2000 press releases

One Year Anniversary of Disappearances in Belarus (September 18, 2000)

This past Saturday, 16th, marked the passage of twelve months since the disappearances of Victor Gonchar and Anatoly Krasovsky, two prominent members of the democratic opposition in Belarus. These freedom fighters have not been heard from since President Lukashenko, in a drooling rage on Belarusian television, publicly ordered his state security services to crack down on "the opposition scum."

The disappearance of Gonchar and Krasovsky were preceded by the disappearance of former Interior Minister-turned opposition leader, General Yuri Zakharenko. And this summer, Belarus was shocked by the disappearance of Dmitry Zavadsky, a journalist known for his critical reporting on the Lukashenko regime.

This anniversary is a sad reminder that democracy and freedom still cannot be taken for granted in the whole of Europe. In a region of consolidated and emerging democracies, Belarus, under the fanatical dictatorship of Alexander Lukashenko, has instead emerged as a throwback to Soviet repression, censorship, and command economy.

The pain and suffering of the children, wives, and loved ones of Gonchar, Krasovsky, Zakharenko, and Zavadsky are tragically reminiscent of the pain and suffering endured by the families of those who disappeared in the killings of innocent Belarusians at Kuropaty--killings from an era whose cruelest vestiges are today being reanimated by Lukashenko.

The families of Gonchar, Krasovsky, Zakharenko, Zavadsky and others who suffer in Belarus because of their commitment to freedom are in our thoughts and prayers. This dark anniversary should remind us all of the moral imperative of supporting those struggling to bring democracy and freedom to Belarus.