We, the participants in the 28th Convention of the Belarusans of North America, having gathered in the Free World, with wide representation from the Belarusan community of the U.S.A. and Canada, and also from Belarus, and the entire world,
• Declare that, the anti-democratic regime in Belarus has deprived the majority of its residents of true civil and human rights, including the right to use the Belarusan language, and to obtain a public education and information in the Belarusan language. In contrast to those of us who are present here, Belarusans in the homeland are deprived of the right to free elections, freedom of speech and freedom of assembly.
• Protest against the persecution of democratic forces in Belarus, against the sellout of Belarusan independence, against the destruction of historical memory, cultural attainments and traditions, and the decimation of everything Belarusan, which the pro-Moscow Lukashenka regime carries out today.
• Protest against the openly cynical violation of the electoral rights of the Belarusan people by the Lukashenka regime, and against the anti-democratic election campaign, the results of which cannot be recognized as legitimate.
• Protest against any aim to create a military-political union with Russia, against the return of Russian missiles and nuclear arms to Belarus, against the presence of Russian troops in any form.
• Declare that, only a free Belarus, truly independent of outside forces, can become truly their own state for the Belarusan people and a true home for Belarusan culture, language and traditions.
• Express our support for the Georgian people in their resistance to Russian aggression, and declare that, only the solidarity of the peoples who were captives of Russia, can halt the attempts to revive the imperial ambitions of Russia.
• Call upon Belarusans and friends of Belarus, in the homeland and in the rest of the world, to unite in support of freedom and independence for Belarus, in opposition to the dictatorial regime and the attempts by Russia to weaken and eventually destroy Belarusan statehood.
Belarusan American Association
Belarusan Canadian Alliance
Strongsville, Ohio, U.S.A.
31 August 2008
This article appeared in
Belarusian Review, Vol. 20, No. 3
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5 january 2009
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