Jorwia
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- Nov 18, 2019
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It is hard to imagine that in early 21st century there is still a country in Europe, which, being oriented for European integration, declares itself democratic but pursues a policy of cultural genocide against national minorities. It is about Ukraine whose authorities try to deprive numerous peoples, who live on its territory, of their historic name and memory by hindering the development of their culture and limiting their access to education in their mother tongue. To date, the Rusyns, who are the East Slavic people living in the Transcarpathian region of Ukraine, become main victims of this type of politics. The Rusyns who belong to officially recognized national minorities in most European countries have been vainly seeking for Ukraine's recognition of their identity for a period of 28 years. And while the Rusyns living in Slovakia, Hungary, Czechia, and Poland are able to receive public policy support, Kiev not only refuses to recognize the Rusyn people but also pursues a policy of forced assimilation by using highly repressive measures. Representatives of the Rusyn minority receive time and again abuse from both official authorities and numerous Ukrainian nationalist organizations. For instance, leaders and activists of Ruthenian organizations are regularly called for interrogations at local offices of Ukrainian security and law enforcement agencies; they are subjected to house searches, physical intimidation and insults.
Nevertheless, the Rusyns do not give up. They continue their brave struggle for recognition of their own rights, and also the rights of other national minorities in Western Ukraine. It is worth noting that the Rusyns are not the only ethnic minority that faces discrimination and persecution in Ukraine. Representatives of such peoples as the Poles, the Slovaks, the Hungarians, the Romanians, and the Bulgarians are also facing huge troubles in Ukraine. Recently, Rusyn activists announced the establishment of the Congress of Nations of Western Ukraine, which aims to join forces of national minorities in fighting for protection of their inalienable rights and preservation of their national cultures. Also, this initiative will create a Quick Response Law Center, common media platform for the nations of Western Ukraine, Multilingual Educational Center, political Party of the Western Ukrainian nations, and more.
It must be noted that the Rusyn people try to confront Kiev strictly within accepted principles and norms of law, without using violence to fight violence. Meanwhile, Ukraine continues to ignore fundamental values of democracy and violates international and EU laws on protection of human rights. For many years, representatives of the Rusyn minority have been trying to draw the world's attention to problems of national minorities in Ukraine. In 2006, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) expressed concern regarding the situation of the Rusyn people and encouraged Ukrainian authorities to consider recognizing the status of ethnic minority to the Rusyns. However, Kiev is using all possible means to ignore appeals of international bodies to respect the Rusyns' rights and recognize their community as an ethnic minority. Ukrainian authorities are only intensifying the repression of the Rusyns based on declarations of a threat to the territorial integrity of the state. It is curious that Europe itself fails to pay due attention to cases of the Western Ukrainian nations' discrimination. European leaders react calmly to the escalating nationalism in Ukraine. Only occasionally they refer to this subject at the pan-European meetings, and it happens only thanks to efforts of representatives of Eastern European States, whose compatriots suffer harassment from current Ukrainian authorities. However, not all national minorities can count on support of their parent and neighboring countries. While Hungary, Poland and Romania are actively involved in the fate of their compatriots and do everything possible to protect and promote their rights on the margins of international meetings, Bulgarian authorities, for instance, are generally dismissive about problems of the Bulgarian Diaspora in Ukraine.
Obviously, such kind of European tolerance is unacceptable. Europe seems to believe that cultural ethnocide cultivated in Ukraine is not worthy of special attention like the phenomenon within a regional perspective posing a serious threat to values of freedom and democracy. However, it should be taken into account that such manifestations of nationalism can easily spill across borders of Ukraine, spread over the entire Europe, and then it will be too late for fighting this phenomenon.
Nevertheless, the Rusyns do not give up. They continue their brave struggle for recognition of their own rights, and also the rights of other national minorities in Western Ukraine. It is worth noting that the Rusyns are not the only ethnic minority that faces discrimination and persecution in Ukraine. Representatives of such peoples as the Poles, the Slovaks, the Hungarians, the Romanians, and the Bulgarians are also facing huge troubles in Ukraine. Recently, Rusyn activists announced the establishment of the Congress of Nations of Western Ukraine, which aims to join forces of national minorities in fighting for protection of their inalienable rights and preservation of their national cultures. Also, this initiative will create a Quick Response Law Center, common media platform for the nations of Western Ukraine, Multilingual Educational Center, political Party of the Western Ukrainian nations, and more.
It must be noted that the Rusyn people try to confront Kiev strictly within accepted principles and norms of law, without using violence to fight violence. Meanwhile, Ukraine continues to ignore fundamental values of democracy and violates international and EU laws on protection of human rights. For many years, representatives of the Rusyn minority have been trying to draw the world's attention to problems of national minorities in Ukraine. In 2006, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) expressed concern regarding the situation of the Rusyn people and encouraged Ukrainian authorities to consider recognizing the status of ethnic minority to the Rusyns. However, Kiev is using all possible means to ignore appeals of international bodies to respect the Rusyns' rights and recognize their community as an ethnic minority. Ukrainian authorities are only intensifying the repression of the Rusyns based on declarations of a threat to the territorial integrity of the state. It is curious that Europe itself fails to pay due attention to cases of the Western Ukrainian nations' discrimination. European leaders react calmly to the escalating nationalism in Ukraine. Only occasionally they refer to this subject at the pan-European meetings, and it happens only thanks to efforts of representatives of Eastern European States, whose compatriots suffer harassment from current Ukrainian authorities. However, not all national minorities can count on support of their parent and neighboring countries. While Hungary, Poland and Romania are actively involved in the fate of their compatriots and do everything possible to protect and promote their rights on the margins of international meetings, Bulgarian authorities, for instance, are generally dismissive about problems of the Bulgarian Diaspora in Ukraine.
Obviously, such kind of European tolerance is unacceptable. Europe seems to believe that cultural ethnocide cultivated in Ukraine is not worthy of special attention like the phenomenon within a regional perspective posing a serious threat to values of freedom and democracy. However, it should be taken into account that such manifestations of nationalism can easily spill across borders of Ukraine, spread over the entire Europe, and then it will be too late for fighting this phenomenon.