The County Council Wednesday unanimously passed a resolution condemning Russia’s actions in Ukraine and offering support for the Ukrainian people.
Resolution 337-22 recognizes and supports Ukraine’s independence and denounces the Russian “military assault” that began Feb. 24 against the Eastern European nation that’s upended millions of lives, forcing civilians to flee or take shelter from air raids. It also condemns Russia’s genocide against the Ukrainian people.
“The bottom line is freedom is not free,” said Puna Councilwoman Ashley Kierkiewicz, who introduced the resolution. “Ukraine is under siege; they didn’t ask for this. Russia is seeing this as a ‘special military operation,’ but I was incredibly unnerved when Vladimir Putin said ‘anyone who tries to intervene in these attacks must know that Russia’s answer will be immediate and will lead to such consequences as you have never experienced in your history.’ Ukraine is fighting to survive. Their very existence. Their economic and democratic reforms are on the line. …
“I know this resolution is symbolic, but think about what it would mean for the people in Ukraine if we send them our aloha and we stand with them — that is such food for the soul and the spirit to know that even though we are so far away we stand with them,” she continued.
The nonbinding resolution outlines the council’s support for the United States and international community in exerting pressure on Russia via political, diplomatic, financial and defense supports.
The supportive measures include continuation of sanctions; an embargo on purchasing oil, natural gas and coal from Russia and Belarus; a ban Russian and Belarusian ships from all Western ports; deployment of financial, medical and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine; protection of Ukrainian nuclear power plants and other critical infrastructure; provision of weapons and military equipment, and a closure of Ukrainian airspace; closure of U.S. airspace to Russian commercial and private flights; and visas for Ukrainian refugees, as well as conscripted Russians and Belarusians who refuse to fight for Russia.
Further, the resolution calls for recognition of Russia as a terrorist state; isolation of Russia in the United Nations, and the removal of Russia’s veto power; denial of entry into U.S. for Russians in President Vladimir Putin’s regime; compensation for all war damages; and the establishment of a tribunal to punish the crimes of Putin and his regime.
A handful of residents offered testimony on the resolution Wednesday, with about half in favor of the piece as written. All who testified were against any war, however.
Kristen Alice provided heart-felt testimony is support the resolution, reconting the story of her great-grandmother, Julia, who was born in Kyiv before the family moved to a medium-sized city called Burshtyn.
“We don’t know why, but we do know that at the time, Jews were being deported from large cities and small towns and forced into medium-sized cities like Burshtyn,” Alice told the panel.
In 1906, Alice said, Julia, and her mother and brothers fled again, escaping at night and walking to the border to catch a train to Bremen, Germany. Again, it’s unclear why they fled, but Alice said, “history tells us that Russian troops were occupying the city and would shoot people in the street for speaking Ukrainian — among all the other war crimes that you can imagine would go along with that kind of behavior.”
After reaching Bremen, Julia was put on a boat, eventually arriving at Ellis Island.
“Her mother and brothers were not with her. We still don’t know why, but what we can see from her immigration paperwork is that she was detained for three days until somebody picked her up, and the person who picked her up is labeled as her ‘intended husband,’” Alice said. “I just want to pause for a moment and try to fathom what kind of atrocities, what kind of circumstances would lead to a family putting their 8-year-old daughter on a boat to the other side of the world, alone, before cellphones, before internet — I can’t even fathom it.”
Julia ultimately went on to marry Alice’s great-grandfather, who was also a Ukrainian refugee. Little more is known because Alice’s great-grandmother never spoke of her younger years.
“I feel a hole in my chest knowing that our culture, our language, our homeland, our family and maybe our religion were taken from my family — especially from my great-grandma who had to endure things that I can’t even imagine,” Alice said. “This doesn’t compare to the pain that people in Ukraine are experiencing today or to the people who have direct connections and families in Ukraine are feeling — the ones that waking up every morning checking Facebook and text messages just to make sure they’re still alive.
“This is what imperialism, militarization, and occupation do. This is genocide, so I’m asking our county to stand up against this genocide in Ukraine and to condemn the Russian invasion. And, I’m also hoping that we will stand against it in other places: in Hawaii and Afghanistan and places that aren’t getting the same kind of attention that European countries get when this happens,” she continued.
Jim Albertini, a peace activist and coordinator of the Malu Aina Center For Non-Violence Education and Action, testified in opposition to the resolution. He clarified that he condemns the Russian invasion, but supports a “neutral non-NATO” Ukraine, humanitarian aid and an immediate cease fire.
“In my view, (the resolution) is extremely hostile and provocative in tone and substance. It promotes war, not peace and will only help to escalate the humanitarian disaster ongoing in Ukraine,” Albertini said. “The language in the resolution using words and phrases such as ‘genocide,’ ‘closure of Ukrainian air space,’ calling Russia a ‘terrorist state,’ removal of Russia from the U.N. Security Council. Supporting all measures, which implies more war and possibly nuclear war, is a dead-end. More war is not the answer we need to wage peace not war.”
Kierkiewicz said the measure was meant to be provocative.
“I’m not sorry if this resolution offends some people but I wanted to take a bold stand. I really do because Putin is not respecting the sanctity of life. He’s not respecting the cease-fire that he agreed to. And, he bombed a maternity hospital today. He is violating international and humanitarian law,” she said.
The resolution, which was passed 7-0 with Hilo Councilman Aaron Chung and Kona Councilwoman Rebecca Villegas excused, will be transmitted to U.S. President Joe Biden, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III, Hawaii’s congressional delegation, Gov. David Ige and Mayor Mitch Roth.
“This situation really is troubling and we are on the cusp of World War III — no question about it. This is so similar to Nazi Germany going for ‘living space’ but this is now and Poland is Ukraine,” said Chung. … “We are in for some rally troubling times, unfortunately. Hopefully, cooler minds can prevail but I think this Vladimir Putin is a bully, obviously.”