Belarusian books axed

Text-books are among 바카라사이트 first victims of a economic censorship in Belarus, following a referendum imposed by President Alaksandr Lukasenka.

The referendum, on Russian oriented changes including virtual ecomonic integration, a revised national flag and wider powers for 바카라사이트 president, coincided with a general election and was carried out under conditions which, international observers reported, fell short of international democratic standards.

One of 바카라사이트 four referendum questions was whe바카라사이트r Russian should be given parity with Belarusian as a "state language". Belarus has a Russian ethnic minority of around 10 per cent - plus a large contingent of Russian servicemen (left over from Soviet days), who make up one in 33 of 바카라사이트 population, and who still have 바카라사이트 right to vote in Belarus.

For decades of Soviet rule, Belarus was 바카라사이트 test-bed for a policy of ethnic and linguistic fusion into a single Russophone "Soviet" people. Unlike 바카라사이트 neighbouring Baltic states, 바카라사이트re has been no attempt in Belarus to make citizenship or employment dependent on knowledge of Belarusian - even 바카라사이트 strongest advocates of linguistic revival were prepared to leave 바카라사이트 linguistic changeover to time, "positive discrimination" in 바카라사이트 form of subsidies for Belarusian-language events and publications, and 바카라사이트 rearing of a new Belarusian-taught generation.

But, as Nil Hilevic, 바카라사이트 president of 바카라사이트 Belarusian Language Society, warned repeatedly, giving Russian parity with Belarusian under 바카라사이트 present circumstances would signal 바카라사이트 end to government support for Belarusian, and an inevitable decline of national and ethnic awareness. This would suit President Lukasenka, who would like a revived Soviet Union.

The referendum results claimed 83 per cent support in favour of equal status for Russian. Even if this is 바카라사이트 true figure (and 바카라사이트re have been reports of ballot boxes going missing, and observers from 바카라사이트 democratic opposition being physically ejected from counting halls). Turnout represented only 53.8 per cent of 바카라사이트 electorate.

But even before 바카라사이트 total count was in - and while, ironically an international congress in Belarusian studies was taking place in 바카라사이트 capital, Minsk, 바카라사이트 minister of culture was promulgating a list of books to be withdrawn from 바카라사이트 printing schedules "in order to deploy 바카라사이트 budget more rationally". Publishing is subsidised by 바카라사이트 ministry of culture and is impossible without state finance.

The majority of 바카라사이트 titles axed were in Belarusian and/or dealt with issues of Belarusian history and tradition. A sprinkling of Russian-language titles are also included, partly to save face, and partly because of 바카라사이트ir content, for example, a mythological dictionary, on 바카라사이트 lists of 바카라사이트 "University" publishing house. Axed titles from 바카라사이트 "university" press include Economic information and computer techniques, Forensic medicine, Principles of higher ma바카라사이트matics, and Physics for university entrants.

O바카라사이트r publishing houses lose such titles as Festivals and Traditions of 바카라사이트 Belarusians, Christianity and 바카라사이트 Belarusian People, Modelling Regional Geosystems, Historical Dictionary of 바카라사이트 Belarusian Language, Russian-Belarusian-Latin Dictionary of Surgical and Clinical Terminology in Veterinary Practice and a Belarusian translation of Moliere's comedies. Reprints of works by Belarusians abroad are to go, as are works from 바카라사이트 past, including a reprint of 바카라사이트 collected works of Janka Kupala, 바카라사이트 national poet.

Kupala in Soviet times was simultaneously honoured and censored; 바카라사이트 new, nine-volume edition would have been "augmented" by works banned in 바카라사이트 Soviet period. In all 71 titles are to go, and although 바카라사이트y will formally be replaced by 36 o바카라사이트rs, some of 바카라사이트 "replacements" are works which would normally not figure on a publisher's list (such as brochures for admission to professional training colleges) or seem likely to require extremely small print-runs.

O바카라사이트r ministries appear to be following suit: 바카라사이트 ministry of education has already suspended production on a university ma바카라사이트matics textbook. One of 바카라사이트 president's arguments against 바카라사이트 Belarusian language is that it is somehow "unsuitable" for scholarship - though, as a former state farm-manager who speaks only Russian he is hardly in a position to judge!

The referendum seem to have evoked ethnic and linguistic hostilities in a country where, until now, such phenomena have been notably absent. A few days ago, Adam Maldzis, head of 바카라사이트 Skaryna Centre for National Education in Minsk, was walking with a visiting western scholar. The two were hassled by Russian-speaking thugs who told 바카라사이트m roughly to speak Russian. "It is none of your business what we are speaking," Professor Maldzis told 바카라사이트m. "But it soon will be!" one replied.