18 April 2014

Dear Sirs!

This week, when Christians around the world commemorate the Passion of Christ (betrayal, unlawful condemnation, scourging and crucifixion of Jesus), it came to our knowledge that the leadership of the UGCC was finally successful with the government authorities when demanding religious genocide of the orthodox Greek Catholics.

According to our information, the Security Service of Ukraine of the Lvov Region prepared a large-scale action concerning this matter, which also involves physical destruction of undesirable people. The Security Service of Ukraine now just waits for a “command” from Kiev.

It came to our knowledge too that the Self-Defence Unit (so-called Samooborona) of Zolochev gave credence to the fabricated lies and fanatical slanders about us uttered by the ideological leaders – the priests of the UGCC Sukmanovskyi, Halay and Vilchynskyi, and resolved to perpetrate a pogrom in the homes of our faithful. This action is planned for 1 and 9 May 2014. The above-named priests openly demanded our physical destruction during the sermons as well as in the District Council.

We have not violated the laws of Ukraine or caused any harm to anyone. We love God and the Ukrainian nation. This is a generally known fact.

The real reason behind their hatred towards us is the fact that we separated from the leadership of the UGCC and became, to their thinking, an undesirable competitor. However, such unchristian thinking is strange to us.

We separated from the UGCC leadership because of our belief that salvation and forgiveness of sins is in Jesus Christ alone. By contrast, the UGCC leaders believe that Buddha, Krishna or pagan idols in general can likewise forgive sins and save man.

We believe that the Holy Scripture is the unquestionable Word of God. The UGCC leaders, by contrast, hold that the Biblical writings are most probably legends on an equal footing with the sacred books of other, non-Christian religions.

We are convinced that homosexuality is a sin and real evil, which is unequivocally confirmed by the Holy Scripture. By contrast, the leaders of the UGCC hold that “homosexuals can live together” but they are sorry that “their love remains unfruitful”.

We defend parents and children against the juvenile justice system which is, in essence, shameless trafficking of children. The UGCC leadership, by contrast, supports and is even involved in this system.

We are apolitical and hold everyone in respect within the bounds of justice. However, being Christians, it is quite normal that we cannot agree with the official priority of the US and EU policy, namely the legalization of same-sex marriages in all states and removal of children from their loving parents by the juvenile justice system and their placement in the “families” of homosexuals or paedophiles or even organ sale.

What the UGCC leadership intends to do by the agency of government authorities in relation to us is a gross violation of all democratic principles and international human rights, including the rights enshrined in the Constitution of Ukraine.

Art. 35 of the Constitution of Ukraine and Arts. 3, 4, 5, 8 of the Law of Ukraine “On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations” state: “The Law guarantees each Ukrainian citizen the right to freedom of conscience. This right includes freedom to profess, take and change religion or beliefs on one’s own choice and freedom to profess any religion alone or together with others or not to profess any, to perform religious rites, to express openly and distribute freely his/her religious or atheistic beliefs. It is not obligatory to inform state authorities about the establishment of a religious organization. Any direct or indirect restriction of rights, establishment of any privileges or limitations of one religion over the other, as well as fomentation of hatred towards or offending the feelings of the citizens with respect to religion shall give rise to responsibility established by law.”

The Church and religious organizations in Ukraine are separated from the State!

Please, do not permit a pogrom, physical violence or bloodshed in the case of the faithful of the UO GCC.

Furthermore, we would like to ask You for physical protection by the competent state authorities at least until the presidential election and stabilization of the political situation in our State.

Yours respectably,

Letter was also sent to:

Public Prosecutor of the Lvov Region

Head of the Department of the Ministry of the Interior of the Lvov Region

Head of the Department of the Security Service of Ukraine of the Lvov Region

Public Prosecutors of the Zolochev and Brody Districts

Heads of the Department of the Ministry of the Interior of the Zolochev and Brody Districts

Heads of the Department of the Security Service of Ukraine of the Zolochev and Brody Districts

Head of the Lvov Regional State Administration

The Mayor of Zolochev

Copies to:

MPs of Ukraine

Presidents of EU Member States

MEPs

President of Belarus

President of the Russian Federation

UN Secretary General

Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights