Principles of forming programs and projects for Belarus

Usually the discussion of helping Belarus slide towards discussing values and ideology. This is a fruitless way; it tends to end with a grand declaration without practical use. This is the result of the subconscious perception of reality as absolute (unchangeable). The principles and values are derived from the current activity. In my view, discussing the principles of planning and programming support to the democratic Belarus would be much more effective. In this case instead of perception of facts as obvious, construction of what isn’t real yet occurs.

The major principles of planning of giving assistance to Belarus should be:

1. ”Think globally, act locally” principle  
This principle is often mentioned, but rarely used in practical decision-making. Decisions regarding Belarus are made without the appropriate “global think-it-over” procedure. People conducting the activity, often use the inferior data, “obvious” facts or the common “I was there, I know it, I’ve seen it, I’ve read about it”. Only a few think deeply about the general situation, using only the “knowledge, needed for project realization”.
This is a faulty way. Misunderstanding of the situation in Belarus in the end nullifies all the result of the project activity and leads to waste of the time and resources (both human and financial). A good example: local community and government building projects are realized in Belarus for over 10 years, but the situation is only getting worse. It doesn’t mean that there is no way to create such local communities.  It just shows that they can’t be organized without deep understanding of the problems of Belarus.

It is possible to work, but at the same time you need to analyze, debate, compare, consult the professionals etc. even when working on a small project. 
The second part of the principle requires local action. It’s simple. Don’t try to do what’s impossible for you. Don’t create democracy in Belarus, don’t develop civil society, don’t organize the local government, don’t create independent mass-media in Belarus – it’s impossible for anyone but Belarusians themselves. You should organize local, limited activities to achieve all that together with Belarusians.

2. All the decisions, regarding Belarus that were made without the participation of Belarusian side are void

As strange as it sounds, almost no one ever thinks about the lawfulness of their actions and the responsibility for the results. Who am I to do something in Belarus, do I have such a right? What kind of responsibility do I accept for the results of my actions? These are no senseless questions. Everyone, who is going to work with Belarus must think about their right to do something in Belarus and to Belarus.

I’m deeply concerned that nobody but Belarusians themselves have the right to define the goals of actions in Belarus, it is a basic right for souvereignty of Belarusian people. How is any intervention in the inner affairs of an independent state, who gives right to do so? Why does Europe want to create a democracy in Belarus and denies the right to choose a different way (as stated by the official propaganda)? The answer lies in understanding of modern globalization procedures. There are no absolutely closed societies, no absolutely independent countries, no “close” and “distant”. We all are neighbours in the modern world. The processes in Belarus affect Europe, influence its security, are able to change its future dramatically. The Chernobyl power plant was built in Ukraine, Belarus suffered the most from the catastrophe and all the Europe got affected by the event. That is a vivid example of how misunderstanding of key global matters could result in terrible consequences.

Europe can neither isolate itself from Belarus nor isolate the country itself. Europe can’t act in Belarus on its own will, breaking the principle of souvereignty, but at the same time needs to be able to influence the processes inside the country, which affect Europe’s interests. Such problem could be solved only by CO-operation, CO-action, PART-nership, as participation of Europeans together with Belarusians in deciding the fate of Belarus and participation of Belarus in deciding the fate of Europe.

This means mainly including Belarusians in the process of decision-making regarding both Europe and Belarus.

3.  Do no harm!

It is often forgotten or not taken into consideration, that the realization of plans and projects may have a result opposite to one, planned. Decision-making in conditions of lack of knowledge, superficial planning has a larger probability of resulting in unplanned consequences. It’s impossible to consider all the factors, but it is real enough to consider the necessary number of them. It’s unpleasant to think about the possible failure, but you have to do it. To achieve success.

4.  Principle of effectiveness: work must have actual results.

The effectiveness is the correlation of the factual results and the planned one: the closer are the real consequences to the planned, the higher is the effectiveness. In a humanitarian sphere it is easy to forget about the earthly things, while aiming at the ideal and high. The verbs “make” and “made”, “build” and “built” differ in the degree of the completeness of the action, one could “make” and “build” forever, but never actually “made” or build anything. When starting to work in Belarus, you should learn to operate in “perfect tenses”, this way you’ll reach the highest level of effectiveness. Using verbs in perfect tenses corrects the mistakes of thinking, allows one to compare his own abilities with the number and complexity of the given tasks. It is easy to say: “I’m building civil society in Belarus”, and much harder: “I have built the civil society in Belarus”

5.  Principle of a common strategy

Nothing could be done in Belarus without a common strategy. It was mentioned a year ago that a definite strategy of the West regarding Belarus just doesn’t exist. The Western vector of influencing the Belarusian situation is not even a democracy. The poverty of a country in transition from the “third world” to the “second” (if there is one), allows even the money, given by a small western charity, to have serious effect. And there is a great number of charities, willing to give financial help to the NGO sector, democratic organizations and civil society. There is no country in Europe, which thinks of itself as of rich European state and gives no money to such cause. But the lack of coordination from these subjects, which we consider representatives of Europe here, leads to absence of common plan of action, absence of definite strategic direction of changes. And it is not surprising that the situation in Belarus drifts in a direction, completely opposite to the one, declared. 
6.  Principle of publicity

As early as the stage of development of the programme, public discussion of the forms, methods and contents of any action regarding Belarus. This will help not just to reach higher quality of the decisions, made, but also raise trust and openness, help create the system of public control of the decisions, made. Unfortunately, often the interested subjects of civil society in Belarus are unable to obtain adequate information about specific activities of some Western institutions (funds and organizations), ways and forms of decision-making etc. Naturally, under the conditions of lack of information, mistrust and suspicion grow, mutual accusations in corruption appear etc.

Instead of conclusion

Belarus doesn’t need “any” help. If you ask Belarusians: “what kind of help do you expect from us?”, and receive an answer “any!” don’t believe it. It is false. “Any” means “don’t know, what kind”. Belarus is in a unique socio-historical situation. Using simple and “obvious” solutions regarding complex problems is naïve and dangerous. The depth of the problem should be countered by the adequate depth of analyzing it, and not everybody can do it. So don’t take actions, which don’t move us forward, don’t do anything that you doubt, and, naturally, don’t do anything that harms Belarus.

Andrej Yahorau 

[email protected]