Belarusian Tyrant-for-Life

 "Their whereabouts are unknown. Obviously such methods are illegal and cannot lead to any result other than the aggravation of the situation in the country, a deepening of the crisis and further growth of protests." 

"The kidnapping of Maria Kolesnikova, Anton Rodnenko and Ivan Kravtsov is an attempt to disrupt the work of the Coordination Council. But this will not stop us."

Coordination Council, Belarus opposition

Alexander Lukashenko, the president of Belarus, sixth term in office. Photograph: Vasily Fedosenko/Reuters

 

Belarus is in turmoil, its president is determined by all means at his disposal as a dictator, to continue ruling the country and bringing it ever closer to the orbit of the Russian Federation. Of all the former satellite countries captured by the wide Eastern Europe net of the USSR, it is, in any event, the closest to mirroring the style of the Kremlin, and if President Vladimir Putin could alter Russia's constitution to enable him to rule ad infinitum, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko sees no reason why he cannot do the same.

Before the corrupt election that brought him a purported 80 percent of the vote, Mr. Lukashenko was concerned that there would be Russian interference in how he conducted his August 9 election, and detained dozens of Russian private military contractors days before the vote, amidst escalating tensions between the two neighbours, convinced that Belarus's independence from Russia was being contested. When the election results came in and the opposition cried foul, Mr. Lukashenko suddenly decided he needed to be closer to Russia and appealed for its help in shutting down the protests.

Tens of thousands of Belarusians have taken to the streets in Minsk in protests since the election in support of the opposition who claim the victory should be theirs, and waving signs that Lukashenko should leave the presidency. Their efforts have brought out the military response that has seen hundreds arrested and which led to the departure of major opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovksaya to seek haven in Ukraine with her children. Her husband remains in prison. Since then the protests have continued and the government response has been even harsher.

A woman covers herself with an old Belarusian national flag as opposition supporters gathered in front of Independence Palace, the residence of President Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk, on Sept. 6. (The Associated Press)

 

Two days ago, Maria Kolesnikova, one of three women who ran the opposition campaign as a top organizer was detained at the border with Ukraine, reflecting the targeting of the leaders of the protests against the 26-year authoritarian rule of the president-who-will-not-leave. According to Ukrainian officials and opposition activists the official Belarus plan was to expel Ms.Kolesnikova and two leading colleagues who were forcibly taken to the frontier by security forces, where Ms.Kolesnikova shredded her passport, climbing out a window of the vehicle she was conveyed in, and was arrested.

 

According to Lukashenko, in his explanation to Russian media, the three members of the unified opposition coordination council planned to leave Belarus illegally during the night. On Sunday rallies in the capital Minsk grew to about 100,000 people, despite which the Belarusian president has indicated no intention of giving concessions to opposition demands to call a new election. Presidium member Kolesnikova and spokesman Anton Radniankou along with executive secretary Ivan Krautsou were reported missing by the coordinating council, after they had been abducted in Minsk.

From Kyiv, Krautson and Radniankou later explained that they had been detained by Belarusian security agents, threatened with prosecution if they failed to cooperate in a scheme to force Kolesnikova to leave the country, and under duress they agreed. At the neutral zone between Belarusian and Ukrainian border posts they were placed in Krautsou's vehicle to cross to Ukraine. That was when security forces shoved Kolesnikova into the back seat and she tore up her passport, refusing to leave Belarus, climbed out the back window and Belarusian agents detained her.

Opposition politician Maria Kolesnikova.  SZH via REUTERS

Kolesnikova's whereabouts are unknown, thought to be in the custody of the Belarusian KGB security service. Western powers, declares Lukashenko, are responsible for the turmoil and dissension in his country, interfering in the affairs of the nation, in an effort to cause chaos and dissatisfaction with his rule. He is confident, however, that with the support of Vladimir Putin who has agreed to send in Russian security forces should matters get really out of hand in Belarus, everything will settle down peacefully.

In the meanwhile, security forces and police have been busy arresting hundreds of people, and handling protesters none too kindly, while Lukashenko has taken to strutting about in armoured gear, hefting an automatic rifle, the true picture of a patriotic hero of Belarus that the citizens of the country are only too happy to support in perpetuity.

Protesters clashed with riot police in Minsk   EPA