KIEV - Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, who is a candidate in this
year's presidential elections, says about intention of the Cabinet of
Ministers to implement mechanism of insurance medicine. He said this
during his visit to Cherkasy region.
"We will use this mechanism and pass the relevant law in the nearest
future," Yanukovych said. He said that current system of providing medical
services can't meet the requirements of the population.
"We should say truth to each other: we whether receive no medical services
or receive them for money," he said. Yanukovych added that the Cabinet of
Ministers intends, first of all, to implement mechanism of insurance
medicine for employed population. "Medicine for all employees will be
insurance..." he said.
The Prime Minister stressed, that medical service for unprotected stratum of
society will be provided at the expense of budgetary assignations.
"Concerning ... retired, children, disabled and invalids - to build system
of medical service at the expense of budget. It is also my program and I'm
gonna to fulfill it," Yanukovych said.
As Ukrainian News earlier reported, the Ministry of Health rejected the law
on introduction of mandatory medical insurance for citizens, which provided
for state guarantees regarding the volume and the quality of medical
services provided to citizens.
Its authors said the law is important because only a small number of
citizens have access to free medical services. In June, parliament rejected
a draft law on introduction of mandatory social medical insurance. -30-
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ACTION UKRAINE REPORT-04, No. 198: ARTICLE NUMBER EIGHT
Letters to the editor are always welcome
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8. EASTERN ORTHODOX CHURCH BELIEVERS HOLDS ANTI-
EURO-ATLANTIC, PRO-RUSSIAN MARCH IN UKRAINIAN CAPITAL
ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow, in English, 21 Oct 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, Thu, Oct 21, 2004
KIEV - About 2,000 Eastern Orthodox believers had a cross-bearing
procession in Kiev on Thursday [21 October] against Ukraine's plans of
joining Euro-Atlantic structures. The action was organized by the Union of
Orthodox Brotherhoods and the Russian Movement of Ukraine.
The procession started from the Assumption Cathedral of the Famous
Monastery of the Caves [Pecherska Lavra monastery] and marched with
crosses, icons and holy banners to the building of the Supreme Council,
the national parliament. The posters they carried said: "We're the slaves
of the Lord, not the slaves of Europe" and "NATO is Satan's legion".
One of the organizers of the march, Yuriy Yehorov, said the participants
spoke out against their country's accession to NATO and "the moral
degeneration of society caused by the spread of Western culture".
The cross-bearing procession, which Eastern Orthodox Christians usually
organize on major religious feasts and also in the times of trouble and
mortal danger, had one more goal - that of calling public attention to the
fact that should opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko win the 31 October
presidential election, the menace to Slavic cultures will grow immensely, as
Yushchenko is an advocate of Western cultures, Yegorov said.
After an outdoor prayer in front of the Supreme Council's building, the
procession proceeded to the buildings occupied by the office of the prime
minister and the presidential administration. -30-
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ACTION UKRAINE REPORT-04, No.198: ARTICLE NUMBER NINE
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9. VIKTOR YUSHCHENKO CALLED ON UKRAINIANS TO
DEMAND HONEST ELECTIONS, TOGETHER WE WILL WIN
Our Ukraine Website, Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, October 23, 2004
KYIV - Victor Yushchenko thanked all the people assembled for the rally
by the CEC for their support. "It is a great pleasure to be with you once
again. We have started our journey together on 4 July; then, I told you and
the entire country: "I am going for the presidency! I will win the
elections! This will be a victory for all of us. 31 October is drawing
nearer and we are ready for it. We are telling to everybody ¬ the people
have made their choice. It is their right. We demand honest elections. The
people will make sure that their will is recognized," said he.
"We will give and answer to the choice we are faced with now. On one road,
there are poverty, lawlessness, and insecurity. That is the past. On the
other ¬ freedom, respect for human dignity, prosperity, and justice. This is
the future. This is our choice. This is the continuation of the historic
choice we made in 1991. We have everything wee need for prosperity,
freedom, and justice; we only need a new government that will be capable
of opening up the road to the future," noted Victor Yushchenko.
The people's candidate for the presidency vowed to his supporters by saying:
"I will not fail your high esteem. I know my responsibility. We are together
and we will win!"
