Holodomor Remembrance: Never Forget; Never Forgive

UPDATES with comments by Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY).

For 90 years Ukrainians around the world, in many countries and in many forms, have shed tears amid reciting prayers for the intention of souls of the 7-10 million innocent Ukrainian men, women and children who were starved to death by the murderous russian regime headed by the insane dictator Josef Stalin. They’re crime: they were Ukrainian.

The United States Senate, among other lawmaking bodies, in a resolution adopted on March 14, 2018, stated that it “… recognizes the findings of the Commission on the Ukraine Famine as submitted to Congress on April 22, 1988, including that ‘Joseph Stalin and those around him committed genocide against the Ukrainians in 1932–1933.′”

Other institutions from myriad countries have adopted similar statements that can be read here:  https://holodomormuseum.org.ua/en/recognition-of-holodomor-as-genocide-in-the-world/#:~:text=April%209%2C%202009.-,%E2%80%A6,the%20height%20of%20the%20famine.

Ukrainian Americans in New York City assembled today in St. Patrick’s Cathedral for the latest spiritual iteration of the remembrance, which has been held here for 35 years.

This year’s ceremony had special significance for the throng that filled the historic house of worship. Not only did they pray for the repose of the souls who died a horrible death deprived by russians of even a grain of wheat and stalk of grass but also to pay tribute to the heroic Ukrainian nation as it battles Moscow in its latest war against Ukrainians. Both mass murders are considered acts of genocide perpetrated by russia. This dual emotional commemoration of past and present russian crimes against the Ukrainian nation probably contributed to the overflowing attendance at the program organized by the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America.

Clergy and hierarchs of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the USA concelebrated the ecumenical moleben and requiem with responses sung by the Ukrainian “Dumka” chorus of New York City lead by Vasyl Hrechynsky.

Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) reminded the multitude that “Stalin tried to annihilate the Ukrainian people and the Ukrainian spirit but, praise God, he failed on both counts. Stalin is gone, Soviet Russia is gone but the Ukrainian people live on. Long may they live,” said the Senate majority leader.

“Russian brutality, viciousness and brutality will never break the Ukrainian people and so as Stalin failed, so will Putin,” he said alluding to the current Russian dictator’s war against Ukraine.

A mainstay at the commemoration at St. Patrick’s, Schumer pointed out that it is important to him to remember the Holodomor anniversary.

“Ukrainians were murdered by a genocidal maniac. What Stalin did to the Ukrainian people was genocide,” said Schumer, whose ancestors come from the western Ukrainian town of Chortkiv.

Addressing the Russo-Ukraine War of 2014-22, Schumer said the latest phase has lasted nine months and the United States has been continually helping Ukraine “to stop Putin’s evil aggression” but the fight is far from over. “We must continue to help Ukraine,” he said.

“I believe the United States should give Ukraine everything it needs and under my leadership the Congress will continue to do so,” he pledged.

Noting the rising differences in Congress regarding helping Ukraine, Schumer urged the attendees to spread the word across the country that America must stand with Ukraine.

“If Ukraine succumbs to Putin, he will not rest there,” he warned.

Archbishop-Metropolitan Antony of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church reflected on the ironic lack of modern Internet technology that obviously wasn’t available in 1932-33 to inform the world of this crime of mass starvation that led to Walter Duranty’s abysmal lies in The New York Times. However, today with the ubiquitous Internet and social media the global population knows firsthand about russia’s war crimes in Ukraine. The memories of both moral wrongdoings will live on from generation to generation in God’s heavenly Kingdom, the Ukrainian hierarch observed.

Ukrainians rose through Russian aggression after aggression like the mythological phoenix and today the world sees Ukrainians as a free and independent nation with the right to live free, according to its own laws and traditions, he continued. True words about Ukraine and russian aggression spread throughout the world outweighing the naysayers.

“Our protests have awakened the world about Ukraine and it is listening,” Metropolitan Antony said.

While the sanctified number of 7-10 million victims-martyrs of Russian-made starvation is recorded in history, the hierarch pointed that those deaths also contributed to loss of millions more Ukrainians who could not have been born.

