LETTERS TO THE EDITOR (02/02/97)

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Kuchma deserves Nobel Prize

Dear Editor:

In 1993, I had the opportunity to visit the Hiroshima museum in Japan. Those who have never witnessed streets burning during wartime, or the destruction caused in Hiroshima, inevitably find it almost impossible to imagine the devastating potential of nuclear weapons.

On October 23, 1995, Columbia University in New York presented Ukraine's President Leonid Kuchma with the Distinguished Service Award for his contribution to the development of a free-market economy and peace in Eastern Europe, as well as for his role in the process of eliminating, or, at least significantly reducing, the global nuclear threat. Under the Soviet regime, Leonid Kuchma was a well-known engineering expert and the head of the largest nuclear weapons production facility in the world. As the President of a newly independent country, he gave utmost priority to the issues of global security. In this way he set an example to benefit global interests, and to not contribute to the world's disintegration.

Such work is without doubt worthy of the highest international recognition. In the past, certain individuals received the Nobel Peace Prize for their theoretical works promoting nuclear disarmament. President Kuchma supported this noble ideal with concrete action. He was the first to show in practice how to prevent global nuclear catastrophe or, at least, how to reduce the danger of its occurrence. This was the idea Alfred Bernhard Nobel promoted by donating the entirety of his estate to his charitable foundation.

President Kuchma's nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize, which was initiated by the Petro Jacyk Educational Foundation and has received international support, inspired me to reflect further on global political processes. Now that the process of the accumulation of weapons of mass destruction has brought the world to the brink of total self-destruction, the forces of good and peace are beginning to take the lead. Under President Kuchma's leadership, Ukraine has become a shining example of a state's constructive cooperation with the world community for the advancement of world peace, resulting in the peaceful use of material resources previously earmarked for the production of weapons of mass destruction.

December 10, 1996, marked the 100th anniversary of Alfred Nobel's death. In my opinion, during the course of those 100 years there has existed no person more worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize than President Kuchma, who acted decisively to eliminate the world's third largest nuclear arsenal. By awarding the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize to President Kuchma, the Norwegian Nobel Committee would most aptly support and champion Alfred Nobel's prime intention, documented in his last will and testament, that the Nobel Peace Prize should be awarded to "the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies, and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses."

Peter Jacyk
Mississauga, Ontario

What is valuable about The Weekly

Dear Editor:

This letter is not so much a belated rejoinder to the one by Roman Golash (December 1996) as it is simply a fan letter to The Ukrainian Weekly. Instead of bemoaning the subscription fee increase and correlating it to a drop in readership, let everyone address this sole issue: what are the alternatives to The Ukrainian Weekly as a source of information on Ukrainian matters, in English? In my view, very few.

Frankly, I've always regretted the fact that there's not a Ukrainian-language publication equal in caliber and quality to The Ukrainian Weekly.

What is it that I value in The Weekly? First of all, the professionalism of its editorial staff. The commentaries from your Kyiv Press Bureau by Marta Kolomayets were first class; now Roman Woronowycz is carrying the torch in the same manner. Similarly, the reports filed by Andrij Wynnyckyj from your Toronto Press Bureau are singularly professional - his interview with stage director Roman Hurko is a classic. All of your contributors have something to say, and they say it in an interesting way, be it Orysia Tracz, Christopher Guly or especially David Marples. Of course, I always look forward to the intellectually provocative columns by Myron Kuropas. All of these elements combine to make The Weekly my all-time favorite.

My only suggestion would be to "lighten up" somewhat, perhaps include some humorous commentary in the pages of The Weekly. Best wishes in the New Year.

Yuriy Hanas
Hamilton, Ont.

Ill-chosen words are indeed hurtful

Dear Editor:

Myron Kuropas' December 22, 1996, column on "Christmas in Ukraine, 1996" urges Ukrainians of different religious backgrounds "to come together in common prayer." However, Dr. Kuropas' exhortations wear very little when he resorts to characterizing Orthodox Patriarch Filaret as a "former Soviet shill." Ill-chosen words do hurt, and such provocative language on Dr. Kuropas' part serves only to infuriate all Ukrainians of good will and tolerance.

Then, in almost the same breath, Dr. Kuropas elevates the status of Moscow Patriarch Aleksei II "regardless of his personal leanings." More than personal leanings are at play here since Patriarch Aleksei represents official Russian Orthodoxy's antipathy to the Orthodox faithful in independent Ukraine.

Furthermore, while it is true that "Ukraine is a pluralistic state," what evidence does Dr. Kuropas have to claim that "most of the citizens are non-believers?"

Serge Omelczenko
Farmington Hills, Mich.

| Home Page |