A-Infos (en) (alter-ee) The stance of Belarusian anarchists regarding Jan.19

We, anarchists and antifascist of Belarus, feel obliged to respond to the call for 
solidarity actions on January 19 this year issued by Russian comrades, as well as to the 
processes that occur nowadays in Russian antifascist movement. As we see it, some movement 
participants are actively trying to separate antifascism from its political aspect, which 
is disagreeable for us. We assume, that the struggle with fascism is first and foremost 
the struggle with its causes, such as economic and social inequality, competition between 
people and social groups, hierarchy in the society. Thus we see antifascism as a political 
movement, inseparable from the struggle with the state and capitalism. ---- Together with 
this we understand the conditions in which Russian antifascist movement exists, and we 
always express our solidarity and are ready to help.

In this year only a concert in support of Fedor
Filatov's family, an illegal march to commemorate the murdered
antifascists in Russia, an action in honour of Ivan Khutorskoy and
raising money for his family were organised. But the 19 January's
action, which is to be held without any connection to the political and
social events in Russia and in the world, can't promote the struggle
against fascism as a political and social phenomenon. We cannot express
solidarity with the action, which includes people who received awards
from the government, which is systematically using repressive mechanisms
against antifascist movement representatives; people, taking part in
concerts made by such youth organisations as «Young Russia», which
leader is in contact with neonazis. Surely this may attract more
attention to the planned event and is likely to recruit new people to
the movement, but is it possible to build a strong unity based only on
antifascism while part of the movement comes out for class war, and the
other part consider it to be one of the varieties of fascism?

The current rise in nationalistic and far-right views in Russia is the
consequence of the existing situation in the country and is being heated
by authorities themselves. There exist many direct and sideway proofs of
the connection between the state and different neonazi groups, law
enforcing officials are reluctant to investigate the cases connected
with their activities, and if they are found guilty, the political
constituent of the crime is not given any attention. At the same time
authorities don't beat around the bush when it comes to antifascists.
People are detained, beaten, prosecuted. In this situation the appeals
to the state and hopes for a probable successful dialogue with the
authorities are in a way naive. The authorities regard only force and
such events as attacks on the «Young Russia» and «Komsomolskaya Pravda»
offices draw a way more attention to the problem, then hundreds of calls
and helpless appeals. We strongly believe that antifascist struggle can
be successful only if based on direct action, self-organisation and if
supported with clear objectives and a good alternative to fascism.

Anarchists of Belarus

Russian version is available at https://belarus.indymedia.org/19315
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