Michael Sawkiw Jr., director of the UCCA’s Ukrainian National Information Service in Washington, DC, called russia’s politically motivated vile tragedy an act of genocide that matches the United Nations’ definition of such a mass liquidation of one people, one nation. He said russia’s desire to control Ukraine resurfaced again eight years ago when it invaded and seized Crimea and the Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts and now, nine months again with the latest invasion of Ukraine.

In addition to missiles that russia’s aims against innocent Ukrainian civilians and life-sustaining utilities, Moscow is also counting on the winter cold to force Ukrainians to freeze to death or surrender, he noted.

Holodomor or death by hunger as it called in Ukrainian has become a globally recognized word, Sawkiw said. “Then it was Holodomor, today it is genocide, when will it be justice?”

Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya, permanent representative of Ukraine to the United Nations, said the Holodomor is among the tragic pages of the history of Ukraine. He alluded to the repetitive nature of russian aggression against Ukraine for the purpose of subjugating the nation and destroying the country. Sophisticated weapons are in the forefront of russia’s invasion but today it is reverting to starvation and famine in order to subjugate not only Ukraine but countries in Africa and elsewhere. He said 828 million people are facing hunger today because of russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the consequential blockades of Ukrainian seaports and hijacking of cargo. Nonetheless, Kyslytsya called on the attendees not to despair because 143 UN member-states support Ukraine. “Don’t let the enemy see us despair,” he urged the participants.

Andrew Weinstein of the Permanent Mission of the United States to the United Nations said this year’s Holodomor commemoration is being held against the backdrop of Russia’s latest war against Ukraine. The United States condemns Moscow’s aggression against Ukraine and stands with the Ukrainian people, he said.

Dying of hunger is not an easy death, not as easy as being executed by gunfire, which the russians also effectively carried out. Dying of hunger is painful and long. The organs and body deteriorate and then man, woman or child cease to exist. That’s what russia did to 7-10 million Ukrainian men, women and children.

With thoughts of “never again” on the lips of the throng, history has sadly shown that russia regularly repeats its bloody attempt to subjugate Ukraine. Ukrainians have not been fortunate to face Russian brutality once and never again. What happened in 1932-33 happened before and is happening again today in front of the world which for the sake of humanity must be brave to say “Never forget; Never forgive.”

NATO’s Unwanted Test of Strengths

It was destined to happen.

Leaders of the captive nations’ independence movements, having emerged from the forests at the end of World War 2, warned the leaders of the free world that Russia will not ride off into the setting sun but rather will intensify its efforts to subjugate Eastern European nations and others until it succeeds.

With the fall of the Soviet Russian empire – the Evil Empire – Moscow has been continuing its military campaign to imprison near and distant independent nations by invading and waging war first against Ukraine. Today, it expanded its efforts by striking Poland with a missile and killing two Poles.

Speaking of the shot heard round the world.

President Zelenskyy of Ukraine on November 15 had just finished addressing the G20 conference in Bali, from which Russian führer Putin was propitiously absent, when the Russian rockets hit Poland, near the border with Ukraine. President Biden was immediately notified of this attack and the predictable events were set in motion.

Zelenskyy and President of Poland Andrzej Duda immediately condemned Russia for this unconscionable attack against a member of NATO, a steadfast ally of Ukraine and stalwart supporter of the United States. Both presidents pledged support for each other’s countries in these anxious times.

The North Atlantic alliance’s cup just reached the brim of its concerns. Its actions tomorrow will determine if it is a feeble cat, a paper tiger or a military force to be reckoned with. However, the outcome that is needed may not be addressed due to the trepidation of Germany and France. To be sure, the former captive nations of Russian subjugation, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, as they have determinedly demonstrated in the past, will support Poland and Ukraine and demand a strong even military response from NATO. The new Scandinavian member-states may also join them in that firm reaction.

Poland has already convened its national security council to decide what action to take. NATO will be called into session Wednesday morning. Undoubtedly, the often-cited Article 5, states that the parties to the NATO treaty “agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all.” Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February this sentence was been earnestly quoted in reference to needed unified actions to defend and liberate Ukraine from Russia’s latest invasion. There were no takers and as a result Ukraine has had to fend for itself with the timely arms assistance of the United States, Canada, Great Britain, the former captive nations, and a few others.

