News from the former Soviet Union

AnarchoSindicalist #7 1998(Newsletter of RKAS Ukraine):

7000 demonstrate in Minsk

Source: Arbetaren/Radio Free Europe

More Anarchists Arrested in Belarus

The other two anarchs arrested are Maxim Schur and Nikolai M. (Sorry - it's an odd name and I can't make out the handwriting so I can't imagine what it could be.) They were given five days each.

Any protests should address the issue of repression in general but should also mention Pavluk. It is important as a well known activist that the pigs understand that he has comrades in Moscow and other places; last October letters of protest and phone calls from Moscow and elsewhere was of great help to some of our comrades who were locked up. Telegrams can be sent to the City Prosecutor's Office, 24 Internatsionalnaya UIitsa, Minsk. Protests may also be sent via fax to Moscow at 7(095)141-3467 or via e-mail to cube@glasnet.ru.

MORE PROTESTS IN MINSK

On March 20 a demo was held in Minsk and among the anarchists, another person was given ten days and declared a total hunger strike - Sergei Martselev.

Today, March 23, a number of confrontations with the police occurred. The authorities confiscated film and wouldn't allow Sevodnya news to broadcast it. What we did manage to see were police beating demonstrators and vice-versa. At least 70 people were arrested including an American diplomat, Serge Alexandrov, who was accused of working for the CIA. There is no word yet on whether any more anarchists were arrested, but then again, there are only a handful in Minsk and they're almost all in jail anyway.

On Oct. 19, 1996, Belarussian police arrested 8 anarchists after a rally.
Our comrades were soon released after international pressure.

Anarchists came to Minsk from around Belarus, Russia and Ukraine to protest the authoritarian (fascist) Lukashenko regime. Lukashenko has dictatorial aspirations and is intent on destroying freedom of speech and political opposition. Previously activists have been repressed for political protest and a number of journalists have been banned for telling the truth about the Lukashenko regime.

The rally was rather peaceful and ended with a small march to the center of Minsk. Still, Lukashenko brought in an incredible amount of troops from other cities. (Belarus was always highly militarized being it was the Soviet border with Poland.) After the rally ended, the anarchists left to the apartment where they planned to hold a small conference. (The first apartment where they planned to meet was raided earlier that morning.) They were arrested at the supermarket next to the house.

Before the incident, a number of other people were arrested after leaving the demonstration. There is little information as yet as to how many people were arrested and this is of course the intention of the government. The police acted especially peaceful at the rally where many people were watching but then arrested people in isolated groups. (This also happened in April when 180 people were arrested.) The mass media, which is heavily controlled by the state, reported that the rally went without incident, creating a picture of Lukashenko as benevolent dictator.

Most probably the Russian citizens will be let go quickly and the Belarussian comrades will get only 15 days; already we've made some noise about the incident. Still, we'd like our comrades to send protests to Belarus since they've been constantly harassed and, if Lukashenko continues, will have tremendous problems. Also, about three weeks ago, one 16 year old punk who hung out with the Gomel anarchists was simply beaten to death by the police, for absolutely no reason and no doubt they won't be held responsible for this.

Dear Neither East Nor West,

At the end of August trolleybus drivers began their strike in Gomel. It was supported by the workers of the Minsk Metro. We contacted the strikers the very first day, participated in the picket, put out a leaflet. After the arrests of workers' leaders in Minsk, the powers succeeded to suppress the strike.

On October 28, the 4th Congress of the Federation of Anarchists of Belarus took place in Minsk. We accepted groups from Grodno, Brest, Mogilev, Novopolotsk and another group for the Federation.

In the meantime the authoritarian power of the president, frankly seeking his dictatorship, is strengthening here in the republic. In his interview in the German newspaper Handelsblatt president Lukashenko said that "not only all the bas was connected with the known Adolf Hitler in Germany" and that the Hitlerite order "corresponds to our understanding of a presidential republic and the role of the president in it"

With revolutionary greetings,
Yura Glushakov
246032 Gomel
ul. Kozhara dom 36 kv.74
Belarus