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By Morgan Williams, Publisher, Action Ukraine History Report (AUHR)
Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, November 25, 2009

KYIV - A new book "Raphael Lemkin: Soviet Genocide in Ukraine" was presented today in Kyiv by Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko at the opening of the "Holodomor 1932-1933 - Genocide of the Ukrainian people" exhibition at the Ukrainian House.  

The book is the first publication in the six official languages of the United Nations and twenty-two other languages of Raphael Lemkin's remarkable, eloquent address on the genocidal destruction of the Ukrainian nation by the Communist regime.  Lemkin delivered the address in 1953 before an audience of three thousand people gathered at the New York Manhattan Center to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Great Ukrainian Famine. 

 

The new book was the dream of Dr. Roman Serbyn, professor of history, Universite du Quebec a Montreal, who served as the books editor.  The complier was Olesia Stasiuk.  Dr. Serbyn gives credit in the book to a number of individuals and institutions who offered their full support and services to help make his dream become a reality.  

 

The Lemkin book was published with the support of Ms. Kateryna Yushchenko, Head of the Supervisory Board of the International Charitable Foundation Ukraine 3000, Kyiv, which provided for the tasks of translating, proofreading, formatting and preparing the volume for printing. The book was published as part of the "Lessons of History" project of the Foundation Ukraine 3000.

 

President Yushchenko in the forward to the book wrote, "The Ukrainian Holodomor of 1932-1933 was one of the most barbarous, large scale crimes of the twentieth century.....Lemkin's insightful analysis explains clearly and precisely why the Soviet regime instigated and implemented the Holodomor, an act of genocide against the Ukrainian nation. 

 

"Commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of Dr. Raphael Lemkin's death this year, we should remember the scholarly writings and insights on human rights of this great legal expert and humanitarian.  Ukraine and the world are deeply indebted to Dr. Lemkin for his authorities works on the Holodomor and other genocides, works which lead to broader understanding of historical events and their causes, and from which we must learn for the sake of the future."

 

Professor Serbyn in his introductory article wrote, "On the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of Lemkin's death, Ukrainians feel particular gratitude to the father of the Genocide Convention for giving a penetrating analysis of the Ukrainain tragedy of the early 1930s and convincingly demonstrating that it was a genocide in accordance with the principles and criteria of the UN Convention."

 

Another book, presented in Polish and Ukrainian at the Holodomor Exhibition in 2008, was presented this year for the first time in English.  The 650 page book, "Holodomor, The Great Famine in Ukraine 1932-1933, is Volume 7 of the series entitled Poland and Ukraine in the 1930's - 1940's, Unknown Documents from the Archives of the Secret Services."

 

The book was published by The Institute of National Remembrance - Commission of the Prosecution of Crimes against the Polish Nation, Warsaw.  The book presents archival material of the Polish and Ukrainain secret services on the situation in Ukraine.

 

The Editorial Committee says in its introductory article says, "In the years of the Stalinist regime, the Ukrainain nation was exposed to cruel repression.  Today it can be stated with certainty that among all the "brotherly republics" of the former USSR, Soviet Ukraine suffered the heaviest losses in human life." 

 

On March 16, 2006, a resolution recognizing the Ukrainian famine of the 1930s as genocide was adopted by the Senate of the Republic of Poland, followed, on December 6, 2996 by the Lower House of the Polish Parliament.

 

Dr. Janusz Kurtyka, President, Institute of National Remembrance, of Poland told me at the Exhibition he considers it a great privilege to work with Ukraine in the publication of documents about the crimes of Communism.  President Yushchenko and Dr. Jurtyka did mention at the Exhibition the Polish Institute now has 2,000 employees while the Institute of Memory in Ukraine has only 43 employees. 

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Press office of the President, Kyiv, Ukraine, Wed, Nov 25, 2009

 

KYIV - President Victor Yushchenko and his wife Kateryna Yushchenko took part in the opening of updated documentary and art exhibition "Holodomor 1932-1933 - genocide of the Ukrainian people". The exhibition opened at the Business and Cultural Cooperation Center "The Ukrainian House" within the framework of the annual events commemorating victims of the Great Famine (on 28 November 2009 Ukraine observes the Remembrance of Holodomor victims Day). At the event were also presented the new, including English-language publications on the Holodomor. [see article above]

In his speech, the President noted the positive shift in study of the Holodomor and honoring its victims that has occurred in recent years. First and foremost, his said, it is important that clear understanding of the Holodomor as deliberately planned and carried out genocide of the nation has been established among the public. "The essence of history is the truth. False history does not give power and to the people", he said.

