Statkevich: We See Parties Having Ausweis Practice Self-Denial

All other methods of struggle are auxiliary.

One of leaders of the Belarusian Congress Mikalai Statkevich told in the interview to Radio Svaboda:

Opposition parties play this endless game, imitating the "opposition of His Majesty"

- On February 25 you were re-elected chairman of the organizing committee of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Narodnaya Hramada). 52 delegates took part in a ballot vote. But you immediately stated that you would not attempt to register in the Ministry of Justice. Why? How many people do you have in the party now?

- There are enough people to collect the necessary thousand for registration in the Ministry of Justice. But Belarus has had no precedents in registration of a political party in this millenium. And it turns out that an attempt to apply for registration is a paid denunciation. You provide the authorities with the list of your friends, pay money for it - and then the repressive apparatus starts "working" with these people. After such attempts, parties lose up to a third of their members.

We refused it from the very beginning. We accepted the format of the "organizing committee". We added a prefix "org-" to all party bodies. In early 2005 we were forcibly deprived of the registration, because the party and the coalition it formed nominated me as a presidential candidate. I was put in an open colony, and the party was deprived of the registration.

But the party is people, so we have stayed and still work. The activity without registration provided with other results. If we needed, we are here, it can be a surprise. We do not file applications because the party is waging a fight. The party has initiated the creation of the Belarusian National Congress.

And how do the authorities treat attempts to apply for registration? A German commandant is stuck somewhere in 1943. All of a sudden a chief of a partisan detachment comes and says: "Listen, I need to blow up a railway bridge. And your guys are standing there. Give me ausweis to let my partisans freely approach the bridge." Therefore, under this authority, we do not expect to receive this piece of paper.

We see how registered parties having this ausweis practice self-denial. They do not approach "this railway bridge". This certificate of registration reminds of a Soviet joke - to issue permission for a man to let him visit a women's sauna.

- How do registered parties practice self-denial? Are they true opposition members?

- They play this endless game, imitating the "opposition of His Majesty". They participate in these "elections". Well, I don't say it's unacceptable. But there is a need to properly put an end to the situation. If the victory is stolen from you, you should test figures. Streets are the only effective political lever we still have. All other methods are auxiliary.

Within 5 years of my imprisonment no rally was held by opposition parties in the centre of Minsk. What is that? They have already turned into decorations on the facade of the regime. They make statements, go to "elections", sluggishly imitate participation in these "elections". They have already forgotten how to call things by their proper names.

People are not made of iron, after all. They get tired, begin to search, how to bypass painful corners, which can hurt them. This is the reality.

If no one protests in the country, it means that "everyone agrees", that's how it works.

- After your release a street protest has revived. But it also suffers its ups and lows. A year ago there was a burst of activity associated with "marches of the non-spongers"; at the moment there is the fall, and your recent rallies have gathered quite a few people. Do you take into consideration the "street"?

- Under dictatorship those who call themselves democratic politicians must stand against it openly and publicly. In word and deed. And we can take the streets, no matter how many people join us there. In 1968 only 5 people came to protest against occupation of Czechoslovakia. And it had a great effect.

If no one protests in the country, it means that "everyone agrees", that's how it works. Resonance caused by a political protest far exceeds the number of participants.

You have mentioned our last action. The Belarusian authorities also learned to react. The authorities announce that a new version of the decree on parasites will be introduced from October 1. On October 21, the Belarusian National Congress announced a protest march against it. What do the authorities do? It is postponed until the spring. Or when the topic with murder of soldiers arises. As soon as we declared this topic would be raised on the march of October 21, the chief commander immediately responded.

200 people appeared in the cold rain. What party had more participants in a rally in the centre of Minsk? Now people are ready to take the streets, the protest is brewing. If the democratic opposition does not respond, someone else will take its place. You call yourself an opposition politician and leader, then you should be in charge and fight for freedom.

- The resolution of the congress says: "We do not prepare a revolution, because we are aware of all dangers of violent scenarios. The regime itself breeds the revolution with itsanti-popular irresponsible policy. If he refuses concessions to the society and pushes people to mass actions, it will be urgent to direct protests to create a free and successful Belarus." But we see (and you say it in our conversation) that the regime is sometimes able to respond successfully to certain events. Does this mean that the authorities can properly respond to any challenges?

- This regime is based on a total control. Including the economic life of the country. Contracts which are not extended by any reason, ideologists, state employees - members of election commissions. Stagnation is inevitable under such economic control. Funds raised on sales of sovereignty to Russia have run dry. Decline and collapse of the model that Lukashenka imposed are inavitable. The authorities can put it on the back burner by canceling their most odious decisions. But it will not last long.

The last elections showed that begging for a piece of power is humiliating and hopeless activity.

- How can this "end" be brought? There are two options - "peaceful changes" and street protests. But you talk about resolution, not a revolution. How can these changes be possible then?

- This pressure is the real fight for peaceful changes. Only struggle can bring us changes. If a large number of people are ready to protest and show it, then the authorities can make concessions.

The last elections showed that begging for a piece of power is humiliating and hopeless activity. Even the village council did not grant a piece of power for adherents of "peaceful changes". The power cannot be begged, it is taken away. if peaceful changes do not work, more harsh scenarios are possible.

Revolution can't be prepared, it matures within the society and starts unexpectedly. But we must be ready for it. To be the power which protects interests of people. And this is urgent, since the revolution can be destructive and may result in the collapse of the state. And it may also be an impetus to a fast development of Belarus. Its vector and the person in charge are essential.

Second, we need to form a new majority. The majority are against the authorities, and for a steady development of the country.

It's not the time for individual parties. It's time for common opposition. Two years ago we tried to unite democratic forces. It failed because of the state of many Belarusian opposition parties. But the most vivid and active parties united. But we'd like to preserve party ideologies, programs, ties. Our party puts cooperation of democratic activists of various directions first.