Changes

The Soviet stance was supported by Soviet-friendly journalists in the [[Western world|West]], such as [[Walter Duranty]] and [[Louis Fischer]].  Today, Holodomor denial continues to exist among [[leftist]] fringe writers and pseudo-scholars. It is not supported by serious academic scholars.   

The Soviet stance was supported by Soviet-friendly journalists in the [[Western world|West]], such as [[Walter Duranty]] and [[Louis Fischer]].  Today, Holodomor denial continues to exist among [[leftist]] fringe writers and pseudo-scholars. It is not supported by serious academic scholars.   

In 1997 the Soviet Union finally aknowleged the Holodomor. In November 2006, the [[Verkhovna Rada|Ukrainian Parliament]] passed a bill branding the Holodomor as an act of genocide against the Ukrainian people.<ref>Jan Maksymiuk, [http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2006/11/03ac02a4-6e3a-481b-8932-fafd4c13abab.html "Ukraine: Parliament Recognizes Soviet-Era Famine As Genocide"], ''[[Radio Free Europe|RFE/RL]]'', November 29, 2006</ref>  In November 2007, the government of [[Ukraine]] tabled a law which would make public statements of both Holodomor and [[Holocaust denial]] illegal acts in Ukraine.

In 1997 the Soviet Union finally acknowledged the Holodomor. In November 2006, the [[Verkhovna Rada|Ukrainian Parliament]] passed a bill branding the Holodomor as an act of genocide against the Ukrainian people.<ref>Jan Maksymiuk, [http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2006/11/03ac02a4-6e3a-481b-8932-fafd4c13abab.html "Ukraine: Parliament Recognizes Soviet-Era Famine As Genocide"], ''[[Radio Free Europe|RFE/RL]]'', November 29, 2006</ref>  In November 2007, the government of [[Ukraine]] tabled a law which would make public statements of both Holodomor and [[Holocaust denial]] illegal acts in Ukraine.

==Soviet Union==

==Soviet Union==

While the famine was taking place, [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] authorities denied its existence.  It was a criminal offense to mention the famine, punishable with a five-year term in the [[Gulag]] [[labor camp]]s; placing the blame on the authorities led to a death sentence.<ref name="reflections">[[Robert Conquest]] ''Reflections on a Ravaged Century'' (2000) ISBN 0-393-04818-7, p. 96</ref>

While the famine was taking place, [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] authorities denied its existence.  It was a criminal offense to mention the famine, punishable with a five-year term in the [[Gulag]] [[labor camp]]s; placing the blame on the authorities led to a death sentence.<ref name="reflections">[[Robert Conquest]] ''Reflections on a Ravaged Century'' (2000) ISBN 0-393-04818-7, p. 96</ref>

As a result the population growth failed to meet the expected targets set by the Communist party.  When this became evident from the population statistics data, three successive heads of the [[Goskomstat|Soviet Central Statistical Administration]] were executed, while others were arrested.<ref>Lisa Shymko, [http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=12306 "The Politics of Genocide"], ''[[The American Spectator]]'', November 14, 2007</ref>

As a result, the population growth failed to meet the expected targets set by the Communist party.  When this became evident from the population statistics data, three successive heads of the [[Goskomstat|Soviet Central Statistical Administration]] were executed, while others were arrested.<ref>Lisa Shymko, [http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=12306 "The Politics of Genocide"], ''[[The American Spectator]]'', November 14, 2007</ref>

The [[Soviet Census (1937)|1937 Soviet Census]] was thought to be exemplary due to its apparent thoroughness and near-perfect organization.  Government officials in charge of the census received state awards immediately upon the census conclusion.  When it became apparent that the final population figures were significantly lower than expected, the results were classified and the census organizers were repressed.  The new [[Soviet Census (1939)|1939 census]] was organized in such a way as to have certainly inflated data on population numbers. It showed a population figure of 170.6 million people, manipulated so as to match the numbers stated by [[Joseph Stalin]] in his report to the 18th Congress of the All-Union Communist Party. No other censuses were conducted until 1959.

The [[Soviet Census (1937)|1937 Soviet Census]] was thought to be exemplary due to its apparent thoroughness and near-perfect organization.  Government officials in charge of the census received state awards immediately upon the census conclusion.  When it became apparent that the final population figures were significantly lower than expected, the results were classified and the census organizers were repressed.  The new [[Soviet Census (1939)|1939 census]] was organized in such a way as to have certainly inflated data on population numbers. It showed a population figure of 170.6 million people, manipulated so as to match the numbers stated by [[Joseph Stalin]] in his report to the 18th Congress of the All-Union Communist Party. No other censuses were conducted until 1959.

===The early 1980s===

===The early 1980s===

In 1983 for the first time, Holodomor remembrance was co-ordinated by the Ukrainian community world wide. The [[Ukrainian diaspora]] exerted pressure on the media and various governments, including the governments of the [[United States]] and [[Canada]], to raise the issue of the Holodomor with the government of the Soviet Union. The United States created a Commission into the famine. The Soviet authorities predicted this commission would place the Soviet state responsible for the act.<ref name="symp">[http://www.cym.org/au/archives/Holodomor.pdf The Great Famine of 1932-33 - A Symposium], 22 October 2003, pp.4-5</ref>

In 1983 for the first time, Holodomor remembrance was co-ordinated by the Ukrainian community worldwide. The [[Ukrainian diaspora]] exerted pressure on the media and various governments, including the governments of the [[United States]] and [[Canada]], to raise the issue of the Holodomor with the government of the Soviet Union. The United States created a Commission into the famine. The Soviet authorities predicted this commission would place the Soviet state responsible for the act.<ref name="symp">[http://www.cym.org/au/archives/Holodomor.pdf The Great Famine of 1932-33 - A Symposium], 22 October 2003, pp.4-5</ref>

In an attempt to counter this, the [[Soviet government]] admitted that some peasantry died to climatic conditions mainly [[drought]].

In an attempt to counter this, the [[Soviet government]] admitted that some peasantry died to climatic conditions mainly [[drought]].