December 8, 2017

Holodomor-Genocide resolution passed in Pennsylvania

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Doug Gross

In the Pennsylvania Senate Chambers (from left) are: State Sens. Art Haywood and Bob Mensch, Ulana Mazurkevich, Michael Sawkiw Jr., Eugene Luciw and State Sen. Stewart Greenleaf.

HARRISBURG, Pa. – On November 15, the Pennsylvania Senate approved Senate Resolution 244 designating November as “Ukraine Genocide Remembrance Month.”

In the resolution, the Senate recognizes that, “85 years ago, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin and his totalitarian regime committed an act of genocide through the implementation of an engineered famine, confiscating land, grain and animals from the Ukrainian people, resulting in the death of up to 10 million innocent men, women and children.”

The resolution continues, “This genocide, Holodomor, meaning ‘murder by starvation,’ was specifically designated by the Soviet regime to punish independent-minded Ukrainians for their resistance to its economic, political and social oppression.”

The passage of the resolution took place in the beautiful ornate chambers of the Senate in Harrisburg, the capital of Pennsylvania. The lieutenant governor, Mike Steck, called for the vote on the Genocide Resolution; individual senators were called to give their response .

After the unanimous passage of the resolution State Sen. Stewart Greenleaf introduced the Ukrainian delegation; Michael Sawkiw Jr., director of the Ukrainian National Information Service and chairman of the U.S. Committee for Ukrainian Holodomor-Genocide Awareness; Eugene Luciw, president of the Philadelphia branch of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America; and Ulana Baluch Mazurkevich, head of the Philadelphia Holodomor Committee.

The Senate greeted the passage of the resolution and the delegation with a standing ovation.

After the passage of the resolution, the delegation had the opportunity to meet with Lt. Gov. Steck in his chambers. A very interesting and productive meeting was held with the lieutenant governor, who expressed interest in visiting Ukraine to explore economic trade between the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and Ukraine.

Michael Sawkiw Jr. (right) presents a Friend of UNIS award to State Sen. Stewart Greenleaf (second from left) of Pennsylvania.

Michael Sawkiw Jr. (right) presents a Friend of UNIS award to State Sen. Stewart Greenleaf (second from left) of Pennsylvania.

Prior to the passage of the resolution, Mr. Sawkiw, Mr. Luciw and Ms. Mazurkevich met with State Sen. Greenleaf to thank him for his support of Ukraine and the Ukrainian community in Pennsylvania. At this meeting Mr. Sawkiw presented the senior senator with a Friend of UNIS award.

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