Victor Yushchenko stressed that "the sitting government has lost a long time
ago, has long ago lost the support of the people." "Today, the government
wants to bribe voters ¬ to some it gives one-time additional payments to
pensions, to others ¬ a kilogram of buckwheat, while to the third ¬ a
bottle. They are stealing billions and giving back kopeks. The price of
their greed ¬ crises. The government produces them on regular basis: bread
crisis, fuel crisis, recent increase of food prices. Inflation is close at
hand. The government wants to blind and to deafen us; television is
poisoning people with lies. TV "5 Kanal" ¬ the only one not working in
accordance with temniks ¬ is under the threat of closing. The freedom of
speech is being destroyed in the country," stressed he.
Victor Yushchenko also noted that the government is dividing people into
"easterners" and "westerners," into first, second, and third grade." "We are
being divided along the religious lines but I believe that they will not
succeed! We are one Ukrainian people. The government's candidate has
no chances of winning; the government's attempts are futile," declared the
candidate for the presidency.
He said that he bows his head low before the veterans for their immortal
feat but also noted that the re-deployment of troops "has nothing to do with
expressing gratitude to the liberators." "This regime wants to force a
violent scenario of the elections upon the people. We are being threatened
with force; our children are being thrown behind bars, called up for
questioning, expelled from universities. Terrorist acts that will be
attributed to youth organizations and the so-called nationalists are being
thought up in high government cabinets. But the government has misjudged
and this square is a proof of that," said he.
"We, the citizens of Ukraine, will not sit and wait for the falsified
results of the elections. We will stand for every one of our votes. We have
done everything to prevent falsifications,'" stressed Victor Yushchenko.
The people's presidential candidate called on every Ukrainian citizen: "Come
to the polling stations and vote in accordance with your conscience. Know
that every vote may be the deciding one! Check voter registers, control the
issue of the distance voting certificates."
Victor Yushchenko called on everyone, "To check the correctness of his
or her voter registration and, if you see fraud ¬ strike against it."
"Millions of people at polling stations and in commissions will oppose
falsifications. October 31 will be a great day because we will win and be
together. Demand that the records of voting are made public as soon as
possible. We will carry out an alternative counting of votes," he said.
The presidential candidate also called on the law-enforcers to stop working
for bandits on the day of elections and suggested that they read over their
oath and look at their kids. "Hunting through the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, the
regime declared a war to intellect. I am calling on the intellect and the
conscience of the nation ¬ lead the people after you," said Victor
Yushchenko. He addressed teachers, journalists and many others.
"I want to warn the criminals in the government ¬ do not play with fire! For
every crime, for every persecuted person you will be held responsible,"
declared he.
He concluded his speech with the following words: "Come to the elections
with courage. We are the winning power ¬ the power of the people. Our
victory will be our common victory. The following day and in a year you will
be telling about it to your children. I said: Yes! I have used a historic
opportunity. There is a part of every one of us in our victory. Together we
will build Ukraine we can be proud of." -30-
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LINK: Www.razom.org.ua, Photos: http://www.razom.org.ua/album/154/
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ACTION UKRAINE REPORT-04, No.198: ARTICLE NUMBER TEN
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10. UKRAINE: TV CHANNEL FINDS ITSELF UNDER HOSTILE
FIRE IN FIGHT FOR COUNTRY'S PRESIDENCY
FEATURE ARTICLE: By Askold Krushelnycky
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)
Prague, Czech Republic, Friday, 22 October 2004
One of the biggest complaints made by opposition candidates in Ukraine's
presidential election campaign has been lack of access to mass media. Now,
the opposition is accusing the government of trying to close down the one
television channel that has given sympathetic coverage to the main
opposition candidate. The station's staff took to the airwaves in a dramatic
live broadcast to protest what it sees as politically motivated efforts to
silence its campaign coverage.
KYIV, 22 October 2004 -- The main opposition candidate in the 31
October presidential election is Viktor Yushchenko, the leader of the
Our Ukraine bloc.
The only consistently positive television coverage that Yushchenko's
campaign has enjoyed in Ukraine has come from Channel 5. The station is
owned by Petro Poroshenko, an Our Ukraine deputy in parliament.
