On the Violation of National and Other Rights of the Subcarpathian Rusyns in ukraine

02 June 2003

To the Government of Ukraine:

The Rusyn organizations of the Transcarpathian oblast' and individual Ukrainian citizens of Rusyn nationality have more than once addressed the government of Ukraine at all levels, including the highest, concerning the violation of the rights of Subcarpathian Rusyns. Unfortunately, the responses they have received to their petitions demonstrate that in regard to the Rusyn problem, the state organs of the government of Ukraine officially preserve the principles that were established by the Soviet totalitarian regime upon the unification of Subcarpathian Rus' to the Ukrainian republic of the USSR back in 1944-1946.

Not only has the government of independent Ukraine failed to renounce the policy of assimilation and ethnocide of Rusyns that was initiated and implemented by the totalitarian regime, it has openly declared its anti-Rusyn intentions. Of all the branches of state power, the most anti-Rusyn activity has originated in the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, which developed the anti-Rusyn "Proposed Measures [for Resolving the Problem of Ukrainian-Rusyns]" (No. 13-884/2 from 7 October 1996). This plan makes it clear that it is the goal of the government of Ukraine to reinforce and complete the assimilation and ethnocide of Subcarpathian Rusyns and to prevent the revival of the indigenous Carpatho-Rusyn people, who were recognized as far back as 1918-1919 by the international community (particularly in the Treaty of St. Germain) as a distinct Slavic people. This act of international law is observed today by democratic nations of the world in regard to the Rusyn national community.

The above-mentioned Ukrainian "Proposed Measures …" in regard to the problem of Rusyns has not been repealed, in spite of its clearly anti-democratic character. On the contrary, all Rusyn organizations in the Transcarpathian oblast' attest that the Ukrainian government systematically, actively, and by all available means continues the implementation of these disgraceful "Proposed Measures …". This is demonstrated specifically by the appearance of another document similar to the "Proposed Measures …," developed in Kiev by the "National Institute of International Security" under the title "The Destructive Potential of the Rusyn Movement in Transcarpathia". Such oppression of Rusyns is implemented openly in Ukraine, but is carried on covertly by the Ukrainian government in all countries where Rusyns live.

The problems of Rusyns are presented from a distorted perspective in the spirit of the principles established by the former totalitarian regime. This was felt especially in the preparation for and conduct of the Ukrainian census of December 2001, and it substantially influenced the non-objective results of the census in regard to Rusyns. As attested by the Rusyn organizations of Subcarpathia, the sixth question on the census form, "Your ethnic descent" was replaced in the "Instructions" for census-takers by the question "Your nationality," and supplemented with the simultaneous explanation that the nationality "Rusyn" does not exist in Ukraine. Thus, Rusyns were deliberately prodded away from their historical nationality, and the census-takers completed the census forms, for the most part, in the absence of the respondents.

In spite of the extraordinarily unfavorable conditions, 10,100 Rusyns insisted that their nationality and language be listed as Rusyn. Using the methodology of the totalitarian regime and the results of totalitarian "scientific research" in the humanitarian sphere, the government of Ukraine without any foundation counted this ancient Slavic people as "ethnic Ukrainians."

While the numerous petitions of Rusyn organizations about the problems of Rusyns sent to the government of Ukraine received arbitrary responses on the basis of the same so-called "scientific research," the appeal of the V World Congress of Rusyns (Užhorod, May 1999) to the government of Ukraine was generally ignored.

The World Council of Rusyns is concerned with humanitarian problems like the violation of rights not only of individuals, but also of the entire Rusyn national community in Ukraine. This is one factor that creates a negative image of Ukraine as a state in the eyes of European and international democratic societies. We expect that a correct resolution to the problems of Rusyns based on democratic principles, in particular the implementation of the proposals and recommendations of the V World Congress of Rusyns to the government of Ukraine, will demonstrate that the Ukrainian state has made progress toward the standards of the European Community and will make Ukraine a friend of the international community of Rusyns.

Respectfully, for the World Council of Rusyns

Alexander Zozuljak

Chairman of the World Council of Rusyns

Translated by Elaine Rusinko