GMCA: Boroughs to recognise Ukrainian Famine as a genocide

The famine, or Holodomor, claimed the lives of millions from 1932 to 1933 when the country was under the control of the Soviet Union.

A number of countries recognise it as a genocide, as do the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, although there is discussion about to what extent it was an intentional attempt to claim the lives of millions and to what extent it was an unintentional consequence of policies such as the collectivisation of agriculture.

In the UK, it is not among the atrocities to be recognised as such, which are The Holocaust, the Cambodian Genocide, the Rwandan Genocide, the Srebrenica Genocide and the Yazidi Genocide.

On Friday, the GMCA is to break with government in solidarity with a Ukrainian community which is much more numerous since the outbreak of the Russo-Ukrainian War two years ago this week.

A GMCA report reads: "The long-standing position of successive governments is that genocide recognition is a matter for the competent courts as opposed to governments or non-judicial bodies.

"Whilst recognising The Holodomor as 'an appalling tragedy and an important part of the history of Ukraine' the government has confirmed it has no plans to recognise these events as a genocide."

The council leaders of all the boroughs of Greater Manchester are asked to approve a statement recognising the Ukrainian Famine as a genocide and recognising a day of remembrance.

They meet in the council chamber of Manchester Town Hall this week.

The statement reads: "2022-23 marked the 90th anniversary of the Ukrainian man-made famine in 1932-33 known as the Holodomor. The GMCA endorses the following statement:

"1) The Holodomor was an act of genocide against Ukrainians in 1932-33. 2) The GMCA recognises the fourth Saturday of November as a day of remembrance for the innocent victims of the Holodomor."

This article was written by Jack Tooth. To contact him, email jack.tooth@newsquest.co.uk or follow @JTRTooth on Twitter.