The President reminded that the Ukrainian Parliament has officially recognized the Holodomor as genocide of the Ukrainian people. "Today we have reveal secret archives, collected over two hundred thousand testimonies of eyewitnesses, published the National Book of Memory, which included the names of nearly a million famine victims", he said, adding also that mass grave sites have been uncovered and brought in order and more than 7 thousand monuments and memorials were placed in the towns and villages across Ukraine.

He thanked all the people, whose hard work, patriotism and commitment to the ideals of humanism and justice, made today's exhibition possible. "I thank the people in Ukraine and the world, who endeavor to establish and spread the truth about the genocide of the Ukrainian people. I wish you inspiration and success in your honorary case ", said Victor Yushchenko.

LINK: http://www.president.gov.ua/en/news/15809.html

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3.  CRIMINAL CASE ON UKRAINIAN FAMINE OF 1930S

ALREADY NUMBERS 253 VOLUMES, SAYS SBU CHIEF

 

Interfax Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine, Wed, Nov 25, 2009

 

KYIV - The criminal case on committing genocide in Ukraine in 1932-1933 currently numbers 253 volumes, Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) Chief Valentyn Nalyvaichenko has said. He said this at an evening requiem dedicated to the day of remembrance for the victims of the Holodomor famine of 1932-1933, the SBU press service reported.

Nalyvaichenko said that the SBU had opened the criminal case in May 2009. "The [Security] Service [of Ukraine] declassified all of the possible documents on the Holodomor. Each line, which is evidence of a crime committed against humanity, is currently available for all concerned people in Ukraine and abroad [to see]," he said.
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4.  MONUMENT TO SOVIET PUBLIC FIGURE GRIGORY

 

UkrInform, Kyiv, Ukraine, Wed, Nov 25, 2009 

KYIV - A monument to Grigory Petrovsky, a Soviet public figure who acted as the Chairman of the Central Executive Committee of the USSR from December 30, 1922, to January 12, 1938 has been dismantled in Kyiv, UKRINFORM reports.

According to the Center for Liberation Movement Studies, Kyiv's community protested and opposed the presence in the capital downtown of the monument to 'a father of the Holodomor' and 'a hangman of Ukraine'.

Earlier, the Kyiv authorities initiated a campaign to dismantle 27 monuments to the Soviet politicians in the city, including 17 monuments to Vladimir Lenin and others.

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UNIAN, Kyiv, Ukraine, Wed, Nov 25, 2009

 

KYIV - The President of Ukraine Victor Yushchenko will take part in the memorial measures dedicated to the memory of victims of Holodomor of 1932-1933 on Saturday, November 28.  The press service of the head of the state disclosed to UNIAN that at 8:45 am the President will lay flowers to Memorial sign to victims of Holodomor (the Great Famine) at Mykhaylivska Square.

At 9. 00 am in Sofiyskiy Cathedral the head of the state will be present at a rite and prayer with participation of leaders of different religious organizations of Ukraine and high officials of Ukraine. NTCU will broadcast these measures.

The memorial measures with participation of V. Yushchenko will take place at the territory of the State museum “Memorial to victims of Holodomors in Ukraine” (Kyiv, Mazepy Street, 15 A) at 15. 15 pm. The National Television Company of Ukraine will broadcast these measures.

The President of Ukraine will address to the Ukrainian people at 15. 50 pm. The national minute of silence will be at 16. 00 pm, after that all-Ukrainian action “Light a candle” will start.

 

LINK: http://www.unian.net/eng/news/news-348708.html

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Mr. E. Morgan Williams, Director, Government Affairs,
Washington Office, SigmaBleyzer,
Emerging Markets Private Equity Investment Group;
President/CEO, U.S.-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC)
Publisher & Editor, Action Ukraine Report (AUR)