US Legislators Stand up in Support of Belarusian People

US congressmen have stood up at the plate to defend the persecuted people of Belarus as it fights to free its country from Aleksander Lukashenko’s brutal regime.

Belarusians have taken to the streets across the country situated between Russia and Ukraine for a couple of months to protest the results of the fabricated elections that returned Lukashenko to office. Hundreds of thousands in numerous cities have stood eye-to-eye with Belarusian security police in a peaceful demonstration against Lukashenko’s despotism. Numerous photos have shown arbitrary arrests, notably of bloodied youth. His regime is closely aligned with the Kremlin, which is seen as its backer.

In response to Lukashenko’s violent crackdown and political repression following the fraudulent August 9 election, Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ), a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Chairman Eliot L. Engel (D-NY), Ranking Member Michael McCaul (R-TX) Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (R-OH), Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), and Congressman William Keating (D-MA) introduced the Belarus Democracy, Human Rights, and Sovereignty Act of 2020. The Act would provide for the promotion of democracy, human rights and the rule of law in Belarus as well as support the aspirations of the Belarusian people to preserve the independence and sovereignty of their country in the face of the threat posed by Vladimir Putin’s Russia.

“The world is recognizing what the struggling—but courageous—people of Belarus have been saying loud and clear since August 9 with their massive rallies: the recent election was fraudulent, and has no credibility with anyone save Lukashenka, and perhaps Russia,” said Rep. Smith, who noted H.R. 8438 updates and reauthorizes his previous legislation enacted in 2004, 2006 and 2011 to advance and promote democracy and human rights in Belarus. “This bipartisan bill renews sanctions on Belarusian Government officials who have obstructed the country’s democratic transition. It gives much-needed support to the besieged Belarusian media, and to the IT sector. Some of the unlikely heroes of this struggle are Belarusian hackers, who have cracked Lukashenko’s firewall, and have been able to broadcast truthful accounts to the Belarusian people of the news of the day. This bill also commissions several much-needed fact-finding efforts to get a better picture of the situation on the ground. The Belarusian people are fighting to preserve the independence and sovereignty of their country in the face of the threat posed by Vladimir Putin’s Russia.”  

Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Engel said, “Lukashenka has demonstrated time and time again that he is a brutal dictator interested only in the preservation of his own interests and maintaining his grip on power – no matter the cost. We continue to stand with the peaceful protestors in Belarus, who have turned out in historic numbers demanding a freer, more democratic nation and a free and fair election. With this legislation, the United States Congress once again sends the bipartisan message that the United States will not tolerate Lukashenka’s brutality and illegitimate claims to power. The will of the Belarusian people must be respected, and I am proud to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to send that message to Lukashenka, the people of Belarus, and the Russian dictator next door.” 

“We stand with the historic numbers of peaceful Belarusian protesters that continue to flood the streets to demand a more democratic country. Their voices must be heard and the Belarusian authorities using violence, arbitrary detentions and repression in an attempt to stifle their calls to chart their own future must be held accountable,” said House Foreign Affairs Committee Republican Leader Rep. McCaul. “This Act sends an unmistakable message to the Belarusian dictator and his supporters in the Kremlin that the United States will neither accept Lukashenka’s illegitimate rule nor allow Belarus’ sovereignty to be handed over to Russia against the will of the Belarusian people.” 

Rep. Kaptur said, “As a longtime supporter of liberty in Central and Eastern Europe, I am pleased to co-lead this bill to demonstrate resolute bipartisan support for the Belarusian people against the tyranny of the Lukashenko regime. This measure will provide for robust sanctions against human rights offenders, and hopefully pave a path toward new elections and peaceful transitions of power. I stand ready to work with my colleagues to boost U.S. assistance for Belarusian civil society through upcoming spending bills. 

Rep. Kinzinger said, “I’m proud to cosponsor this bipartisan legislation that formally condemns the fraudulent August election in Belarus and shows strong U.S. support for the sovereignty of the Belarusian people. We stand with the freedom-loving people around the world, especially those who are oppressed. Our legislation calls for the crackdown on peaceful demonstrators to end, for all those who have been unjustly detained to be released, and for a transparent and fair electoral process. With foreign assistance parameters and coordination with our European partners, our efforts here can help ensure the voices of the Belarusian people will be heard.” 

Rep. Keating said, “I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing this legislation to affirm our continued support for Belarusians working tirelessly towards democracy,” said Congressman Bill Keating, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, Energy, and the Environment. “Their asks are simple. Belarusians want a government that is accountable to the people, that adheres to the rule of law, that respects their human rights, and that conducts itself in accordance with not just European, but global standards and norms. We must pass this legislation to show the Belarusian people that we hear their calls for democracy and justice, and that America stands beside them.”

