In his congratulations to Lukashenko Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has called the Belarusian elections “another golden page of illustrious Belarusian history”. Indeed, it is difficult to react to what happened on 19 December in Minsk without epithets and emotions… epithets of indignation and emotions of disgust.
Once again the hope for free Belarus has been beaten and trampled. Instead of national white-red-white flags waving on governmental buildings the Belarusians have seen their own blood on the snow. Today the Belarusians might feel dismay and disenchantment, but they should not feel isolated and dubious about international community assessment of the Belarusian situation. We have to demonstrate our intolerance of crackdown on peaceful protesters, our loathing for massive electoral fraud.
Through pickets and proclamations we must claim our solidarity with Belarusian democratic activists. We cannot leave them on their own in struggle against the dictatorship.
In our actions we must strongly demand immediate release of all detained activists, opposition leaders and protesters. Their imprisonment is nothing else but infringement of basic human rights. We must not forget that all those who are in prison now can be subjected to tortures. Our mutual efforts can save the most honest and bravest Belarusians’ physical and mental health.
Our activities must not be limited to mere condemnation of authorities’ and the riot police actions. We must also demand unbiased investigations of all cases of electoral fraud that have been fixed during elections, of all acts of excessive violence against protesters.
Success cannot be reached without involvement of international actors who are interested in free Belarus. Thus we must call for a strong and clear position towards the Belarusian authorities’ orders from the EU and the USA.
Of course, we cannot change the situation right now, but we can help the Belarusians not to give up their hope for another Belarus – democratic and European Belarus. It is not enough to be with the Belarusians – we all should become Belarusians now!
Signed
Pavel Marozau, Belarus-Estonia
Nazanin Afshin-Jam
International Human Rights Activist
José Gabriel Ramón Castillo
Ciudadanos Cuba
John Suarez
International Secretary
Cuban Democratic Directorate
