Today in Warsaw, Alaksandr Milinkevich and Poland’s Prime-Minster Kazimiez Marcinkiewicz signed a declaration that an endowment program for repressed students would be created. The new foundation will be named after a Belarusian national hero, Kastus Kalinouski. Politicians discussed ways how Poland could support victims of political repressions in Belarus.
Meanwhile, the major piece of news storming Belarusian internet was a possible death of Siarhiej Atroshchanka, brutally beaten up by the riot policemen. Milinkevich’s website had notified of his decease in the 9th clinic hospital in Minsk, and the news was picked up by bloggers and such news sources as Lenta.ru and Charter97.org. Tut.by forums simmer with anger, and the argument “We need a sniper” seems to have returned to Belarusian web pages. Although, there was another theme bubbling up. Belarusian bloggers tried to fantasize where Lukashenka had disappeared. Speculations range from him being poisoned or dead to his major hard drinking session continuing for a week or so.
Wherever the president might be, it did not prevent judges from preferring charges against Alexander Kozulin for hooliganism and organization of mass violations of civil order. Maximal penalty on these charges is six years in prison.

A Belarusian American Wonly has posted up this interesting analysis of Lukashenka’s absence on TV screens. Indeed, what’s up with “the daddy?”

Entries about Lukashenka missing on TV appeared in LiveJournal over the week-end. At first, people were joking but in the beginning of the week situation has worsened. Announcement that inauguration had been postponed without a certain date came on Tuesday. Let’s take a look at the facts:

Sunday, March 19:
- Lukashenka votes and shows up in public. Everybody notices too much make-up on his face.

Monday, March 20:
- Lukashenka participates in a press-conference on the results of the elections at the Central Elections Committee.
- Putin congratulates Lukashenka on winning the elections.

Tuesday, March 21:
- Some foreign journalist announces that Lukashenka had promised not to destroy the tent city.
- Leaders of third-world countries congratulate Lukashenka on winning the elections.

Wednesday, March 23:
- Deputy Minister of internal affairs states that the tent city will not be destroyed by force.

Early morning Friday, March 24:
- Riot police suddenly and more or less violently destroy the tent city.

Saturday, March 25:
- Peaceful action of protest is violently dispersed in Minsk with participation of the internal army (similar to National Guard).
- People start wondering about Lukashenka’s whereabouts.

Monday, March 27:
- Many mass media publish articles talking about Lukashenka’s disappearance.

Tuesday, March 28:
- A message travels in ICQ messaging network claiming that Lukashenka has some heart issues and his son Viktar is governing the country and giving the brutal orders.
- BT (national television) shows Lukashenka at some meeting where he orders to take down his portraits off walls and put some small photograph on desks instead. Lukashenka also announces a new de-bureaucratization program and does not mention last week’s events in detail. He only says that the police have done a good job. Those who had seen the news report noticed that it was too short and Lukashenka obviously had too much make-up on.

Rumors about president’s bad health had been around for a while. He has been using make-up for about a year. What exactly had happened to him naturally was not mentioned anywhere. There are three major versions of Lukashenka’s disappearance:
- heavy drinking
- heart problems (possible stroke)
- nervous breakdown
All three versions perfectly fit the fact that the inauguration had been postponed for just a few weeks since they hope that Lukashenka will be better by then. However, a question remains whether he will be able to fulfill his duties. Article 89 of Belarusian Constitution says that if a president is incapable of fulfilling his duties the prime-minister should take over, but Sidorski has already resigned…

There also had been a rumor about throat cancer, but they are obviously wrong for Lukashenka would have not been able to speak, and after the surgery his voice would have changed.

The story of someone else giving orders and governing the country on behalf of Lukashenka fits with the fact of destruction of the tent city and dispersal of the demonstration on Saturday because Lukashenka had promised not to touch at least the tents. Then we start asking the question who is actually running the country.

It is also worth mentioning that all workers at presidential administration as well as the state media participate in this mystery. There are two reasons: either the person acting as the president has scared them, or they are intimidated with the fact that Lukashenka is coming back. Obviously there are hopes for his return since otherwise the inauguration would have been cancelled and not just postponed.

However, if something serious has happened to Lukashenka then our country would go into chaos because there is already no prime-minister, low-rank officials would start fighting each other for power, the police and military would not know whose orders to follow, and the opposition would go insane because of such a “gift” since they do not seem to have a plan for this scenario.