Poroshenko is a multimillionaire businessman and one of the opposition's
biggest financial backers.
The team behind the campaign's other leading candidate, Prime Minister
Viktor Yanukovych, has tried -- unsuccessfully -- to have the courts close
Channel 5 by revoking its license. This time, Poroshenko is being sued for
defamation. The courts have been asked to freeze Poroshenko's assets,
including funding for Channel 5.
The station's reporters and staff believe the defamation suit is a pretext
for shutting down the station for political motives. On the night of 20
October, they preempted normal programming to state their case to
viewers in a dramatic live on-air appearance.
"This is an update of news on Channel 5. I'm Roman Skrypin and welcome.
Today, instead of the usual program at 9 p.m., a press conference was held
live on air about the sustained pressure on this channel, the freezing of
its assets, and the threats to take it off the air in Kyiv. This became the
final thing that snapped tolerance here, where despite very complicated
circumstances, Channel 5's audience has increased fivefold in a year because
of the trust shown by our viewers. The attempt to try to close the channel
10 days before the election is an attempt to deprive viewers of an objective
view about what is happening in Ukraine." The station has been under attack
for months, with its license to broadcast in several key regions of Ukraine
revoked on what many consider spurious legal grounds.
The defamation suit is being filed by Volodymyr Sivkovych, a deputy who
chaired a parliamentary committee that looked into claims by Yushchenko's
aides that their candidate had been poisoned. Sivkovych cast doubt on the
claims. Poroshenko accused Sivkovych of acting on orders from the
Yanukovych camp.
Channel 5's Roman Skrypin said the station's staff is demanding that its
financial assets be released, that Sivkovych apologize for his actions, and
that the threat of closure be lifted. "The reporters and management of
Channel 5 have found themselves in a situation that if the government does
not react or agree to our demands, the management and the group of reporters
involved in this initiative will -- at 9 p.m. on 25 October -- announce the
beginning of a hunger strike," he said.
The station has been under attack for months, with its license to broadcast
in several key regions of Ukraine revoked on what many consider spurious
legal grounds.
Opinion polls show Yanukovych and Yushchenko running neck and neck.
Yanukovych receives plentiful, largely positive, coverage in the media, much
of which is controlled by or loyal to the government. Those same outlets --
especially television channels -- devote little coverage to Yushchenko. If
they do cover his campaign, it is usually in a derogatory way.
One of Channel 5's senior staff, Yuriy Stetskiv, said he and his colleagues
are determined to fight for freedom of speech. He said they will continue to
work regardless of whether they are paid. "We're already working with our
financial assets frozen. We will see what happens in the future," he said.
"But we are not going to stop work in any circumstances. If you think we're
working just for money, you're mistaken. We are working now because we
want to put into practice that which we advocate each evening [freedom of
speech]."
The head of Yanukovych's campaign team, Stepan Havrysh, who is also a
deputy in parliament, denies that his candidate is behind the current legal
actions against Channel 5. "I can assure you that Prime Minister Yanukovych,
who is running for president, has nothing to do with [this matter of]
Channel 5," he said.
But Havrysh did not disguise his dislike of the station. "I can see how they
fight with so much dedication for their candidate for president, Yushchenko,
so thoroughly, 24 hours a day -- well, not 24 hours a day, of course. But no
other channel battles so one-sidedly, sometimes dishonestly, but to the
advantage of their candidate," Havrysh said.
He admitted that Yanukovych's team has made previous attempts to close the
station. "Yes, we made a complaint to the courts, but the matter against
Channel 5 was stopped by the Central Election Commission, and we are not
taking any more legal steps because we understand that this process is
hopeless, because neither the Central Election Commission nor the Supreme
Court want to get involved in political discussions, especially at that
level," Havrysh said.
Yushchenko said he has no doubts that the government and Yanukovych are
encouraging the attempt to shut down Channel 5. He compared it to other
actions taken by the government to curb media freedom in Ukraine, including
depriving Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty of FM channel coverage in Kyiv
and many other places in Ukraine earlier this year.
