February 27, 2018
MOTION RECOGNISING 85th ANNIVERSARY OF HOLODOMOR – FAMINE IN UKRAINE 1932-23
RAISED IN AUSTRALIAN PARLIAMENT
Ukraine Remembers – The World Acknowledges
Chairman of the Australia- Ukraine Parliamentary Friendship Group (AUPFG) Chris Crewther – Member for Dunkley moved a motion in the Australian Parliament on February 26, 2018 to recognize the 85th Anniversary of the Holodomor – The Great Famine in Ukraine 1932-33.
He was supported by Mr Steve Iron, Member for Swan.
Both provided detailed insight into the horrific aspects of Stalin’s man-made famine in which more than 7,000,000 children, women and men perished. The motion acknowledged the 85th anniversary of the Holodomor, condemned Stalin’s actions, confirmed the Australian Government’s debate on the Holodomor as Genocide, paid respect to those who perished and to the survivors who settled in Australia.
The motion also supported the international community’s motto of Ukraine Remembers – The World Acknowledges and the support for the international commemorations to be held in 2018.
“The Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations (AFUO) and Ukrainian World Congress applaud Mr Crewther for raising this matter and thank Mr Steve Iron for his support” Mr Stefan Romaniw -AFUO Chair and International Chair of the UWC Committee for recognising Holodomor as Genocide
“The Ukrainian people suffered tremendously as a result. The death toll was catastrophic. The latest estimates suggest up to 7.4 million people died because of the policies of the Soviet government.
The survivors of this famine tried to tell their stories to the world. Sadly, this atrocity was further compounded by the systematic cover-up of the famine by the Soviet Union. Even mentioning the famine was punishable by hard labour, and blaming the authorities was a death sentence. This even extended to those officials who were simply trying to do their jobs, and many were executed for simply reporting population numbers accurately to the Soviet government”. Mr Crewther said in Parliament
Mr Steve Iron said “I rise in support of the motion put forward by the member for Dunkley relating to the Ukrainian Holodomor. I’m a firm believer that those who cannot or do not remember the past are doomed to repeat it. We must remember the pain and suffering caused by such events and honour those who lost their lives. We must recognise the importance of such dark chapters in our human history to ensure that such crimes against humanity are not allowed to be repeated. I thank the member for Dunkley and other speakers who have contributed for reminding the House of the significance of Holodomor.
“Raising the awareness about the Holodomor in the Australian Parliament and other Parliaments around the world is paramount. Dark episodes of history such as the Holodomor must be called out for what they were – A Genocide. Through diligent work, raising awareness and ensuring the lies of Stalin and his accomplices e.g. Walter Duranty who worked as a journalist with the New York times and lied about the nonexistence of a Famine will help to ensure that these tragic events are not allowed to be repeated “Mr Romaniw said
The AFUO and UWC will be working with the AUPFG on range a of projects throughout 2018 to mark the 85th Anniversary of the Holodomor.
“The AFUO, UWC call on the Prime Minister of Australia to accept the imminent invitation from President Poroshenko to attend the international commemorations to be held in Kyiv on November 23, 2018, Mr Romaniw said
Further information – Stefan Romaniw 0419 531 255
MOTION
Mr CREWTHER (Dunkley) (11:14): I move:
That this House:
(1) notes that commemorations are underway for the eighty-fifth anniversary of Holodomor, to mark an
enforced famine in Ukraine caused by the deliberate actions of Joseph Stalin’s Communist Government of the
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics;
(2) recalls that it is estimated that up to seven million Ukrainians starved to death as a result of Stalin’s policies
in 1932 and 1933 alone;
(3) condemns these acts aimed at destroying the national, cultural, religious and democratic aspirations of the
Ukrainian people;
(4) condemns all similar acts during the twentieth century as the ultimate manifestations of racial, ethnic or
religious hatred and violence;
(5) honours the memory of those who lost their lives during Holodomor;
(6) joins the Australian Ukrainian community and the international community in commemorating this tragic
milestone under the motto Ukraine Remembers—The World Acknowledges;
(7) recognises the importance of remembering and learning from such dark chapters in human history to ensure
that such crimes against humanity are not allowed to be repeated; and
(8) pays its respects to the Australian Ukrainians that lived through this tragedy and have told their horrific
stories.
Full text of both Mr Crewther’s and Mr Iron’s speeches
