BNR Rada: It is our flag, and it is to become a state one

The Rada (Council) of the Belarusian People’s Republic (BNR) has demanded immediate release of Vitsebsk-based activist of the Conservative Christian Party BPF Syarhei Kavalenka.

It is said in the statement published by the BNF Rada. It is noted in the statement that a white-red-white flag, as well as “Pahonya” coat-of-arms are the national symbols and are inseparably connected with the history of Belarus.

“Belarusian warriors gained glorious victories under white-red-white flag. On March 25, 1918 the Belarusian People’s Republic was proclaimed under a white-red-white flag. Under white-red-white flags on the square I front of the House of government thousands of Minsk dwellers welcomed renewal of Belarusian independence on August 25, 1991,” the statement reads.

The BNR Rada reminds that “state national symbols were substituted by the present symbols of the Republic of Belarus at the so-called “referendum” in 1995 initiated by Alyaksandr Lukashenka and the head of his administration Leanid Sinitsyn. Issues of depriving the Belarusian language its state language status, the right of the president to dissolve the parliament and economic integration with Russia were also proposed for this referendum.”

The questions of the so-called “referendum” contradicted the Constitution and a number of laws which were in force then. It was set forcibly, through beating 19 opposition deputies (BNF Faction) in the parliament on the order of Lukashenka. The so-called “referendum” was held with massive falsifications and with the regime’s monopoly on mass media. All these facts allow considering it illegitimate.

“The results of this “referendum” brought into derision the national symbols, total Russification and exclusion of Belarusian from all spheres of use, establishment of Lukashenka’s dictatorship and economic dependence of the country from Moscow,” the statement of the BNR Rada reads.

“A white-red-white flag and “Pahonya” coat-of-arms remain symbols of Belarusian statehood for every conscious Belarusian,” the document maintains. “The proof for that are national flags hung by Vitsebsk Miron, mass rallies under white-red-white flags, despite of convictions, arrests and fines.

The BNR Rada noted that solidarity with the courageous Vitebsk patriots should become a priority for human rights organisations in these days, as well as for all the political parties and movements of Belarus which declare their support to the national values. We are sure that a white-red-white flag and “Pahonya” will become symbols of a free democratic Belarus,” the BNR Rada wrote in the statement.

The BNR Rada expresses delight over the deed of Belarusian patriots, who hung a white-red-white flag on a Christmas tree in Vitsebsk, and demands immediate release of Syarhei Kavalenka, an activist of the Conservative Christian Party BPF. Besides, the Rada finds its duty to attract attention of the leaders of the democratic countries and international organisations to the situation with Kavalenka and his supporters.

At noon January 7, a national white-red-white was hung out at the top of the 35-metres-high Christmas Tree set up on Victory square in Vitsebsk. 34-year-old Kavalenka was detained near the tree. On January 10 the prosecutor of Vitsebsk decided to place him in the remand prison for 2 months. A case on charges relating Article 339 Part 2 of the Criminal Code (repeated hooliganism, or committed by a group of persons, or connected with committing less serious bodily harm) has been opened against him. He faces up to 6 years of imprisonment under this article.