Although it was always predictable, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko's threat to unleash a violent crackdown on the country's expanding protest movement represents an ominous harbinger of what may await the country. But Lukashenko may lose his bet on the loyalty of the security forces.
MINSK – Has this week of massive, mostly peaceful protests against Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko been merely the calm before the storm? Following the fraudulent presidential election on August 9, Lukashenko’s latest statements about the expanding protest movement sound ominous: “There must be no more unrest in Minsk. The people are tired. They want peace and quiet. … The majority is used to living in a quiet country. We have to return this calm country to them.” The fear now is that these unfounded claims will be used to justify martial law.
Lukashenko has also addressed the growing opposition from workers. “If someone in the media – ONT, BT, or elsewhere – wants to go on strike, to go out and then come back, he should not be given that opportunity,” Lukashenko declared. “If you want to leave, leave. But the teams must be preserved. And that is our task today.” The implication is that, beyond martial law, a great purge of state media and other sectors is coming. All those who have not demonstrated that they are loyal to Lukashenko have been put on notice.
In addition to appearing at two major factories, where the workers told him to “Get lost,” Lukashenko this week convened his National Security Committee, which has been tasked with uncovering the supposedly nefarious financing behind the protest movement. It doesn’t matter “how difficult it is,” he told them, it must be done. Lukashenko has already been suggesting that the demonstrations are some kind of NATO-Polish-Baltic plot, and such conspiracy theories are likely soon to take on a life of their own.
MINSK – Has this week of massive, mostly peaceful protests against Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko been merely the calm before the storm? Following the fraudulent presidential election on August 9, Lukashenko’s latest statements about the expanding protest movement sound ominous: “There must be no more unrest in Minsk. The people are tired. They want peace and quiet. … The majority is used to living in a quiet country. We have to return this calm country to them.” The fear now is that these unfounded claims will be used to justify martial law.
Lukashenko has also addressed the growing opposition from workers. “If someone in the media – ONT, BT, or elsewhere – wants to go on strike, to go out and then come back, he should not be given that opportunity,” Lukashenko declared. “If you want to leave, leave. But the teams must be preserved. And that is our task today.” The implication is that, beyond martial law, a great purge of state media and other sectors is coming. All those who have not demonstrated that they are loyal to Lukashenko have been put on notice.
In addition to appearing at two major factories, where the workers told him to “Get lost,” Lukashenko this week convened his National Security Committee, which has been tasked with uncovering the supposedly nefarious financing behind the protest movement. It doesn’t matter “how difficult it is,” he told them, it must be done. Lukashenko has already been suggesting that the demonstrations are some kind of NATO-Polish-Baltic plot, and such conspiracy theories are likely soon to take on a life of their own.