Dokument #1356827
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Autor)
According to Reuters, the Ukrainian justice
ministry registered the Ukrainian National Assembly (UNA) as a
political party in December 1994 (30 Dec. 1994); the Ukrainian
National Self-Defence (UNSO) organization is reportedly the
military wing of the UNA (ibid.). Earlier in the year, three
members of the UNA were elected to parliament (ibid.). Its members
are considered to be extreme-nationalist Ukrainians (Reuters 17
Jan. 1995).
According to a report covered in the BBC
Summary of World Broadcasts, the justice ministry has rejected any
suggestion that it has given its approval to the UNSO,
notwithstanding the claim of the UNA-UNSO leadership that the two
organizations exist within a single structure (BBC 28 Jan. 1995).
In an October 1994 interview, the leader of UNA-UNSO, Oleh
Vitovych, explained that the double name "UNA-UNSO" was adopted six
months earlier to account for the dual nature of UNA-UNSO work (The
Ethnic Newswatch 23 Oct. 1994).
According to Vitovych, the UNA, as UNSO,
can work as a paramilitary organization when the Ukraine is under a
military threat; during peaceful conditions the "UNA carries out
purely political tasks, while the UNSO engages in such general
activities as physical education, leadership training and
propaganda" (ibid.). Vitovych is UNA chairman and UNSO
commander-in-chief (Russian Press Digest 31 Jan. 1995).
Since 11 November 1993 "unauthorized"
paramilitary organizations have been banned in Ukraine (The Ethnic
Newswatch 8 May 1994). Although this ban has not been rigorously
enforced, police have raided UNSO headquarters and homes of UNSO
members (ibid.).
Reuters recently reported that the UNSO had
some 100 militants to Chechnya to counter the Russian forces (17
Jan. 1995). UNSO members also reportedly fought in Moldova's
Dniestr region and in Georgia (ibid.).
None of the sources consulted by the DIRB
revealed the existence of factions within the UNA-UNSO structure,
or any connection with authorities. However, media reports
sometimes refer to the Ukrainian People's Self-Defence Organization
(UNSO) (Reuters 17 Jan. 1995), or to the Ukrainian National
Self-Defence party (UNA-UNSD) (Russian Press Digest 28 Apr.
1995; BBC 17 Apr. 1995).
For additional information on UNA-UNSO,
please consult the attached documents, which include an interview
with Vitovych explaining the history and rationale of the
UNA-UNSO.
This response was prepared after
researching publicly accessible information currently available to
the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does
not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular
claim to refugee status or asylum.
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. 17
April 1995. "Other Report; Justice Ministry Warns Nationalists Not
to Mock Russian Flag."(NEXIS)
_____. 28 January 1995. "Internal
Affairs; Nationalist Leader Protests Refusal to Register
Organization." (NEXIS)
The Ethnic Newswatch 23 October 1994.
Yarema A. Bachynsky. "Oleh Vitovych, Leader of Ukrainian National
Assembly." (NEXIS)
_____. 8 May 1994. Bohdan Nahaylo.
"Political Extremism in Ukraine Part II: The Move Toward Fascism."
(NEXIS)
Russian Press Digest. 28 April
1995. Vladimir Gavrilenko. "Ukrainian Nationalists Would Like to
Rule Russia As Well." (NEXIS)
_____. 31 January 1995. Anatoly
Polyakov. "Battalion of Ukrainian Nationalists Fights Russian
Troops in Chechnya." (NEXIS)
Reuters. 17 January 1995. BC Cycle.
Pavlo Balkovsky. "Ukraine Nationalists Say Activists in Chechnya."
(NEXIS)
_____. 30 December 1994. BC Cycle. Pavlo
Balkovsky. "Ukraine Legalises Nationalists." (NEXIS)
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. 17
April 1995. "Other Reports; Justice Ministry Warns Nationalists Not
to Mock Russian Flag."(NEXIS)
_____. 28 January 1995. "Internal
Affairs; Nationalist Leader Protests Refusal to Register
Organization." (NEXIS)
CTK National News Wire. 10 January 1995.
"Subcarpathian `Foreign Minister' Dreams of Autonomy." (NEXIS)
The Ethnic Newswatch. 30 October 1994.
Yarema Bachynsky. "Oleh Vitovych, Leader of Ukrainian National
Assembly." (NEXIS)
_____. 23 October 1994. Yarema A.
Bachynsky. "Oleh Vitovych, Leader of Ukrainian National Assembly."
(NEXIS)
_____. 8 May 1994. Bohdan Nahaylo.
"Political Extremism in Ukraine Part II: The Move Toward Fascism."
(NEXIS)
Moscow News. 15 September 1994.
Sergei Tikhy. "Is a New Terrorist Movement Emerging?" (NEXIS)
The New Republic. 22 August 1994.
Anna Husarska. "Big Guns: Kiev Postcard; Ukrainian Nationalism."
(NEXIS)
Russian Press Digest. 28 April
1995. Vladimir Gavrilenko. "Ukrainian Nationalists Would Like to
Rule Russia As Well." (NEXIS)
_____. 31 January 1995. Anatoly
Polyakov. "Battalion of Ukrainian Nationalists Fights Russian
Troops in Chechnya." (NEXIS)
Reuters. 17 January 1995. BC Cycle.
Pavlo Balkovsky. "Ukraine Nationalists Say Activists in Chechnya."
(NEXIS)
_____. 30 December 1994. BC Cycle. Pavlo
Balkovsky. "Ukraine Legalises Nationalists." (NEXIS)
The Telegraph Agency of the Soviet Union
(TASS). 8 June 1994. Vladimir Gondusov. "While Politicians Haggle,
Ukrainian Nationalists Act in Crimea." (NEXIS)
The United Press International (UPI). 21
June 1994. BC Cycle. Roma Ihnatowycz. "Ukrainian Ultranationalists
Pin Hopes on Election." (NEXIS)