"This is the same speculative reasons as those involved in the closing of
Radio Liberty, Radio Era, and other printed and radio media. The government
has found a completely invented pretext," Yushchenko said. This morning,
Channel 5 was still operating, but staff members are uncertain when the
courts might make a move to shut them down. -30-
[For full coverage of the run-up to Ukraine's presidential elections, see
RFE/RL's webpage on Ukraine.]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Askold Krushelnycky has mainly been employed as a staff journalist for
British newspapers, including the "Sunday Times," "The Mail on Sunday,"
and "The European." Has been based in New Delhi, Moscow, and Kyiv.
Was one of the first Western journalists into Afghanistan with the mujahedin
after the Soviet invasion. Currently writes as a freelancer for RFE/RL, "The
Independent," and "The Chicago Tribune."
========================================================
ACTION UKRAINE REPORT-04, No.198: ARTICLE NUMBER ELEVEN
Additional names for the distribution list are always welcome
========================================================
11. UKRAINIAN AUTHORITIES TARGET STUDENT AND YOUTH
ELECTION-MONITORING GROUPS
By Taras Kuzio, Eurasia Daily Monitor
Volume 1 Issue 104, The Jamestown Foundation
Washington, D.C., Wednesday, October 13, 2004
As Ukraine's presidential election approach, the authorities are
increasingly nervous about the increased visibility of youth NGOs monitoring
the election. October has seen an especially large number of intimidation
tactics and violence targeted against these groups.
On October 4, Tetiana and Oleksandr Batrak, Donetsk-based activists from
Student Wave, a youth election-monitoring initiative linked to candidate
Viktor Yushchenko's Our Ukraine group, were kidnapped by skinheads, locked
in a basement, and interrogated about their planned activities. The Batraks
were whisked away in an automobile with no license plates. As leaders of
Student Wave noted, "It is nonsense when cars without [license] numbers can
travel throughout the city and take away people and not be halted by the DAI
[State Automobile Inspectorate] posts" (razom.org.ua, October 6).
The skinheads demanded information that would suggest that Ukrainian youth
groups might launch a Georgian-style popular revolution. They were
particularly interested in how the students would react if the election
results were falsified. When the kidnapped students replied that they would
indeed organize students to protest fraud, the interrogators became "very
agitated" (Ukrayinska pravda, October 6). They also openly admitted to the
kidnapped students that they were "criminal bandits who are not afraid of
anything" (razom.org.ua, October 5).
It was no surprise that these tactics were used in Donetsk. According to
Ukrayina moloda (September 23), local businessmen, the state administration,
and organized crime groups are planning to engineer widespread election
fraud in Donetsk. Massive election fraud occurred in Donetsk during the 1999
and 2002 elections, when Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych was still governor
of the region.
The skinhead enforcers are well prepared, suggesting they are working on
behalf of the authorities. The Donetsk thugs sought specific details about
Student Wave's finances, membership, leaders, and objectives. They had files
on each of the Student Wave leaders containing personal data that had to
have come from university administrators or the Security Service (SBU).
Different youth groups have noted that the SBU has questioned their members
regarding an alleged coup by the opposition.
Ukraine's youth election-monitoring groups have organized two coalitions.
The "New Choice" group brings together many well-known youth and election
monitoring NGOs and is supported by the Europe XXI Foundation
(europexxi.org.ua). New Choice grew out of the Civic Monitoring Committee
active in the 2002 election, which saw the first large-scale youth
mobilization. The "Freedom of Choice" coalition brings together 300 NGOs
active in election monitoring (coalition.org.ua; hotline.net.ua).
Youth election-monitoring groups are involved in a wide range of activities
in an attempt to counter violations and get out the youth vote. A traveling
"Political Theater" has mocked Yanukovych over his presumed fear of eggs,
after he collapsed last month when hit by one during his visit to
Ivano-Frankivsk. In early October the radical youth group "PORA" (It's Time)
even released chickens outside the Cabinet of Ministers building in Kyiv.
These NGOs also have more serious activities. Youth groups, such as the
well-known Committee of Voters of Ukraine (cvu.org.ua), have a strong
reputation for election monitoring. Their assistance is invaluable for OSCE
long-term observers who spend two months in Ukraine's regions prior to
elections.
