Letter to the Editor of What's On

I chose to mark the 73rd anniversary of Holodomor by ranting against What's On's editorial. Is What's On owned by Russians or something?

Dear Mr. Dickinson,

I am a little surprised by your position regarding the Holodomor as stated in "From the Editor" in the 24-30 Nov 2006 edition of "What's On" magazine. Your suggestion that "Calling it genocide simply gives an ethnic slant to this man-made monstrosity that is both historically dubious and socially divisive." leaves a lot to be desired for anyone even remotely familiar with Ukrainian history and Holodomor.

There is ample evidence that Stalin specifically targeted Ukrainian villages during the famine. Multiple countries have passed resolutions identifying the famine as genocide. Regarding "divisiveness" if one surveys world history, it's clear that memory of suffering unites a nation. By the Verkhovna Rada naming the famine "genocide" they would be making a statement that Ukraine is a nation. Is that not unifying?

It is clear that Yanukovych and his cronies are playing their trumped up "socially divisive" card every time an issue of national identity arises. It is also clear that he is pushing his agenda in the media through increasingly overt means. I was hoping What's On would retain some objectivity in the face of Yanukovych's administration. I guess I was wrong. What's On is clearly pursuing an "ethnic slant" of its own, and it's not Ukrainian.