Young Front ( be, Малады Фронт, malady front, МФ) is a Belarusian youth movement registered in the
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...
. It is the largest youth organisation of Belarus declaring democratic values. It is a member of the
European Democrat Students
European Democrat Students (EDS) is a pan-European centre-right student and youth political association, and the official student organisation of the European People's Party. Founded in Vienna by Scandinavian, German and Austrian students in 1961, ...
.
History
The Young Front was founded in 1997 and incorporated not formed organizationally movement of independent youth, united in its rows tens of youth initiatives and organisations. Since that time the Young Front has passed a number of degrees of its development, having evolved from protest movement of 1996–1997 years in right-centrist organisation according to its political ideology.
* I YF Congress was held on 6 September 1997;
Paval Sieviaryniec
Paval Sieviaryniec ( be, Павал Севярынец, born December 30, 1976) is a Belarusian journalist and Christian democratic politician and youth leader and one of the founders of the Young Front.
Since June 7, 2020 he is under arrest. A ...
(Minsk), Siahiej Paŭlenka (Grodno), Alaksandar Asipcoŭ (Mogilev) were elected to be co-Chairmen of the YF
* II YF Congress held on 10 February 1999 elected Paval Sieviaryniec to be Chairman of the Movement.
* III Congress on 1 July 2000 reelected Paval Sieviaryniec to be YF Chairman and with adopting a program "Young Front of Changes", laid Christian principles and the national idea in the ideological foundation of organization.
* IV congress on 19 June 2002 reelected Paval Sieviaryniec to be YF Chairman.
* V YF Congress divided in two sessions, on 23 May 2004 and 23 January 2005, elected YF co-Chairmen Siarhiej Bachun and Źmicier Daškievič.
* VI YF Congress held on 9 March 2008 adopted an updated strategy of the Young Front: Reformation of the Young Front, according to which the movement left the
United Democratic Forces of Belarus
The United Democratic Forces of Belarus ( be, Аб'яднаныя дэмакратычныя сілы Беларусі; russian: Объединённые демократические силы) is a coalition of political parties that oppose t ...
(UDF). The Congress elected Źmicier Daškievič to be Chairman of the "Young Front".
Aims and objectives
The aims of the Young Front are: the union and education of young people on the basis of the Belarusian national idea, Christian-democratic principles, a
civil society
Civil society can be understood as the "third sector" of society, distinct from government and business, and including the family and the private sphere.Гісторыя
The main objectives of the Young Front are: the realizing of social and creative initiative among young people, mass and agitation activity in order to revive Belarusian schools, culture, language and forming young peoples' responsibility for their Motherland's fate.
Activity
The Young Front has about 1000–1500 activists in its ranks, incorporated in regional and district branches. The supreme body – the Congress takes place at least once every two years. The organization is headed by the Sejm and the Office of the Young Front between the Congresses.
The Young Front is a member of political youth international organizations such as
European Democrat Students
European Democrat Students (EDS) is a pan-European centre-right student and youth political association, and the official student organisation of the European People's Party. Founded in Vienna by Scandinavian, German and Austrian students in 1961, ...
і the
Youth of the European People's Party
Youth of the European People's Party (YEPP) is an umbrella organization of European political youth organisations and is the official youth wing of the European People's Party. YEPP brings together 64 Centre-Right youth political organisations f ...
; has partnerships with sister organizations of Ukraine, Sweden, Lithuania, Poland and other countries.
Since 1997 the Young Front has been holding a permanent socio-political campaign "The city is ours!" On important dates and on the eve of important events, the YF activists hang massive white-red-white national flags from roofs all over Belarus. The campaign actions of "The city is ours!" were held in many cities of Belarus – more than 2000 flags are hung all in all.
As a result of active and successful activity in 1999 the Young Front has already a rating of popularity among young people of 10.8%, trailing only pro-governmental
Belarusian Republican Youth Union
The Belarusian Republican Youth Union ( be, Беларускі рэспубліканскі саюз моладзі, Bielaruski respublikanski sajuz moladzi (БРСМ), russian: Белорусский республиканский союз мо ...
(48.3%) and BCM (25%).
In 2000 at the parliamentary elections the Young Front held a boycott campaign under the title: "Forgery" – ridicule of electoral farce organized by Lukashenka.
The Young Front during the presidential election campaign in 2001 became the organizer of the Belarusian Youth Congress, in which more than 520 delegates from each part of Belarus took place. It also initiated the signing of special Agreement between the only candidate from the opposition and the youth. During the presidential election campaign in 2001 the Young Front became a member of the mobilization campaign "Choose!" During the selection rush the Young Front made more than 1100 moves in more than 120 Belarusian cities.
