BSA verboden
Op 3 december meldde de LSVb in een persbericht al dat onze Wit-Russische zusterorganisatie BSA waarschijnlijk verboden zou worden. Diezelfde dag nog is dat daadwerkelijk gebeurd.
Op 3 december werd BSA door de hoogste rechter van Wit-Rusland verboden, omdat zij hun logo in het zwart-wit hadden gebruikt terwijl het eigenlijk rood is en omdat de oprichtingsacte niet helemaal klopte (maar die fout was inmiddels al hersteld). De echte reden is waarschijnlijk dat de BSA tijdens de presidentsverkiezingen in Wit-Rusland met een "get-out-to-vote"-campagne mensen heeft gestimuleerd om te gaan stemmen.
Een week eerder waren een aantal leden van BSA nog op bezoek bij de LSVb en onze lidbonden, in het kader van ons samenwerkingsproject. De LSVb vraagt nu dan ook op verschillende plaatsen aandacht voor de situatie van de Wit-Russische bond. Dit heeft er inmiddels in geresulteerd dat het ministerie van Buitenlandse zaken (als reactie op kamervragen van Eurlings en Verhagen) heeft toegezegd dat Nederland binnen de EU aandacht zal vragen voor de problemen in Wit-Rusland.
Bericht van BSADe Wit-Russische Studentenbond BSA is dan wel verboden, maar de studenten in Wit-Rusland werken er hard aan om weer legaal te worden. Hieronder lees je het eerste bericht van hen na de sluiting.
On November 27 and 29 the Supreme Court of the Republic of Belarus started a hearing of an action of the Ministry of Justice against Belarusian Students' Association. The Ministry of Justice attempts to close BSA, the only national student organization in Belarus, and one of the founders of the Assembly of Democratic NGOs.
It were students who demonstrated their absolute distrust to Lukashenka during the last election, which he repeatedly declared during his TV speeches. As a result, the authorities started to cut by the standards of "high fashion" all those who hindered his "graceful victory". No need to look for examples: fired Minister of Education, fired rectors, new internal regulations in the higher educational establishments, massive expulsions of students from universities, expanding of censorship on all levels, calls to KGB…
After all that, how could they leave BSA at peace? Organization, which is officially registered since 1992, which has structures in 40 educational establishments, which publishes a magazine and numerous local student newspapers? Organization, which openly opposes the obligatory employment of students after graduation, inhuman conditions of student dormitories, ungrounded fees for obsolete knowledge and oppression on any level? Organization, which conducts mass actions on the streets and in universities, which works with deans and students, university libraries and canteens, which is a full and active member of ESIB (National Unions of Students in Europe)? There is no way they could leave BSA at peace! What could the regime do? Liquidate quickly and quietly. But it won’t happen this way!
On November 16-18, during the European Student Convention in Brussels, the student representatives from all over Europe demonstrated their support to Belarusian Students Association. About 30 student organizations of Europe protested against the arbitrary and undemocratic way the Belarusian government is suppressing civil society and young people in particular and guaranteed that no matter what the outcome of the court case was they would continue partnership relations with BSA. The National Student Unions promised to inform the official bodies, press and people in their countries about the situation with BSA and general human rights in Belarus. Besides that, several dozen of international organizations addressed their letters of protest against closing down BSA to the Ministry of Justice. A number of Belarusian NGOs and private persons also sent in their inquiries, asking to explain the reasons for closing BSA down.
But let’s get back to the hearing in the Supreme Court. A.P.Kharyton, the leading expert of the Ministry of Justice, stated that Belarusian Stuydents Associations hinders the work of the Ministry of Justice and distributes published materials with political contents. Examples? The wrong color of the symbol on the organization form, 2 organization members did not know where the documents of 1999 were… A crime! At the same time the court determined that the Ministry of Justice had sent same, but differently dated, documents to the court and to BSA; that the national emblem on the form of the Ministry of Justice does not coincide with the emblem, sanctioned by Lukashenka; there are 2 different addresses on 2 sides of the form; and there is a signature of the Minister’s deputy beside the printed name of the Minister on the form. The Ministry of Justice is a state body, which has trained employees, who are supposed to control that the documents are issued according to the legislation. But, as it turned out, such things are not of principle in rthe case of the Ministry of Justice. It is students who are supposed to have ideal documentation and to make some changes behindhand because the authorities again issued new legal acts and requirements.
The officials consider a sticker with dancing and running manikins with ballot papers in their hands to be political literature. "The stickers were all around the city", said Kharyton. Intelligent people made several discoveries during the court hearing. According to comrade Kharyton, stylized horseman, orange sun, blue field, Latin letters – are all unregistered symbols, and those who use it in any kind of combinations should bear responsibility. According to the Ministry officials, "partners of organization" and "members of organization" are synonyms. Judge Babkow is the one to decide what are such statements and accusations are worth of. BSA lawyers Siarhei and Zmitser Zikratski are still fighting against the accusations, which are absurd even according to the Belarusian legislation.