The captive nations isn’t an antiquated, cold-war concept that arose because of Moscow’s subjugation of nations near and far. Fortunately, the United States recognized Russia’s threat against the free world and memorialized the plight and fight of captive nations of Russian subjugation in the historic 1959 Captive Nations Week Proclamation. See the Summer 2020 edition of The Ukrainian Quarterly for an analysis of this document and idea.

Russia, which lost its Soviet-Communist stripes but maintains its imperial-belligerent policies, continues to threaten the free world under the false illusion that its playground includes both near and far countries. Russian-inspired wars rage in nearby Ukraine and the distant Middle East. Belarus, where freedom and democracy is under siege, is closer to Moscow.

This vital legislation reaffirms for the Belarusian people, the free world as well as Putin and Lukashenko that the United States hasn’t abandoned its righteous mission for standing up in defense of the oppressed a persecuted nations.

What a Difference 66 Years Makes

Imagine the mid-1950s in Kyiv, Ukraine. Some 10 years after the end of World War II. Most of the inhabitants of the capital of Ukraine by far actually spoke the native, national language. Usage of the language of the oppressor was in the minority.

According to the publication Ukrainian People of June 2020, Kyivites demonstrated a high degree of national pride in their language of choice. The editors came across this significant fact of Ukrainian life in previously classified research prepared by the Central Intelligence Agency on September 28, 1954.

“About 80% of the inhabitants of Kyiv use Ukrainian in their conversations. The other 20% use Russian or one of the other languages common to the USSR. Political subjects are never discussed with strangers on a train or elsewhere,” the CIA concluded.

The Kremlin couldn’t tolerate this pro-Ukrainian situation in its biggest captive nation. In 66 years, Moscow saw to it that the tables were turned to overwhelming favor Russian not only in Kyiv but also across the country. Repression, arrests, imprisonment, threats, deprecation, favoritism, resettlement and even murder significantly reduced the number of people in Kyiv who spoke or dared to speak the native language.

That’s why the new law on Ukrainian language usage adopted by the Verkhovna Rada is supremely important for preserving the Ukrainian nation, which cannot exist without its national language, the embodiment of what it means to be a Ukrainian.

Prof. Larysa Masenko of the National University of the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, in the current edition of The Ukrainian Quarterly, correctly observes “In Ukraine, with a population of almost 40 million, the demographic power of the Ukrainian language, which is determined by the number of native speakers, should be equal to the power of the Polish language in Poland. However, the language situation in Ukraine is significantly different from the Polish one. The reason for this is the significant level of Russification and Sovietization of the mass consciousness of the Ukrainian people, realized during the period when the country was part of the Russian Empire in both its forms – autocratic/tsarist and Communist.”

All segments of Ukraine – government, churches, hierarchs and clergy, educators, industry, media, civil society and people – must take active and proactive steps to preserve the Ukrainian language as the official, national, state language of Ukraine. This law and behavior don’t forbid or denigrate other languages or cultures. Speak Polish, Russian, Yiddish/Hebrew, etc., but also speak Ukrainian because by solely focusing on Russian, you support the persecutor of all non-Russians.

How is it in the United States and Canada? English is the language of both countries but other languages are not forbidden. They are even encouraged. Ukrainians in both countries may speak the language of their heritage. Russia is not so magnanimous to encourage Ukrainian language usage in Moscow.

One major negative pro-Russian influence on the people’s choice of language is contemporary slang. Ukrainian language usage, especially among youth – even the young people who were born in independent Ukraine – is polluted by Russian slang that has no basis in the Ukrainian culture and heritage. Pro-Ukrainian creativity is needed to overcome this trend.

Masenko also suggests: “The success of the film industry was especially impressive. In five years, the film market has been filled with a variety of Ukrainian films that have brought talented directors, screenwriters, cameramen and actors out of the shadows. National film production turned out to be quite competitive, our films began to win awards at prestigious international festivals.

“The popularization of historical events, national heroes, folk traditions, the reproduction in films of modern events from their own, Ukrainian point of view contributed to increasing the prestige of the Ukrainian language and had a positive impact on the language situation. Groups of young people who speak Ukrainian to each other are already appearing in Kyiv, and more and more Russian-speaking Kyivans are willing to switch to it in communication with its speakers.”

Now the fight for the Ukrainian language continues on the streets where it must also prevail.