By: Maydaa Abo El-Nadar
CAIRO, Dec. 19 (SEE)- 'Holodomor' comes from the Ukrainian word Голодомо́р that means to kill by starvation.
Over two years (1932-1933) millions of Ukrainians died due to famine deliberately organized by the Soviet Bolshevik regime. Few crimes in history are similar in cruelty and methods of execution. The famine was not caused by nature or poor harvest, on the contrary, there was enough grain and potatoes produced by Ukrainian soil.
Ukraine's agricultural production in both years could have saved every starving man and the lives of millions. However, the Soviet Union (USSR) kept Ukraine's production for export and sold it to foreign states. USSR used the famine to defeat Ukraine's resistance against the USSR, as Ukraine's opponents were crucial against the USSR's creation.
Ukraine had the largest population of all non Russian states and it had the second largest population after Russia. However, from 1932 to 1934, due to the famine, according to different evaluations, Ukraine lost around 8 millions of its citizens.
The famine consisted of two stages; the first was the confiscation of all food resources. The second was the isolation of the population and preventing them from escaping and searching for food. In July 1932, the Kremlin set unrealistic grain quota for Ukraine, at levels impossible to achieve, to punish those who failed to meet the target.
To further punish farmers, Soviet Union widely applied extra judicial measurement called (blacklist). In small districts, villages, and collective farmers, farmers were blacklisted for not meeting the bread target.
On 22 January1933, Stalin issued a decree prohibiting farmers to leave their territory. Selling and buying train tickets for Ukrainian farmers were prohibited; road ways were blocked by security police; those who managed to flee, were arrested and detained to die in their villages.
Implementation of restricted policy reached its peak in 1933's winter and spring. Tens of thousands of innocent people were dying on daily bases. By June 1933, it was estimated that around 30,000 Ukrainians were dying daily including children less than 10 years. Statistics show that in September the same year, in many regions up to two third of children did not show up at schools.
By restricting food resources, blocking villages, banning travels, prohibiting trade in rural areas, restricting political gathering, USSR made life in Ukraine impossible.
Aside from the physical harm, the tragedy destroyed the traditional Ukrainian way of life. While Ukraine was suffering, the USSR did not inform officially report the disaster, misinformed the international community, and refused any help from abroad. Anyone, who claimed the contrary, was accused of spreading anti-soviet propaganda.
Until 1987, information about the disaster remained banned. With the fall of the USSR an inaccessible archive, documenting the famine, showed up. On 28 November 2006, the Ukrainian parliament passed a decree defining the 'Holodomor' as deliberate act of genocide.
Ukrainians mark annually the last Saturday of November as the famine's anniversary. They honor the victims' memory, give variety of lectures about the tragedy, celebrate film nights, make discussions with survivals, and raise awareness of this genocide.
The Embassy of Ukraine in Egypt did not miss celebrating the anniversary. On 11 December 2018, at the Ebdaa Art Gallery, the Ukrainian diplomatic mission in Cairo gave lecture about the famine. The mission included: Ambassador Hennadii Latii, Bohdan Horvat, Vitalii Matiytehuk, and Yuliya Sokol. At the gallery, paintings that depict the tragedy were displayed.
Speaking about the Holodomor's international recognition, out of the world's 195 countries, 16 UN countries recognized it as genocide. These countries are: Australia, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, USA, and the Vatican City. Other countries and institutes have issued statements that recognized the 'Holodomor' as a tragedy or crime against humanity, without using the word genocide.
Monuments that revives 'Holodomor' are encountered in Kiev (Ukraine), Washington (USA), Winnipeg (Canada), Krakow (Poland), and Cagliari (Italy).
Here are some quotes for Ukrainians who witnessed this tragedy:
Victor Bitrovich Mikholivsky, from Lytvynivka village, at the area of Zhashkiv, Cherkasy governorate, said, "The famine was a deliberate act, as in our village 500 personas died. In the neighboring village, 750 died. We ate saltbush plant. Livestock died and we also ate it. My father was the head of the village's council, so he ordered to give each one a glass of black spelt. On the second day of distributing the glasses, he was arrested. My father survived the famine but my mother died because of it. "
Maria Yuybivna Kota, from Zhytnyky village, at the area of Zhashkiv, Cherkasy governorate, mentioned "My mother died in 1933 because of the famine. She fell in the public road and died, so my brother who was still in the cradle also died. We ate lindens. People were buried without grave clothes. I saw dead bodies scattered across the road. When my mother died, my younger sister was three year-old and my elder one was seven. Many died."
Maria Oksintivna Sokhomlin, born in 1922, from Liodvinivka, at the area of Raion Makariv, Kiev governorate, expressed "In 1933, my mother, father, sister, brother, also three young brothers, died. Each one was buried separately. When my last brother died, his body was carried far and buried in a hall, as if he were a beet plant. Death visited every house. In our house seven died and I was the only who survived. I ate so I survived. In our village all died except three girls and two boys."
Zinaida Ivanivna Ermolinko, born in 1925, from Bokrovsky, the area of Raion Troitsk, Lohansk governorate, added "They wanted to strangulate Ukraine. 1933 was a terrifying year. People fell at the streets while walking."
In order to pay tribute to millions of victims, Ukraine is pressing to achieve the international recognition for such a tragedy. The recognition will also help to raise the awareness that food is still being used as a weapon, and to prevent such deplorable acts from happening again.
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