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  • Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s speech at the Ottawa Conference on Security and Defence, March 10, 2022

    March 10, 2022

    “Dear Deputy Minister Benner, dear organizers, dear friends of Belarus,

    Thank you for inviting me to speak at the Ottawa Conference on Security and Defence. This conference could not have been more timely. Now, the world is waking up to a new reality, which may be the greatest test of our lifetime. 

    Today, global security and the entire world order is challenged by an aggressor with no respect for rules, norms of behavior or human rights. It is no surprise for us. Because we have lived in this reality in our region for a very long time. 

    And I can tell you the cause of this nightmare that we are facing. The cause is indifference. For too long, the world closed its eyes and let dictators have their way. Now, the dictators come knocking at your door with a gun in hand. 

    When dictators are allowed to rig elections, abuse human rights and attack their own people. When the world community only reacts with deep concern and symbolic sanctions. Should we be surprised that they want more and never stop?

    Lukashenka, Belarus’ dictator, made my country a launching pad for Putin’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. Make no mistake: Belarusians do NOT want to take part in Russia’s aggression. However, the dictator allowed Russia to use our land to attack Ukraine. By doing so, he turned Belarus into an aggressor country. Right now he is selling our sovereignty to keep his grip. 

    Lukashenka backstabbed Ukrainians but he also put in jeopardy the very existence of the Belarusian State. Our country is now under de facto military occupation. 

    Decisions on defense, national security, foreign affairs, economic policy and information security are controlled by Russia. The regime only protects its own interests, not the interests of the people. The regime sold Belarus to Russia to keep their own power. As a result, Belarus is under de-facto Russian occupation.

    There is still a potential to make things worse. For example, if Belarusian troops are ordered to engage in combat operations. We know that Belarus military officers resist. They don’t support the war and they do not want to fight a professional Ukrainian military. 

    We also know that Belarusians don't want their country to become a pariah state following the Kremlin's madness. Belarusians want peace, not war. Even before the war started, almost 90% of Belarusians opposed sending our military to Ukraine according to polls from Chatham House. Anti-war sentiment is on the rise. 

    That’s why we immediately launched the movement against the war in Ukraine and against the presence of Russian troops on our territory. Even at the risk of arrest — more than 800 were detained in two days – tens of thousands of Belarusians found the courage to protest openly. Active resistance in Belarus continues in many forms. 

    This includes subversive operations in Belarus itself. Cyber partisans and resistance activists repeatedly attack the Belarusian Railways to slow down the transfer of occupying forces. It gives the Ukrainians more time to repel the attack. 

    Belarusians are monitoring takeoffs of Russian military aircraft from airfields in Belarus and reporting them to Ukrainians. It helps Ukraine to have an early warning. Hundreds of Belarusian volunteers are flocking to defend Ukraine. Many join territorial defense, Ukrainian armed forces and a special foreign brigade.

    We are also helping with humanitarian aid for Ukraine. Just this week Germany responded to my call and agreed to hand over a mobile hospital to Belarusian medics. They will deliver it to Ukraine to help the wounded and injured. Belarusian civil society which worked during the last two years for advancing democracy in Belarus, quickly switched its focus on Ukraine. 

    Our volunteers help refugees at the borders and organize evacuations. Belarusian independent media are welcoming displaced Ukrainian journalists, and counter Russian disinformation alongside the Ukrainian media. As a response, just 2 days ago Russia blocked the biggest Belarusian news portal, Zerkalo.

    These are the ongoing actions of Belarusians in support of Ukrainians. Unfortunately, we hear about a wave of blowback at Belarusians around the world for the dictator's actions. It is crucial to distingguish between Lukashenka and the regime responsible for the war and the society of Belarus that is helping Ukrainians. 

    Belarusians protested Lukashenka’s attempts to abandon constitutional provisions on nuclear-free status and pursuit of neutrality. With the Russian military on our land, the dictator wants to open Belarus to the deployment of Russian conventional forces and nuclear weapons to threaten Europe.

    Lukashenka has degraded the state to a militarized regime where  decisions are made single-handedly but relying on the siloviki and military. 

    Under such conditions,  Belarusians have no opportunity to express their political views or to influence the government in any way. Therefore, they cannot share the responsibility for the decisions of the regime that is owned and controlled by the Kremlin.

    Our message is: Weaken the regime, strengthen the people. Hit them where it hurts. Half-measures don’t work. It will only make the situation worse. Dictators won't be appeased, but we can end this with strong leadership and unity from the world community.

    With respect to Lukashenka's government, a regime of non-recognition by democratic countries and governments should be applied: diplomatic isolation and representation of Belarusian democratic forces instead of the Belarusian regime in international organizations. 

    Strong sanctions have to be applied. We call for more Belarusian banks to be excluded from Swift. Don’t let them become a loophole for Russia.

    With regard to Belarusian civil society, support measures similar to those applied to citizens of Ukraine should be given: humanitarian and visa support, scholarships, support of political, media and civil initiatives, and people-to-people contacts. 

    The lackluster response of the West has emboldened these dictatorships. We have only seen symbolic sanctions, when we needed urgent measures. Now, these dictators are a threat to everyone.

    Our independence and the security of the entire Europe is at stake. We can still stop Lukashenka and Putin, but we have to act bravely together. 

    I have announced my readiness to take the responsibility to represent the Republic of Belarus and the Belarusian people, and to create the United Transitional Cabinet which will include people both from inside Belarus and the exile community, to lead the country to democratic elections and independence. 

    Soon, I will announce the details about the cabinet. We will be seeking support from Canada for it. You can treat it as the government in exile. After Lukashenka gave up on the duty to preserve independence, I had to act. And more steps will follow to restore sovereignty and independence of Belarus.

    The war has sped up history. It's hard to predict what exactly will happen. But I am sure that Ukraine will win this war – be it short term or long term. The fate of Ukraine and the fate of Belarus are interconnected and we will stand with Ukrainians through these perilous times. 

    History will judge us – not for our words, but for our deeds. History will show whether the world united in defense of freedom and democracy – or whether we allowed aggression to win because we acted too late or too little. Let’s write history today and stand together against darkness.

    Glory to Ukraine, long live Belarus!

    Thank you”.

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