September 9, October Square: “No to Russian occupation!”

A protest rally against introduction of Russian troops to Belarus will be held on September 9 in Minsk.

Opposition leaders have made an address to the Belarusian society:

“On September 9, 2009 Belarusian-Russian “Zapad-2009” strategic military exercises start in Belarus.

One of the aims of the military exercises is liquidation of armed conflicts, but it is obvious that the threat to the national security of peaceful Belarus could only be represented by Russia. Different political leaders of Russia many times stated that in case of a threat to Lukashenka’s regime Russian troops can be brought in Belarus.

That is why national democratic forces of Belarus oppose the Belarusian-Russian Zapad-2009 military exercises and call upon Belarusian citizens to come to Kalinouski (Kastrychnitskaya) Square on September 9, at 6 p.m., with white-red-white flags, like 495 years ago near Vorsha, and state: No to Russian occupation! Long live Belarus!

Zmitser Dashkevich, Young Front leader

Viktar Ivashkevich, Chairman of Minsk city branch of the Belarsian Popular Front Party

Alyaksandr Arastovich, Deputy Chairman of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Narodnaya Hramada)

Vyachaslau Siuchyk, Chairman of Solidarity movement “Razam!”

Zmitser Bandarenka, Coordinator of “European Belarus” campaign