Syarhei Karchytski: The more rebels, the more difficult is to find executioners

Recently mass media covered a conflict blazed up around a propaganda film showed by the Belarusian state-run TV channel BT, about non-registered party Belarusian Christian Democracy.

The begging of the active discussion on the topic was made by a statement of Syarhei Karchytski, a Belarusian writer and chairman of the Republican public association “World for all”, about his flat refusal to offer the BT to appear in a planned “blockbuster”.

Is it a coincidence or a not, but two days after this decision the office of S. Karchytski in the centre of the city was burst in and an unsanctioned search by people in mufti was held there. www.ucpb.org Website addressed the chairman of “World for all” organisation to learn about the details of the events.

- Syarhei, could you please tell more about what happened after your refusal to appear in the fold of the BT?

- They persuaded me to make an interview with sharp criticism against the BCD. I think that the planned to make me one of the chief “killers”, knowing from online publications about the ecumenical and cosmopolitan stand of “World for all” headed by me, and nationally-orientated position of the BCD. I denied such a “flattering” proposal and warned about a court trial in case my words would be used in the TV program. Two days after that, on September 22, windows of my office were broken, doors were smashed in, and my office room was searched by secret services representatives. On that day I wasn’t even allowed to go to the Linguistic University where I am a professor of Latin. Just imagine how I felt when explaining students why their professor failed to come to studies…

- However, despite of your refusal, your words were used by the BT channel, weren’t they?

- That’s true. Besides, they haven’t even made a reference to the author of the quotation, I mean me. It is the easiest thing, to take words out of the context and make them public in a different time in a different situation.

- How do you estimate the effect of this film in the Belarusian society?

- The Belarusian TV has done harm to itself only by this film. And it has helped to promote Christian Democracy. People have at least found out about existence of people with such ideas in Belarus. In other words, Christian politicians had free air time for advertising in the BT…

- What has caused you recent negative comments concerning Deacon Andrei Kurayev?

- There were several reasons for that. As I have said, I am a professor in Minsk State Linguistic University. And Kurayev, mentioned by the BT in the film about the BCD, have made a few visits to Minsk universities, including MSLU. So recently I was in the proximity to Dean Kurayev two times, and it was against my own free will. My very being was revolted when administration of universities, who seem to be intellectual elite of the country, organize education of young people by herding them to lectures of such persons. Andrei Kurayev is known for his xenophobic, chauvinistic statements which can incite ethnic and interdenominational enmity. I will inform my students about that. Moreover, I believe that pro-democracy students and professors of universities visited by Kurayev, should prepare collective letters of protect concerning this fact. Though if only a dozen of people would sing them, university administration would not notice that and even use sanctions.

- And if there would be hundreds of signatures?

- You know, they say: the more rebels, the more difficult is to find executioners…