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She is forever fighting with the falsehoods imposed on our culture with the intent to choke it. She fights this unceremoniously and undiplomatically. They cannot get rid of her because is very honest and real. Just like Lina Kostenko, a genius. She is a true person, that’s all. One cannot step over an individual like that. Her appearan ces at meetings are very interesting. Her speeches are short and to the point, which impresses the public. Peo ple yearn for the truth, for openess. They are sick of lies, diplomacy and falsehood. Some professor of philo sophy takes the podium. He spouts the same party line until he is forced to leave because of hoots and whistles from the audience. Finally Lida Orel steps up and says such things that the audience is in rapture. It is necessary to speak about Mychajlyna Kociu- bynsky, who is known to all. What is important in her is what I already described in the other women — truth fulness and adherence to principles. She never bends with a situation or circumstances. In the 1960’s she sided with those who upheld the flag. During the peri ods of arrests she did not run away and hide, did not change her tune, nor was she afraid. Whatever will be, will be. I remember one episode. She was a participant in a conversation where a man, a party sympathizer was saying, “Why should an intelligent woman like Mychaj lyna Kociubynsky stick with these literary critics, these publicists, with people surrounded by trouble. She is not made for fighting. She is made to write beautiful esthetic works. She is a worthy literary scholar. What can she do in a fight where its sometimes necessary to say that one word, and she can’t.” “Yes I can.” said Mychajlyna Kociubynsky. The man disappeared. Q: Is it true that if men had to stand in lines like women do, “perebudova” (reconstruction) would come about faster? A: I think that a lot of functions currently performed by women, would have to be given to men. Men become liberal more quickly than women. In other words, they disassociate themselves from various obligations, many elementary and essential. Here I am talking about our men who have party memberships and secure job posi tions. These are people nurtured in comfort and plenty. They have no concept of real life nor do they under stand many things. They don’t know what a child is, what a sick child is, how to feed a child, make it well. In other words women have the brunt of life’s respon sibilities. Q: Did you meet women dissidents? A: I seem to remember that the year after Chernobil we organized an economic manifestation in Kreszczatyk. We were surrounded by secret police. Our side was led by dissident Ina Cherniavska, wife of Serhij Naboka. She took her child's hand and began to speak about an individual’s responsibilites, what one should demand, about a person’s right to be a person. Definitely not like those mannequins in pants which had surrounded us. It was difficult, because they all speak Russian, and she spoke to them in Ukrainian, even though she herself is not Ukrainian. It was necessary to see her in action to really appreciate her strenght. But to get back to your question about women dis sidents. Perhaps this problem is not all that clear, but it is a very interesting phenomenon in our social life. What does it mean to be the wife of a dissident? It means being persecuted at work, providing financial support for your children, traveling to see you incarcerated hus band, it means going for interrogations and question ings. First we should make note of Lola Svitlychna, who’s husband Ivan Svitlychnyj is alive today, thanks only to her. She is his wife, his nurse, his doctor. But she was very active when he was well. I would also like to emphasize the dedication of Vira Lisova. Her husband is a philosopher who was not meant to be a dissident. He was simply a good man that fell under the wheels. Also there is Tanya, the wife of Evhen Proniuk. And my wife Lila, but about that I will have to write, rather than speak. Q: What are your impressions about women here? A: I heard about women here from Oksana Meshko. She is very fair in her judgements and she said that if there is any power which warrants respect, it is the power held by women. They do it all, and all depends on them. As for me, I have a problem with men. They lead me from one meeting to another. However, I get the impres sion women here are very powerful. From the meet ings I had with women I feel that Oksana Meshko respects women in America with good reason. (L o o s e tra n s la tio n fro m U k ra in ia n ) F o r th e s e c o n d tim e U N W L A B ra n c h 9 0 in P h ila d e l p h ia has p a id trib u te to Evhen Sverstiuk, a c c la im in g his ac tiv ism on b e h a lf o f the U k ra in ia n c o m m u n ity a n d h o n o rin g his ac h ie v e m e n ts in the fie ld o f lite ra tu re . O n D e c e m b e r 30, 1989 E vhen S ve rs tiu k was a g u e s t a t a c u ltu r a l a ffa ir s p o n s o re d b y the b ra n c h . A ls o p re s e n t w ere L id a S v e rs tiu k a n d son Dr. A n d rij. The fe a tu re d p ro g ra m h ig h lig h te d p o e m s b y M r. S verstiuk, re a d b y the p o e t him self, as w e ll as a m u s ic a l re c ita l b y N a d ia O ran s ky. B ra n c h P re s id e n t Vira Klish s e rv ed as m istress o f ce re m o nies . The above interview was conducted by Vira Klish and Na talia Danylenko. ’’НАШЕ ЖИТТЯ", ТРАВЕНЬ 1990 25
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