Opposition to march “Chernobyl Way” its own way

Initiators of “Chernobyl Way” find that the demonstration itinerary offered by the authorities is unacceptable.

As we have informed, yesterday during the meeting of the Minsk city executive Committee with organizers of the “Chernobyl Way-2009” a new itinerary was offered. The march is planned to be held on the 23th anniversary of Chernobyl nuclear power station disaster.

The deputy chairmen of the Belarusian Popular Front party Vintsuk Vyachorka and Viktar Ivashkevich, and the leader of the Belarusian Communist Party Syarhei Kalyakin were told that on April 26 the column of demonstrators can march from the building of the Academy of Sciences near “October” cinema along Khmelnitski, Kujbysheu, Surhanau streets to Bangalore Square where Chernobyl chapel is situated.

Initially initiators planned to hold the march from the Academy of Sciences along Independence Avenue towards Yakub Kolas Square, Vera Kharuzhaya, Bahdanovich, Kulman, Karastayanava streets towards Chernobyl Chapel. This variant is not sanctioned by the authorities allegedly because the route goes beside Kamarouski market. City administration thinks that participants of the demo could “cause problems for buyers”.

The proposal of Minks city executive committee was discussed on April 22 at the enlarged session of the organizing committee of “Chernobyl Way”.

As the deputy chairman of the Belarusian Popular Front party Viktar Ivashkevich said after the session, organizers decided to choose the earlier planned route, that is, from the Academy of Sciences via Yakub Kolas Square, Vera Kharuzhaya street, Maxim Bahdanovich street towards Chernobyl Chapel in Karastayanava Street.

“Chernobyl Way” organizing committee considers that the route offered by the authorities does not correspond to goals and objectives of the initiators: to demonstrate the position of as many people as possible. The regime has again offered peaceful protesters to march in the backyards. It is obvious that on the one hand the regime has financial problems and asks credits from the West, that is why they cannot use their favourite methods of fighting with dissenters – paddy wagons and truncheons; and on the other hand – the regime does not want to behave democratically. That’s the reason of banning oppositional rallies in the centre of the city,” Ivashkevich said.

The deputy chairman of the Belarusian Popular Front party calls upon Belarusians to come to the spot near the Academy of Sciences in Minsk on April 26 at the noon.

“It is officially authorized to gather there. Come and bring flags and posters, and take part in the rally. I am convinced that the demonstration would be held peacefully, without problems for its participants. Nobody would keep us from gathering near the Academy of Sciences. We should mark the anniversary of Chernobyl disaster and state openly that the main reason of the serious aftermaths of the catastrophe from which Belarusians suffer today are the irresponsible attitude of the Belarusian authorities to the problem of radioactive contamination of the territory of Belarus. The situation is getting worse; the real state of affairs is concealed. But the opinion of common people is not taken into account by the authorities, we are treated as guinea pigs. We must put an end to that and finally become citizens of our country,” Viktar Ivashkevich said.