Zubr (political organization)

Zubr ( _be. ЗУБР) is a civic youth organization in Belarus in opposition to President Alyaksandr Lukashenka. The organization has drawn inspiration from Otpor student movement (formerly of Yugoslavia) which put pressue on the government in Belgrade, forcing the overthrow of Slobodan Milošević in 2000, and from Gene Sharp's writings on nonviolent action. Zubr became noticed internationally in 2005 when US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who was visiting Lithuania, met their leaders –, who risked imprisonment upon their return. Some reporters have credited Zubr's leaders with the idea of a 'Denim Revolution', which, they hoped would attract popular support as Ukraine's Orange Revolution and Georgia's Rose Revolution. [ [http://abcnews.go.com/International/story?id=1502762/ "Belarusians Wear Jeans in Silent Protest", Charlotte Sector, ABC News, 16 January 2006] .Retrieved on 2007-08-11.] But, Lukashenko had said:“In our country, there will be no pink or orange, nor even a banana revolution.” [ [http://www.tol.cz/look/TOL/article.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=4&NrIssue=132&NrSection=3&NrArticle=14432/ "Banana Revolutions and Banana Skins", Andres Schipani-Aduriz, Alyaksandr Kudrytski, Transitions Online, Prague, 7 September 2005] .Retrieved on 2007-08-11.]

Like many opposition activists, [ [http://www.charter97.org/index.phtml?sid=3&did=finkevich&lang=3/ "Artur Finkevich, Political Prisoner", Charter 97, Minsk, undated] .Retrieved on 2007-08-11.] [ [http://www.charter97.org/index.phtml?sid=3&did=dashkevich&lang=3/ "Zmitser Dashkevich, Political Prisoner", Charter 97, Minsk, undated] .Retrieved on 2007-08-11.] [ [http://www.rferl.org/newsline/2006/05/040506.asp/ "Belarusian youth activists face long prison sentences", Radio Free Europe, 4 May 2006] .Retrieved on 2007-08-11.] Zubr members are often harassed and imprisoned by Belarus's police and KGB. [ [http://www.prima-news.ru/eng/news/news/2004/3/15/27823.html/ "Members of “Zubr” arrested", Prima Human Rights News Agency, Moscow, 15 March 2004] .Retrieved on 2007-08-11.] [ [http://www.prima-news.ru/eng/news/news/2006/1/17/34621.html/ "12 Human rights activists detained in Minsk", Prima Human Rights News Agency, Moscow, 17 January 2006] .Retrieved on 2007-08-11.] [ [http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGEUR490022006?open&of=ENG-BLR/ "Belarus: Tightening the screws on dissent", Amnesty International, London, 14 March 2006] .Retrieved on 2007-08-11.] On December 23, 2005, Zubr activists Pavel Modzharo (Павел Моджаро), Aleksandr Morozov (Александр Морозов) and another colleague were arrested on suspicion of possessing drugs, which, they insisted, plainclothes security officers had planted on them. [ [http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2005/12/26/zubr "Charter 97", Minsk, 26 December 2005] .Retrieved on 2007-08-11.] [ [http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/12/330621.html/ "Belarus Indymedia", Indymedia UK, 29 December 2005] .Retrieved on 2007-08-11.] [ [http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/2006/02/20/borisov/ "Zubr Activists Detained in Barysau", Charter 97, Minsk, 20 February 2006] .Retrieved on 2007-08-11.] On February 16, 2006, Zubr leaders Aleh Myatselitsa and Pavel Yukhnevich were among the detained after a police break-up of a peaceful protest calling for the release of political prisoners. [ [http://www.solidarity16.org/eng/ " A Day of Solidarity with belarus", Solidarity 16, undated] .Retrieved on 2007-08-11.] Two other members were arrested on February 20 for handing out stickers the same day.

During the 2006 presidential election Zubr had supported Alaksandar Milinkievič, the opposition United Democratic Forces of Belarus candidate. After international election monitors criticized the conduct of that election, there were several demonstrations at which protestors flew the Zubr flag next to the first post-independence Belarusian white-red-white tricolour and the EU flag. [ [http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2006/03/E6A3F613-0BF4-4F68-9764-A5CF80CA2EB5.html/ "Belarus: Protesters Hold Vigil Amid Continuing Crackdown", Jean-Christophe Peuch, "Radio Free Europe", 22 March 2006] .Retrieved on 2007-08-11.]

ee also

*Liberal revolutionary movements in post-communist Eastern Europe

External links

* [http://www.zubr-belarus.org/index.php?lang=2 ZUBR web site (in English)]
* [http://www.charter97.org/en/news/ News in English from Charter 97, Minsk]

References