Australian Senate condemns Famine-Genocide

CANBERRA, Australia - The Australian Senate on October 30 passed a motion condemning Stalin's action in bringing about an act of genocide by creating the Famine in Ukraine in 1932-1933, calling it one the most heinous acts of genocide in history.

Sen. Bill Heffernan, former chair of the Australian Ukrainian Parliamentary Group, worked with Federal Minister Rod Kemp to move the formal motion.

Similar motions are now being proposed in other state and territory Parliaments throughout Australia.

The Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organizations has worked in cooperation with the Embassy of Ukraine in Australia to seek support for the motion.

"The resolution puts on the public record in Australia that Stalin was the perpetrator and his regime will always be judged as inhumane. The motion reiterates the fact that the Famine was an act of genocide against the Ukrainian nation," said Stefan Romaniw, chairman of the Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organizations.

"This motion will assist the government of Ukraine in seeking support for a resolution to the United Nations in November 2003, putting these facts on the international record," Mr Romaniw added.

The Senate motion:

"notes that 2003 is the 70th anniversary of the enforced Famine in the Ukraine caused by the deliberate actions of Stalin's Communist government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics;

"recalls that an estimated 7 million Ukrainians starved to death as a result of Stalinist policies in 1932-1933 alone, and that millions more lost their lives in the purge which ensured for the remainder of the decade;

"notes that this constitutes one of the most heinous acts of genocide in history;

"honors the memory of those who lost their lives;

"joins the Ukrainian people throughout the world, and particularly Ukrainian Australians, in commemorating these tragic events; and

"resolves to seek to ensure that current and future generations are made aware of the monstrous evil that led to the Famine."

Following lthe successful tree-planting ceremony on October at Point Cook Coastal Reserve in the State of Victoria, in memory of the many millions who perished in the Famine, Mr. Kaye Darveniza, parliamentary secretary to the premier of Victoria, raised the Famine issue in the State Parliament, commemorating the death of many millions and offering support for the current commemoration program.

Australian Ukrainians are currently involved in the international campaign to revoke Walter Duranty's Pultizer Prize with postcards being sent to the The New York Times publisher, Arthur Sulzberger Jr., calling on him to "do the right thing" and support the move to return Duranty's prize.

Preparations are well under way for the national rally to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Great in Famine to be held in Australia's capital, Canberra on November 22-23. Federal, state and territory members of Parliament will join Australia's Ukrainian community at the rally.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, November 16, 2003, No. 46, Vol. LXXI

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