Equipo Nizkor - Polish Authorities Use Neo-Nazism for Their Own Purposes.

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20Feb14

Polish Authorities Use Neo-Nazism for Their Own Purposes

Polish Roman Catholic priest Isakovic-Zalesski is known for his unswerving stand against Ukrainian nationalists. According to him, the support of Euromaidanť by Polish authorities is the same thing as the friendship with the devil. He said,
It's a pseudo-revolution. Only nationalists have a right of voice on maidan, while the protesters have done everything to provoke the aggravation of the situation. It has become nothing else but real anarchy. The maidan leaders don't exercise any control over the events and the tide may soon turn against them. Maidan is the first step to hellť.
According to Najwyz.szy Czas, Poland has supported the most steadfast anti-Polish elements of Ukraine. It asks what would President Bronis?aw Komorowski do if some boxer staged a riot near the presidential administration building saying the country was ruled by anti-democratic forces that were inside? Would he leave it as it is?
There have been multiple reproaches and accusations voiced saying the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs rendered covert support to Ukrainian nationalists. Some facts have come to surface. For instance, it has become known that the Polish embassy in Kiev has provided funds to Istorichna Pravda (Historic Truth) website of the pro-Nazi Bandera Movement of Ukrainian Nationalists. In the period of 2011-2013 six thousand euros were transferred to the media outlet by the embassy. As the mission's spokesman said, the funds were provided for research works related to Katyn and the Volyn massacre. Istorichna Pravda has published hundreds of articles devoted to the Volyn events while devoting much less attention to Katyn. The pieces related to what happened in Volyn loudly voiced concern over the ongoing offensive of Ukrainophobia in Poland and justified the OUN-UPA (Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists--Ukrainian Insurgent Army) activities.
It's only the shoots. In an interview to Rzeczpospolit?, Andrei Tarasenko, the coordinator of radical nationalist Pravy Sektor (Right Sector) organization (the group that became the main combat striking force during the clashes with police), was candid enough to say the idea of Ukraine's independence had a neo-Bandera taint. He said the organization was named after Bandera, who was a symbol of revolutionary fight for the country's independence. As to him, if not for Bandera, there would not be the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists. And he added that there can be no independent Ukraine without the OUN.
These are some really stunning words he pronounced during the interview, for instance, according to Tarasenko, a nationalist is a person who strives for the unification of all lands that have belonged to Ukrainian people. Otherwise one cannot be called a nationalist. He goes further saying
Justice prompted to that of the land on which Ukrainians lived a thousand years, returned to Ukraineť clarifying that Poland should give to Ukraine Peremyshl (Przemysl) and some other regions,
It will be fair if Poland gives Peremyshl and a few more regions to Ukraineť, he declared. Asked about how these plans would match the international realities and European values, the representative of Pravy Sector said the objective was not so much the European Union membership, but rather the creation of a strong national state. The achievement of this goal necessitates the availability of nuclear weapons. Ukraine has the experts who could do the job (!).
As one can see, he made it known saying out loud that the European Union's membership was not the goal in itself for the Ukrainian nationalist movement. Joining the EU is seen as just another step on the way of creating Great Ukraine stretching from the Transcarpathia region to the Caucasus. Ukrainian nationalists hope to use Europe for launching an offensive to the East while grabbing some parts of land in the West. To achieve the Ukrainian nationalists are to penetrate military and political structures that have been out of their reach so far. They have already got to the top echelons of political power (Oleh Tyahnybok, the leader of leader of "Svobodať political party, is a member of Ukrainian parliament, he enjoys strong support in the Verkhovna Rada). Nationalist leader Tyahnybok has an opportunity to meet top Western politicians to discuss the plans for future.
At that, Polish politicians continue to show that they are well-disposed towards Ukrainian nationalists. The Association of Ukrainians in Poland (Zwia;zek Ukrain'ców w Polsce) is especially active in the areas at the Ukrainian border. The organization unites former members of pro-Bandera movement and their successors being funded from the budget as a national minority group. The marches of the group's members walking in Peremysl under the ONU-UPA banners has ceased to be something unusual since a long time ago, the same way the ceremonies near the tombs of OUN members have become commonplace as young members of the organization give an oath of fidelity to the idea of independent Ukraine.
No matter that, the head of Subcarpathian Voivodeship (Podkarpacie Province - a province, in extreme-southeastern Poland) has declared an all-out mobilization. People there are asked to bring in socks, jackets, sweaters, flour and crackers to support the maidan in Kiev. It was announced that the Peremysl hospitals were ready to accommodate those who will be injured in case the maidan stand-off goes out of hand and develops into violent action.
The Polish ruling party, the Civic Platform of Prime Minister Donald Tusk, as well as the opposition clerical right-wing Truth and Justice Party led by Jaros?aw Kaczyn'ski, have come under harsh accusations of cynicism. Nevertheless, the Polish authorities and the opposition prefer to turn a blind eye on neo-Nazi sentiments displayed by maidan protesters and openly declare their support for the putschists, no matter Ukrainian nationalism is the only political force east of Poland which has territorial claims to put forward.
Now the Ukrainian nationalists on the both sides of the border do their best to strengthen the relationship between the Association of Ukrainians in Poland with neo-Bandera groups in Western Ukraine. The development of events makes the Bandera followers of the XXI century perceive the division lines separating the eastern nationalist enclave from the main territory of the movement in the Ukraine's West as a hindrance on the way of the nationalist idea gaining ground in the whole region. From point of view of ideology, the border exists no more, constant contacts and mutual exchange of ideas between the nationalists of Poland and Ukraine have created a common cognitive space filled with ultra-right ideas and encompassing the border areas of Poland as well as Ukraine. Now, all they need is doing away with the state border line.
Polish savvies believe there is no scenario of maidan situation creep that would meet the interests of Poland. It's either Victor Yanukovych gets the upper hand and Kiev enhances the cooperation with the European Union, or the Ukrainian President loses and Ukrainian nationalists take the power viewing the relationship with Warsaw as a marriage of convenience, the way to achieve the goals that run counter to the interests of Poland. It looks like instead of fighting the evil of neo-Nazism the Polish authorities have decided to use it as a building material to erect another buffer zone between Europe and the Eurasian Union.
[Source: By Vladislav Gulevich, Strategic Culture Foundation, Moscow, 20Feb14]

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This document has been published on 05Mar14 by the Equipo Nizkor and Derechos Human Rights. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.