The belarusian president has called this Sunday to defend “the independence of the country”, while a walking pro-democracy takes place in the afternoon in the capital, Minsk.
The Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko, faced with the biggest wave of protest since his arrival in power in 1994, was called Sunday to defend the country’s independence in front of a crowd of supporters in Minsk.
“Dear friends, I called you here not for me to defend it, but because, for the first time in a quarter of a century, you can defend your country and its independence”, he launched, under the ovations from the Independence square, where were gathered several thousands of people.
The belarusian president, 65, has responded to the desire of the opposition to organize a new presidential election, after the August 9, which gave the winner but has raised charges of massive fraud.
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“If we do that, we will depart into a spin and we will come back never,” he predicted, in front of a crowd waving the red flag and green we inherited from the soviet period. “The elections took place, with a score counterfeit may not be more than 80%”, he said, in reference to the official results, which have credited with more than 80% of the votes.
On Twitter, journalists and observers have noted the weakness of this manifestation of support, for a president who has harvested 80% of the vote in the presidential election. Others also denounce the use of the workers, threatened by the government and conveyed up in Minsk to create the illusion of support for the president.
Counter-protest
speaking from a podium, surrounded by body guards, Alexander Lukashenko, has denounced the will, according to him, to impose upon the country, “a government from abroad” Near him stood his youngest son, Nikolai Lukashenko, sometimes presented as his potential successor. “We have no friends, they all want us on our knees. Belarus will not be divided as in 1939. We will not forget,” said Alexander Lukashenko.
He then left the podium to much applause. Since last Sunday, tens of thousands of protesters disputing the re-election of Alexander Lukashenko, denouncing massive fraud and violent repression.
at the same time, tens of thousands of people marched in the capital, during a “Walk for freedom” against the re-election of Alexander Lukashenko.
“Go!”, chanted the protesters to the attention of the head of State, marching along the Independence avenue, in the centre of Minsk, according to an AFP journalist on the spot. Carrying flowers, dressed in white, the demonstrators were heading to the middle of the chanting and car horns to the monument erected in memory of the victims of the Second world war. The protesters were wearing at the end of arm a huge white flag and red, the colors of the opposition.
Protest history
The victory of Alexander Lukashenko in the presidential election has been seen as largely rigged, as the mobilization in favour of a rival unexpectedly, Svetlana Tikhanovskaïa, 37 years old, has ignited the Belarus before the vote. This last is now in exile in Lithuania.
members of the elite have joined the protest: journalists of the public television, usually at the orders of the power, researchers and businessmen, but also a former minister of Culture, Pavel Latouchko. In a video, the ambassador of belarus in Slovakia, Igor Lechtchenia, said that he was “shocked by the stories of torture and beatings”.
The opponent is Svetlana Tikhanovskaïa, which calls for the organization of genuine elections and the release of political prisoners, has announced the creation of a committee to organize the transfer of power.
After Sunday’s election, the first four nights of protests had been matées by the riot police, killing at least two people dead and dozens injured. Tributes to the protesters killed were held this weekend in Minsk and Gomel.
Since Thursday, in response to the violence, the mobilization extended to: human chains and rallies of the opposition were hatched everywhere in the country, while factory workers iconic have launched solidarity actions.
These major events took place without arrests, the belarusian authorities have given signs of retreat after protests in the west, and announced the release of more than 2 000 6 700 people arrested.
Fear of a “help” Russian
Under pressure, the belarusian president has stirred up Saturday, the specter of a Russian intervention, claiming that his counterpart Vladimir Putin assured him during a telephone interview, his “help” to maintain the security of Belarus, a former soviet republic.
Sunday, the Kremlin said it was ready to provide military assistance, if necessary, within the framework of the treaty of Union between the two countries, and the Organization of the collective security treaty (CSTO), composed of six formers soviet republics.
The leader of belarus was told to do in the face of a “color revolution” — the name given to several uprisings in the former USSR in the last 20 years — with “elements of external interference.” Protesters fear the possibility of a Russian intervention, raised by Lukashenko. “If Russia intervenes, it will be even worse”, said Olga Nesterouk, a protester.
The european Union has ordered sanctions against belarusian officials linked to electoral fraud and repression. Protesters freed told AFP that conditions of detention atrocious. Deprived of water, beaten or burned with cigarettes, they were being held by the dozen in cells intended for four or six.
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presidential Election in Belarus
Belarus : Lukashenko said Putin has assured him a “help” safe Belarus: EU gives green light to new sanctions The dispute extends in Belarus : walkouts in factories and calls to show
the Minsk has received the support of Moscow, an ally of historical, despite recurring tensions between the two countries. The head of the belarusian State had accused Russia of wanting to make his country a vassal. Alexander Lukashenko has rejected any mediation from foreign”, referring to a mediation plan proposed by Poland, Lithuania and Latvia.
