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Mr. Chairman,
At the outset I wish to thank the Secretary-General for the documents under this agenda item and the Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights Mr. Bertrand Ramcharan for his brilliant presentation. My delegation would also like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the memory of the late High Commissioner for Human Rights, outstanding Brazilian diplomat Sergio Vieira de Mello, an excellent peacemaker and a strong advocate for human rights. We will miss Sergio and will never forget other people who perished in Baghdad.
In connection with this tragedy as well as a number of others in many parts of the world we ask ourselves again and again: how can we save and promote the most fundamental and inalienable right of every person - the right to life?
There is no doubt that we should combat new threats like terrorism in all their forms. And we need to respond to them not only by legislative and security measures but with the armory of common values, common standards and common commitments on universal rights. A comprehensive strategy to establish global security must be grounded on promoting respect for human rights through upholding the rule of law, fostering social justice and enhancing democracy.
Raising public awareness of human rights and fundamental freedoms is among the most important tasks we are facing today. Just a year ago, in his first and last report as the High Commissioner before the General Assembly Mr. de Mello rightly pointed out that nations had the right to know the truth about past events. Full and effective exercise of this right to truth is essential to avoid any recurrence of violations in the future.
Guided by this principle my delegation together with the delegations of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Egypt, Georgia, Guatemala, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Nauru, Pakistan, Qatar, the Republic of Moldova, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, the Syrian Arab Republic, Taj ikistan, Timor-Leste, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States of America have issued the joint statement on one of the most tragic events in the history of Ukraine, and I believe, in the history of humankind - the Great Famine of 1932-33 (Holodomor). This statement will be circulated as an official document of the 58th session under agenda item 117(b), and Ukraine would like to thank once again all delegations who have signed this statement for their valuable support.
We, in Ukraine, are also very grateful to the Senates of Argentina, Australia, Canada and the US House of Representatives for adopting this year respective documents on the Great Famine. Some of them clearly pointed out that the Holodomor was one of the most terrible expressions of genocide in the history of humankind.
The Great Famine engineered by the totalitarian Soviet regime claimed the lives of 7 to 10 million of our compatriots, the figure that can be compared with the population of an average European country. The dreadful Famine that engulfed Ukraine in 1932-33 was the result of Joseph Stalin's policy of forced collectivization. This Famine was accompanied by a devastating purges of the Ukrainian intelligentsia, religious leaders and politicians. It broke the peasant's will to resist collectivization and left Ukraine politically, socially and psychologically traumatized.
Unfortunately, back in 1933 the world did not respond to our tragedy. The international community believed the cynical propaganda of the Soviet Union, which was selling bread abroad while in Ukraine the hunger was killing 17 people each minute. In other words, a number of people equal to the number of people present in this Conference room was perishing every 20 minutes.
During this week the delegation of Ukraine together with a number of NGO's organize scores of events in observance of the 70th anniversary of the Great Famine, and invites all the delegations, their families and friends to attend them and to learn more about the Ukrainian Holodomor.
As the President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma stated in his address at the general debate of the 58th session of the General Assembly, and as was clearly expressed in the joint document of our delegations, we do not want to settle scores with the past. We just want that as many people as possible know about our tragedy and that this knowledge help all of us to avoid similar catastrophes in the future.
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58th session of the General Assembly
Agenda item 117b
Human rights questions, including alternative approaches
for improving the effective enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms
Joint statement by delegations of Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Egypt, Georgia, Guatemala, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Nauru, Pakistan, Qatar, Republic of Moldova, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United States of America
On the 70th anniversary of the Great Famine of 1932-33 in Ukraine (Holodomor)
In the former Soviet Union millions of men, women and children fell victims to the cruel actions and policies of the totalitarian regime. The Great Famine of 1932-33 in Ukraine (Holodomor), which took 7 to 10 millions of innocent lives, became a national tragedy for the Ukrainian people. In this regard we note activities in observance of the 70th anniversary of this Famine, in particular organized by the Government of Ukraine.
Honoring the 70th anniversary of the Ukrainian tragedy, we also commemorate the memory of millions Russians, Kazakhs and representatives of other nationalities died of starvation in the Volga river region, Northern Caucasus, Kazakhstan and in other parts of the former Soviet Union, as a result of Civil war and forced collectivization, leaving deep scars in the consciousness of future generations.
Expressing sympathy to the victims of the Great Famine, we call upon all Member States, the United Nations and its special agencies, international and regional organizations, as well as non-governmental organizations, foundations and associations to pay tribute to the memory of those who perished during that tragic period of history.
Recognizing the importance of raising public awareness on the tragic events in the history of mankind for their prevention in future, we deplore acts and policies, which brought about mass starvation and deaths of millions of people. We do not want to settle scores with the past, it could not be changed, but we are convinced that exposing violations of human rights, preserving historical records and restoring the dignity of victims through acknowledgement of their suffering, will guide future societies and help to avoid similar catastrophes in the future. We need that as many people as possible learn about this tragedy and consider that this knowledge will strengthen effectiveness of the rule of law and enhance respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.
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