Posted by Joe on August 21, 2000 at 02:43:08:
INTER-ETHNIC RELATIONS IN TRANSCARPATHIAN UKRAINE (Uzhhorod, Ukraine 4-7 September 1998) Tom Trier European Centre for Minority Issues http://www.ecmi.de/publications.htm
“Rusyn-Ukrainians”, or “Rusyns-not-Ukrainians”
“Emphasising the Rusyns’ affiliation with the larger Ukrainian nation, the East Slavs of Transcarpathia are most often designated with the hyphenated form “Rusyn-Ukrainians” to the regret of many Rusyn activists. A Rusyn representative stated that the Rusyns rather than the Ukrainians constitute the titular nation in Transcarpathia, since they constitute the indigenous East Slavic population and – despite migration of Ukrainians and Russians to Transcarpathia during the Soviet era – form the overwhelming majority of the region’s inhabitants today. Rusyns of Subcarpathian Rus are not a minority but a majority, he sad, and ironically added that he would prefer the Rusyns not to be designated “Rusyn-Ukrainians”, as id done by the authorities and many Ukrainians, but rather as “Rusyns-not-Ukrainians”.
“A local expert stated that Transcarpathia is a special region, having been part of a range of political state formations. He said that this fact had contributed to the development of a general tolerance among inhabitants of Transcarpathia. He noted that, although Transcarpathia is part of Ukraine, there are many ethnic groups other than Ukrainians living in this region, including the Rusyns, and said that people living in this region should be proud of Transcarpathia’s cultural and ethnic diversity.”
“… that discussion on the status of the Rusyns is an “office dicussion” and if one talks to the people in the villages, a completely different picture will emerge. They consider themselves to be Rusyns as a matter of greatest obviousness, he said. Catching up on this argument, another local expert stated that the indigenous East Slavs of Transcarpathia have traditionally had a weak sense of ethno-national identity and are characterized by a wide degree of tolerance. He argued that the Rusyns constitute an ethnic buffer in Transcarpathia between East Slavs (Russians, Ukrainians) on the other hand and West Slavs (Slovaks, Czechs, Poles), as well as Germans and Hungarians on the other, hereby ensuring the ethno-national balance between “East” and “West”. According to his sociological research, the number of indigenous East Slavs in Transcarpathia identifying themselves as Rusyns has been growing steadily since 1990.”
I think that the tolerance of Rusyns and their role as a sort of “ethnic buffer” has to be supported. The ethnic tolerance is one of the most important issue in the coming decades all over the world. The 5th World Congress of Rusyns that took place in Uzhhorod, about one year ago, is a step in the right direction. This was supported by the current administration in Kyiev. Ukraine did not loose anything by this policy. Just opposite, Ukraine’s democracy has gained. Supporting the teaching of the Rusyn language in Subcarpathian Rus would reflect only positively on Ukraine and strengthen the ties with the western neighboring countries.
Read the whole document Joe