Zmitser Bandarenka: “Do not eat poison! Demand new election!”

• 16.09.2008, 10:25

“People are not fools: for these years, Lukashenka has explained to them that the “house of representatives” doesn’t decide anything. It is a cause of a grassroots boycott: people are not going to vote at the “election”, one of the leaders of the “European Belarus” civil campaign Zmitser Bandarenka told in an interview to “BelGazeta” weekly.

“BelGazeta” published a short version of the prepared interview with Zmitser Bandarenka. Here is the full version.

– What is the sense of the idea of boycotting the election?

– The civilised world doesn’t recognise both the president of the Republic of Belarus and the so called parliament today. Due to the problems in the Belarusian economy in global crisis, the authorities need to get resources and finance somewhere to save the situation. Trade balance deficit will most likely reach 4 billion, gas and oil prices will grow. The authorities plan to get this money at cost of selling state property. An objective of the authorities is legitimisation of the “house of representatives”, which will approve unlawful privatisation and any other decisions, in particular, Belarus joining the Russian Federation. Recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia may be the first step. The main idea of the boycott is not to allow legitimisation of this decorative body, which has no right of legislative initiative.

Boycott is an idea of the masses, of the Belarusian people. People are not fools: for these years, Lukashenka has explained to them that the “house of representatives” doesn’t decide anything. It is a cause of a grassroots boycott: people are not going to vote at the “election”. When democratic activists wear T-shirts with slogan “Boycott”, passers-by ask often, boycott of what? Activists answer, “Boycott of the election”. 9 out of 10 people ask, “What election?”

A part of people will be made to vote early, which is a fiction in the Belarusian conditions. So, we will turn attention of the international observers to the number of voters on September 28.

Our slogan: we boycott the election farce on September 28, and take to Minsk streets in the evening with a demand of holding new democratic election.

– Is boycott possible if half of opposition candidates are not going to withdraw their candidatures?

– If people want to be in a control group of those, whom the authorities will wipe boots on, it is their right. On September 29-30 they wil told to us about their ineffable feelings.

– In 2000, the situation was more favourable for boycott, but it failed...

– Boycott didn’t fail. On the voting day, the Belarusian television gave shocking information just after the “election”: the “election” failed in Minsk constituencies and in regional centres. It was shock and awe. It was recorded by international OSCE observers and observers at polling stations. After some hours, the authorities came around and began to repair the situation. But even at those times, under those conditions, it was recognised that the “election” failed in many constituencies of Minsk and Mahilou. And the main thing, the “house of representatives” hasn’t been recognised by the international community so far.

– Do you agree the boycott from the first day was a great present for the authorities: if the opposition imposes boycott, they have no need of rigging the results?

– Initiators of the boycott agreed with the heads of the democratic parties that we will use the scheme “good and bad policeman”. It was possible to speak about boycott or election before polling station election commissions were begun to be formed. But when only 0.07 per cent of democratic representatives were allowed to the commissions, it has become clear: we should expect falsifications. Now we speak about whether it is necessary to run in the election farce to the end or withdraw candidates.

– On September 10, the presidium of the political council of the United Democratic Forces approved a decision that democratic candidates will possibly go on running in the “election” till the end of the campaign...

– Leadership of the Belarusian Popular Front party confirmed a decision of their Soim (council) on withdrawing its candidates. Some democratic candidates have already withdrawn in the Homel region. The Christian democrats said they joined the boycott. One of the leaders of the United Civil Party Stanislau Bahdankevich says it is necessary to withdraw. Judging by thee conditions offered by the European List, they prepare displacement.

Now parties discuss a compromise decision - leave 7–10 constituencies, where we will throw all efforts to, including observation. In their view, it will allow to demonstrate the details of the election farce in Belarus. But today all members of the United Democratic Forces said the ”election” was not free and fair.

– Would it be wiser to use liberal softening of this campaign to the end?

– A rate of softening is access of democratic representatives to polling stations election commissions. Observers, including international ones, are not allowed to votes counting. According to the law, if the commission wants, they must stay far from the table in order not to hinder the commission. As a result, people show photos, when they could see only backs of election commission members. It was proposed that at least 1500 democrats were in the composition of 70000 members of election commissions. Let at least these people have access to commissions! They weren’t allowed. It means that falsification is possible.

