BRAMA, Oct 31, 2003, 9:00 am ET
Press Release
Chicago Ukrainian Community Joins World Protest Against Russian Aggression
Chicago, IL. (29 Oct., 2003) — Answering the call to action by the World Ukrainian Congress for a coordinated worldwide protest against Russian's attempt to annex Tuzla Island, internationally recognized as a part of sovereign Ukraine, Chicago's Ukrainian community responded some 300 strong to demonstrate in Daley Plaza Wednesday afternoon.
Pavlo Bandriwsky, External Affairs Chairman for ODFFU Branch 8, opened the local protest, organized by the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA) and the Organization for the Defense of Four Freedoms for Ukraine (ODFFU).
Mr. Bandriwsky stated that three months ago, there in Daley Plaza during the commemoration of the 12th anniversary of Ukrainian Independence, a warning went out that there is a threat to world peace from Moscow. Now Ukrainians across the globe realize this was not an idle warning. Russia has been building a dam from the mainland to annex the Ukrainian island of Tuzla to the Russian Federation.
Last year Russia took two islands with valuable resources away from Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan was not strong enough to stand up to Vladimir Putin and the world did not protest. Ukraine must be strong and the world must protest Russian imperialism.
Orest Baranyk, President of UCCA Illinois Division, stated the demonstration had a three-fold aim:
To condemn Russia's effort to land-grab Ukraine's Tuzla Island as well as Moscow's threat to "use bombs" against Ukraine.
To demand that the U.S. vehemently protest Moscow's threat, particularly since America gave Ukraine assurances in 1992 that it would protect Ukraine's territorial sovereignty in return for Ukraine giving its nuclear weapons to Russia.
To reinforce Ukraine's Foreign Minister Hryschenko in his meeting with Russian Defense Minister Ivanov in Kyiv on October 30, 2003.
"It appears that after two visits to Bush's ranch in Texas, Putin was given a green light not only to deal with Chechnya but also total sphere of influence in Eastern Europe. In light of that, Putin has resumed a policy of imperialistic expansionism that has always been practiced by Moscow", said Orest Baranyk. "For Putin's supposed aid in fighting terrorism, Bush is giving Putin a free hand in Eastern Europe. As American citizens we will not allow the U.S. Government to commit another Yalta", asserted Baranyk.
Yaroslava Pawlyshyn, who along with her family suffered repression by the Moscow led communist regime, including exile in Siberia, spoke passionately about the aggressive, imperialistic characteristics of Russians. She called upon Ukrainians worldwide to unite with their brothers and sisters in Ukraine to successfully confront their historical enemy.
Mr. Bandriwsky read a leaflet issued by the World Ukrainian Congress (WUC), which detailed the recent Russian aggressions. It also called for Americans to contact President Bush, our senators and congressmen to express concern about Russia's peace threatening actions.
Ukraine voluntarily gave up the third largest nuclear arsenal for the sake of world peace, with full assurance that the Unites States of America would defend its' sovereignty, when needed. The time has come for America to deliver on this promise.
The demonstration ended with the participants distributing over 1,000 of the WCU leaflets to passers by and chanting "MOSCOW CANNOT BE TRUSTED," "STOP RUSSIAN IMPERIALISM," and "RUSSIANS OUT OF UKRAINE."
Follow up activity will include a national letter writing campaign to our federal officials, coordinated by UCCA and ODFFU.
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