Statement by Society of Ukrainian-Jewish Relations (02/15/04)

Statement by Society of Ukrainian-Jewish Relations

Last week a court in Ukraine closed the newspaper Silski Visti for fomenting inter-ethnic strife. This decision elicited various critical comments, including protests against censorship. Having read the article titled "Jews in Ukraine Today: Reality Without Myths" that was printed in Silski Visti on September 23, 2003, I believe that this is not only anti-Semitism but xenophobia and exacerbation of inter-ethnic tensions. Patriotic Ukrainian society should condemn the writings of Vasyl Yaremenko, the author of the aforementioned article in Silski Visti, and distance itself from this harmful attack, reminiscent of Hitlerite journalism, against one of Ukraine's ethnic minorities.

Eugene Stakhiv, president
Society of Ukrainian-Jewish Relations
New York

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