We shouldn’t forget about repressions against the opposition. Every day, we collect fact of dozens of arrests, callings in to the KGB, prosecutor’s office, beatings, firing and expulsion from universities, callings in to department of finance investigation.

– Is an opportunity of speaking to the electorate via state media unnecessary motivation for running in the campaign?

– Many journalists know what is closing down of hundreds independent newspapers, radio stations and TV studios. Agreeing on elimination of lively fine media and take cheap 5 minutes in return, in poor studio with bad sound, incorrect light, not in prime-time. This is not the freedom of speech, this is a means of trapping naive regional democratic candidates and a show for the West.

– Do supporters of the boycott deprive a voter of the right for a lawful representative in the House of Representatives of the National Assembly?

– We have heard such thoughts, it is not election but election farce, but a voter is not guilty, so he or she must participate in this process. Following this logics, consumer society could have said: there are expired products in a shop, but a consumer is not guilty, so let he or she eat poisoned food. As “society for protection the rights of political consumers”, we say: Do not eat poison! Demand new election!

– You called the election “farce”, because its results is allegedly fated. In this case, the result of the boycott is fated, too: voter turnout will be enough...

– No. After “election” for local councils, the commissions reported: more than 50 per cent voted. But I attended my ballot station on the “election” day: it was empty. It will be the same this time: people don’t know about the “election” and have no hopes for the “house of representatives”. In my view, observers will record, there won’t be turnout on September 28. Non-alternative “election” will be held in many constituencies. There are 12 such constituencies today. Even if not all opposition candidates withdraw, the number of non-alternative constituencies will be at least 50. The Belarusians are not so fool to go and vote for an unopposed representative of the authorities.

– Why does the West stand against the boycott?

– They want Belarus to be not a European, but Latin-American country. Yes, there is a country of Argentina, whose football players are good. Doesn’t matter that 30.000 people were kidnapped and killed there. Nevertheless, the West traded with Argentina, Brasilia, Paraguay, and other dictatorships. We are offered the same variant today. There are forces in the West who say, the Belarusians can’t live under democracy. They like living under dictatorship. So, it is necessary to report that Belarus has Latin-American type of dictatorship. We have always traded with Latin-American dictators, and will do the same here. Being a Belarusian, I think my country is a European one, and it should join the EU but not to become a banana republic.

– The opposition has changed from criticising the authorities to criticising a “demonic” figure of Anatol Lyabedzka, clearing up from time to time, if he has conscience...

– People fairly criticise party leaders, Lyabedzka, Kalyakinm Statkevich, for their decision on running in the election farce to the end. They prefer to warn the authorities, and the latter just ignore these warnings.

Regional candidates, who have come through great difficulties, flatter themselves that the democrats, will be allowed to the “house of representatives” this year, unlike 1996, 2000 and 2004. And then their lives will change. Common activists have the right to mistake. But the party leaders, experienced politicians, who know Lukashenka personally, have no right for naivety.

– As Vaskrasenski, member of the Party of Communist of Belarus, thinks, people don’t want to see the opposition in the “parliament”...

– Of course, the Belarusians eager to vote only for the communists in the XXI century.

– Supporters of the boycott are accused of “working out resources, provided for the boycott”...

– I hear this accusation for the first time.

– In your view, what will be a result of the parliamentary “election” campaign?

– The results of the “election” are clear today. Some “democrats” will be allowed to the “parliament”. Names of Ramanchuk, Mikhalevich, Nistsyuk are heard behind the scenes. However, other variants are possible.

Status quo will remain. The opposition doesn’t recognise this “parliament”, as the West does. “election” will fail in many constituencies. On September 28, thousands of Belarusians will take to Minsk streets demanding new election, and their votes will be heard in the world.

Note of “BelGazeta” . Zmitser Bandarenka is a human right activist, one of the leaders of the “European Belarus” civil campaign. He will be 45 year old on September 28.