Language policy in Lukashenko's Belarus

[curt fredric woolhiser]

Dear SEELANGers,

Here's a recent story that sheds some light on the linguistic aspects of
Belarusian president Lukashenko's policy of integration with Russia. Of
course, the authorities are probably right that nowadays the public use of
Belarusian (at least in the cities) is a pretty good indicator of
opposition to Lukashenko.

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RFE/RL - BELARUS SERVICE
SYNOPSIS OF MAJOR NEWS ITEMS,
THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 1998



THREE OPPOSITIONISTS BEATEN AT KAMAROUSKY MARKET - Three members of the
Belarusian Popular Front Youth were beaten on the night of April 13 by unknown
assailants in military garb, allegedly because their attackers didn't enjoy
the fact they were speaking with one another in Belarusian.

19-year -old Zmitser Mironau, 26-year-old Ales Piatkevich and 19-year-old Ales
Poklad  were returning from BPF headquarters around midnight when they say a
group of approximately 10 men and 2 attack dogs assaulted them near the Minsk
open-air Kamarousky market.  The men allegedly preceded their attack by
taunting the threesome for speaking Belarusian.

Police arrived around twenty minutes later, after the assailants had already
fled.  They handcuffed the three oppositionists and took them to a nearby
police precinct, where according to Piatkevich, officers took up where the
attackers left off and proceeded to beat the youths again.  Around 5:00,
Piatkevich started to lose consciousness and was only then transported by
ambulance to a nearby hospital.  The other two oppositionists were released
around the same time.

According to attending physician Dr. Alexei Volkau, Piatkevich suffered head
trauma, concussion, various bruises and wounds, and dog bites, and was
admitted for treatment.

Zmitser Mironau filed a complaint with the prosecutor's office today,
requesting that an investigation be initiated and the assailants brought to
justice.

At the moment, anonymity reigns in the case:  police officers on duty the
night in question refused to reveal their names to our reporter as did guards
who were stationed around the Kamarousky market.

The Kamarousky guards are known to dress in military uniform, and even have
their own newspaper - Slaviansky Nabat (Slavic Alarm), which is heavily
pro-Russian in tone.  Today's issue contains an article by a General Aleksandr
Solovyanov which contains the following words:

"I address those that stand forever with Russia.  In our battle with her
enemies, there can be no compromise.  We must be merciless."
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Some additional background information from the Belarusian Language Society
(Minsk):

       A year after Lukashenka's coming to power (1995) in all
regions the number of schools with the Russian language of
education increased, so in Gomel Region (from 14,5% to
60,3%) ,in Vitebsk Region  (from 17,2% to 42,9% ) .In the
same regions the number of schools with two languages of
education descreased : in Gomel Region (from 77,3% to
38,7% ), in Vitebsk Region (from 80,5% to 56,1% ).
       As for higher and secondary special schools, there
are almost no possibilities to continue education in Belarusan
in the higher educational establishments of the country. The
situation is even  more paradoxical, as most high
school graduates, 50-80% (depending on the high school) chose in
1996 to take their entrance exams in Belarusan rather than Russian.
Those not numerous faculties, which gave the opportunity to study in
Belarusan are being transformed to Russian.The deans who do not appeal
to the authorities are withdrawn from their position. For
example, against the will of the lecturers and the scientific
council of Belarusan State University, the Dean of
Philological Faculty, Prof. Plotnikau was withdrawn from his
position.The Dean of the Historical Faculty, Prof.Shuplyak had to
leave his position.The textbooks in Belarusan for higher
schools, which had been planned for publication, were taken away
from the plans of the state publishing houses.In 1996 no
textbooks in Belarusan were published for natural and
technical specialities of the universities.In order to provide the
right to get higher education in the native language the
campaign of collection of the citizens' signatures began (thus far,
more than 10 thousand people signed in favor of it )


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Curt F. Woolhiser
Dept. of Slavic Languages
University of Texas
Austin, TX 78713-7217

Tel. (512) 471-3607
Fax: (512) 471-6710
Email: cfwoolhiser at mail.utexas.edu
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