“Soviet Confederation”

Kommersant ^ | Dec. 22, 2005 | Sergey Strokan

[Tailgunner Joe]

In the long name of new Byelorussian law, which will be punishing for “deeds directed against a person or social security,” there is a one extra word. This word is “person”, and it definitely doesn’t belong there. In reality, in Byelorussian state a person does not exist for already a long time as a value, which has to be protected from anything. This person will handle all the difficulties by himself. Everyone knows a quality to live through difficulties is an integral part of Byelorussian national character (as well as Russian one). The person is a hardy creature. However, the state, which is represented by Alexander Lukashenko, is more fragile. It surrounded by enemies. This state needs to be protected. It needs well built defense. And, because there is nobody left to defended, than the state has to save itself.

In the mean time, the last events in Byelorussia cannot be considered as Lukashenko phenomenon or “lukashism.” These events are more interesting in context of what is going on today in post-Soviet space. New Byelorussian law, as well as infamous Russian project of the law about NCO, or legislative initiative of Islam Karimov, who is scared to death by Andijan events, -- these are all links of one chain. This is demonstration of one tendency in post-Soviet space during the last year. While just formally keeping a federation, the CIS countries split in two groups. They didn’t split on western and eastern parts. They didn’t split on partisans or opponents of the United States. Actually, couple of years ago they were pretty much the same ideologically. The states started to divide confederation for “Soviet” and “non-Soviet.” The brightest representative of the “Soviet Confederation” is Byelorussia of Alexander Lukashenko. There, we are witnessing some type of political remake of events that we have seen during the decades of Soviet history. The Law “About Social Security” reminds about all-mighty KGB. The fight “with discrediting Byelorussia” brings back the memory about dissidents. There too many parallels to mention.

In other, “non-Soviet Confederation”, Ukraine is trying to become a store front. We all see how this country desperately trying to detach itself from Soviet history. And it is difficult process.

In the mean time the question about individual rights and freedoms, coordination of state and personal interests, is becoming the division line that separates Soviet from non-Soviet. And it is not difficult to guess in which side of the line Russia has ended up. All one has to do is to look around…

[REactor]

I thought that Kommersant is a decidedly pro-Western newspaper. But it looks like it doesn't even have translators who know English well enough.