Youth groups have launched legal cases against the common practice of state
officials campaigning on the job for Yanukovych. In early October the
Kherson oblast governor, Serhiy Dovhan, was forced to defend his efforts on
behalf of Yanukovych. Dovhan was soon removed after the case became widely
publicized and damaged Yanukovych's ratings. The youth election-monitoring
group "Znayiu!" (I Know!) is involved in providing positive information on
the elections, educating elections monitors, and attempting to block
election fraud (znayu.org.ua). This informational strategy compliments
threats by more radical youth NGOs to publicize corruption by election
officials who may be tempted to take bribes in return for falsifying the
election results.
PORA has been especially targeted, because the authorities have labeled it
an "extremist" group. Numerous PORA members have been detained or arrested
throughout Ukraine for minor "crimes" such as putting up stickers
(pora.org.ua/en/content/view/211/2/). PORA is perceived as radical because
it was modeled on Serbia's OTPOR and Georgia's Khmara youth groups. Serbian
OTPOR members, who were highly influential in the October 2000 democratic
revolution in Serbia, have helped to train PORA. Ukrainian authorities
remain fixated on the possibility that this election will trigger a repeat
of the Serbian and Georgian revolutions in Ukraine, which they believe were
instigated by the United States.
To counter PORA's success, the authorities have created a "Non-PORA." One
of its first acts was an October 12 demonstration in front of the U.S.
embassy in Kyiv, using placards saying, "No to American Imperialism!"
(http://maidan.org.ua/static/news/1097489198.html) This anti-Americanism is
part of the overall anti-American campaign unleashed by the authorities in
an attempt to portray Yushchenko as an American stooge (see EDM, October 8).
Yesterday (October 12) Alexander Marich, a founder of OTPOR, was detained
at Kyiv's Borispol airport and deported today (October 13). Marich had a
multi-entry visa and had spent most of the last two months in Ukraine, but
official fear of OTPOR bringing the "Serbian/Georgian scenario" led to his
deportation.
What most perturbs the authorities is that Yushchenko has overwhelming
support among the younger generation. In contrast, Yanukovych's team had to
pay students to attend a rally on his behalf in Kyiv on September 29. These
students responded "Yes!" to a call from Yanukovych's campaign headquarters
when asked if they desired "Free and Fair Elections." But when asked "And
you will vote for Yanukovych?" they replied "No!" on live television. The
organizers abruptly ended the rally.
Student Wave is organizing an October 16 student rally in Kyiv that plans to
bring together 10,000 students from across Ukraine in support of Yushchenko.
The rally will begin with a free concert in central Kyiv featuring Ukraine's
two best known rock bands. The rally is intended to mobilize students behind
demands for a free and fair election. In addition, it will provide concrete
advice for students on how to resist pressure and intimidation from the
authorities (Ukrayinska pravda, October 12). According to the organizers,
"The authorities are not happy at the level of support of the people's
candidate, Viktor Yushchenko, among students" (www.yuschenko.com.ua).
========================================================
ACTION UKRAINE REPORT-04, No.198: ARTICLE NUMBER TWELVE
========================================================
12. UKRAINIAN TOP LEADERS CRACK DOWN HARD ON YOUTH
GROUPS AHEAD OF ELECTION
By Taras Kuzio, Eurasia Daily Monitor
Volume 1 Issue 109, The Jamestown Foundation
Washington, D.C., Wed, October 20, 2004
On October 15 Ukrainian Prime Minister and presidential candidate Viktor
Yanukovych told foreign diplomats in Kyiv that the government is taking all
measures to ensure a free and fair election on October 31 (Ukrayinska
pravda, October 15). Officials will ensure observance of the rule of law,
democratic principles, and equal access to the media, he assured.
Now in its fourth month, the Ukrainian election campaign has been dominated
by widespread abuses and violations, as the U.S. State Department warned on
the same day as Yanukovych's speech to diplomats. Yanukovych's claims of
being in favor of a free and fair election are not plausible, as the
authorities have launched a nation-wide effort to repress opposition forces.
To ensure that Yanukovych is not confronted by opposition demonstrations
during his campaign appearances, members of youth groups are arrested before
he arrives (http://maidan.org.ua).
