Embassy of Russia works against Senate resolution on Famine-Genocide (09/21/03)

Embassy of Russia works against Senate resolution on Famine-Genocide

WASHINGTON - The Embassy of Russia in the United States has voiced its opposition to a Senate resolution that recognizes the Great Famine of 1932-1933 in Ukraine as genocide.

Radio Liberty reported last week that sources said Russian officials have contacted officials at the U.S. Department of State and in Congress in an effort to block the passage of Senate Resolution 202, which was introduced by Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-Colo.), co-chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission.

Contacted by Radio Liberty's Myroslava Gongadze, the press secretary of the Russian Embassy, Yevhen Khoryshko, stated: "We categorically disagree with this assessment of the famine in Ukraine of the 1930s."

He continued: "Many aspects of the realization of the policies of the Soviet leadership of that time headed by Stalin were tragic for many peoples on the territory of the USSR, not only for Ukrainians, but also for Russians, Estonians, Chechens, Kazaks, Crimean Tatars and many others. In this case, American lawmakers are quite readily giving political assessments that have far-reaching consequences. This testifies to the lack of understanding on the part of American lawmakers of the juridical essence of the term 'genocide.' Again, I would like to underscore that the Russian side categorically disagrees with the evaluations contained in the American legislators' resolution."

"The policies of collectivization and the famine in Ukraine of the 1930s in no way fall under the juridical concept of genocide," he added.

Senate Resolution 202 - which carries the descriptive title "A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the genocidal Ukraine Famine of 1932-1933" - was introduced on July 28 and thus far has eight co-sponsors.

It states that "the man-made Ukraine Famine of 1932-1933 was an act of genocide as defined by the United Nations Genocide Convention" and notes that "the United States Goverment's Commission on the Ukraine Famine concluded that former Soviet leader Joseph Stalin and his associates committed genocide against Ukrainians in 1932-1933, using food as a political weapon to achieve the aim of suppressing any Ukrainian expression of political and cultural identity and self-determination." (The full text of the resolution was published in The Weekly on August 10. It will appear also on The Ukrainian Weekly's website: www.ukrweekly.com.)

According to Helsinki Commission Staff Adviser Orest Deychakiwsky, "This resolution is important because it very directly and unambiguously characterizes the 1932-1933 Famine as a genocide. No previous resolution has done that."

List of co-sponsors grows

S. Res. 202 is now co-sponsored by eight senators: George Voinovich (R-Ohio), Mike DeWine (R-Ohio), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), George Allen (R-Va.), Norm Coleman (R-Minn), Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) and Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.). The resolution was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations, where it awaits further action.

For information about the Famine resolution, readers may call the Ukrainian American Coordinating Council, (202) 737-6090 in Washington or (212) 505-1765 in New York; or the Ukrainian Federation of America, (215) 663-9191 in Philadelphia. Information is also available via e-mail from Mr. Deychakiwsky at [email protected].

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