BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

10/04/2007

Chernobyl Socio-Political Genocide in Belarus (21 Years Later)

Michael Batiukov

Almost 21 years have passed since a tragic date for Belarus - 26 April, 1986. The largest anthropogenic catastrophe in the history of humanity has inflicted an irretrievable harm to this country. About 2/3 of the radioactive wastes landed on the territory of Belarus and polluted about 1/5 of it, where 20% of the population lived. Almost all Belarus was covered by the first wave of short-term radio nuclides, a part of which was forcibly brought down on the territory of Belarus to save Moscow and Europe. All it was done under the cover of criminal secrecy and people could not defend themselves from this blow.

In February 1991 the Supreme Soviet adopted the law On Social Defense of Victims of the Catastrophe at Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. However, with the suppression of democracy the country's government changed its attitude to the national grief. The main disorganization of all systems of people's defense and rehabilitation took place under the present government.

By decrees of Lukashenko and his pocket government a large part of the law was abolished, thus depriving the innocent victims of any support. The specialized medical institutions were liquidated and a politically motivated bureaucratic control of the humanitarian aid was introduced, resulting in cessation of such aid. The activity of the charity funds for getting humanitarian aid from abroad and rehabilitation of children in Europe, USA and Canada was stopped as well, as the children could see other political systems and life standards.

In May 2006 the Ministry of Health Care ruled to exclude the persons with all diseases called by the consequences of Chernobyl catastrophe from the list of those who are to be sent to health resorts. Thus the liquidators of the catastrophe's consequences and 2nd group disabled were deprived of their legal rights. Similar "care" was demonstrated by the Fund for Rehabilitation and Treatment at health resorts. This list can be continued infinitely.

According to the UN experts, by 2020 in Belarus loss of people dying from Chernobyl and criminal indifference of the Lukashenko's government will reach 1 million persons and by 2050 the population in Belarus will decrease by 28% or more. The main reasons are not only atomic Chernobyl, but also "political Chernobyl" that results in "social and economical Chernobyl".

Such a policy can be called genocide of the Belarusian nation and sooner or later Belarus government officials will be punished for it...

Source:

http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=24009