All-Ukraine protest against awarding title of hero to nationalist Bandera begins

LVOV, March 4 (Itar-Tass) -- A nationwide protest titled "Stepan
Bandera Is Not a Hero of Ukraine" has begun in Zhitomir western Ukraine on
Wednesday.
The protest was initiated by the Socialist Party and the Party of the
War Children.
Activists have begun collecting signatures for cancelling former
Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko's decree that awarded Bandera and
another nationalist leader Roman Shukhevich the title of Hero of Ukraine.
They will also give out leaflets explaining the situation in order to
prevent confrontation in society.
The purpose of the campaign, which is also beginning in other
Ukrainian regions, is to prevent falsification of history and
glorification of Nazi supporters.
In their appeal to Party of Regions leader Viktor Yanukovich, the
leaders of the Socialist Party and the Party of the War Children,
Alexander Moroz and Anmdatoly Pachevsky, said, "We have no moral right to
put World War II veterans, Great Patriotic War heroes on a par with
traitors and collaborationists. The atrocities committed under the
direction of Stepan Bandera and another hero of Ukraine Roman Sukhevich
dwarf even the crimes committed by the SS as evidenced by reminiscences of
concentration camp prisoners and witnesses, as well as historical
monographs and official documents of a number of international
organisations and the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg."
Members of regional and city councils in the Crimea, in southern and
eastern Ukraine have also protested the presidential decree making Bandera
a hero of Ukraine.
Yanukovich said the issue of national leader Stepan Bandera, who has
been granted the title of Hero of Ukraine, would be solved shortly.
-0-zak/