Vital Rymasheuski: People are aware of the political prisoners from the website of "Charter 97"

In modern Belarusian conditions the Internet is not only the main source of independent information.

The Head of Belarusian Christian Democracy party Vital Rymasheuski writes in a blog on "Radio Svaboda":

This week police began raids on participants of boycott pickets.

The main and only (!) police accusation - the collection of signatures in support of political prisoners. It turned out that it's even bigger annoyance for the authorities, than campaigning for a boycott. And no wonder, since the citizens of Minsk actively put their signatures in support of political prisoners and ask about their fate. Those who put signatures are clearly divided into two roughly equal groups - the first ones did know almost nothing about political prisoners, while others just put their signatures and did not ask anything, because they themselves knew everything.

It's not a secret that the number of democratic activists in Belarus is not large, and the quality of work of the democratic community with population is quite poor.

Whence, then, such awareness and engagement of Minsk residents? (It is worth mentioning that Independent Institute of Social, Economical and Political Researches called a number: about 20% of the population identify themselves as the opposition to the authorities.)

In conversations with Minsk residents I decided to ask, how do they know about politics. The usual answer - from the Internet. Most often I heard the name of the site "Charter 97". Here is the brightest example.

A picket near a large building store in Minsk. A young couple approached the picket to put a signature. I began to talk about political prisoners, and they said: "We are aware, of course we will support". Later, during the conversation turned out that they know not only the presidential candidates in 2010, but also Andrei Klimau, other politicians. In this case, according to a new "Volvo", on which they drove to the store, the couple is obviously not the opposition activists. But I decided to clarify. I asked them: "You are so experienced, are you members of an opposition organization?" - "No. We read the Internet, we were on the Square in 2010. Miraculously, did not appear behind bars. We know everything, because we read "Charter-97"” ...

In modern Belarusian conditions the Internet is not only the main source of independent information. Internet activity is one of the few possible ways to bring people together, organize a joint action, origination of civil society in Belarus. It is obvious that this community will give a powerful impetus to democratic reforms in Belarus. With this community grows a new Belarusian democratic movement.

Between these people and old political and social democratic community is one significant, fundamental difference: these people do not depends on government or on Western donors. They won't do this and that only because these conditions were put by investors. And it's a real continuation of independent Belarusian politics. No wonder, the old democratic organizations and their leaders are more and more nervous about Belarusian Internet community. Apparently, the old subconsciously accepts everything new as an undesirable competitor...

Sociologists regularly examine ratings of politicians. It would be interesting to make a similar case study on the topic: "What media Belarusians trust the most? " After meetings with Minsk residents the answer for me is obvious.