N. Lygeros (OPUS)
Translated from the Greek by Evi Charitidou
In Greece the genocide of the Ukrainians is almost unknown. Holodomor
has not been heard not even as a word. Whereas 17 countries have already
recognized the genocide of the Ukrainians as a crime against humanity.
In a way we could say that as to Greek standards this has been a
successful genocide, since society has either forgotten it or is
indifferent to it. However, this does not mean that victims and
executioners do not exist.
This does not mean that innocent people were
not murdered and that Just people do not struggle for recognizing the
1932-1933 genocide. The Unquenchable Flame’s message is simple: Ukraine
recalls, the world recognizes. And its symbolism is absolutely
comprehensible. The Crucified Christ in the Virgin Mary’s heart explains
the death’s birth. Wheat cobs refer to the artificial famine. Many of
us lack knowledge of what is evident regarding this human tragedy. It
does not matter any longer. Now we may learn everything. We have access
to that time’s secret archives explaining to us the framework and causes
of having scattered testimonies in the past. Oblivion is no longer an
option; only indifference is. Evidence exists and proves the horrible
fact of that Soviet period. We may now directly face the magnitude of
sacrifice and horror of crime.
As Greeks we know exactly what the word
‘genocide’ means; because our people has experienced it in its guts and
has many times died out of it. There is no need for us to have it
explained. We just have to learn Ukraine’s forgotten history. The fact
of being unaware cannot surprise us. Genocide’s methodology is
comprehensible. It is based on the one hand upon extinguishing humans by
transforming them into animals so that animals would devour them and on
the other hand on vanishing proof. Thus, survivors find it twice as
much difficult to display the tragedy’s seize and without the Justs’
existence they might end up in committing suicide, as Primo Levi did.
Not only does the Unquenchable Flame symbolize genocide by fire, but
also recognition by light. As Greeks we are not responsible for the
Ukrainians’ genocide, but as citizens we are responsible for genocide of
memory. The genocide of the Ukrainians touches us through humanity and
time. We should not merely learn; what is due is to take action through
memory as resistance towards the system of oblivion and in favor of
human dignity.
Moreover, each genocide is a lesson, and not only for
executioners seeking for its efficiency, but also for the Justs fighting
for human rights. The genocide of the Ukrainians bears an important
contribution. Its ideological background and its geopolitical
implications enriched executioners’ tools. And our unawareness cannot
remain neutral. It is being inductively charged and turns us into
accomplices. By the Unquenchable Flame our memory becomes an achievement
of humaneness.
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