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Declaration in Support of the Independence of the Republic of Belarus

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Declaration in Support of the Independence of the Republic of Belarus

The Republic of Belarus is a European state the independence and sovereignty of which is internationally recognized.

The Republic of Belarus declared the renewal of its independence on July 27, 1990 and made ше legal on August 25, 1991. After the USSR ceased to exist Belarus became the full-fledged independent state and acquired its sovereignty.

For the first time in many years the independence and the statehood of Belarus were formalized according to the rules of international law and were internationally recognized.

The Belarusians acquired the right to determine their own destiny.

The Republic of Belarus became the successor of not only the Belarussian Soviet Socialist Republic, that was part of the USSR, but more so of the Belarusian Popular Republic (BPR) that was proclaimed on March 25, 1918.

The BPR existed only for few months as a declaration of the intention of the Belarusian people to build its own independent state. This intention of the Belarusians was stifled by the bolsheviks who were establishing the Soviet state, and in fact re-establishing the Russian empire in a more brutal, totalitarian form.

The Belaussian Soviet Socialist Republic declared on January 1, 1919, was established by the bolshevik's power in order to prevent national revival and to take control over the territory where the Belarusians lived. The Belarusians were deprived of the right to defend its own national interests. It was most cynically demonstrated by the Riga Treaty as the result of which the Belarusians were deprived of most of their territories and Belarusian delegation was not умут admitted to those plundering negotiations.

Belarus was forcefully included in the USSR that can be qualified as occupation.

Major western states, that for some time refrained from recognizing the USSR, eventually recognized it as a whole thus recognizing the occupation of Belarus, Ukraine and other "Soviet republics".

After the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact of 1939 the USSR renewed its expansion that resulted in occupation of Baltic states: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Western states, primarily the USA, did not recognize that occupation. The then Under Secretary of State Samner Welles on July 23, 1940 made a public statement that started a long-term policy of non-recognition of the Soviet occupation and annexation. That inspired the peoples of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and gave them strength to continue their fight for freedom.

The independent Belarus is a fact but it is in danger yet again. The source of this threat is Russian leadership. The Russian aggression against Ukraine, the annexation of Crimea and military activities aimed at occupation of the Eastern parts of Ukraine demonstrate that Russian leadership has plans to conquer territories of other states by military means and also шеы total denial of the international law.

Russia deliberately destroys the system of international law established after the second world war, violates international treaties and agreements that ensure international security.

As a result of Russian aggression in Ukraine the Budapest Memorandum was virtually destroyed, according to which Russia, United States and United Kingdom assured that they will "refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine, and that none of their weapons will ever be used against Ukraine".

Similar assurances these nuclear states gave to the Republic of Belarus. Total ignoring of its international obligations by Russia and absence of any actions connected with the Budapest Memorandum by other signatory states created a dangerous precedent that threatens the independence and the territorial integrity of the Republic of Belarus.

The legal international situation of Belarus in the current geopolitical situation is aggravated by the absence of the lawful power: either executive, or legislative, or judicial. In 1996 as a result of unlawful referendum the power in Belarus was usurped by Alexander Lukashenko. The separation of powers was destroyed and all the power was concentrated in the hands of the usurper.

Taking all the power in Belarus Lukashenko created a regime of total control over the society that is characterized by permanent and gross violations of human rights. In economy Lukashenko brought Belarus back to the Soviet times of command and administrative system which not only hampered the development of the country but led to systematic crises.

Lukashenko's regime tied Belarus to Russia not only economically but also politically and militarily. In this period of history when Russia demonstrates aggressive and expansionist behavior such dependence endangers the very existance of Belarus.

After the post of president was introduced and Lukashenko was elected as the president of Belarus three referenda, four presidential and four parliamentary elections were held in Belarus. None of those elections or referenda were recognized by the international community, first of all by observers from OSCE, the decisions of which have to be respected by Belarus as its full-fledged member. The institute of elections as means of expressing the will of the people, was destroyed in Belarus. Lukashenko who usurped the power, has no lawful right to represent the people of Belarus in international relations. The regime is acting solely in its own interests in order to maintain the personal power of the dictator. In order to keep the power Lukashenko unlawfully drags Belarus into dangerous political, economic and military agreements.

The independence of Belarus today faces a double threat: aggressive policy of Russia and the unlawful regime of Lukashenko.

In this situation the democratic opposition, representatives of the civil society and independent trade unions

- Stating that there is no lawfully elected power in the Republic of Belarus;

- Recognizing their responsibility for the destiny of the Republic of Belarus;

- Proceeding from the fact that the situation in the region to which Belarus belongs became tense as a result of military aggression against the independent Ukraine;

- Reminding the inviolability of the norms of international law and principles of protection of independence and territorial integrity of the states;

- Noting systematic and systemic violations of human rights in Belarus committed by the ruling regime and reminding in this connection the Universal Declaration of Human Rights according to which "it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law";

- Being based on the provision of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that "the will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections";

1.Confirm the inviolability of the provisions of the Declaration on the State Sovereignty of the Republic of Belarus adopted on July 27, 1990, in particular "the supremacy of the people in determining its destiny";

2.Confirm international obligations of the Republic of Belarus, in particular the obligation under the United Nations Charter to refrain in international relations from "threat or use of force against territorial integrity or political independence of any state";

3. Declare that international agreements of a state can be considered lawful and internationally recognized only after they have been signed and adopted by legitimate brunches of power which are today absent in the Republic of Belarus;

4.Declare that the participation of Belarus in geopolitical associations that run counter to the national interests has led to the sharp impoverishment of the people;

5.Declare that no actions or decisions of the unlawful power that threaten independence and territorial integrity of the Republic of Belarus should be considered as lawful and be recognized by international community;

6.Remind the signatories of the Budapest Memorandum of 1994, in particular the United States and the United Kingdom, of the provision aimed at protecting the territorial integrity of the Republic of Belarus;

7. Draw attention of international organizations - United Nations, OSCE, European Union, Council of Europe - to the fact that since the Belarusian people is deprived of the right to freely express its will, the current regime can not be regarded as a fully legitimate power representing the state in international relations;

8. Confirm that the Republic of Belarus will become a fully legitimate participant of international relations only after free elections are held in the country;

9. Call upon OSCE, European Union to resolutely demand implementation by the acting government of Belarus of the recommendations of the Bureau of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the OSCE on elections.

Mikalai Statkevich - Belarusian Social-Demicratic Party "Narodnaya Hramada"

Vyachaslau Siuchyk - Solidarity Movement "Razam"

Vaclau Areshka - Belarusian Movement

Vitaly Rymasheusky - Belarusian Christian Democrats

Andrei Sannikov - Civil campaign "European Belarus"

Maxim Vinyarsky - Civil campaign "European Belarus"

Anatoly Lyabedzka - United Civic Party

Alena Yaskova - Women's Party "Nadzeya"

Gennadz Fyadynich - Belarusian Trade Union of Radioelectronic Industry

Zmitser Dashkevich - Young Front

Stanislau Shushkevich - Belarusian Social-Democratic Hramada

Uladzimir Nyaklyaeu - Movement "For Statehood and Independence"

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