On 24 September 2001 the Young Front organized guard in the region of
Kurapaty
Kurapaty ( be, Курапаты, ) is a wooded area on the outskirts of Minsk, Belarus, in which a vast number of people were executed between 1937 and 1941 during the Great Purge by the Soviet secret police, the NKVD.
The exact count of victi ...
, being against the reconstruction of Minsk encircling highway, as it thought that a new road could pass the burials. More than 120 activists took part in eight months' move "Kurapaty’s Protection".
According to the Baltic Service of Gallup Institute over October 2002, the rating of the Young Front among the whole population of Belarus was 6,3%, among the youth (18–30 age) – 14%, what's amazing is that all political parties have 0,5%–5% popularity, and "the factor of fear" in the society is very high.
The members of the Young Front participated and won in local council elections (2003) in several districts, took part in the elections to the House of Representatives of Belarus in 2004, but without any success. The block Young Belarus, established by the Young Front was a part of the Committee of democratic political forces, and then formed a part of the
United Democratic Forces
The United Democratic Forces ( bg, Обединени Демократични Сили, ОДС/ODS) were a center-right electoral alliance in Bulgaria, led by the Union of Democratic Forces.
Members of the coalition
1997
* Union of Democrati ...
.
The activists of the Young Front collected more than 40000 signatures against the holding of the referendum in 2004 concerning the remarks to the constitution which lift restrictions for two presidencies. The Young Front organized a protest move at October Square (Kalinouskaga Square). Źmicier Daškievič, one of the leaders of the Young Front and Young Belarus was arrested and taken to prison for 10 days of the administrative arrest.
Paval Sieviaryniec
Paval Sieviaryniec ( be, Павал Севярынец, born December 30, 1976) is a Belarusian journalist and Christian democratic politician and youth leader and one of the founders of the Young Front.
Since June 7, 2020 he is under arrest. A ...
, one of the founders of the Young Front, the leader of Young Belarus was arrested for three years of so-called labour imprisonment for organizing unauthorized demonstrations on the day of the referendum and the next day.
During the 2006 presidential election campaign, the Young Front was one of the organizers of the protests against the falsification of voting results, and also they organised "the encampment" at October Square, Minsk (20–24 March 2006).
In June 2006, the members of the Young Front, deprecating the criminal persecution of activists of the organization, went on hunger strike, which became one of the longest and mass socio-political hunger strikes. It lasted for 24 days by more than 100 people.
Some activists and leaders of the Young Front traced into the organizing committee of the establishment the Belarusian Christian Democratic Party.
In 2008 the members of the Young Front held a number nationwide campaigns. Within the scope of social campaign "Belarusian Book – To Children" the activists of the Young Front collected thousands of Belarusian-language publications which later were given to orphanages in Minsk and other Belarusian cities. Also the things and money which had been collected at the Christmas festival "Hurry To Do Good" in which many prominent Belarusian musicians and socio-political figures participated were handed to orphanages and boarding schools.
From 7 to 10 December 2008, the Young Front carried out a campaign "Communism before a tribunal" which was finished by a daylong fast. During the campaign the Young Front organized dozens of anticommunist pickets and informational moves in whole Belarus, held extensive social-scientific conference "The Crimes of Communism. Numbers and Facts".
In 2008 during the campaign "MTS in Belarusian", firstly started by the Saligorsk blogger, fascinated people addressed a range of letters and e-mails to the headquarters of presentation of "MTS" in Belarus. In response the mobile operator created a Belarusian-language version of website. Later the activists handed the headquarters of the company more than 2500 signs for the Belarusification of the MTS. As a result, customer support service in Belarusian appeared on the receivers of telephone subscribers.
The Young Front is the leader of political street resistant movement, organizing dozens of street protests annually. The most known one among them is a traditional move St. Valentine's Day. Since its existence the organization carried out dozens of national socio-political campaigns, the most famous of which are the following: "The Move of Love" "The City is Ours", "Belarus to Europe", "Elections", "Choose!", "No to the Third Time", "We Want the New", "Boycott 2008", "Communism Before a Tribunal", "Belarusian Book – To Children", Christmas Festival".
In the
2011 protests
Eleven or 11 may refer to:
*11 (number), the natural number following 10 and preceding 12
* one of the years 11 BC, AD 11, 1911, 2011, or any year ending in 11
Literature
* ''Eleven'' (novel), a 2006 novel by British author David Llewellyn
*' ...
Since 2005 the Young Front applied for registration five times from the Ministry of Justice, but it was rejected five times.http://belfreedom.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=53:minsk-authorities-refused-young-front-premises-for-congress&catid=1:newsfrombelarus&Itemid=3&lang=us The members of the organization believe that the authorities deliberately do not register the organization in order not to have leverages of pressure on the activists by means of unconstitutional article 193-1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus (sharing in the organization with no carried-out registration). Within the scope of the campaign of resistance to criminal persecution for the activity in the unregistered organization the members of the Young Front registered their own organization in
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...