By Wolny

It is early morning in Belarus, a bit after midnight on the east coast. It is time to go to bed after a day of horror in Belarus. A song by Kasia Kamockaja might suit as a lullaby today. I love this great singer, whose songs really caught the spirit of the time. It is no wonder she is very successful in a Dozen of Hits (Independent Internet charts of Belarus’ music).

A Lullaby for My Country

Sleep, my land, sleep
Sigh, close your eyes.
Listen, it will be ok,
Don’t worry, repose…

Sleep, my land, sleep
In the morning, you will be washed
With warm water
Of new clever lies!

Sleep, my land, sleep!
Sleep, my land, sleep!

For those who want warmth
There will be cheap vodka,
Oil and gas, remedy from a hangover,
Some treats from the master’s table!

For every show,
Scripts are prepared:
About the disloyal, poets,
And a struggling country

Sleep, my land, sleep!
Sleep, my land, sleep!

Sleep, sleep, sleep…

Today there will be a disclosure,
Tomorrow – enemies of the state,
And a day after, as always,
A heroic life

Sleep, Lady Homeland,
The tomorrow is some time later on
Happiness behind the barbed wire,
Your worthless will

Sleep, my land, sleep!
Sleep, my land, sleep!

Sleep, sleep, sleep…

Kasia Kamockaja.
Translation in mine.

Belarus Interior Minister Naumov told journalists this Saturday that an unidentified device had been blown up during today’s demonstration.

“There was an explosion of an unidentified device, and it was not application of special measures by the law enforcement,” assured Naumov.

It seems like Belarus’ courts found a pretense to practically apply KGB head’s dreadful story about the prepared terrorist acts.

However, it was not hard to see who was behind the bloodshed. See the picture below. You can see a notorious Pavlichenko, SOBR commander in his red beret.

By the way, it was Kozulin who called the protesters to head toward Okrestino jail and demand liberation of political prisoners. Milinkevich and his team was calling for a peaceful meeting and when it was over he urged the crowd to disperse.

At this point, Milinkevich’s team expressed their strong disagreement with Kozulin’s call, which led to bloodshed, and stated that since now on they would not offer Kozulin to join the newly forming grand coalition For Liberty!

Update: Kozulin’s website is questioning Milinkevich’s position and wonders whether he could be a regime’s puppet. Kazulin is currently arrested.

by http://wlass-off.livejournal.com/

No comment.

Account-free dialup internet access was cut off in Belarus’ capital. According to AFN, journalists, Pavel Sheremet and Svetlana Kulinkina, are in jail. The news agency also reported that it received an unchecked data that the tent-camp had been attacked by an ad hoc regiment in direct command of the president. The soldiers were dressed as OMON operatives.

Mass arrests have begun. Kazulin is detained. People are been beaten by the riot police. There are injured. The wounded are carried away on stretchers. Noise and smoke granades were used.

RFE\RL reports that Milinkevich’s car was stopped. The new reports are coming that he is free. But his spokesman Paval Mazejka was detained with sound amplifying equipment. Milinkevich is reported to be heading to the police station, whereto Mazejka was taken.

The breaking news: near Operetta Theater explosions have been heard. A lot of beaten people lie on the ground.
Today Belarusians celebrate Freedom Day or, as it alternatively can and should be called and regarded, Independence Day. How can we solemnize it in an unfree country? Traditionally, this is a day of protests in recent history of Belarus, and this time street rally is quite impressive even to the cops who were reported saying that they hadn’t expected such a crowd.
The president’s administration building was blocked by several lines of OMON, riot police squads, and protesters could not make it to the October Square, which was also cordoned off.
Actually, many people were arrested and hampered from joining the gathering. Even Milinkevich supposedly had troubles getting through to the venue.
Crowd of about 10,000 people was moving toward Okrestino jail with intention to demand immediate release of political prisoners, when the riot police attacked.

A demonstration of solidarity with Belarus’ opposition is planned this Saturday, 25 March, in Manhattan, NYC.
All not indifferent people are welcome to come support democracy and freedom for Belarus!
The rally starts at 9:00am at the building of Belarusian mission to UN, 136 East, 67th Street (between 3rd and Lex. Ave), New York, NY 10021.
Please, don’t hesitate to join. Pass this information to your relatives and friends.
Long live free, independent, democratic Belarus!

http://juras14.livejournal.com/