No. 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 11, 2009 5 2008: THE YEAR IN REVIEW Holodomor: 75th anniversary year olodomor. During 2008 the word seemed to be everywhere as Ukrainians around the globe Hmarked the solemn 75th anniversary of the Famine-Genocide of 1932-1933 and mourned the millions deliberately killed by the Soviet regime. The true figure of deaths due to the Holodomor will never be known due to the cover-up engineered, with great success, by Soviet authorities and their collaborators. However, it has been estimated that at the height of the Famine-Genocide some 25,000 people died each day. It was premeditated murder on the grandest scale directed from Moscow by Joseph Stalin. Indeed, the only term that can properly define what happened on Ukrainian lands in those fateful years is genocide – a word coined only in the late 1940s and a crime codified in the “Convention on Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide,” adopted by the United Nations in 1948. What the Ukrainians tried to do as part of its commemora- tions of the Holodomor anniversary was tell the story of the Ukrainian genocide to a world that for far too long remained ignorant or has been deceived about the facts. The major events marking the Holodomor took place in Kyiv in November 22. The day began with President Official Website of Ukraine’s President Viktor Yushchenko and First Lady Kateryna Yushchenko A view of the ceremony in memory of Holodomor vicitms at Kyiv’s St. Michael’s Square on November 22. laying flowers at the Famine monument erected in 1993 on St. Michael’s Square and a memorial service concele- of 1932-1933. The ceremonies were organized by the Bill C-459, was the initiative of Member of Parliament brated by the hierarchs of all of Ukraine’s major Christian Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain and the James Bezan (Selkirk-Interlake, Manitoba). It also estab- denominations at the historic St. Sophia Cathedral. Embassy of Ukraine. lished a “Ukrainian Famine and Genocide (Holodomor) The International Holodomor Forum, which included Meanwhile, in Rome on November 23, Pope Benedict Memorial Day” that is to be marked annually on the dramatic presentations and speeches by heads of state, fol- XVI prayed for the victims of the Holodomor during a fourth Saturday in November, coinciding with the lowed at the Shevchenko National Opera and Ballet noontime blessing and addressed the throng gathered on National Day of Remembrance observed in Ukraine in Theater. In attendance were official delegations represent- St. Peter’s Square in Ukrainian. “I express the strong hope accordance with a presidential decree issued in 1998. ing 44 countries, the European Parliament, the that no longer will any political order, in the name of an The bill noted that “the Ukrainian Famine and Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and ideology, deny the rights of the human person and his Genocide of 1932-1933 known as the Holodomor was UNESCO. The U.S. delegation was led by Ambassador to freedom and dignity, and I assure my prayers for all the deliberately planned and executed by the Soviet regime Ukraine William B. Taylor, Marilyn Ware, former U.S. innocent victims of this tremendous tragedy,” the pontiff under Joseph Stalin to systematically destroy the ambassador to Finland, and Lorne Cramer, president of said. Ukrainian people’s aspirations for a free and independent the International Republican Institute. From Constantinople came Ecumenical Patriarch Ukraine, and subsequently caused the death of millions of President Yushchenko expressed his gratitude to the 13 Bartholomew I’s November message on the Holodomor. Ukrainians in 1932 and 1933,” and points out that “infor- countries and several international organizations that had “… there was no tragedy in human history when more mation about the Ukrainian Famine and Genocide of recognized the Holodomor as genocide of the Ukrainian representatives of a single nation were destroyed in one 1932-1933 was suppressed, distorted or destroyed by people, and he called on all nations to condemn the crimes of the totalitarian Communist regime and all attempts to peaceful year than during the several years of war. And no Soviet authorities.” rehabilitate or justify the crimes of Joseph Stalin. He matter what anyone says or if they try to belittle the evil, Russia, meanwhile, continued to reject the historical underscored: “Ukraine has withstood and persevered, and this is the clear sign of genocide.” truth about the Holodomor. In March, the Ukrainian Ukraine has prevailed. Truth has overcome, and historical Speaking in Kyiv on November 18 at a press briefing Foreign Affairs Ministry condemned a statement by justice has prevailed. My people live. My people will live held just a few days before the major commemorations, Russian envoy to the United Nations Valery Loshchinin in forever.” Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Yurii Kostenko reported which he called on governments not to recognize Other heads of state who spoke at the ceremonial gath- that the parliaments of 14 counties had recognized the Ukraine’s Great Famine of 1932-1933 as genocide. On ering were Presidents Mikheil Saakashvili of Georgia, Holodomor as genocide. He listed Australia, Georgia, September 26 Ukraine was once again compelled to offi- Valdis Zatlers of Latvia, Valdas Adamkus of Lithuania Estonia, Ecuador, Canada, Columbia, Latvia, Lithuania, cially respond to Russia’s efforts to undermine interna- and Lech Kaczynski of Poland. Canada’s top representa- Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, the United States and tional recognition of the Holodomor. Ukraine’s Ministry tive at the Kyiv commemorations was Minister of Hungary, as well as the Vatican. of Foreign Affairs (MFA) reacted with indignation to a Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Jason It is a matter of some controversy, however, whether statement of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Kenney, who addressed the forum. In addition, letters the United States has recognized the Famine as genocide. released to the media on September 24, in which it com- from world readers were read at forum, among them mes- Although there are references to the Famine as genocide mented in a contemptuous manner on Ukraine’s aspira- sages from President George W. Bush and President-elect in several congressional resolutions, in fact there has not tions to inform the international community about the Barack Obama. been any legislation which specifically stated that the Holodomor. The day’s events concluded with the dedication of United States recognizes the Holodomor as genocide. (On It is hard to believe, Ukraine’s MFA noted, that Russia Kyiv’s new memorial to the Holodomor, called the June 26, for example, Rep. Sander Levin introduced a res- “allows itself to mock Ukraine’s attempts to commemo- “Candle of Memory.” Braving sub-freezing temperatures, olution “remembering the 75th anniversary of the rate victims of this great tragedy in order to prevent [such wind, snow, sleet and rain, hundreds of onlookers gath- Ukrainian Famine-Genocide of 1932-1933 and extending a tragedy] from happening again. Instead of paying tribute ered at the future site of the National Holodomor the deepest sympathies of the House of Representatives to to the common past of our peoples, the Russian leader- Memorial Historical Complex for the monument’s unveil- the victims, survivors and families of this tragedy”; the ship, on the contrary, is making significant efforts to dis- ing. Once the new memorial was blessed, Ukraine’s lead- resolution was passed on September 23.) Moreover, U.S. credit the Holodomor’s tragedy.” Kyiv called on Russian ers and citizens representing every region of Ukraine administrations continue to avoid the term “genocide.” In leaders and politicians to stop rejecting the truth and placed lit candles in memory of the Holodomor’s victims. his November 13 message on the occasion of the Famine’s attempting to justify and whitewash the crimes of the Commenting on the dedication ceremony, Ulana 75th anniversary President George W. Bush did, however, Stalin regime. Mazurkevich of Philadelphia, a member of the refer to it as a “crime against humanity.” At the same time, Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s foreign International Holodomor Commemorative Coordinating Mr. Kostenko also noted that many international orga- affairs minister stated: “We can hardly agree with the Committee, said: “As snowflakes and then drops of sleet nizations recognized the Holodomor as genocide of the pseudo-historical treatment by Kyiv of the events con- were coming down, it seemed as if the sky had opened up Ukrainian people. Resolutions were passed by UNESCO nected with the famine of the 1930s in the USSR as some that day and began shedding tears – as if heaven was cry- and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for kind of ‘genocide of the Ukrainian people,’ ” an approach ing for the 10 million victims.” Security and Cooperation in Europe. In addition, he said which slanders the memories of “millions of famine vic- Also in late November, to coincide with the major the Holodomor “has been qualified as a crime against tims of other nationalities.” commemorations in Kyiv, Ukraine’s diplomatic represen- humanity in a very important document adopted in Russian authorities also made it eminently clear they tations around the globe, whether in the United States or October of this year by the European Parliament.” Mr. would not stand for commemorations on their territory of in Uzbekistan, held “Light a Candle” memorial ceremo- Kostenko also underscored that “Canada established a the Ukrainian nation’s genocide. They pressured nies. certain precedent – it became the first country in the world Ukrainian communities in Russia to cancel events planned In London on November 22 the Ukrainian community to adopt a law establishing a Day of Memory of the to mark the Holodomor’s 75th anniversary, including the of Great Britain marked the Holodomor anniversary with Holodomor Victims in Ukraine.” arrival in various cities of the International Holodomor services at Westminster Central Hall and Westminster Significantly, Canada officially recognized the Remembrance Flame – the very same Remembrance Abbey.