Members of the PORA (It's Time!) youth movement, modeled on Serbia's
OTPOR and Georgia's Khmara, were arrested in western, southern, and eastern
Ukraine (see pora.org.ua and kuchmizm.com). During a search of PORA's Kyiv
office, witnessed by opposition parliamentary deputies, the police found
nothing incriminating except anti-Yanukovych leaflets. But during a second
search, with only the police present, a bomb was allegedly found. The
Prosecutor General then launched a criminal case accusing PORA leaders of
"terrorism" and "destabilization of the situation in the country." PORA was
accused of being an illegal "military formation -- a terrorist group"
(Ukrayinska pravda, October 16). The Prosecutor General's office has
attempted to link the alleged bomb to the August terrorist act in a Kyiv
market, which it had originally blamed on political parties allied with Our
Ukraine.
A widespread media campaign has linked PORA to Our Ukraine, and thus its
presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko, whom the authorities have been
desperate to portray as an "extremist" (temnik.com.ua, October 18 and 19).
PORA members issued a statement describing themselves as the "vanguard of
peaceful opposition." They called upon all of their activists and Ukrainian
citizens to "legally, peacefully, and in a non-violent manner defend
constitutional rights and freedoms in Ukraine" (www.pora.org.ua,) October
18).
Over the same weekend, armed members of two pro-presidential parties,
Yanukovych's Party of Regions and Viktor Medvedchuk's Social Democratic
Party United, tried to break into the opposition newspaper, Vecherni Vesti,
which is linked to Yulia Tymoshenko, a key Yushchenko ally. A spetsnaz unit
of the Interior Ministry also attempted to break into the prestigious Kyiv
Mohyla Academy University to locate PORA supporters, but officials refused
to allow them in without a search warrant.
These pre-emptive actions against the opposition were part of a failed
attempt to disrupt last weekend's student rally in Kyiv. Some 20,000
students from throughout Ukraine rallied in support of Yushchenko's
candidacy (razom.org.ua/album/152/).
In a related action, Ukrainian Border Troops prevented Aleksandar Maric, a
founding member of OTPOR, from entering the country. The Security Service
and Foreign Ministry have refused to provide an explanation, especially as
Maric had a one-year multi-entry visa.
OTPOR has been training PORA members under the auspices of the Citizen
Participation in Elections in Ukraine (CPEU) program run by Freedom House,
the National Democratic Institute, and the International Republican
Institute and funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development.
OTPOR had also been cooperating with the Znayu (I Know!) civic education
and election youth group (www.znayu.org.ua).
Presidential spokesman Vasyl Baziv has argued that the action taken against
OTPOR is both legal and in the interest of Ukrainian national security
(Interfax-Ukraine, October 15). But, as Freedom House pointed out, the
CPEU program is legally registered with the Ministry of Justice and
"operates in full compliance with Ukrainian laws" (freedomhouse.org). Such
"learning across borders" is an "integral and accepted part of programs"
used to encourage democratization throughout the world, according to a
Freedom House press release.
This is certainly how the opposition understands U.S. assistance programs.
But Ukrainian authorities are visibly paranoid about the threat of a Serbian
or Georgian-style popular revolution occurring in Ukraine to protest
election fraud. One week before the arrests and deportations, the
pro-presidential camp had clamored for the National Security and Defense
Council to take tough action against opposition plans to undertake mass
civil disobedience (Ukrayinska pravda, October 7).
Valeriy Pustovoitenko, head of the group coordinating political parties that
support Yanukovych, warned that regional organizations of his own People's
Democratic Party throughout Ukraine were reporting that "certain forces are
preparing for disturbances on election night in all of Ukraine's regions"
(Ukrayinska pravda, October 13).
Our Ukraine deputy Taras Stetskiv retorted that opposition and civic groups
are merely attempting to ensure as few violations as possible on election
day, given the laxity of law enforcement bodies and election officials.
