To the President of the 
Academy of Sciences of Belarus
Mr. Leonid Sushchena

Copy to the President
of the Republic Belarus
Mr. A. Lukashenko


Resolution of the International Scholarly Conference "Belarus -
problems of a peripheral region of Eastern Europe", Stuttgart,
Germany, 10-14 April, 1996


We, historians and scholars working in the field of Belarusian
history, wish to express our serious desquiet over the attempt to
limit the freedom of scholarly research in Belarus. The halting of
the printing of the Belarusian encyclopaedia, coupled with the
personnel changes in the management of the encyclopedia which have
taken place against the background of a campaign to suppress the
independent media constitute an attack on human rights and the
intimidation of opponents of the present regime.

The process of democratization is incompatible with attempts to
re-introduce elements of censorship. Such an attempt further
exacerbates the already very serious situation of Belarusian
historical scholarship, with a significant proportion of 
historians living on or below the poverty line.

We call upon you, Mr President, to use all your power, authority 
and influence, to put an end to these negative processes, which 
are undermining the good name of Belarus in the world.

In the name of all participants of the conference

Prof. Dr. Dietrich Beyrau
Universitaet Tübingen
Institut für Osteuropaeische Geschichte und Landeskunde
Wilhelmstraße 36
72074 Tübingen
Germany

Free for Publication from 25 April, 1996