Freedom Day: Shame on Russian imperialism!

photo by EuroBelarus Information Service

Russian occupation of Crimea and threat to Belarusan independence was the leitmotiv of rally and demonstration in commemoration of 96th anniversary of the Belarusian People's Republic (BPR).

The rally on Freedom Day drew about three thousand people – it might seem not such a vast number, but it became the most crowded March 25 over the last few years.

The demonstration at the People’s Friendship Park opened with a silence minute in remembrance of Heavenly sotnia (people killed during Euromaidan).

Ales Lahvinets, deputy chairman of the Movement “For Freedom”, read out the statement of Ivonka Survilla, the President of the Belarusian National Republic (BNR), to Belarusan people.

“I am speaking to you with concern at heart. Ukrainian events showed that to reinstate the empire, Moscow can go to extremes”, - writes Survilla. “Moscow aggression against Ukraine is extremely alarming for Belarus. If the world doesn’t react adequately to it, we can be the next victim of Russian imperialism. The excuse will be the same: Russian-speaking population of Belarus”.

Aliaksei Janukevich, the chairman of the BPF Party, emphasizes: “Belarusan and Ukrainian independence both have one common enemy – Russian imperialism. Shame on Russian imperialism! Dear friends, several months ago many were saying that Russia has changed and is ready to integrate into the world community, that Russia doesn’t think in categories of war and imperialism anymore. But today any sensible person won’t say that. Belarus, Ukraine, many Russians and the world community saw that today Kremlin represents imperial regime, which is eager to occupy new territories and revive the bloodstained imperia”.

Paval Sieviaryniets, the leader of Belarusian Christian Democracy, recalled that Belarusan language implies “freedom, will and determination”:

“That is why, my dear friends, we had better understood that we should be very determined to make Freedom Day not only a symbol, a sign, but a reality and a part of our life and state holiday. And we should get ready to the freedom that everyone bears in the heart”.

The politician suggested a recipe of how to prevent Russian occupation in Belarus: “We can hold solidarity actions, information actions; we can issue bulletins and can hold creative events. We can establish solidarity both with Ukraine and with the all-Belarusan movement. This fight is going to be long. (…) But you and I have a hope. I call on you to boycott Russian television, which lies about Ukraine and about Belarus. I call on you to boycott Belarusan official TV-channels. I urge you to boycott Russian services and goods, as they serve as one of the sources of aggression that Russia exercises in relation to the neighboring peoples”.

Towards the end of the demonstration Paval Sieviaryniets suggested to recall that “Belarusans is a thousand-year Christian nation, that each day Maidan was starting with prayer, that the Lord God stands for those who fight for freedom, truth and justice” and called for “praying together”.

Traditionally, the demonstration was followed by arrests – 9 people altogether.

Near the Bahdanovich Street, 78 activists of European Belarus civil campaign Maksim Viniarski, Siarhei Makoits, Alena Lazarchyk, Uladz Barodka and Leanid Kulakou were detained. Aliaksei Markouski, an activist of the Young Democrats, is reported to have been detained at a bus stop. The activists were taken to the Savetski district police department. Zmicier Drozd, Stanislau Rachkel and one under-age were also detained.