Yushchenko's campaign also issued a statement claiming that the authorities
were losing control of the situation and were not confident of Yanukovych's
victory (razom.org.ua). This was admitted by presidential adviser Mikhail
Pogrebynsky, who said, "We have a situation whereby the bigger part of the
authorities' team does not believe in their success." He added that there
was a widespread "feeling that the authorities will lose" (glavred.com,
October 6).
Emphasizing their concerns, Oleksandr Milenin, Deputy Minister of Interior
and head of Kyiv's police, leaked to the Financial Times (October 19) the
existence of a new "ninja" police unit "trained in special measures." He
also claimed that "new means" had "been approved by the health ministry" and
were available to suppress protests. These developments have made Milenin
confident that "There won't be any revolution here" in Ukraine. -30-
========================================================
ACTION UKRAINE REPORT-04, No.198: ARTICLE NUMBER THIRTEEN
Checks to support The Action Ukraine Report are always welcome
========================================================
13. MAJORITY OF REQUESTS TO SET UP ADDITIONAL ELECTION
STATIONS IN RUSSIA HAVE BEEN FORGED
UNIAN news agency, Kiev, in Ukrainian, 23 Oct 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Sat, Oct 23, 2004
KIEV - MP Petro Poroshenko of the [opposition] Our Ukraine faction has
said that the majority of requests to set up additional polling stations in
Russia have been forged.
Poroshenko said this after he, along with other Our Ukraine MPs, has checked
whether requests to open additional polling stations were lawful, the press
service of presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko's central election HQ
has told UNIAN.
The Central Electoral Commission [CEC] is holding a sitting which is to
approve the decision to open an additional 420 polling stations in Russia.
About 5,000 people are now outside the CEC building. They remained there
after Yushchenko's speech [at the rally of his supporters], waiting for the
results of the CEC sitting. MP Poroshenko, who is Yushchenko's deputy
campaign manager, told the people that almost all the requests are unlawful
and are written with numerous violations, while the data they indicate are
fake.
In particular, the requests even have passport details indicating Russian
passport numbers, Poroshenko said, adding that 20 voter requests are
required to open one additional polling station abroad.
Poroshenko thanked people for their support, saying that the criminal
authorities have one week left. Those present are chanting "Decision! Fair
election!" -30-
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
FOOTNOTE: Reports from Kyiv indicate the CEC met until the
early morning on Sunday, until after 4 a.m., and at the very last
minute, actually past the midnight deadline, approved around forty
extra voting stations in Russia. Our Ukraine has indicated they will
challenge the legality of the extra stations for Russia.
========================================================
ACTION UKRAINE REPORT-04, No.198: ARTICLE NUMBER FOURTEEN
Checks to support The Action Ukraine Report are always welcome
========================================================
14. OUR UKRAINE CANDIDATE YUSHCHENKO SAY AUTHORITIES
ARE READY TO RIG 3.5 -5.5 MILLION VOTES
UNIAN news agency, Kiev, in Ukrainian, 21 Oct 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Thu, Oct 21, 2004
KIEV - Presidential candidate [from the opposition] Viktor Yushchenko
has said that the authorities are ready to rig 3.5m-5.5m votes [in the 31
October presidential election]. Yushchenko said this to journalists today
after a meeting with representatives of foreign diplomatic missions
accredited in Ukraine. "This is the minimum that the authorities are ready
for," Yushchenko said.
He said that at the meeting with the ambassadors he told them about the
opposition's concerns that the election may be held in a nontransparent way.
"We wanted to make our concerns about the transparency of the democratic
process known," he said.
Yushchenko said that the opposition views it as a threat that polling
stations are not ready [for the election] and that the election may be
rigged during the vote count.
He said, in particular, that three-quarters of polling stations are not
ready in Lviv Region, that 17,000 "dead voters" were discovered [as
registered] in Kharkiv Region and that there were numerous violations in
other Ukrainian regions, the Kiev and Donetsk regions in particular.
