County honors Ukrainian Independence

 

TOMS RIVER — The Ukraine has existed since the first millennium, but the past 16 years have been the longest time in its history that its citizens have enjoyed freedom.

 

Some Ukrainians who now live in this country gathered yesterday to savor those moments in history, rail against the shortcomings of the new government, express hope for the future, and give thanks that the horrors of famine, genocide and slavery are gone.

"On Aug. 24, 1991 our hopes and dreams were realized," said the Rev. Ivan Turyk, pastor of St. Stephen Ukrainian Catholic Church.

 

That was the end of the Soviet Union, and its occupation of the Ukraine.

 

The nation had been through two World Wars, the Holocaust, and the systematic destruction of historic relics in its recent history.

 

"Our family trees have lost a lot of branches," said Turyk, who is just back from the Ukraine.

 

"Ours is a young democracy that looks enviously to America," he explained.

 

Ihor Dworjan of the Ukraine-American Club of Ocean County said the new government spents too much time on politics and too little on governing.

 

But he said freedom has come to Ukrainians "only in glimpses," pointing out that the time since the fall of the Soviet Union is the longest experience they have with it.

 

"We have no experience in self-government," Dworjan said.

 

No young Ukrainians had the experience to lead, except those who led during the Soviet occupation.

 

He said Ukrainians look forward to the first generation of their people raised in freedom as the leaders of tomorrow.

"Our spirit will not be easily broken," he added.

 

Freeholder Joseph H. Vicari said after the Russian dictator Joseph Stalin came to power, 10 million Ukrainians were deliberately starved to death between 1932 and 1933.

 

"We can't forget the cost of freedom and democracy," Vicari said.

 

Barbara Steele, the county's Director of Public Affairs, said yesterday's raising of the Ukrainian flag at the county Administration Building marked the 21st time that has happened.

 

The first letter urging the ceremony was signed by John Bortnyk, who is president of the Ukrainian-American Club of Ocean County.

 

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