Solidarity or Just Plain Old Intimidation?

Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka (left) Vladimir Putin

"[There's a risk that] Russia will turn the most friendly neighbor they have into a population that sees them as an accessory to Lukashenko and his authoritarianism."

Nigel Gould-Davies, former U.K. ambassador to Belarus

 

"Participants in the unauthorized mass gathering blocked traffic and public transport and created a threat to the safety of road users."

"It's a shame to watch: screams, screeching... [of female protesters]. Such behavior is unfeminine."

Interior Ministry spokeswoman Olga Chemodanova 

"Fear is bad, violence is bad, lies are bad. You can’t pretend like nothing’s happening."

Belarusian State University languages department teachers video appeal for freedom of speech

 

"[Lukashenko would seek to intensify detentions and threats ahead of the Putin meeting] to show the Kremlin that the protests are abating and he is in control of the situation."

"But so far repression has had the opposite effect."

Ales Byalyatski, director, Vyasna human rights center

Opposition supporters protest against authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk on Sunday.TUT.BY/AFP via Getty Images

Russia's defence ministry has announced that paratroopers from its elite Pskov division are being sent to Belarus. No worries; these are for joint drills to be initiated on the 14th, according to TASS state news agency. A show of solidarity between Russia and Belarus, nothing abnormal there, it's what friendly, neighbouring countries do, after all. No messages implicit or otherwise to the tens of thousands of Belarusians marching with messages for their autocratic ruler that they demand his resignation and a redo of the presidential election.

Their patient president and his staunch supporter, Vladimir Putin, have arranged a joint military exercise to help the people of Belarus focus on their unfortunate misunderstanding and to disavow it like the good, obedient people that they are, so that life can get back to normal for them and for Alexander Lukashenko who has, after all, no intention of stepping down, for the good of his country and for the ingrates that fail to acknowledge his sincere devotion to their well-being.

Of course 100,000 people exercised sufficiently with a sense of outrage over rigged election results do comprise a sizeable proportion of people fed up with the status quo, that's undeniable. They have experienced a gap in credibility over claims of a landslide election favouring the continuation of the 26-year reign of a president whose presence they have become fed up with. Electorates are like that, and are never to be taken for granted; as for example their absurd ideas about democracy.

So, "Slavic Brotherhood" joint military drills are in order. 

For the simple fact of the matter is, neither their president nor his  reat good friend Mr. Putin view favourably a return to Belarus of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. They feel she should remain just where she is, in Lithuania. Foreign powers manipulating events in Belarus will not succeed in their malicious interference in the affairs of a sovereign state, whose independence Moscow has agreed is unassailable. The abduction and imprisonment of opposition figures? Simply a security measure to ensure public order is followed. A matter of public security, of adherence to the law.

Protesting, rioting, upsetting fellow countrymen who have the great good sense to remain at home, and carrying insulting signage are not the actions of patriotic people, but instead betray who and what they really are; thugs, in the pay of foreign elements seeking to wreak havoc in Belarus. It is beyond rude to carry a banner "Long live Belarus" and shout in unison "You're a rat" to their honourable president. Just no respect where it is due whatever; hang your heads in shame, Belarusians.

Nor should riot police tasked with maintaining law and order, be faced with crowds shouting "fascists" at them. The use of water cannons on protesters is justified in the maintenance of a peaceful and law-abiding society, where trouble-makers seek to upset order and good governance. Shots fired toward protesters? Well, threaten the Belarusian leadership and such things accidentally occur, you see. Barbed wire fencing around critical areas to keep the thugs at bay? Ordinary precautions.

A friend in need is a friend indeed and Belarus has that friendship in its neighbour, Russia. Which has offered its moral and practical support. Out of a desire to bring this unhappy situation to an end, Moscow will restructure Belarusian debt, and provide banking liquidity. And if need be, should these inconvenient and uncalled-for public displays of disobedience by the rabble continue to occur, Russian riot police can always be available on request.

Tens of thousands of opposition supporters are estimated to have marched through the streets of Minsk on September 13  TutBy Reuters