At the same time, Yushchenko noted the importance of the presence of foreign
observers at every polling station, as he thinks that where there will be no
foreign observers there will be more chances for vote rigging. -30-
=======================================================
ACTION UKRAINE REPORT-04, No.198: ARTICLE NUMBER FIFTEEN
Checks to support The Action Ukraine Report are always welcome
=======================================================
15. VISIT THE INTERNET ENCYCLOPEDIA OF UKRAINE
Internet Encyclopedia of Ukraine
Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies (CIUS)
University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
Friday, October 22, 2004
EDMONTON - Imagine that a vast information resource containing in-depth
knowledge about Ukraine and Ukrainians is freely accessibl e to anyone at
any time and in any place in the world. Imagine that students in Asia
learning about world history, or American journalists conducting research
for their articles on Eastern Europe, or European diplomats being dispatched
to their official posts in Ukraine, can simply turn on their computers and
access over 20,000 detailed articles and encyclopedic entries on all aspects
of Ukraine, its history, people, geography, society, economy, diaspora, and
cultural heritage.
Imagine that these entries are accompanied by thousands of maps, photo-
graphs, illustrations, tables, music files, and multimedia materials that
allow viewers to see photographs of prominent people they are reading
about; and that they allow you to find exact locations of cities, towns,
mountains, lakes, or rivers, view architectural monuments and works of art,
and listen to musical compositions mentioned in the text.
Through the efforts of a team of specialists working on the Internet
Encyclopedia of Ukraine (IEU) project at the Toronto Office of the Canadian
Institute of Ukrainian Studies and headed by Roman Senkus (managing editor)
and Dr. Marko R. Stech (project manager), such a sophisticated and
user-friendly information resource is becoming a reality.
Once completed the IEU will be the most comprehensive Web-based resource
in English on Ukraine and Ukrainians. This immense repository of knowledge,
based on the contributions of hundreds of leading specialists from around
the world, is designed to provide Internet users world-wide with a direct
and no-fee access to in-depth information about Ukraine and its people,
history, society, and culture.
Since the launch of the project in 2001, the IEU team has successfully
completed a number of important stages of its work. Dr. Stech was
responsible for developing the general concept of the IEU Internet site and
for supervising the programming of this site by Jaroslaw Kiebalo. The IEU
website is now fully operational and accessible at:
http://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com. Entries, now totally over 1,300,
are posted at the site on a continual basis.
Presently Internet users can find information there on topics such as,
among others, "Black Sea," "Bukovyna," "Carpathian Mountains," "Central
Rada," "Cossacks," "Famine," "Ivan Franko," Bohdan Khmelnytsky,"
"Kyivan Rus'," "Ivan Mazepa," "Symon Petliura," "Taras Shevchenko,"
"Ukrainians," "World wars," and "Yaroslav the Wise." Apart from the text
display with advanced search and linking capabilities, the site incorporates
sophisticated map displays, tables, and music files. The IEU site is
visited daily by over 250 users seeking information about Ukrainian history
and culture from countries around the world.
We invite you to visit the IEU site today, obtain information about
Ukraine, and send us your feedback!
However, please keep in mind that, owing to the complexity and
labour-intensive nature of the work on the IEU, only a fraction of the vast
body of knowledge that will become available is currently accessible to
Internet users. Entries are being written, edited, and updated daily. But
the rate at which information can be added to the site will depend greatly
on the availability of financial resources to engage additional qualified
editorial and Web personnel to work on the project.
Having recognized the importance of the IEU in the process of disseminating
objective information about Ukraine in the world, several institutions and
individuals have lent their financial support to the project. However,
additional, on-going financial support from individual and organizational
benefactors is crucial if this immense, multi-year project is to achieve
its goal. If you find our site important and useful, please consider
helping us (morally and/or financially) to succeed in our goal of producing
the best and most authoritative electronic source of information in English
about Ukraine. All donations (payable to "CIUS - Encyclopedia of Ukraine")
will be gratefully acknowledged, and receipts for tax purposes in Canada
and USA will be issued.
Internet Encyclopedia of Ukraine
Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies
450 Athabasca Hall, University of Alberta
Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E8 Canada, cius@chass.utoronto.ca
LINK TO ENCYCLOPEDIA: http://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com
=======================================================
ARTICLES ARE FOR PERSONAL AND ACADEMIC USE ONLY
Articles are Distributed For Information, Research, Education
Discussion and Personal Purposes Only
========================================================
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Please add your name to our list of financial contributors!
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Checks should be made out to the Ukrainian Federation of America,
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