Famine Monument Testimony

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Introduction

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Mr. Chairman and members of the National Capital Memorial Commission of the National Park Service, thank you for the opportunity to address this subcommittee on issues relating to the erection of a monument to the victims of the Ukrainian Famine-Genocide in Washington, D.C.Speaking on behalf of the 1.5 million Americans of Ukrainian descent, the subject of the Ukrainian Famine-Genocide is of great importance to the Ukrainian community as it is one of the most recent and tragic pages of our nation’s history.It acquires even more significance in the context of this year's commemoration of the 70^th Anniversary of the Famine-Genocide.

For years, the Ukrainian American community has been educating the general public and speaking out about one of the most horrific cases of genocide of the 20^th century. Ukrainian Americans have found great support in local communities throughout the United States and now would like to thank you for allowing us to raise this issue at the federal level.

The magnitude and gravity of this atrocity remain unknown to the world and a monument dedicated to the innocent victims would serve as not only a memorial to those who perished but also as a tool to help educate the global community of such heinous crimes.

Purpose of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America

The Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA), over which I preside, is the national umbrella organization representing the interests of the Ukrainian community in the United States. Founded by the First Congress of Ukrainians in 1940, the main purpose of the UCCA is to support cultural, educational and humanitarian activities that emphasize the Ukrainian American heritage and to effectively coordinate the work of the community. These goals are achieved through a nationwide network of over 75 branches, member organizations and a variety of internal UCCA committees and commissions that are tasked with specific projects.

The Voice of a Community

As a not-for-profit, educational and charitable institution, the UCCA has a long history

of actively pursuing issues that affect the Ukrainian American community, particularly in the arena of U.S.-former Soviet and now U.S.-Ukraine relations. Throughout its existence, the UCCA has adapted to changes in world politics and modified its activities accordingly.Initially, the purpose of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America was to provide authoritative information regarding the Ukrainian nation's plight for national independence and human rights. In this regard, early initiatives included the UCCA's support for legislation on displaced persons following World War II and ratification of the Genocide Treaty. During the height of the Cold War, the UCCA spoke out against Soviet human rights violations, initiated a U.S. Congressional Resolution on the Soviet destruction of Ukrainian churches, supported a U.S. Congressional resolution commemorating the victims of the 1932-1933 Ukrainian Famine-Genocide and was instrumental in promoting the Captive Nations Week Resolution (Public Law 86-90). The UCCA was also a founding organization of the National Captive Nations Committee (NCNC) that united various ethnic organizations with the goal of promoting democracy worldwide. The UCCA's activities have historically been geared at creating awareness about Ukraine, Ukrainian Americans, and the true nature of Soviet imperialism. By supporting such organizations as the NCNC and individuals who stand for freedom of conscience and freedom of speech, as well as by organizing campaigns to free imprisoned dissidents in Ukraine, the UCCA took an active role in Ukraine's liberation struggle from communist oppression.

The hopes and dreams of Ukrainians worldwide came to fruition when Ukraine restored its independence on August 24, 1991.

With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the UCCA redirected its efforts toward supporting Ukraine's democratic development and economic rebirth while sustaining a vibrant Ukrainian community in the United States. The UCCA also began instituting programs to help restore national consciousness and pride in Ukrainians, develop a national education system, and promote the use of the Ukrainian language in all spheres of daily activities.

In addition to the UCCA's continued work in conducting charitable and educational programs, the UCCA began implementing various comprehensive civic education programs including "get-out-the-vote" pre-election campaigns, U.S. study tours for Ukrainian NGOs and representatives of the mass media, and "Rock-the-Vote" youth concerts, to name a few. Most recently, the UCCA expanded upon a multi-media project that not only entertains but also educates children and students about Ukraine's history and culture by producing audiocassettes and CD-ROMs that are sent free of charge to schools, libraries and orphanages throughout Ukraine. A project to provide computers and Internet access to public libraries in small towns and rural communities is also being developed.

However, the most important task of the UCCA was, and continues to be, the promotion of knowledge to the American public about Ukraine, its history, culture, and political development. Pursuant to this mission, the UCCA has raised U.S. awareness of Ukraine as well as represented the interests of Ukrainian Americans before the U.S. government by organizing various conferences, seminars, commemorations, cultural events and the like.

The UCCA also strives to educate the American public about the long, rich, and sometimes tragic history of the Ukrainian people

through various publications including The Ukrainian Quarterly, the only English language scholarly journal of Ukrainian and international affairs. In our efforts to disseminate information, one of the most important projects of the UCCA is the on-going educational campaign about Ukraine's Famine-Genocide of 1932-1933.

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Testimony of M. Sawkiw Before National Capital Memorial Commission of the National Park Service