Several hundred people with portraits of the political prisoners gathered yesterday in the Oktyabrskaya Square in Minsk but then they were forced to Nezavisimosty Avenue by men in civic attire and moved to the St. Joseph Catholic Church. Actually, they could not remain near the Church for a long time because the OMON (special militia regiment) made them disperse.
By his decree Alyaksandr Lukashenka removed the Chairman of the KGB (State Security Committee) of the Republic of Belarus lieutenant general Stsyapan Sukharenka and the First deputy of the KGB Chairman major general Vasil Dzemyantesei.
The fight of clans was given as one of the reasons of chairman of the KGB of Belarus Styapan Sukharenka’s dismissal .That was the viewpoint of leader of the unofficial union of officers –former staff-members of the law enforcement bodies and other power-vested bodies “Defenders of Motherland”, human rights’ activist Aleg Vouchak. ”First the KGB arrests the militia officials than the militia arrests the KGB staff-members. But actually there is no struggle against corruption here”, Aleg Vouchak mentioned.
“No resources are left on our country today. Lukashenka should change the policy drastically; he should build market economy and carry out democratic reforms. History proves that trying to walk off the civilized world, no good will come of it. I think that many people in power understand the situation in the country and want changes, but Lukashenka still does not understand that nothing could be changed by reshuffle of cadres. Alyaksandr Lukashenka deludes himself if he believes that something could be mended this way now,” the Charter’97 press-center was told by a former speaker of the “council of republic” Alyaksandr Vajtovich.
16 July at 8 p.m. around 30 people participated in the action of solidarity near the Kastrichnitsky district administration at 6 Chkalau Street in Minsk. The youth activists gathered next to the Palace of Culture of Railway Workers holding portraits of the political prisoners and the disappeared policymakers marched along Chkalau Street and then stopped opposite the Kastrichnitsky district administration and stood there for 5 minutes. Then the portraits were stuck to the nearby bus-stops, poles and fences.
“Lukashenka appointed the person whom he trusts and relies upon as Chairman of the KGB. It is not because of his professionalism. Simply Lukashenka is reinforcing his personal security. He is afraid of the power-vested bodies interference into the politics and of the Russian influence on the Belarusian power enforcement bodies”, leader of the Belarusian Socio-Democratic Party (Narodnaya Gramada), first chairman of the Belarusian Union of Military Men , retired sub-colonel Mikalai Statkevich said.
16 July the action of solidarity with victims of political repressions in Belarus was taken in front of the embassy of this country. The picket was arranged by the Belarusian Diaspora in Moscow with participation and support of the “Oborona” (defense) movement.
On July 16 Ivyanets joined solidarity actions held all over the country. Rumors say that Ivyanets secondary school is to get back the name of the KGB founder Felix Dzerzhinsky the school had in Soviet time. The rally against that was held almost in the center of Ivyanets. Young people were holding a poster and lit candles.
Celebration of July 27 is to start in Minsk with a meeting of deputies of the Supreme Soviet of the 12th convocation, who adopted the State Sovereignty Declaration of the Republic of Belarus in 1990. The deputies are to meet with young activists in Independence Square near Symon and Alena Church (Red Church) at 4 p.m. After that, at 5 p.m., opposition activists are to lay flowers to the monument of Yanka Kupala, and well-known writers and poets are to make speeches and read their works there. At 6 p.m. a concert of well-known Belarusian rock-bands is planned on Bangalore Square. It has been stated today by members of the political council of the United Democratic Forces.
Minister of the Interior of Belarus Lieutenant-General of militia Uladzimir Navumau does not exclude that the law on another amnesty may be adopted this year in autumn.
These guys have turned 17 thus year. And this is the time our native Belarus is independent. July 27, 1990 Declaration of State Sovereignty of Belarus was adopted. Hopes, dreams and interests of these young people are a mirror our country can look into today. The future of these q17-year-old boys and girls is decided today. After leaving school they choose universities and their future profession. Today’s Belarus is also facing the choice: a dictatorship or freedom, an oppressed poor republic or a flourishing European country. They say: “Do not ask what Motherland can do to you, ask what you can do for your Motherland”. Modern young people are real patriots, and they are ready to do a lot for their country. And they told about that to the Charter’97 press-center.
At the Belarusian embassy in Warsaw the picket dedicated to the Day of Solidarity with the Belarusian political prisoners and families of the disappeared oppositionists was held. Around 15 people were holding white –red-white flags and “Dictator to Prison” “Freedom to Political Prisoners “posters and portraits of the disappeared politicians.
16 July in Kiev the traditional monthly action of solidarity with the democratic forces of Belarus was taken. This time its participants drew attention of the Ukrainian public and mass media to the issue of a too strict punishment for the political graffiti drawing in Belarus.
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