How a community got DC to pay attention to Belarus amidst a pandemic and an election
Show me what Democracy looks like!
The Belarusian people have been fighting for their lives. Below, we honor the brave actions of the Belarusian people by displaying a ribbon for each of the 8,022+ people who have been either killed or arrested for fighting for democracy in Belarus.
The Belarusian people cannot and will not be left to stand alone. A community of American activists that includes Belarusians, Estonians, Latvians, Lithuanians, Ukrainians, Poles, Georgians, other Eastern Europeans, other American allies, and US government officials has been standing firm with the Belarusian people.
This is that community’s story of how we are standing by our brave sisters and brothers. Recently, we got two big wins: 1) A written promise from the Biden administration to support Belarus and 2) The House passed a bill to support Belarus. Neither win was guaranteed, and it took boots on the ground to talk to both the Biden campaign and Congress to make it happen.
While this is not an all-encompassing timeline and doesn’t represent meetings, calls, conversations, and other actions taken by activists, we hope it can provide you some inspiration that when we get involved as a community – powerful voices will listen, even during a pandemic and an election.
This also doesn’t take into consideration much of the work taken by the Belarusian-American community to fight for these issues, who really took the lead on this. Please consider learning more about BAZA.
The need for legislation from Congress builds
August 9 – Elections are held where Lukashenka is awarded 80.23% of the vote. 3,000 people are arrested in immediate demonstrations.
August 10 – Lukashenka declares himself the winner of Belarusian elections. His main opponent, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, rejects the results.
August 11 – Tsikhanouskaya flees to Lithuania.
August 12 – Rally held in DC in support of Belarusian protesters.
August 17 – Strikes are organized across Belarus.
August 19 – EU refuses to acknowledge the result of the election. Here on Baltivist.com, we publish “Forgive me Belarus, I’m now ready to call for your freedom”
August 23 – “Baltic Way/Freedom Way” human chains are organized in cities across the world, including between the Lithuanian and Belarusian embassies in Washington, D.C.
September 10 – Ambassadors and diplomats visit the home of Svetlana Alexievitch in Minsk to prevent her arrest.
September 23 – Lukashenka is “sworn in”.
Congress introduces legislation
September 29 – Belarus Democracy, Human Rights, and Sovereignty Act (H.R. 8438) is introduced by Representatives Engel (D-NY), McCaul (R-TX), Kaptur (D-OH & House Baltic Caucus Member), and Keating (D-MA & House Baltic Caucus Member).
October 1 – Belarus Democracy, Human Rights, and Sovereignty Act (H.R. 8438) passes the Foreign Relations Committee.
October 2 – The European Union adopted sanctions against 40 Belarusians in response to the falsification of the country’s presidential election. The US expands its existing sanctions from 16 people to 24 people.
October 9 – A joint campaign between the Joint Baltic American National Committee (JBANC) and Baltivist calls for Speaker Pelosi’s constituents to call Speaker Pelosi to bring H.R. 8438 for a vote.
October 10 – Women’s rally to support Belarusian protesters in Washington, D.C.
October 21 – EU Parliament refuses to recognize Lukashenko as President of Belarus by a 602-44 vote.
October 22 – The Central and East European Coalition (CEEC), a coalition of 18 national membership-based organizations representing Americans of central & eastern European descent, calls for the United States to “support the call for Lukashenka to resign, continue to condemn the use of force against peaceful protestors by security forces, and call for the immediate release of those who have been wrongly imprisoned.”
October 27 – The Biden Presidential Campaign officially responds to a questionnaire submitted by the CEEC and publicly reaffirms its position on Belarus.
“As President, I will defend our values and stand with all those who share them. I stand with the people of Belarus, who are courageously demanding their democratic rights and freedoms, and I reiterate my call for Alexander Lukashenka to cease his regime’s violent repression of peaceful protesters, organize new elections open to international observers and free media, and release all political prisoners.
My administration will never shy away from standing up for democracy and human rights, and we will work with our allies and partners to speak with one voice in demanding these rights be respected. I support the expansion of U.S. sanctions on Belarusian officials and entities, in coordination with the EU and other like-minded countries, to pressure Lukashenka and his cronies to respect and honor the will of the Belarusian people. My administration will also engage with Belarusian democracy activists and expand existing support to independent media and civil society organizations working to create a more open and just Belarusian society.”
The CEEC also submitted the questionnaire to the Trump Presidential Campaign, who did not respond.
That is what democracy looks like.
The previous text was published November 23, 2020. The following was added later:
Thank you @realDonaldTrump for signing the omnibus bill which includes Belarus Democracy, Human Rights, and Sovereignty Act! Grateful to 🇺🇸 Congress for bipartisan support of #HR8438 and to scores of Belarusian Americans and friends of Belarus who helped advance the bill.
— Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya (@Tsihanouskaya) December 28, 2020
The community of activists will continue to fight for the Belarusian people. We remember those arrested and those killed fighting for democracy and freedom, each represented with a ribbon below.
Call your Senator today to ask them to support the Belarus Democracy Act, HR 8438. (202) 224-3121
To help support Baltic activism, donate to our friends from the Joint Baltic American National Committee at JBANC.org.
To join the community of Lithuanian, Latvian, Estonian, and allied activists making a real impact on Congress, sign up for your $25 annual membership to Baltivist.com.
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