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Belarusian Opposition Does Not Want Visible Gays at its Chernobyl Remembrance March

■ Last year, the Rainbow Flag was publicly paraded for the first time in Minsk at the Chernobyl Remembrance parade. photo courtesy TEMA

MINSK, April 26, 2009 (GayRussia.ru)  –  Gay activists in Belarus have been told they are not wanted in the annual march for the remembrance of the Chernobyl disaster. The march is due to take place today in Minsk.

Sergey Androsenko, the leader of the LGBT group Project GayBelarus had asked opposition leaders to include his organisation in the committee of the commemorative march.

But he was turned down.

“Gays should apply with their own notification to Minsk City Authorities to conduct their separate events,” said Victor Iwaszkiewicz, the deputy chairman of the Belarusian National Front.

“You should not confuse two completely different actions,” he added.

Project GayBelarus immediately hit back.

“As a citizen of Belarus, I can also consider as inappropriate the flags of Belarus Christian Democracy and the banners of Youth Front on this rememberance march,” he said.

“The European institutions have to remind the members of the Belarusian opposition which it meets that human rights are indivisible and apply to all,” he added.

Last year, Sergey Androsenko took part to the Chernobyl march with a large rainbow flag.  His presence drew interest – but never anger from the participants.

The Chernobyl remembrance march is one of the very few public event allowed by the Belarusian authorities in which the political opposition can take part.  Freedom of Assembly is almost non existing in a country that is widely seen as “last European dictatorship”.

Mr. Androsenko continued: “In May, we are travelling in Moscow where we co-organise Slavic Pride during the Eurovision Song Contest – and next year, we will host it in Minsk”.

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