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Doc. 11512
25 January 2008
The need for international condemnation of Holodomor in Ukraine in 1932-1933
Motion for a resolution
presented by Mrs Wohlwend and others
This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only the members who have signed it
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The right to life is the first and essential human right defined by the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental freedoms (1950).
The rule of the totalitarian Stalinist regime in the former USSR has led to tremendous human rights violations depriving millions of people of their right to live. Holodomor (artificial famine) in Ukraine in 1932-33 is the most tragic evidence of the murderous deeds of the totalitarian Stalinist regime.
Holodomor was the primary result of deliberately planned actions aimed at physical annihilation of the opponents of the repressive regime on a national level. The terror by artificial famine became a principal instrument of this policy. According to sad statistics, during just one year in the period 1932-33, Ukraine lost a quarter of its population (according to different sources, from 7 to 10 million people): 17 people were dying every minute, more than 1 000 every hour and nearly 25 000 every day. The total number of victims was equal to or even exceeded the population of some present-day European countries.
The tragedy of Holodomor has been intentionally concealed during the Soviet era. It was even forbidden to discuss it openly. Nevertheless, this tragedy has no statute of limitations. After decades of silence, today is the opportune moment to restore historical truth, to honour the memory of Holodomor victims and to express sympathy to their relatives.
The Council of Europe shall not keep silent about this tragedy, being the unique
all-European institution in the field of human rights protection. It shall join the voices of other international organisations who have already expressed their attitude to Holodomor:
- on 7 November 2003, 35 United Nations member states made the joint statement on the 70th anniversary of the Great Famine of 1932-33 in Ukraine (Holodomor);
- on 1 November 2007, UNESCO adopted its resolution on remembrance of victims of the Great Famine (Holodomor) in Ukraine in 1932-33;
- on 30 November 2007, 33 OSCE participating states made the joint statement on the 75th anniversary of Holodomor 1932 and 1933 in Ukraine;
- Holodomor in Ukraine was condemned by national parliaments of the Council of Europe member states such as Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Lithuania and Poland, as well as by the Parliaments of Canada and the United States, observers to the Organisation.
While preparing a report and adopting a relevant resolution which will go in line with the previously adopted Resolutions 1096 (1996) and 1481 (2006), the Parliamentary Assembly could show solidarity with its international partners and member states in condemning the deeds of the repressive Stalinist regime, raise public awareness of this tragedy and commemorate the memory of millions of Ukrainians who became victims of the Holodomor of 1932-33.
Signed 1:
- WOHLWEND Renate, Liechtenstein, EPP/CD
- BEMELMANS-VIDEC Marie-Louise, Netherlands, EPP/CD
- BENDER Ryszard, Poland, EDG
- BĒRZINŠ Andris, Latvia, ALDE
- BILOZIR Oksana, Ukraine, EPP/CD
- BLUM Roland, France, EPP/CD
- BOKERIA Giorgi, Georgia, ALDE
- BONDARENKO Olena, Ukraine, ALDE
- Van den BRANDE Luc, Belgium, EPP/CD
- BRANGER Jean-Guy, France, EPP/CD
- CIRCENE Ingrida, Latvia, EPP/CD
- CLIVETI Minodora, Romania, SOC
- COSARCIUC Valeriu, Moldova, ALDE
- CUBREACOV Vlad, Moldova, EPP/CD
- DOBELIS Juris, Latvia, EDG
- EÖRSI Mátyás, Hungary, ALDE
- FROMMELT Doris, Liechtenstein, EPP/CD
- GREENWAY John, United Kingdom, EDG
- GROSS Andreas, Switzerland, SOC
- GRZYB Andrzej, Poland, EPP/CD
- HADŽIAHMETOVIĆ Azra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, ALDE
- HANCOCK Michael, United Kingdom, ALDE
- HERASYM'YUK Olha, Ukraine, ALDE
- HERKEL Andres, Estonia, EPP/CD
- HOLOVATY Serhiy, Ukraine, ALDE
- HUSKOWSKI Stanisław, Poland, EPP/CD
- IWIŃSKI Tadeusz, Poland, SOC
- JAKAVONIS Gediminas, Lithuania, ALDE
- JAZŁOWIECKA Danuta, Poland, EPP/CD
- KARSKI Karol, Poland, EDG
- KESKIN Hakki, Germany, UEL
- LAVRYNOVYCH Oleksandr, Ukraine, NR
- LAVTIŽAR-BEBLER Darja, Slovenia, ALDE
- LEUTHEUSSER-SCHNARRENBERGER Sabine, Germany, ALDE
- LINDBLAD Göran, Sweden, EPP/CD
- LIPIŃSKI Dariusz, Poland, EPP/CD
- LOEPFE Arthur, Switzerland, EPP/CD
- MALIĆ Mirjana, Bosnia and Herzegovina, SOC
- MELČÁK Miloš, Czech Republic, SOC
- MIMICA Neven, Croatia, SOC
- MOTA AMARAL Joăo Bosco, Portugal, EPP/CD
- NAKASHIDZÉ Nino, Georgia, ALDE
- OJULAND Kristiina, Estonia, ALDE
- OMELCHENKO Hryhoriy, Ukraine, ALDE
- PANTEV Andrey, Bulgaria, SOC
- PASHAYEVA Ganira, Azerbaijan, EDG
- de POURBAIX-LUNDIN Marietta, Sweden, EPP/CD
- PYSARENKO Valeriy, Ukraine, SOC
- RIGONI Andrea, Italy, ALDE
- ROTNICKA Jadwiga, Poland, NR
- RUSSELL-JOHNSTON, United Kingdom, ALDE
- SEVERINSEN Hanne, Denmark, ALDE
- SOBOLEV Serhiy, Ukraine, EPP/CD
- STULIGROSZ Michał, Poland, EPP/CD
- TEVDORADZE Elene, Georgia, ALDE
- VAREIKIS Egidijus, Lithuania, EPP/CD
- WIKIŃSKI Marek, Poland, SOC
- WODARG Wolfgang, Germany, SOC
- WURM Gisela, Austria, SOC
1 SOC:
Socialist Group
EPP/CD: Group of the European
People’s Party
ALDE: Alliance of Liberals
and Democrats for Europe
EDG: European Democratic
Group
UEL: Group of the Unified European
Left
NR: not registered in a group
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