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Ukrainian Rector Uneasy About Religious Freedom
Laments Poverty and Disregard for Civil Liberties
LVIV, Ukraine, NOV. 25, 2004 - The rector of the Ukrainian Roman Catholic University
warns that "religious freedom is under threat" in his country.
During a telephone interview with the international Roman Catholic charity Aid to the
Church in Need, Father Borys Gudziak said there is no persecution of the Church
as in former Soviet times.
Yet, "...the disregard for civil liberties and human rights on the part of the
current regime as well as the extreme poverty of the population, resulting from
corruption and mismanagement of the old power clans," make it impossible for
families "to lead a normal Christian life," the rector said.
Ukraine is facing a crisis over its recent presidential election. The country's
Supreme Court ruled today that the results of the election are not official
until it hears an appeal from Viktor Yushchenko, who says it was stolen from
him.
It was unclear whether the court even has the right to annul the vote count that
gave victory to the Kremlin-backed candidate, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych,
the Associated Press reported.
Over the past few years, some 5 million Ukrainians have gone abroad in search of
employment, leaving many families motherless or fatherless.
According to Father Gudziak, in such dramatic poverty a Christian education is
unaffordable. The sense of despair, he said, has led to a rise in alcoholism,
and the life expectancy of Ukrainians has dropped to 55 years, one of the lowest
in Europe.
"The Church stands by the people who are pinning their dignity on these
elections, because dignity is rooted in truth," said Father Gudziak.
"If the true results of these elections are denied, it means that not only civil
rights, but also the voters' dignity is being trampled underfoot," he added.
"This is a profoundly ethical question. The peaceful protest of millions of
Ukrainians in almost all of the cities shows that people see their freedom and
dignity jeopardized."
The university rector said that he is worried about "Moscow's open efforts to
meddle in our internal affairs. Although no Russian military forces have been
seen so far, the government has not denied rumors ... that Russian special
forces are already present in the country."
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