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An advocacy group is calling on the New Zealand government to recognise a man-made famine in Ukraine that occurred 90 years ago as genocide.
The Holodomor, which means death by hunger in Ukrainian, was caused by Soviet Union policies and, from 1932 to 1933, killed millions of Ukrainians.
Mahi for Ukraine spokeswoman Kate Turska said Russia is using similar tactics in its war in Ukraine today that has killed 62,295 people and displaced more than 17 million.
“While the war of Russian aggression against Ukraine is indeed genocide, Russian aggression 90 years ago must also be recognised as genocide,” she said.
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The Holodomor was part of a wider Soviet famine between 1931 and 1934, but political decisions made by Soviet leader Joseph Stalin made it particularly deadly in Ukraine.
Farms and villages in Ukraine were prevented from receiving food and aid, and Ukrainians were banned from leaving their territory in search of food.
As millions were dying of starvation, the Soviets also conducted attacks on Ukrainian culture such as halting a policy which encouraged the use of their language.
Turska calls the Holodomor one of the darkest chapters in human history.
“The deliberate policies of forced collectivisation, confiscation of crops, and the denial of aid created unbearable conditions that led to widespread starvation and immense suffering,” she said.
“The leadership of the Soviet Union committed it with the aim of eliminating Ukrainian resistance to the regime and its attempts to build a Ukrainian state independent of Moscow, and we are witnessing today that their aspirations in that regard have not changed.”
Turska said recognition of the Holodomor as genocide would bring awareness to the tragedy and promote understanding of the suffering endured by the Ukrainian people.
“It would demonstrate New Zealand’s commitment to upholding human rights and condemning acts of genocide, reinforcing our country’s values on the international stage.”
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) said Aotearoa New Zealand condemns the horrific event which took millions of innocent Ukrainian lives.
“We pay tribute to all those who work to keep alive the memory of those who suffered or perished,” they said.
“For determining whether a particular situation constitutes a genocide, Aotearoa New Zealand places great emphasis on the findings of international courts and tribunals.
“In the absence of a finding from a component court or tribunal, New Zealand does not have a general practice or established process for making independent determinations of genocide.”
Mahi for Ukraine presented a petition on December 14, 2022 with 1034 signatures urging the Government to declare Russia a terrorist state. It was referred to the relevant minister on May 5.
The MFAT spokesperson noted New Zealand’s Terrorism Suppression Act 2002 was not designed or intended as a means to respond to international human rights violations.
“The Government has taken significant measures in response to Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine,” they said, including $78 million in financial and military support, joining Ukraine’s legal case against Russia and sanctions targeting more than 1500 Russian individuals and entities, among other measures.
But Turska said it was crucial that New Zealand joined 26 countries, including the US, Canada and Australia, in acknowledging the Holodomor as genocide.
Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 and at least 62,295 people have been killed in the conflict and around 17 million people have been displaced.
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