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Declaration From the Regional Meeting of the Centers for Pluralism “Belarus and Central and Eastern Europe: Creating and Defending Civic Society”

(Vilnius, 6-7 November 2000)

At the Meeting of the Centers for Pluralism – a network of non-governmental organizations that defends democratic values – involving members of parliaments from countries of Central and Eastern Europe, the situation in Belarus was discussed in detail. The participants of the meeting hereby declare the following:

The situation in Belarus is becoming increasingly serious. Due to gross violations of human rights, antidemocratic electoral legislation and the impotence of the legislature and judiciary, the election farce of 15 October 2000 was not recognized as being free and fair by international organizations. The activity of the legitimate parliament of Belarus, the Supreme Soviet, has been paralyzed. Belarus is now under the direct threat of being incorporated into Russia. The regime considers civil society an enemy. The Belarusan language and culture are subject to discrimination. The dictatorial regime and totalitarian ideology based on anti-western rhetoric threaten to destabilize the entire region of Central and Eastern Europe.

We morally support the aspirations of democratic elements in Belarusan society to consolidate. Coalitions are being created on the regional and national levels, within the third sector (the Assembly of Democratic NGOs) as well as among political parties and organizations (The Coordinating Council of Democratic Forces). If the international community can maintain a consistent position, the unification of democratic forces on the eve of the presidential election will provide Belarus with a real opportunity to free itself from dictatorship.

We appeal to non-governmental institutions and members of parliaments in countries of the region as well as to the entire democratic world to support the aspirations of Belarusan society to defend democracy and the independence of the country, and namely:

To raise the issue of Belarus’s democratic and independent future in these countries and on the international level;
To support coalitions of democratic elements in Belarusan society, among others through exchanging experiences of fighting dictatorship and training democratic activists and election observers.
To assist in the creation of a means to distribute objective information to Belarusan society and influence public opinion concerning Belarus in other countries.