2001 press releases

Senator Helms Commemorates Zakharenko Disappearance (May 7, 2001)

Today, May 7th, is an important day to remember and take note of the ongoing struggle for freedom and democracy in Belarus.

It is the second anniversary of the disappearance of General Yuriy Zakharenko, a former Minister of Internal Affairs. General Zakharenko resigned from that post to protest the dictatorship of President Aleksandr Lukashenko and began the organization of a union of officers to promote democracy in Belarus.

General Zakharenko thereafter paid the highest price for his commitment to freedom in Belarus. On May 7, 1999, he vanished while walking home to his family. All available evidence points to dictator Lukashenko as the culprit behind this disappearance.

Indeed, instead of conducting an investigation into the fate of General Zakharenko, the Lukashenko regime repeatedly harassed the freedom fighter's wife and daughter, forcing them to flee Belarus. Because of Lukashenko, the Zakharenko family has not just lost a husband and a father, they have lost their homeland.

In remembering General Zakharenko, we should also honor all others, who, because of their commitment to freedom and democracy, have disappeared in the hands of the Lukashenko regime: Viktar Hanchar, Anatoliy Krasovskiy, and Dimtriy Zavadskiy.

These disappearances are a cruel reminder of Lukashenko's paranoid fear of a free society and his hostility toward Belarus' independence.

On this solemn anniversary, let us not only honor the fallen freedom fighters; let us reaffirm our commitment to support those still struggling to fulfill the dream of a free, democratic and independent Belarus.