President Biden has famously pledged that “An attack on one is an attack on all and we will defend every inch of NATO territory, every inch of NATO territory.” He’s talked the talk and now he has to walk the talk.

Many supporters and defenders of Ukraine have said that Russia must be punished for invading Ukraine and anything short of that will not slake Moscow’s thirst for more drastic attacks against Ukraine or its neighbors. So far, the discussion was an academic exercise. Now the adults must be separated from the children.

To be sure, Poland is duty and honor bound to demand the enactment of Article 5 in defense of its nation and inviolable national territory. This is the second time in a dozen years that Poland has suffered death at hands of Russia, the previous one being the air tragedy in Smolensk. According to Article 5, the other NATO members are under legal and moral obligation to stand with Poland in endorsing the strongest actions against Russia, not merely sanctions that Putin can buy off.

The historic onus is on the righteous nations to stand up and defeat if not destroy Russia for the sake of regional and global peace and security.

Poland must first demand that Article 5 is enacted and it must mobilize is entire Armed Forces. Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia must also mobilize their armed forces. The United States, Canada and Great Britain must increase their military presence in Eastern Europe in response to Russia’s fatal provocation against innocent Poland. NATO’s response must be unified, targeted, swift and decisive.

This united multinational armed force must then enter Ukraine and send a clear message to the Kremlin that its days are over and it must surrender or face the full brunt of NATO’s military might.

If NATO doesn’t force Moscow to stand down, then it might as well hang up its emblem, epilates and uniforms.

Sound Advice: ‘Stick with Ukraine’

The New York Daily News, which in a different era coined the memorable maxim “The only good Red is a dead Red,” understands that regional and global peace is impossible with russia prowling for weak countries with indecisive allies. They are the low-hanging fruits that Moscow intends to grab to fill its prison of nations.

In the wake of the midterm elections that were filled with illogical GOP threats or promises of turning off financial and material support for Ukraine, the Daily News in an editorial on Sunday, November 13, advised that such a policy is premature and dangerous. The New York newspaper, once a noted voice of American conservativism and champion of captive nations, sided solidly with a Ukrainian victory by writing that Washington and its allies must help Ukraine defeat russia.

Following is the full text of its commentary.

“Months of russian occupation are over in Kherson, the strategically crucial Ukrainian port city. The major setback for Vladimir Putin’s troops should decisively end any talk of the United States soon ceasing its support for Ukraine. The chief objective must remain ending the brutal invasion — with hopes that a durable peace is soon negotiated on terms that send a decisive message to any other nation that seeks to roll over a weaker sovereign neighbor.

“Though it’ll be a narrow majority indeed, Republicans look close to retaking the majority in the U.S. House. If they do, a sizable contingent in the party, still in thrall to Donald Trump’s “America First” brand of isolationism, is expected to raise the volume on calls to pull the plug on American support for Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s defensive campaign. Daily, the likes of Tucker Carlson ask why on earth America is militarily entangled with Kyiv. Speaker-in-waiting Kevin McCarthy has already said the GOP will not write a ‘blank check’ funding those efforts.

“Nobody wants limitless billions to go out the door; placing reasonable conditions on cash is surely reasonable. But Putin initiated hostilities just 266 days ago. To so quickly lose stomach for following through on a pledge to support a friendly democratic nation — a commitment that involves putting no American lives at risk — would make a mockery of America’s global commitments.

“The balance is delicate indeed. Through soft and hard power alike, the United States and its many allies need to remain focused on helping Ukraine defeat russia without needlessly escalating the conflict or inadvertently sparking a wider regional conflagration.

“But the message of Kherson is to press on in the crucial mission of beating Putin back. The good guys can win this war.”

In the wake of Ukraine’s momentous victory in Kherson that drove hapless russian invaders out of the southern Ukrainian oblast, President Zelenskyy correctly declared that his country’s mission is to drive out russian cutthroats in uniforms that are more adept at raping underage girls from all regions of the country, including Donetsk, Luhansk and Crimea. That is the unassailable regional and global formula for peace and security.