January 16, 2018
MEDIA RELEASE
MY KITCHEN RULES (MKR) TRYING TO COOK UP A STORM IN POOR TASTE
HAMMER AND SICKLE PROMOTION EQUATES TO USING SWASTIKA TO TRIVIALISE HISTORY
In its new series, My Kitchen Rules (MKR) promotes two Russian contestants by standing them in front of an MKR logo with a hammer and sickle incorporated into the design. In a video the contestants toast a shot of vodka and salute Vladimir Putin while saying “What are we going to do tonight? Conquer the world. Where do we start? Australia”. All in very poor taste.
The Hammer and Sickle and those who stood behind it murdered over 7,000,000 Ukrainians in the Holodomor, the Great, forced Famine in Ukraine in 1932-32. It was a planned genocide by Stalin. Tying it to a cooking show is totally insensitive.
The Soviet symbolism is as offensive, comparable to a swastika, and so hate-filled as to be unacceptable if shown in anything other than a historical/documentary film context or in a film depicting the past – Certainly not something that is agreeable for those traumatized by their own experiences or those whose parents/grandparents suffered under Soviet rule, certainly never a symbol to be utilized for “fun” or “humour” any more than a swastika would ever be.
The symbol is recognised as a symbol of inhumanity, genocide and national and human rights violations. It is the symbol of captive nations that were crippled under Soviet rule and still bear the scars. Throughout history and today, it is no laughing matter.
The Swastika was responsible for murdering Jews – the Hammer in Sickle is the symbol of murdering Ukrainians, Lithuanians, Latvians, Estonians and many others. It was the symbol of keeping nations of the former USSR in captivity. The international community has condemned the symbol and all it stood for – Lenin, Stalin and other Soviet Communist Regimes.
Given the involvement of Vladimir Putin’s, Russian aggression in Ukraine and international interference this is not the time for soft Russian propaganda. Australia showed Putin the door at the G20 in Brisbane in 2014.
The Australian public should show MKR the door in this issue.
Four years on in 2018, Putin and the Russian aggression in Eastern Ukraine continues. Soldiers and civilians continue to die with tens of thousands wounded. The Russian annexation of Crimea is still on the table and being condemned internationally – most recently in the United Nations in December 2017.
MKR’s naivety has played into the hands of Russian propaganda. A softly, softy approach writing it off as entertainment and bringing it to the front of consumers’ minds.
“The Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations (AFUO) condemns this opportunistic way of promoting an old Soviet skeleton which still traumatises those who suffered under it and using it to attract attention”. AFUO Chairman Stefan Romaniw said today
“At a time when the Australian Government and many other governments around the world have sanctions in place against Putin and the Russian Federation, MKR’s flippant use of the hammer and sickle is incredibly offensive to all former Soviet nations.” said AFUO Chairman Mr Stefan Romaniw.
“Will MKR promote the Swastika in future and hide behind sauerkraut, bratwurst and roulade?” Mr Romaniw said
“The AFUO calls on the Channel 7 and the producers of MKR – not to fall into the trap of promoting hard core international issues in soft and juicy way and remove this promotion.” Mr Romaniw said. There is too much at stake.
Further information contact – Stefan Romaniw 0419 531 255
