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The Ukrainian Weekly
Ukrainian National Association
Parsippany, New Jersey
September 27, 1998
Following is the full text of the concurrent resolution introduced in both
houses of the U.S. Congress to mark the 65th anniversary of the
Great Famine of 1932-1933 in Ukraine.
(The resolution was passed by the United States Senate on October 21,
1998 and by the U.S. House of Representatives on October 10, 1998.)
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of Congress that the 65th anniversary of the Ukrainian
Famine of 1932-1933 should serve as a reminder of the brutality of the
government of the former Soviet Union's repressive policies toward the
Ukrainian people.
Whereas, this year marks the 65th anniversary of the Ukrainian Famine of
1932-1933 that caused the deaths of at least 7 million Ukrainians and that
was covered up and officially denied by the government of the former Soviet
Union;
Whereas, millions of Ukrainians died, not by natural causes such as
pestilence, drought, floods or a poor harvest, but by policies designed to
punish Ukraine for its aversion and opposition to the government of the
former Soviet Union's oppression and imperialism, including the forced
collectivization of agriculture;
Whereas, when Ukraine was famine-stricken, the government of the
former Soviet Union exported 1.7 million tons of grain to the West while
offers from international relief organizations to assist the starving
population
were rejected on the grounds that there was no famine in Ukraine and
no need for the assistance;
Whereas, the borders of Ukraine were tightly controlled and starving
Ukrainians were not allowed to cross into Russian territory in search of
bread;
Whereas, in his book "The Harvest of Sorrow" British historian Robert
Conquest explains, "A quarter of the rural population, men, women and
children, lay dead or dying, the rest in various stages of debilitation with
no strength to bury their families or neighbors";
Whereas, the Commission on the Ukraine Famine was established on
December 13, 1985, to conduct a study with the goal of expanding the
world's knowledge and understanding of the famine and to expose the
government of the former Soviet Union for its atrocities in the famine;
Whereas, the commission's report to Congress confirmed that the government
of the former Soviet Union consciously employed the brutal policy of forced
famine to repress the Ukrainian population and to oppress the Ukrainians'
inviolable religious and political rights; and
Whereas, the Commission on the Ukraine Famine presented four volumes of
findings and conclusions, 10 volumes of archival material, and over 200
cassettes of testimony from famine survivors to the newly independent
government of Ukraine in 1993, during the official observances of the 60th
anniversary of the Ukrainian famine in Kyiv, Ukraine,
Now, therefore be it resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring):
Section 1, sense of Congress.
It is the sense of Congress that -
(1) the victims of the government of the former Soviet Union-engineered
Ukrainian Famine of 1932-1933 be solemnly remembered on its 65th
anniversary;
(2) the Congress condemns the systematic disregard for human life, human
rights, human liberty and self-determination that characterized the
repressive policies of the government of the former Soviet Union during the
Ukrainian Famine of 1932-1933;
(3) on the 65th anniversary of the Ukrainian Famine of 1932-1933, in
contrast to the policies of the government of the former Soviet Union,
Ukraine is moving toward democracy, a free-market economy and full respect
for human rights, and it is essential that the United States continue to
assist Ukraine as it proceeds down this path; and
(4) any supplemental material that will assist in the dissemination of
information about the Ukrainian Famine of 1932-1933, and thereby help to
prevent similar future tragedies, be compiled and made available worldwide
for the study of the devastation of the famine.
Section 2, transmittal of the resolution.
The clerk of the House of Representatives shall
(1) transmit a copy of this resolution to:
(A) the president;
(B) the secretary of state; and
(C) the co-chairs of the Congressional Ukrainian Caucus; and
(2) request that the secretary of state transmit a copy of the this
resolution to the government of Ukraine.
The Ukrainian Weekly, September 27, 1998, No. 39, Vol. LXVI,
Roma Hadzewycz, Editor-in-chief, P. O. Box 280, Parsippany, New
Jersey. Published by the Ukrainian National Association.
http://www.ukrweekly.com/Archive/1998/399810.shtml
Check out the extensive materials about the Great Famine on The
Ukrainian Weekly website and subscribe to The Ukrainian Weekly.
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