# Belarusian congress-assemblies (viecha)

- URL: https://syn.by/en/history/archives/belarusian-congress-assemblies-viecha/
- Published: 1924-05-18T18:00:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-22T19:50:09+00:00
- Section: Archives
- Language: en
- BE edition: https://syn.by/historya/arkhivy/bielaruskija-zjezdy-viechy.md
- RU edition: https://syn.by/ru/istoriya/arhivy/byelorusskiye-syezdy-vyecha.md

> In the first half of May, Belarusian members of the Sejm and senators reported to the peasants in Lida, Baranavichy, Zhyrovichy, Yuraulyany and Daugінava. In Daugінava the police broke up the meeting with bayonets and sabers.

![](https://syn.by/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/illustration-537-3-1024x585.webp)

On the 4th of May a congress-assembly (viecha) was held in Lida, at which our deputies of the Sejm Br. Tarashkevich, Sym. Rak-Mikhailouski and Ant. Ausianik spoke. Peasants from most of the gminas of Lida county came to the assembly.

On the same 4th of May a similar congress-assembly was held in Baranavichy, attended by representatives of the peasantry of Baranavichy county. The Belarusian deputies Mikh. Kakhanovich, Vas. Rahulia, F. Yaremich and Senator Nazarouski gave speeches at the assembly.

At these assemblies the representatives of the Belarusian Deputies' Club informed the voters who had gathered about their work in the Sejm, about the laws adopted by the Sejm, about the impossibility, despite all their efforts, of improving the lot of the peasants (land, schools, rights, etc.); they also discussed the question of autonomy for Western Belarus, and so on.

Such congress-assemblies, when they are well prepared, are useful in that the whole county is informed at once, that Belarusian thought finds stronger and clearer expression, that social questions are properly stirred up, and that the present position of Poland and the policy of its governments toward the Belarusian population is brought to light.

On the 4th of May a meeting was held in Zhyrovichy, Slonim county. Senator Viach. Bohdanovich, a member of the Belarusian Deputies' Club, spoke at this meeting. Concerned about the fate of the Zhyrovichy church, the senator made an intervention with the Starosta of Slonim, and on the 4th of May, as the greatest expert on the hard situation of the Orthodox Church in Poland, he held a conference in the Zhyrovichy church itself, where purely church and religious matters were discussed. Toward evening of the same day, on the square in Zhyrovichy, the senator gave the assembled voters (about 300 people) a report on the work of the Belarusian representatives in the Sejm and Senate. After the meeting he collected many complaints and intends to defend with particular diligence the Zhyrovichy church, for the wronged Orthodox population.

On the 6th of this May a Belarusian meeting was held in Yuraulyany, Sokółka county, at which our deputy Pav. Valozhyn spoke. It was a feast day for the Orthodox population — St. George's Day (Yur'ya). During this festival there were up to 2,000 people. The population welcomed its deputy, thanked him for the visit and handed him many complaints.

On the same 6th of May, on the Orthodox feast of St. George and at the same time Radaunitsa, a well-attended Belarusian meeting was held in Zhyrovichy, Slonim county, where our deputy Mikh. Kakhanovich gave a major programmatic speech; his appearance made a great impression on those present.

On the 8th of May in Daugінava, Vileika county, during a Catholic feast, when many people had gathered for the festival, a Belarusian meeting was held, at which the deputies of the Belarusian Club Fr. Ad. Stankevich and Ant. Ausianik spoke. Before a crowd of several thousand Belarusian peasants Ausianik spoke first, and when Fr. Stankevich followed him with a speech on the questions of land, the native school and self-government, the foot and mounted police with bayonets and bare sabers began to drive the people away. The indignant people nevertheless stood in place until the end of Deputy Stankevich's speech.

After the deputies intervened with the police commandant, several people who had been arrested without any right for being present at the meeting were released.

The Belarusian Deputies' Club in Warsaw is to take up this abuse on the part of the police, and the orders given to it in this case by the Vileika Starosty, in a report in the Sejm.

On the 22nd of this May a meeting-congress of representatives of the gminas and villages of Navahrudak county is to be held in Navahrudak. Deputies V. Rahulia, M. Kakhanovich and others are to speak there.