BSA aangevallenIn het vorige bericht van de BSA heb je kunnen lezen dat de studentenbond verboden is. Doordat BSA een rechtszaak is begonnen om weer gelegaliseerd te worden, kunnen ze voorlopig hun activiteiten voorzetten. Dictator Lukashenko zit ondertussen ook niet stil en probeert BSA nu zelfs met fysiek geweld te intimideren. Lees het verslag van BSA.
February 16, 2002, Minsk - On February 15, 2002 at 7.10 p.m. an armed attack was carried out against the central office of Belarusian Students Association (4-2 Darasevica St., Minsk).
Two men with knives and adjustable spanner burst into the office, where a meeting of new organization members was supposed to take place. One of the assaulters was wearing a mask and gloves. He was obviously in charge of the operation. The second attacker did not hide his face and threatened the people present that in case of his identification they would be in huge trouble. He seemed to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The first thing they did was breaking the phone and cutting the wires.
The assaulters ordered everybody to lie down on the floor, and tied some of the people. When somebody tried to stir, they beat and kicked him. The attackers tied Yurka Khramy to the table and brandished a knife near his face, threatened that they would cut off his ears, stuck the knife into the table near his head, put the knife against his throat. The unmasked attacker, between swearing, said that he had fought in Chechnya and slaughtered hundreds of such people there. The assaulters mocked at BSA flag, behaved with confidence, took their time, had a good knowledge in computer equipment. Before leaving they seized the keys from BSA office from everybody. Before the eyes of the editor they cut to pieces the first issue of "Tankist" Pedagogic University BSA branch newspaper, and threatened to do the same with the people.
After about 20 minutes of such mockery the robbers took away a computer with a display, speakers, a modem, a coat of vice-chairperson Volha Kuzmich with her passport, keys, money, and a mobile phone. Before leaving they said that they were fulfilling the order, and had been paid for the work, they advised not to call for police, because "you'll have a bigger trouble then".
There are witnesses, who saw 2 men, one of them in a mask, with a computer box, walking down Darasevica Street, then Yakub Kolas Street. It's worth mentioning that the office of BSA is situated near the building of Latvian and Estonian Embassies, as well as the building of Savetski district administration, which are very well guarded; district police station is located nearby. The assaulters walked in the direction of the building of State Committee for Financial Investigation, which employees repeatedly organized surprise-check-ups in BSA office.
BSA members immediately called for police. About 30 policemen of various ranks and specialities came, they photographed all dark office corners, interrogated the victims and the neighbors, together and separately, sprinkled everything with metal powder, which disabled the only office computer which had been left. The examination lasted till 12 p.m. At midnight the police took 4 students to the police station for interrogation. The interrogation lasted till 4 a.m., after that the police ordered them to come back at 3 p.m. to continue the conversation.
In connection with unprecedented case of physical danger to the life of students - BSA activists, the Council of Belarusian Students Association declares:
- The pressure on the non-governmental organizations and their activists is increasing, in spite of all statements of Belarusian authorities about the beginning of democratization and liberalization processes in our country;
- Only during 2001 the central BSA office was sealed and equipment confiscated; during the meetings in the office there were regularly carried out passport controls, and check-ups by the police, the committee for financial investigations and tax inspection; there were numerous visits of KGB agents and employees of criminal detection police. Regional structures of BSA experienced pressure from local KGB bodies; KGB made efforts to force BSA members to close down their local organizations; the local unions were refused in registration, their members were brought to responsibility for organizing authorized pickets. Officially registered "Studentskaya Dumka" magazine and "Studentskaya Gazeta" newspaper were confiscated, students were beaten during distribution of these editions, detained for posting stickers and participation in various actions, evicted from dormitories and expelled from their colleges and universities. KGB agents repeatedly thrust privet conversations not only on students, but also their teachers and parents. Finally, On December 3, 2002 the Supreme Economic Court cancelled the registration of Belarusian Students Association on formal grounds, but the basic reason was the public and political activities of the students. After that unknown persons called the office and some of the Council members and demanded to stop the organization's activities.
- The authorities reached a new level in the matter of intimidating activists and the most influential organizations. Masked criminals with knives easily stroll about and act near the administrative buildings in the center of Minsk. Now, from threats of firing from a job or expelling from college, the authorities moved to threats of physical reprisal and death.
- Such actions of intimidation again demonstrate the criminal nature of the current regime to Belarus and to the whole world. The cynicism and impudence of Belarusian authorities has no limits. Reporting to Europe their readiness to adjust to democratic standards, they physically exterminate their opponents: well-known people Yury Zakharanka, Viktar Ganchar, Anatol Krasowski, Zmitser Zavadski are missing; for already a month we are unable to locate Yury Korban, head of Vitebsk Youth Initiatives Center "Kontur", former leader of Vitebsk BSA.
- If organizers of the attack aimed at intimidating students and paralyzing the organization's activity, they just wasted their time and money, because every one of us became even stronger, the organization stood one more test with dignity. It is obvious, that freedom-loving students horrify the criminals in power. Now they will be even more scared.
- Belarusian Students Association is still the only independent students' organization, which is active in all dormitories and all colleges of Belarus. We are full of optimism and full of determination and we will win!