Viktar Ivashkevich: “Young people should undertake initiative”

On November 2 a rally dedicated to Dzyady will take place. The deputy chairman of the Belarusian Popular Front Viktar Ivashkevich tells about preparation to the rally:

- What do 20 years mean for the organisation in general? And what do 20 years mean for a political organisation in the conditions of Belarus?

- 20 years is an entire life, as there are BPF members who were born when the BPF was created already. It is good that the organisation is alive, that young people join it, and on the other hand, people who had founded the Front have remained working for it. It shows vitality of the idea which had created this organisation. There is a danger to use the treasures our organization gained earlier, thinking that it is possible to live today on the capital we had collected. I think it is a mistake. I am a supporter of little memorial part of the celebration, and a larger part to be dedicated to the future development. Analyzing the experience of the 20 years of work and using it, one should remember that a new war is always a new war, and it is impossible to win exactly copying methods of struggle used 20 years ago.

- And what should be done with the capital, with these achievements?

- The main thing I the blast which took place 20 years ago is emergence of nationally conscious masses’ creativeness. Then we assisted that and facilitated, stimulated independent creative work of people united by one idea and common aim. The aim was to achieve independence and overthrow the dictatorship of the Communist party. We always welcomed to activities of different organisations inside the Frost, near the Front. They are the Workers’ Union which was involved in the work with workers’ affairs, and youth organisations, and even foundation of the party. One should remember that foundation of the Belarusian Social Democratic Hramada was inspired by the leadership of the Front in order to have a possibility to absorb former Communists who couldn’t join the BPF itself. One of the deputy chairs of the Front was delegated to this work, Mikhas Tkachou. And today we should also aim not to make orders, but to set tasks. Recently we have become used to giving commands, and people have got used to execute commands. And now a task should be offered to people, and they should decide themselves how to fulfil it. But many people do not want that, as naturally it is easier to fulfil an order than to take on responsibility independently. To contact autonomous structures and initiatives is a strategic approach used 20 years ago. I think that today we should return to that, maximally involving people in creative work in their struggle for the democratic European Belarus.

- What do you remember most from the time of the BPF foundation?

- I was a member of the leadership of the Belarusian Youth Communities’ Confederation. I wasn’t a member of the BPF organising committee. We saw that the Organising Committee of the BPF has different people, including those who were afraid of big steps, who were afraid to make mistakes. Understanding that, we, young people, often took initiative and nudged our older friends to some things. For instance, on October 19, when a session of “Martyralog” was being prepared, we decided to seek a meeting of the BPF Organising Committee. I was in charge of a voluntary public order squad. We prepared arm bands for members of the voluntary public order squad. They were red on one sine, and white-red-white on the other. We planned to turn them to become white-red-white when the foundation of the Organising Committee would be made. Speeches of Vintsuk Vyachorka and Ales Susha were planned on that meeting. Everybody was saying then: “The army is with us!” Halina Susha, Ales Susha’s wife, was the first to say that we should move along. These speeches made Zyanon Paznyak to announce the Organising Committee creation. Then the Organising Committee was founded and its meetings started in the House of Writers, talks started that Dzyady should be celebrated. Then the Organising Committee refused to be in charge of that rally. And the Confederation of Belarusian Youth Communities took on responsibility. They distributed leaflets and prepared flags. It is natural that majority of the Organising Committee members took part in Dzyady. But if the young people wouldn’t have organised that, the rally wouldn’t take place. The moral is: our youth activists should more often take on responsibility and not wait for others to give command. And the older ones will support them. And if they won’t support, let them go on sleeping near the fireplace.

- How would you celebrate the 20th anniversary of the BPF?

- The 20th anniversary of the BPF is undoubtedly connected with the Dzyady march. The Front was appearing at the same time when those Dzyady took place in 1988. I applied for holding a demonstration this year. The history of my activities in the pro-democracy movement began 20 years ago with that rally. I was the leader of the voluntary public order squad. Today, like 20 years ago, I will be in charge of the rally and be legally responsible for it. Dzyady rally is dedicated to mourning, but it is not gloomy or tragic. We recall our forefathers. And the memory about forefathers always helped people to act in the present day. Belarusians have always been convinced that forefathers, their spirit, help in difficult times. Returning to traditions, to our forefathers should help us to take the flag and struggle for freedom.

- What would you like to wish the BPF on its 20th anniversary?

- I wish all members of the BPF not to have fear and to take our white-red-white flag on November 2 at the noon. I would like to remind that 20 years ago a white-red-white flag was hoisted publicly for the first time since the 1940ies.