Vasil Bykov
(Famous writer, Belarus)

 "The Belarusian regime pursues a revanchist policy and its goal is to return to the Communist past, said Vasil Bykov, a prominent Belarusian writer, in an interview given to Radio Liberty."

Belarus, 'as a member state and founder of the United Nations, has the right to sovereign existence, but what Lukashenko and his regime do at present is aimed at the complete elimination of the sovereignty,' Mr. Bykov said."

The writer believes that the Belarusian regime has been destroying national culture, literature and the Belarusian language under the cover of integration with Russia. He said that Belarusian culture is controlled by 'Soviet colonels with a communist mentality'."

"Asked why the Belarusian people are silent about the authorities' abuses, Mr. Bykov cited the former Chinese leader Mao Zedong, 'People are a clean sheet of paper on which one can write any hieroglyph'."

(January 2000)