Playing the card of inter ethnic conflicts

In the last while, the problem of interethnic conflicts has become increasingly topical in Ukrainian society, which is traditionally tolerant and historically multinational. The new and dangerous phenomenon of blatant anti-Semitism, xenophobia, and interethnic hostility is creeping into our already turbulent daily life, accompanied by increasingly frequent acts of hooliganism and cultural vandalism against people of different creeds, races, and nationalities.

One can discuss at length the historical roots of this phenomenon and its socioeconomic causes, but one thing cannot be denied: certain political forces are trying to revive the “problem of ethnic intolerance,” which is alien to the traditional Ukrainian mentality and peaceful character, and turn it into a major theme in the upcoming elections.

There is no other way to explain the fact that one of the dubious champions of education, which is national in nature and private in form, forms a political party on the basis of the institution of higher learning that he heads, while a scholarly publication with a narrow focus is used to openly publicize his phantasmagorical, xenophobic ideas. How else can one explain the fact that he uses that institution’s premises for pseudo- scholarly purposes, such as the international conference “Dialog of Civilizations: Zionism as the Biggest Threat to Modern Civilization”?

It would be worthwhile directing the attention of readers and competent authorities to the fact that this combination of educational, political, popular-scholarly, and propaganda activities on the part of the administration of that institution of higher learning is turning young Ukrainians, who are there to obtain knowledge, not extremist political instruction, into hostages and potential carriers of failed anti-Semitic ideology. These young people are future state administrators, who will soon be faced with the task of implementing Ukraine’s domestic policies.

How can one explain the fact that the highest-circulation periodical in the country (according to the editors) maintains informal but very close ties with a well-known Ukrainian member party of the pro-presidential political coalition (!), has several MPs and academicians on its editorial board, exchanges information with the above-mentioned “revelator of the world Zionist conspiracy,” and systematically publishes revelations on this subject, contributed by other marginal intellectuals? Is it possible that the editors and its editorial board, comprised of various heavy hitters, do not see that the conspirological pseudotheories that they are publishing in their own name deserve serious attention from experts specializing in forensic psychiatry and extreme mental conditions?

Most likely they not only see all of this, but are also stimulating these types of activities in every way. It is no secret that there are many political forces in Ukraine and beyond its borders that are aware of this “genre crisis” yet are unable to offer a positive agenda; they are primarily interested in engineering various controllable crises on the territory of Ukraine.

Regrettably, there is not a single example of an adequate response to such problems on the part of competent authorities in the information, political, law enforcement, or juridical spheres. Such a reaction cannot be expected so long as the Ukrainian government traditionally prefers to look the other way, bury its head in the sand, keep silent, and generally ignore real facts that are embarrassing to it. It is all the more unfortunate, considering that in the face of certain commitments to the EU and constitutional obligations in regard to Ukraine’s ethnic minorities, the Ukrainian state’s ethno-national policy is regarded as a cross between exotic concerts, festivals, restaurants, and election campaigns, and certain colorful elements borrowed from the nations of the world.

Works that overtly advocate interethnic hostility are damaging to the honor and dignity of noted politicians, public figures, journalists, and heads of diplomatic missions in Ukraine and international organizations, discredit Ukraine in the eyes of the entire civilized world, and constitute a serious threat to interethnic peace in Ukrainian society. This society usually has to pay dearly for the extremist preferences of certain politicians. And this price tends to increase if the state, as represented by competent authorities, does not keep the situation under control, thereby passively promoting various marginal ideologists, political rogues, and extremists.

Unless the Ukrainian government demonstratively musters the will and courage to put a decisive end to the palpable wave of xenophobia in Ukraine, our country may soon suffer the consequences of this “assistance.” There may be problems with the cancellation of the Jackson-Vanik amendment in the US Congress; this will complicate the process of obtaining market economy status and WTO membership and limit the prospects of Ukrainian exporters in the US market. The topic of anti-Semitism in Ukraine may become a priority with PACE and the Council of Europe, which will seriously complicate and prolong the process of European integration for Ukraine, because for European politicians the issue of human rights and their guarantees has more than principal importance. There is also no denying the influence of public opinion on European governments and their policies. Since WWII public opinion has become noticeably sensitive to various manifestations of xenophobia and the passivity of official institutions in this matter. I hope that in the very near future the issue of anti-Semitic propaganda in Ukrainian periodicals will be one of the major points on President Yushchenko’s agenda during his first visit to Israel, scheduled for early November.

In general, it is difficult to heighten the significance of President Yushchenko’s thesis, “Ukraine must become Ukraine for everyone!” with the aid of extraneous arguments. Do we need such arguments to draw the political leadership’s attention to the need to reinforce the foundations of peace in this society? Are such arguments reasonable in a country that suffered several genocides and Holodomors, and the heaviest losses fighting the Nazis — a country with a Babyn Yar and countless other known and nameless scenes of crimes against humanity? In a country where the president’s own father was an inmate of Nazi concentration camps, like thousands of other fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, and children?