Local Ukrainian-Americans Show Support
On Sunday, February 2, area Ukrainians gathered to show solidarity
with their brothers and sisters in Ukraine, in their struggle for a just,
democratic and free society. Members of Holy Trinity Ukrainian Catholic
Church in Kerhonkson and other Ukrainian organizations came together after
Sunday morning Liturgy on their local “Maidan”. Taken from the name of the
central square in Kyiv, Ukraine, where crowds first gathered in November,
Maidan is the name of the anti-government protest that continues to this day in
Ukraine.
The local gathering began with Fr. Ivan Kaszczak, pastor of Holy
Trinity Church, leading a prayer. After the American and Ukrainian
national anthems were sung, members of CYM, the Ukrainian Youth Organization,
presented a tribute to the protestors killed in Kyiv. Andriy Bihun of Pine
Bush, who with his family spent time at the Maidan in Kyiv, spoke of events
there. He described how important it is for Ukrainians all over the world to be
aware of what is happening, to share with their children the language, culture
and history of their ancestors. Nadia Maczaj of Ellenville read a statement
from Congressman Chris Gibson (R- 19 district), who co-sponsored House
Resolution 447, “supporting the democratic and European aspirations of the
people of Ukraine, and their right to choose their own future free of
intimidation and fear.”
Since music has been an important source of inspiration for the
Ukrainian Maidan all along (protestors have even brought pianos out onto the
streets for live music!), our Kerhonkson Maidan concluded with singing
Ukrainian songs. For a finale, members of PLAST, the Ukrainian Scouting
Organization, handed out blue and yellow balloons, which we marked with
well-wishes for our brothers and sisters in Ukraine and released into the
skies.
Problems in the Ukrain began when
talk of a deal with the EU stopped. The deal would have joined the European
Union and the Ukraine with free trade and further political cooperation. This
had the potential of opening up more opportunities for workers. Yanukovych
instead made a move away from the European Union and towards the Russian
directed Eurasian Customs Union (ECU), which includes Russia, Belarus, and
Kazakhstan.
Crowds gathered at the Maidan Nezalezhnosty, or Independence
Square, in late November. The peaceful, localized protests grew into a national
movement after November 30, when government authorities sent riot police to
brutally break up the demonstrations overnight. On January 16, the
government illegally passed a package of laws through Parliament, essentially
criminalizing any protests. A number of demonstrators have been viciously
murdered, wounded protestors have been kidnapped from hospitals, opposition
leaders have been attacked and hundreds of protestors are missing. Many of
Yanukovych's supporters quit and joined the opposition. Opposition leaders
called for a nationwide strike and demanded the resignation of Yanukovych. Many
political buildings were been broken into and taken over by protesters.
Protesters have used a backhoe to break through the police line. City hall was
taken over by protesters who renamed it Revolutionary Headquarters.
Now Victor Yanukovych has been removed from power by a unanimous
vote. The parliament is being led by the speaker Oleksandr Turchynov. Yulia
Tymoshenko asked to not be considered for the role of prime minister. She has
not made it clear whether or not she will run for president. She has had
chronic back problems while in jail and since she has been released has gone to
see her family. The presidential palace became property of the state as a
symbolic gesture to show that lawmakers were enraged by Mr. Yanukovych's
actions as well. The vote to reclaim the palace was 323 to 0. Those who did not
vote were Yanakovych's supporters who were dismissed when Yanukovych fled.
For a
well-written, concise report on events in Ukraine, take a look at this blog in
the NewYorker:
Posted by Chris Hewitt
on 10:43 AM.
Filed under
Culture Features
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