March 8 turned out to be another harsh day in the clownery which Belarusian authorities called elections. According to BelaPAN, some 1,000 people turned out for Wednesday’s meeting with opposition candidate Aleksandr Milinkevich near a movie theater in a remote area in Minsk.
The contender had originally planned to hold the rally inside the theater but its administration canceled the arrangement at the last minute, saying that the building was hosting a children’s party.
When the meeting was over, the police arrested more than 10 participants and Milinkevich team members. Leader of Belarusian Popular Front Party Vincuk Viacorka and four other campaigners were detained when they were transporting the sound amplifying system after the meeting.
Trials are scheduled for tomorrow, and the question is how many Milinkevich HQ members stay on the loose on March 19. And what about dozens and dozens of arrested members of NGO’s and parties? How many of them will be neutralized during the most important day?
One of my acquaintances suggested that those people who lived outside the capital should come to Minsk three days before March 19, as the special forces would probably encircle the capital, and would not let anyone in, probably would detain regional activists on their way to maidan.
The situation is saddening. The immense fear which overwhelmed Belarusian society will stop many from even considering participation in post-electoral protests. Only mass street rallies can make the police weigh in their actions before they obey some crazy orders. I’m afraid that small or even mid-sized demonstrations – like in 1996 when around 50,000 people rallied in Minsk – can be brutally dispersed. Some people might be seriously hurt. Will Milinkevich and Kazulin be able to convince the society of fear to wake up and stand up for their freedom? How many is needed to stop a soldier from shooting? Or will they fight until the last bullet? Unfortunately, some of them will. Some of them allegedly already have blood on their hands. And both Milinkevich and Kazulin vowed to investigate political murders. So it’s not just the society of fear that we have in Belarus, but also the regime which acts like this because it scared its pants off of a revolution.
