Ulad Vialichka: The myth about Belarus opening up for the world during IHWC-2014 has been shattered

photo by EuroBelarus Information Service

However, it is only a coincidence that the big hockey event started on the Victory Day.

In Belarus, more than 20 youth political and social activists were put into prison until the end of the Ice Hockey World Championship, which has opened in Minsk on May 9. The hunt on activists in Minsk and in the regions is going on.

The head of the Swedish human rights organization Östgruppen Martin Uggla, who wasn’t let into Belarus on May 7, has been deported from the country.

Belarusan authorities are making a clean-up operation of the inner-political field in order to get rid of “undesirable” people, who might attract attention to the huge problems in the country.

For two weeks the authorities want to listen to fans in Belarus, not citizens. Why is it so? And is it a mere coincidence that the Ice Hockey World Championship was opened on Victory Day? Why can’t the hockey be a holiday for all Belarusans? Ulad Vialichka, the head of the International Consortium “EuroBelarus”, answered the questions of the “EuroBelarus” Information Service.

- On the threshold of the Ice Hockey World Championship in Minsk a number of Belarusan and international public organizations, including the International Consortium “EuroBelarus”, in their statement called for the official Minsk to play fair, i.e. , to observe human rights. Was someone still hoping that hockey will humanize our authorities?

- There is no doubt that hockey can’t humanize Belarusan authorities on its own. The only fact of having the huge sports event is very important for an average Belarusan. We, the authors of the statement, didn’t counted that our call will liberalize the regime or make it respect universal values.

We use this large-scale cause to attract attention of Belarus’ guests, tourists, sport fans of Belarus and the whole world to the things that are not apparent to the naked eye. Of course, we, in Belarus, have a lot of good things, but we also have a lot of problems and flaws, including violations of human rights and disrespect of civil values.

- Swedish human rights fighter Martin Uggla went in Belarus with a hockey ticket; however, Belarusan authorities detained him in Minsk-2 airport only to deport him later. Will this Belarusan hospitality affect the atmosphere of the Hockey Championship?

- I think it won’t affect the atmosphere of the championship this much. Human rights in Belarus were never prioritized; the story which happened to Martin Uggla proves that the authorities are not going to learn a lesson and change the situation with human rights, as it is easier to throw people out of country than to try to resolve the problems. By the example of Martin Uggla, the authorities demonstrated that not all the words and actions of the Belarusan authorities are true, as despite the proclaimed visa-free regime, it is not working for undesirable people.

- How did it happen that Martin Uggla got into a black list?

- From the moment of the foundation of the Swedish human rights organization Östgruppen, which cooperates with the human rights centre “Viasna” and Legal Transformation Center “Lawtrend”, Martin started having problems with the Belarusan authorities, and he might as well have been expecting problems this time. Obviously, he was trying to check whether the promises about the visa-free regime given by the authorities work for the foreigners. Thanks to Martin, the myth about Belarus opening up for the world during IHWC-2014 has been shattered.

- Why did the world community decide to hold a world ice hockey championship in the “last dictatorship in Europe”? Couldn’t it find some more appropriate and civilized country?

- Well, I’m proud of the fact that Belarus is capable of hosting such large-scale sporting events. Nevertheless, unfortunately, I understand that the Belarusan regime is using this event in order to speculate in the public opinion, get undeserved political dividend and demonstrate pseudo-successfulness.

The decision to hold the Ice Hockey World Championship in Minsk was made, first of all, for reasons of sport; unfortunately, political situation cannot serve as an extra-point for making a decision.

Before the championship, the international civil community called for depriving the Belarusan regime of the right to hold the championship. However, by way of Russia’s example, we see that huge sporting events are run not only in democratic countries.

Political regimes of many countries aren’t flawless; but should we consider cancelling a sporting or cultural event each time, and by this punish the citizens of these countries together with the regime? In my opinion, each country should be treated individually.

Hockey championship is a good reason to pay heed to the social, political problems of the country. The chain of preventive detentions during the last week proves that the authorities are afraid of any demonstrations, incidents and citizens’ activity. For two weeks the authorities want to listen to fans in Belarus, not citizens.

- Ice Hockey World Championship was opened on May 9, on Victory Day. Is it a mere coincidence or there is some special meaning that is put in it?

- As a fan I can say that world championships usually start either at the end of April or in the beginning of May. It is dictated by the calendar, the Olympics in Sochi in particular, which moved the sporting calendar. I would call it a controlled coincidence, but certainly, there is no conspiracy in it. May 9 remains the day of victory over fascism; and at the same time, it is a nice day to start a huge sporting event.

I hope that there will be much fewer negative incidents (as the one which happened with Martin Uggla) than the positive ones.