Does Paznyak call Belarusians to arms? (Video)

The leader of the Conservative Christian Party Belarusian People’s Front notes that the Belarusian nation lacks “combative spirit.”

Making an address in New York dedicated to the anniversary of the armed uprising in Slutsk, Zyanin Paznyak stressed:

“Now we have a completely different situation. Then, in the 1920ies, and in the first half of the 20th century in general, the only method of the fight for freedom was military struggle method. There were no other methods. The society did not know ones, as the society was like that. And when people had to fight for freedom, everyone understood: one had to have readiness to face death.

Now the approach is different. Now we have international organisations, free press, human rights, all kinds of associations, democracy, quick communication means, the opinion of the world community, the international court. And now the fight for freedom, as it is understood by our people, is a fight with the help of democratic methods, through people’s dissent, resistance, through participation in the election, through expressing protest, appeals to international organisations.

So, the dilemma is that the today’s regime, the today’s junta, which had seized the power in Belarus, it does not respect any laws (neither international nor national ones), it does not listen to the opinion of the nation to any extent. And the dilemma is: who to change this regime by non-violent means, when the laws do not work? And when the usurper of this power openly says that he will kill the people, this resistance by military means, and announced creation of 120,000-strong army? How this dilemma could be solved in this situation? It turns out that then, in the 1920ies, when strange armies were on the both sides, it looked an easier option for struggle than today. And the nation was able for that, though it was a highly uneven confrontation.

This holiday, this historical example shows us that we are going to solve our problem when this combative spirit would be revived in us, when the spirit of Slutsk dwellers would be revived. Readiness for struggle, readiness to fight, as we must fight for our liberty, for our Motherland, not thinking about how many enemies there are, not thinking that Russia is a great country and Lukashenka has riot police and anything at all. We lack exactly combative spirit, as we are repeating all the time: “People have fear, they are intimidated, they have no rights…” The example of Slutsk uprising shows us how we should fight. And it is the most important thing. As soon as it happens, there would be no questions, what we should do, or maybe the US or some others help us, and so on… There would be no questions then.”