OPEN LETTER
FROM
THE CHAIRMAN OF THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERATION
OF UKRAINIAN ORGANISATIONS
IN RESPONSE TO UN AUSTRALIAN ACT – THE CHURCH VANDALISM , LIDCOMBE NSW
Australia’s Ukrainian community is deeply distressed and disgusted at the desecration of St Andrew’s Ukrainian Catholic Church in Lidcombe Sydney last night.
Vandals painted anti Ukrainian slogans on the walls of the Church.
The disgust of this act is now being expressed by the broader Australian community. The Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations (AFUO) expresses its gratitude to all our Australian friends who have also condemned this act of vandalism.
In the light of the understandable emotions such a despicable act can generate, the AFUO calls for the Ukrainian and broader community to react with calm and responsibility.
When people commit hate crimes against us, we win by committing even more to Australian democracy and being peaceful and forgiving. That was the mantra of the Maidan.
These kinds of acts of vandalism are un-Australian and very much fly in the face of the strong multicultural policies we have in Australia.
Whilst there are overseas tensions and varying opinions in a democratic society there are ways of
expressing opinions without defacing and ruining Churches.
The matter now lies with the Police to investigate and prosecute those responsible, as well as ensure the safety of our parish priest and sisters who live on the site.
The AFUO has called on the NSW and Federal Governments, the Community Relations Commission for a Multicultural NSW to act swiftly in condemning this act as totally un-Australian and provocative.
Australians do not respond to threats or acts of violence or vandalism.
The Russian Foreign Ministry recently warned Australia in relation to the incurred sanctions against the Russian Federation
On May 22 the Foreign Ministry spokesman said-
Moscow promises to respond to Australian sanctions against Russians, Ukrainians
“We are disappointed with the statement of Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop on the introduction of additional sanctions due to the situation in Ukraine,” the Russian Foreign Ministry Information and Press Department said in a statement on Thursday.
“Of course, they will not go unanswered,” the document said.
At the same time, “we have said repeatedly that Russia does not accept attempts to talk with
“Having openly chosen an anti-Russian line and circulating accusations detached from reality, [Australian Prime Minister] Tony Abbott’s government should realize that it takes responsibility for damaging Russian-Australian relations upon itself,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
This statement and the act of vandalising the Church in Lidcombe align – They refuse to accept the reality that Putin and his Government who are the aggressors. The world has condemned their actions and no amount of whitewashing, trying to apportion blame, threats or vandalism will help shift the mood of the meeting, the reality of the situation, the international community’s position.
Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko has called a week of cease fire to allow peaceful discussion. The response from Putin was to send in more troops to the boarder – again bullying and threatening behaviour.
The World is watching.
No threatening statements such as those made by the Russian Foreign Ministry , the vandalising of Churches in Australia or Canada will remove the blood on the hands of the perpetrators of human and national rights. No amount of soap or detergent will wash away the despicable behaviour of those who held spray cans in their hands at St Andrews.
The Australian -Ukrainian community will continue to be a model community and will behave in a responsible way. It will pray for those who offended that they see their wrong doings and come forward.
We will continue to call for peace and democracy . The community has acted this way for over 65 years in Australia and will continue to do so.
It is the Australian -Ukrainian way
Stefan Romaniw OAM
Chairman
Melbourne June 21, 2014