, the documents have been submitted for the registration to Lithuania, planning to get official status in
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...
and the
Ukraine
Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...
.
The activists of the Young Front regularly take part in unauthorized demonstrations, during which most of them are arrested by the police. The leaders of the organization and its ordinary members run the administrative persecution, the most prevailing of which are the arrest (till 25 days) and fines. Some of them were condemned: the most famous are the following – Alaksiej Šydłoŭski, Vadzim Łabkovič,
Paval Sieviaryniec
Paval Sieviaryniec ( be, Павал Севярынец, born December 30, 1976) is a Belarusian journalist and Christian democratic politician and youth leader and one of the founders of the Young Front.
Since June 7, 2020 he is under arrest. A ...
, Pavał Mažejka, Artur Fińkievič, Źmicier Daškievič.
After the presidential election campaign the criminal cases on Źmicier Daškievič, Siarhiej Lisičonak, Barys Harecki and Aleh Korban were opened by Article 193-1 (establishment and management of public association, religious association or political party, which infringe on personality, rights and duties of man and did not get official registration). According to the criminal case the leader of the Young Front Źmicier Daškievič was condemned for a year and a half of general regime colony (1 November 2006).
During a year other leaders and activists of the Young Front were condemned by this Article – Ivan Šyła (Saligorsk), Nasta Pałažanka, Źmicier Chviedaruk, Alaksiej Janušeŭski, Aleh Korban, Barys Harecki (Minsk), Nasta Azarka (Niasviž), Jarasłaŭ Hryščenia (Baranavičy), Kaciaryna Sałaŭjova (Połacak), Edward Zielankoŭ (Žłobin). They were punished with fines or warnings.
Some criminal proceedings were brought by the same article and did not come to trial. The criminal cases were brought on the following: Kiryl Atamančyk (Žłobin), Andrej Cianiuta (Homiel), Arsień Jahorčanka (Śvietlahorsk), Siarhiej Hudzilin, Jaŭhien Vaŭkaviec, Alaksandar Čarejka (Žodzin). The leader of the Young Front in Žodzin Pavał Krasoŭski was suspected of complicity in explosions in Viciebsk and committing two homicides. He was taken to investigative isolation ward, and in a month Pavał Krasoŭski was released for complete lack of evidence.
The members of the Young Front and Belarusian community consider that their friends are condemned for reasons of policy for their opposition activity. The organization held sympathetic actions with the condemned and also with those who found themselves under the criminal persecution. In solidarity with "The Young Front" such outstanding politicians as Alaksandar Milinkievič, Anatol Labiedźka. After the discharge
Alaksandar Kazulin
Alyaksandr Kazulin ( be, Аляксандр Уладзіслававіч Казулін, russian: Александр Владиславович Козулин, born 25 November 1955 in
Minsk) is the former leader of the Belarusian Social Democr ...
became an honorable member of the Young Front.
Due to strong campaign of solidarity with the chairman of the Young Front Źmicier Daškievič he was discharged for 1.5 months before the given time. Mentioning the willingness "to sacrifice personal freedom, health and even life in the name of his own ideals" Belarusian daily newspaper ''Nasha Niva'' named Źmicier Daškievič "The Man of 2007". The activists of "The Young Front" believe that the aforesaid is the proof of the fact that the Belarusian regime suffered a defeat in the trials to bring to a stop the youth movement.
Controversy
On 25 March 2014 activists of ''Young Front'' participated in a demonstration with a transparent praising leaders who had been accused of collaborating with Nazi Germany during WW2:
Stepan Bandera
Stepan Andriyovych Bandera ( uk, Степа́н Андрі́йович Банде́ра, Stepán Andríyovych Bandéra, ; pl, Stepan Andrijowycz Bandera; 1 January 1909 – 15 October 1959) was a Ukrainian far-right leader of the radical, terr ...
,
Michał Vituška
Michal Apanasavič Vituška ( be, Міхал Апанасавіч Вітушка; russian: Михаи́л Афана́сьевич Виту́шко, ''Mikhail Afanasyevich Vitushko''; pl, Michał Wituszka; 5 November 1907 – 7 January 1945) was ...
,
Roman Shukhevych
Roman-Taras Yosypovych Shukhevych ( uk, Рома́н-Тарас Йо́сипович Шухе́вич, also known by his pseudonym, Tur and Taras Chuprynka; 30 June 1907 – 5 March 1950), was a Ukrainian nationalist, one of the commanders of N ...