The invitation to an antinuclear march

Minsk, Belarus, on April, 26th, 2007

On April, 26th, 1986 there was a catastrophe on the Chernobyl nuclear power station. As a result of it Belarus has become most suffered country.

Since 1990th years, the national-liberal opposition to a regime of president A.Lukashenko spends annual procession "Чарнобыльскі шлях" (" the Chernobyl way "). The declared purpose of actions is attraction of attention of the public to consequences of Chernobyl and the critic of policy of the government on liquidation/minimization of these consequences. Since 1996 anarchists taking part in it, but always a separate column and with own slogans. The participation anarchists try to make attention first of all to those problems which interest oppositional leaders a little. For example, to a problem of a Chernobyl revisionism - conscious revision and underestimation of scales of consequences of accident in which are involved not only the government, but the international organizations "helping" Belarus (U.N.O., the World Bank, MAGATE). The main themes of anarchist mobilization in this year are the protest against the governmental plans of construction of the nuclear power station in Belarus and counteraction to a cancelling of privileges and grants to the people who have suffered from Chernobyl accident, and to make occasion to spread information about alternative and decentralized energy.

Last year, in day of 20-th anniversary of catastrophe, about hundred anarchists with radical slogans and banners were favourably allocated on a background of the bored abstract slogans of "traditional" oppositionists. This year we also plan to collect not less than hundreds participants of an anarchist column from Belarus.

We invite people from East, Central and the Western Europe to join our protest action.

What does it matter?

On December, 1st, 2006 Alexander Lukashenko has declared that in Belarus the nuclear power station will be constructed. Engineering works on prospective places of accommodation of the nuclear power station and negotiations with the Russian and French suppliers of the equipment are now conducted. Erection of station is supposed to be begun in 2008. At a present stage most really to prevent construction, that the Belarus anarchists, and also a number of other organizations are try to make.

During all time of board of Lukashenko, in Belarus the rights of the people who have suffered from Chernobyl accident are striked. The program of resettlement of inhabitants of the regions polluted by radiation on rather pure grounds is stopped. The health services worsens. Privileges and compensatory grants to victims of Chernobyl and participants of liquidation of consequences the failures stipulated earlier by the Belarus laws are reduced and cancelled. All official applications of pseudoscientific character that, ostensibly, all illnesses of victims are caused by " psychology of a victim ", instead of constant influence of greater and small dozes of radiation is more often sound. We resolutely oppose "a Chernobyl revisionism" and a cancelling of social guarantees for victims. More in detail about it it is possible to read through on a site of Belarus Indymedia (belarus.indymedia.org) under a heading "Ecology".

At last, we wish to declare alternatives to the centralized nuclear energy and to distribute idea of the decentralized way, as the perspective direction capable to self-development which can stop power dependence of separate regions. To affect development of energy in Belarus through creating initiatives of application of alternative (small, ecologically and it is industrial effective) energy sources.

Why we participate in actions of national-liberals?

We do not consider ourselves as political allies of nationals and liberals, we do not share their vision of the future of Belarus, the strategic purposes and methods of political activity. However we are solidary with all victims of repressions on political grounds, irrespective of their sights, and we support requirements oppositional legal organizations in that, as to a freedom of speech, assemblies, association in the organization.

The political climate in Belarus is adverse for any social and civil activity, especially for street actions of direct action. In conditions of Belarus it is inefficient to spend five-minute small actions. Even more long actions in crowded places with very high probability will be dispersed. Only large demonstrations allow to avoid general arrest of activists. For this reason anarchists participate in actions of national-liberal opposition.

But even if the action will pass successfully and (unexpectedly) liberal mass-media will place the messages on the action, these messages because of their small circulations or presence only on the Internet, will be read with a very small number of people already engaged politically. We choose participation in actions of liberals and consequently, that then our slogans the people who have come on meeting (and will see, at least, it, as a rule, some thousand, and sometimes and some tens thousand person), casual passers-by and passing motorists. It is impossible to miss such opportunity for propaganda our ideas.

Why your arrival is necessary to us?

Antinuclear movement in Belarus, let alone social movements of the most direct victims of Chernobyl, is very weak and is isolated. The real sensation of the international solidarity (and not just humanitarian help) can really help with its becoming. Participation in our protest actions of activists from abroad will enable anarchists of Belarus to feel friendly support, very important during present time.

At last, the international support can become an additional information occasion to sound our requirements in local and foreign mass-media.

The prevention: take care of the safety!

We shall use the best efforts, that visitors have not suffered from hands of "protection of the law and order services", but...

Try to not to attract attention to itself at crossing border (it concerns moving the Russian-Belarus border less). Think up to itself the "harmless" purpose of arrival to Belarus. Do not show a printed matter and the organizational attributes connected with the purpose of arrival, prior to the beginning of the action. It is not necessary to dress too extravagantly (it concerns all time of stay).

Are probable arrests of foreigners after the termination of the action. Therefore be going to spend some days under arrest.

If, despite of the close neighbourhood of national-liberals and a repressive regime, you wish to take part in an anarchist antinuclear march, contact us.

The contact address: antinuclear07@gmail.com

If you know other people from Belarus, write directly to them.