Liberalization for oysters

Sometimes it seems to me that a year ago Lord Bell was labouring under insomnia, and it made him to write an unsophisticated text. Since that time all European officials pass this text round before their visit to Belarus.

And when in Minsk, they start reading one and the same paper: “Policy of Lukashenka’s isolation has proved fruitless over many years, and we have decided to take a different approach. That is why we are welcoming positive steps and liberalization, and impatiently waiting for Belarus’ joining the European democratic family”. It has some variations when somebody failed to memorize the text exactly, but in general it has no deviations.

Officials said about “positive steps” noticed by them stammeringly and with hesitation; they say something like “well, Kazulin was released… and Milinkevich was registered, and in general everything is very positive”. Arrests of Autukhovich, Asipenka and Lyavonau in February are not considered “a negative step” for some reason. Everybody is so focused on positive dynamics, that even has become blind to repressions.

The yesterday’s guest of Belarus, Director General of the Directorate General of Democracy and Political Affairs of the Council of Europe (CE) Jean-Louis Laurens visited Minsk on time. On the eve of his arrival positive steps of the regime have become seven-league strides: Valyanstin Dounar was murdered, Uladzimir Lemesh and Artur Finkevich were kidnapped and forcibly abducted, new official warnings to newspapers were issued, and Mikalai Autukhovich and Uladzimir Asipenka were actually charged with terrorism. However, Mr Laurens hasn’t recalled that. At a press-conference he cheerily informed journalists that many-year the policy of isolation of the Belarusian state, supported by the former political lobby, has not yield positive results, -- we have heard this text from a crib note already, -- and a new tendency has formed over the last year. It is developing the dialogue between the Belarusian government and the Council of Europe in al spheres and at all levels, work on Belarus’ accession to a number of conventions and agreements within the Council of Europe, increasing presence of the authorities in structures of the Council of Europe. And the most important issue Europe is concerned with is abolishment of capital punishment in Belarus, or at least moratorium. If it happens, the state would be held in their arms immediately.

Earlier the same officials said different words: rule of law, human rights, freedom of speech, free election. Now these notions common for every European, are called exotic trimmings, which are not indispensable in the conditions of Belarus. How Lukashenka could be demanded Belarusians should use oyster knife right and distinguish Bordeaux 1997 fro other wines, and not allowed to become a part of Europe without this knowledge? Human rights have become such an oyster on the plate. If you cannot eat it properly, don’t, nobody would blame you.

And capital punishment abolishment is such an undemanding condition that seems to be easily fulfilled, without quitting one’s favourite pastime. One can continue throwing dozens of people in prisons, the main thing is not to shoot them. And one can even sentence them for life. People could be killed, but not after the verdict of the court, just so, like Valyantsin Dounar. Election results can be rigged, people abducted, the press cracked down, demonstrations dispersed. The main thing is no executions officially. No stress. And Jean-Louis Laurens honestly admitted that all his official meetings, with Martynau and Makey, were dedicated exactly to capital punishment ban. Nothing more.

An official journalist asked: “Well, how is that, the majority supports capital punishment in our country?” Laurens answered: “In any state the majority of population supports capital punishment. And its abolishment should be implemented despite of the will of the people, by a decision of the country’s leadership, without any referenda”. If it is a complicated psychological trick, Laurens should receive applause: one could find another possibility for Lukashenka to do anything disregarding the will of the nation, and he would do that immediately. But capital punishment seems to be the only thing where this logic cannot be used. Lukashenka cannot deny himself a pleasure to know that somebody will be shot immediately after his a wave of his hand or at the stroke of his pen, which means he is almost as powerful as the Creator. So discussions on capital punishment abolishment are as empty as ballot boxes.

I asked Jean-Louis Laurens what had happened to European officials last year: have all of them become blind? Or stupid? Or have they intentionally decided to recognize this regime, betraying their own democratic values? After a pause Laurens said: “No, we haven’t become blind”.

It’s good if Lord Bell had managed to invent all that for them before contract with him was cancelled. And if they invent phrases “positive steps” themselves? And rapprochement with Lukashenka? And the hope to teach him how to use oyster knife? And has it been done for free?..

Then one should recall Karlsson-on-the-Roof. When his little friend Lillebror told him that his friends Krister and Gunilla believe Karlsson was a fantasy, he answered that in fact Kristen and Gunilla are fantasy. And added: “An extremely stupid fantasy”.