March 25th (or 25 сакавіка) – Belarus, it’s on!
By now, tens of thousands of people should have taken to the streets to protest the fraudulent elections, the arrest and mistreatment of hundreds of pro-freedom demonstrators, and general will for additional independence from the pocket of the Kremlin. IF they’re going to rally at all, that is.
A few days ago as the initial round of protests proved that Belarus did not have to live in daily fear of the Belarus dictator Lukashenko (sometimes spelled Lukashenka) despite his past violence in crushing any hint of opposition. The opposition leader Milinkevich bravely stepped up to the plate: refusing to quit “illegal” protests, calling for the entire nation to rise up on the 25th of March (anniversary of Belarus’ only moment in history of independence from Russian overlords) and openly challenging Lukashenko’s policies.
The presence of international journalists helped prolong the demonstrations, even though they eventually withered down as folks found it hard to survive the subzero weather, found themselves denied basic electricity, food, and toilets, needed to be at work, were threated with university explusion, and ultimately had increasing fears of brutal repression.
A confluence of events: the number of people willing to protest fell, the free media lost interest in the story, and the 25th of March loomed closer. It was time for Lukashenko to make his move. He sent in truckloads of riot police to destroy the protester’s tent city, arrest hundreds at 3am, apparently beat some students while in detainment, and otherwise instituted inhumane punishment for offenders.
His message was loud and clear, effectively: “Belarus people, I am your master and I will kick you like a dog any time I feel like it. You do not dare to take to the streets on 25 сакавіка or I will crush you violently.”
The valiant young people of Minsk were anticipating the crackdown and ready to suffer its consequences in their struggle for a free and legitimate government without a communist dictator calling all the shots. The police action was no surprise and they kept their spirits high and hoped that today the entire nation would rise up in protest.
But there’s one more complication. The news being broadcast in Belrus is heavily weighted propoganda. The television news has been giving very little coverage all week, except to repeatedly peddle lies about the thousands of intelligent protesters of all ages were nothing more than a handful of drunken students who (“obviously”) needed to have their shenanigans stopped by the (“responsible”) police force. The same nonsense is being promulgated throughout communist Russia and its satellite states.
The concept here is that many people don’t really know what’s going on. Like many countries, the television stations are mere propaganda (only much more so, in this case) geared toward the intelletually lazied segment of an “informed” population. Hence, the talk of revolution is but a hushed whisper on the lips of a few wild-eyed radicals.
Today, right now, the scheduled protests should have started. AP reports some pre-rally conflicts, already.
Several hundred opposition protesters confronted police in central Minsk on Saturday at the start of a rally against the re-election of Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko which they say was rigged. There was no major fighting, but there was some scuffling between police and protesters.
Is this all they could muster? Or just the beginning or something much bigger?
A California TV station is reporting
Riot police have blocked off a central square in Minsk where opposition leaders planned a rally today. They’ve pushed away crowds in a massive show of force meant to quash persistent protests against President Alexander Lukashenko.
Stay tuned, kids…
