Holodomor Commemoration 2015
Perth, Western Australia
"The Living "
In keeping with the Decree of the President of Ukraine, Remembrance Day for the Holodomor victims was established to be observed annually on the fourth Saturday of November on November 26, 1998. Today we commemorate and mourn with all Ukrainians the tragedy of the Holodomor.
The Holodomor was a mass famine, which caused thousands of deaths due to starvation in Ukraine in 1932-1933. This brutal crime against humanity, orchestrated by Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin was part of a deliberate policy of the Communist regime aimed a the physical elimination of Ukrainians.
I would like to remember and honour those that spoke the truth to the world about the national catastrophe of 1932-1933 in Ukraine. The likes of William Henry Chamberlin, James Mace, Raphael Lemkin who resisted the lies and manipulations of the Soviet regime aimed to prevent the West from knowing the real truth. I would also like to acknowledge our own Dr Lesa Melnyczuk-Morgan for her dedication in completing her doctorate on the subject of the Holodomor and the effect it had on our community in WA.
George Orwell in his novel 1984 said - He who controls the past controls the future. He who controls the present controls the past.”
Today - Ukrainians and their friends abroad face a similar challenge of countering the policy of the authoritarian Russian regime, which as a loyal follower of Stalinism continues to deny the truth about the history of the Holodomor. Today our generation face yet another attempt by the pro-Sovieticus machine to control and manipulate Ukrainian and thus our history
The Maidan of Dignity was another step forward for Ukraine to control her present and thus her past and her future. We must fulfil this wish of the youth and students of Ukraine for this is ours and Ukraine’s future.
Russian propaganda should never be allowed to manipulate & kill the Truth!
As I hand the podium to Dr Lesya Melnyczuk – Morgan I would like to conclude with prophetic words that Symon Petliura spoke in 1921 …
Як головний Отаман Війська Українського, я наказує вам: більшовиків-комуністів і інших бандитів, що роблять єврейські погроми та нищать населення, карати безпощадно і, як один, стати в оборону бідного змученого населенняі через наші військові суди розправитися з бандитами негайно».
As Chief Оttaman of the Ukrainian Army – I command you mercilessly punish “bolsheviks, commuinsts and other terrorists, who make pogroms and destroy our population, and stand united in defense of our poor and emaciated nation and deal with these bandits through the courts immediately..
Mykola Mowczan - Nov 30 2015
Holodomor Commemoration - Perth Western Australia November 29, 2015
After respective liturgies the Ukrainian Catholic and Ukrainian Orthodox Churches united to commemorate the 1932-1933 Holodomor in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of St Nicholas. The panahyda was celebrated by Fr Vladymyr Zaiko, Fr Wolydymyr Kalinecki and Rev. Deacon Walter Slaven.
Afterwards the congregation was invited to a short presentation and refreshments in the church hall. Mykola Mowczan, the president of the UAWA opened the presentation and thanked Dr Lesa Melnyczuk-for her invaluable historical work and then concluded with a powerful message about the current situation in Ukraine.
In concluding, he quoted Symon Petliura’s words (spoken in 1921 ~ but so relevant to the situation in Ukraine today, “As Chief Оttaman of the Ukrainian Army – I command you, mercilessly punish “bolsheviks, commuinsts and other terrorists, who make pogroms and destroy our population and stand united in defence of our poor and emaciated nation and deal with these bandits through the courts immediately.
Dr Lesa Melnyczuk spoke of her thesis, her book “Silent Memories - Traumatic Lives” and of a new e-book which she is now working on. Dr Lesa thanked Rev Deacon W. Slaven for commencing his Ph.D. the subject of the thesis is the Historry of Eastern Orthodoxy in Western Australia.
The afternoon concluded with a screening of Mrs Zoya Czerkasow’s Holodomor interview with Dr. Lesya Melnyczuk (this was a first for her as she had not seen it before). The link to the interview https://youtu.be/f-1GtoBLys8
Other interviews can be found here:
Hryhoriy Robins - https://youtu.be/L4LQO3jD_XM
© 2022 by Ukrainian Association of WA Inc.