Belarusian Generation Y logbook

A story about another student expelled have become nothing more than a weekly routine in Belarus. Today’s post will touch on the story of another expelled student – Zmicer Zhaleznichenka and on the meeting of the Belarusian students in exile to be held in Vilnius in October.

Last week a student activist found out that he was no longer a student of the mathematical department of the Homel State University. The story has become a usual case for Belarus. Zmicer Zhaleznichenka is an excellent student with the average grade of 9/10 and an activist in a wide range of youth organizations, i.e. – chairperson of a local youth cultural organization, vice-chair of “Youth of BPF” and member of the Belarusian Popular Front.

Yesterday I was approached by the university dean (Siarhey Zhohal) who gave me a copy of the expulsion order which had been signed on September 7^th – a week ago. Besides that none of the university employees did anything to inform me of such a discussion taking place or asked me about my explanation, Zmicier says.

One of Zmicier first steps was to appeal to the student trade union at University for help and protection of his student rights. At the trade union he was told: “Lenin also was a good student, but he was expelled from the university anyway”.

The official reason for Zmicier expulsion is the fact that last year he had received a reprimand for being arrested in the grounds of organizing a local acoustic guitar song contest which was translated as an illegal entrepreneurial activity. However, Zmicier insists that according to the University rules one cannot be expelled for that reason.

Meanwhile. not all students know about the expulsion of Zmicier, since the Dean refused to put the expulsion order on the notice board which is a usual procedure in Belarusian universities. That is why Zmicier plans to do that on his own. Most of the group mates of the expelled student found out about what had happened from the Internet and are indignant about the fact and have already expressed their support to their fellow student.

Zmicier is sure that his expulsion had no grounds and hopes that with overall support the court will support his side and he will be reinstated at his University. But he also considers finishing education abroad as a possible option:

I am studying to be a programmer, that is why I cannot lose time serving in the army for 2 years, since the technology is developing so fast and at the age of 22 I will have nothing but only two years of higher education and the army document.

It is worth mentioning that Eastern Europe Studies Centre is soon organizing Belarus Exile Students’ Rally 2007 . It is going to be held in Vilnius, Lithuania, on October 12-16. The main objective of the meeting is to connect all the expelled students from Belarus, encourage them to create youth groups, help each other and not to lose the contact with their country.

Local groups of exile students in different countries will be influencing the decisions of the international community. Organizers are hoping that the expelled students will encourage the current students to support democratic changes in their country. The application deadline is September 21st.