Time to Win! Manifesto

We, the representatives of a new political generation of Belarusians, who--eager to act resolutely to defend Belarus’ sovereignty, its process of democratization, and economic sufficiency and independence--call upon all members of civic groups and communities, and all Belarusians interested in changes, to unite upon the following principles:
We call for the truthful unification of opposition forces’ efforts, not for the “consolidation” of party leaders’ ambitions and interests as is presently, but for the sake of victory over Lukashenka’s regime under which Belarus is doomed to remain unsound both politically and economically under present conditions. We offer real combatants against dictatorship to join us and not to participate in the “puppet kingdom” created by the old opposition.
We declare that we are loyal allies of common activists who form the backbone of opposition. We do not support those imitational party structures and their permanent leaders which imitate oppositional activism. We do not see any exponents of Belarusian national idea among the leaders of the old opposition which has become numb after the years of never-ending defeats.

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We confirm our non-participation in the Congress of United Opposition Forces and do not accept the resolution of the Congress

We confirm our non-participation in the Congress of United Opposition Forces and do not accept the resolution of the Congress, as we think that the opposition coalition imitates political struggle in efforts to explain the opportunistic character of all its decisions. The old opposition leadership, having wallowed in endless arguments and division of powers, lost all political campaigns, one after another, in 1996, 2001, 2004, 2006, and 2007. During this time the opposition failed to approach toward the creation of a positive agenda for Belarus, building a slogan reality instead.
We denounce any dialogue with the regime, the idea of which was introduced by the old opposition at the Vilnius Conference, as we consider that giving a helping hand to a regime in despair would only prolong its monopoly of power and give legitimacy to a regime the opposition claims has none). We are completely confident that the Belarusian president is politically a non-trustworthy ally.
We are sure that dialogue with the regime in present conditions is comparable to a separate peace treaty with Adolf Hitler in February—March of 1945. We consider that those opposition leaders who will sit down at the negotiating table with those accused of their opponents’ physical liquidation, will betray thousands of followers who had suffered from political repressions as well as the memory of untimely deceased businessmen, journalists, and politicians.
We are against actual opposition’s legitimization of 2006 presidential elections as well as recognition of Lukashenka’s right to de- facto elected for a third, subsequent presidential terms.
We strongly protest against nurturing hopes for “palace revolution” because it is an illusion which is constantly backed up by authorities as it allows them to replace political struggle with endless conspiracy theories. This coup d'etat is an evil for Belarus and its consequences are clear: criminal repartition of people’s property and political instability, which will throw our country into a long period of anarchy.
We consider that Belarusian democratization is possible only when a new generation of responsible young leaders appears that would not be involved into the strategy of constants defeats and struggle for the sake of struggle itself, but be capable of winning. This generation will be able to consolidate both Russian and Western attitudes towards the Belarusian problem. Without them, without strong political forces bred inside the country, Belarus will be viewed only as yet another ground for other countries’ geopolitical advances.

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Our strategy assumes dialogue not with the regime but with people and development of common vision of our country’s future being based on national interests.

We call upon all sound groups of the Belarusian society regardless of sex, age, confessional, or ethnic differences, to share with us the responsibility for the future of our country and our people. We call upon all supporters of our principles to take part actively in the development of effective strategy and tactic against Lukashenka’s unlawful rule and for the sake of restoration of constitutional order, lawfulness, and democracy.
Our strategy assumes dialogue not with the regime but with people and development of common vision of our country’s future being based on national interests. By uniting our forces, we will allow young people being not engaged in opposition activities, to truly define the destiny of their country and people. Together we will develop effective tactics of common actions. When the “V” time comes, we will be able to create an effective, distributed in time and space resistance against Belarusian authoritarian regime in order to neutralize it. Its collapse will not ruin Belarus itself, and it will be able to become both politically and economically sound after the removal of all parasites. We will revive Belarus and make it free. We will ensure all people guilty of 1994—2007 crimes to be rightfully punished. We will do all to transform effectively the present authority into a system that is transparent and totally controlled by civil society.

It is time to win!
May 9, 2007 Minsk

Youth Movement of America - Bunt - Initiative - Pavetra - Pohlyad - Third Way