Meeting of Yushchenko with Lukashenka is treason to “orange” revolution

Today the Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko met with the Belarusian dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka in Chernihiv. One of the leaders of the Belarusian opposition, the coordinator of the Charter’97 Zmitser Bandarenka comments on this “brotherly” meeting.

“My answer to this meeting is very emotional. My mother is Belarusian, and father Ukrainian. Bondarenko family is an ancient Cossack kin. Its roots originate from the Zaporozhian Sich. Our poet Yanka Kupala has a poem “Bandarouna”, telling one of the stories about this famous Cossack family. That is why, when during the Orange revolution with hundreds thousands people I was singing the lines of the Ukrainian anthem “We’ll sacrifice our souls and bodies to attain our freedom,// And we'll show that we, brothers, are of the Cossack nation.” I had tears in my eyes, I felt proud for Ukraine and understood that “the call of the blood” is not a mere phrase,” the politician said.

Belarusian oppositionists Zmitser Bandarenka (right) and Zmitser Barodka. Kyiv, November 2004

Today the Ukrainian part of my heart is overfilled with resentment. I feel ashamed for Viktor Yushchenko for his fraternizing with the Belarusian dictator. Hundreds of Belarusians took part in the Ukrainian Maidan; for all of us the “orange” revolution remains one of the highest points in our lives. On the first day of Maidan rally there were even more white-red-white flags there then yellow-blue ones. Nothing was clear then, but we knew that by fighting for freedom in Ukraine, we are fighting for freedom in our native Belarus. The same feeling was shared by thousands of people from all over the world, who had arrived to Kyiv then. The Belarusians, the Georgians, the Azeri, the Russians, the Kazakhs were ready to go to prisons, and even sacrifice their lives. It was such a spiritual impulse then. We all admired leaders of the Ukrainian democracy, and, certainly, Yushchenko and Tymoshenko above all,” recalls one of the leaders of the Belarusian opposition.

Belarusian flags on Maidan Nezalezhnosti ( Independence Square). Kyiv, November 2004

“Later, when I was returning to Minsk with my friends, at the border we were seized by Ukrainian special services and law enforcers who still obeyed the previous regime. And when my arm was broken after my arms were handcuffed behind my back, I heard the words: “Serves you right for supporting Yushchenko on Maidan”. After the victory of Viktor Yushchenko in the presidential race was recognized, we all expected Ukraine to become the spiritual centre, the torch of freedom and reforms. A criminal action was initiated against villains in uniform and in mufti who had been taking part in our abduction and arrest. There were identifications, face-to-face confrontation, where law-enforcers who were frightened to death, repeated: “It was not me” or “We were just executing the order”. But let us proceed from the general to the special. The case relating illegal arrest and beating up the Belarusian citizens was closed. And then we were telling each other: something goes wrong in Ukraine,” the Charter’97 coordinator notes.

Zmitser Bandarenka after being beaten up by Ukrainian special services. November, 2004

“Then the whole world witnesses the split in the camp of winners, sickening carve-up of offices and mudslinging,” Zmitser Bandarenka continues. “It seems to me that the leaders of the “orange revolution” who demonstrated real courage in 2004, turned out to be much weaker and narrow-minded than their nation. Speaking about their intention to join to the European Union in word, they didn’t understand that spiritual values are not mere words in Europe.

Over all these years neither Yushchenko nor Tymoshenko found time to meet with young Belarusians who had been standing on Maidan so daringly. The president, the prime minister, their ministers started to play the game of “Realpolitik”, strengthening ties of friendship with officials of the dictatorial regime, maximally avoiding contacts with the Belarusian opposition. They have totally forgotten that the “orange” revolution is predominantly a moral revolution. It were and uncompromising defense of the highest ideals of freedom and democracy caused sympathies to Ukraine in Europe and worldwide”.

Belarusian flags on Maidan Nezalezhnosti ( Independence Square). Kyiv, November 2004

According to Zmitser Bandarenka, the meeting of Yushchenko and Lukashenka could contribute to legitimization of the Belarusian dictator.

“The Ukrainian leaders should remember that cynicism and pure reckoning in politics often brought about enormously awful consequences. The meeting of Yushchenko and Lukashenka in Chernihiv is an amoral preparation for the visit of the last dictator of Europe to the “noble” summit of the EU in Prague. After the meeting in Chernihiv some cynical European politicians would point at that: look, even the leader of the orange revolution met with Lukashenka. But I believe in wisdom of the Ukrainian nation. People are aware of everything. And the catastrophic rating of the Ukrainian president’s popularity today demonstrates that people do not forgive apostasy, unscrupulousness in political contacts. It is a pity that such a really bright and strong person as Yushchenko makes so many mistakes,” the Charter’97 said.