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Better late than never: Poland denounces Ukrainian nationalist glorification
Published: 05 February, 2010, 11:49
Edited: 07 February, 2010, 07:17
Stepan Bandera portrait
TAGS: Scandal, Ukraine, Protest, Politics, Europe
Polish President Lech Kaczynski has finally condemned the decision made two weeks ago by Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko to name WWII nationalist leader Stepan Bandera a hero of Ukraine.
“Assessment of the activities of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists and the Ukrainian Insurgent Army in Poland is clearly negative. These organizations were engaged in mass murders of Polish civilians in the eastern territories of the Second Republic, killing 100,000 people. Poles were being killed for their being Poles,” says a statement published on Thursday on the official website of the President of Poland.
The statement adds that in this case “current political interests prevailed over historical truth.”
On January 22, the outgoing Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko honored Stepan Bandera, one of the leaders of the Ukrainian nationalists, for his efforts in “defending the national idea and his fight for an independent Ukrainian state.”
The move provoked outrage from many both in Ukraine and in other countries, who blame Bandera and his followers for numerous war crimes. The US-based Simon Wiesenthal Center expressed its “deepest revulsion” at the move, while chief rabbi of Ukraine Moshe Reuven Azman announced he will refuse his own state award in protest.
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24 comments
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Right decision mr Kaczynski! Mr Bandera was a war criminal! He did kill 1000 of innorcent Polish citizens.Mr Bandera cooperate with Nazis-the same one who distroy and bomb almost every sity from London to Moskow and kill tens of millions people in WWII...Thanke you Poland- your decision to denounce glorification of mr Bandera(and his moovement) is inded a corect one!With a hope that lessons from the past are learned and peace in Europe will last forever-Thanke you!
“current political interests prevailed over historical truth.” - well said Poland, if you move more in this direction, then you will be more in line with your rank and file people and will find a harmonius, prosperous position in this world. Keep listening to these words, and apply them all the time. This should lead you to some interesting questions about yourself and your future!
It is of extreme importance that Poland came out at this time to lend its voice to the troubling period. It is of great importance that Poland, in spite of the near reflexive and uncritical support of Ukraine under Yuschenko, drew the very important line. There are many personalities that were dedicated to their nations, national rights, recognition and liberation. But those who in the name of their cause, no matter how noble, committed murders of civilians, should not be honored by the nation. The nation need not take on the burden of becoming collectively responsible for the acts of a person or a group of persons. By glorifying Bandera's deeds, Yuschenko has now burdened the whole Ukraine with the collective guilt for these crimes. Poland did the right thing. It is indeed important for Poland to stay in the mainstream of European politics. Ukraine and Georgia have drifted to the margins, and the extereme behavior, combined with the lack of politcal stability and maturity, make them liability to their friends.