Council of Belarusian Intellectuals: Let’s start active boycott of regime even today!

6.02.2012, 12:22

The Rada (Council) of Belarusian Intellectuals has made an address to politicians and the nation.

The full text of the address follows:

“We, the Council of Belarusian intellectuals, address those who are concerned by the future of Belarus, those who care for the fate of parents and children, who suffer humiliation and are indignant at impudence, barbarity, total lawlessness and impunity of the regime, who cannot sleep at night while political prisoners are being tortured behind the bars.

Friends! Starting from December 19, 2010 it became clear for everyone that the regime is holding onto power contrary to wishes of the majority of the Belarusian nation.

We live in a country where courts cover up criminals and punish the innocent, where policemen are not defenders, but chasteners, where under the guise of a socially oriented state people are robbed and turned into beggars, where teachers and professors are made political propagandists and forced to rig election results, where creative, brilliant, enterprising people are not viewed as a riches of the state, as its gold reserve, but as a threat.

This all has become possible as citizens of Belarus are deprived of their main right: the right to elect their rulers. Almost everyone knows today that the election results are rigged by the regime.

If this is not changed, neither the state nor any of us have future.

Who are we – victims or free people who are able to defend themselves and Belarus?

If we are victims, we should know that neither the West no Russia, nor the regime on its own initiative could help us to find a way out.

If we are free people, let’s say “No!” to the regime.

Belarusians want the state to defend its citizens: out votes, our health, our well-being, our dignity, and the right for life of each of us, in time of need.

People come to realize more and more that their life depends on what elections are held in the country – a usual farce or a transparent process of candidates’ struggle without the pressure from the state.

The election in the country could be considered free and fair only under mandatory participation of representatives of parties and candidates in election commissions at all levels and when there is an opportunity of real observation over the vote count.

In the situation when the state has deprived its citizens a right to exercise their inalienable rights, including the right for free democratic and fair election, citizens have a right for protest.

The simplest and most effective form of protest is BOYCOTT, as the adequate response of the society to the attitude of the state to its citizens.

Boycott is termination of cooperation with the regime in any legal and possible to each of us forms.

Everyone can withdraw from participation in the electoral farce until political prisoners are released and all political prisoners are reinstated in their civil rights, and until the transparent vote count is guaranteed.

Dozens of thousands of people took to the streets during the last election with exactly the same demand, and our leaders and just decent people were imprisoned for that. Some of them are tortured now.

We know that there is a real threat to their lives.

We must admit that there is a part of our guilt in that. Our passivity, permissiveness and indifference to suffering of others caused the situation when while we are trying to survive and are busy with political intrigues, people who had taken to the streets to defend us, our rights, our freedom and future, are remaining captives of the regime. Tomorrow each of us can find oneself in their place.

We do not have a right to wait and sit quiet until the election in September. We must start the active boycott of the regime today!

Each of us can talk to one’s relatives, friends, neighbours, colleagues about how we are being deceived, robbed, how best experts are going abroad to earn money, how we are turned into slaves by the contract system.

Staring a boycott of the fake election, we can achieve a total isolation of the criminal regime from the society.

Boycott should be started today – we should not become candidates for deputy for that and wait for Yarmoshyna’s permission.

Citizens of Belarus! Friends!

You will be told that the regime would not make concessions anyway. That the majority would not support boycott. But not the majority which matters – each one, guided by one’s conscience, should come to a decision oneself.

The real headway, the breath of changes, would be felt by us only when we would want that ourselves. Let us shape the future of our country together.

Zinaida Bandarenka

Alyaksandr Vaitovich

Anatoly Vyartsinski

Marat Haravy

Radzim Haretski

Valyantsin Holubeu

Anatol Hulyaeu

Henadz Drazdou

Syarhei Zakonnikau

Alyaksandr Kazulin

Alyaksei Karol