h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hello everyone. I thought h2g2 would be a good forum to point the attention of people to a problem that's somewhat ignored.

Namely: the country of Belarus. It's quite rightly called Europe's last dictatorship, and it's a crying shame that it doesn't get the media's attention. On 19th march presidential elections are held, but no one doubts that president Aleksandr Lukashenka will win again, as all oposition is suppressed with force.

Please have a look out for any notes in newspapers, any information you can get, but it probably won't be much. This is just an attempt to bring this matter to your attention.

Thankyou

I've heard that description of Belarus as 'Europe's last dictatorship', but know very little factual detail about it (I had no idea elections were coming up) - I will keep an eye out

I wouldn't have known about elections, either, if it weren't for my wonderful friend Mascha, who comes from Belarus, and she is of course always watching her home situation.

Another thing: I'm sure some people here have heard about Google-China-internet-censorship-affair. Belarus is also one of the countries where internet is censored massively (Cuba, too, I believe).

Isn't Libya still in a pretty oppressed state? It's a shame that countries with freedom of speech choose to pretty much ignore those that need our help the most.

Mybe if they had huge reserves of oil something might have been done by now

That thought occured to me, too. It's a bit cynical, but yes, possibly, if there was a real economic interest in Belarus, there would be some more open concern..

Are there any petitions or websites openly campaigning against this that we could use?

I don't know sorry. But Amnesty International always publish their year-reports of countries, and they have campaigns against death penalty and to support human-rights-groups, like this: http://web.amnesty.org/pages/blr-161105-action-eng

Cool, I'll give that a read

*just putting thread back to top of the list*

Been away for a week...

I just heard on the radio that more politicians of the opposition were arrested by the KGB (secret service). One of the opposition leaders, Aleksander Milinkiewich, calls for demonstrations and open protests on sunday, the day of election.

Traveller in Time watching BBC news
"Official exit polls 80 for the current president against 5 for the opposition.

Massive demonstration by nonbelievers.

If they manage to keep the world press in peacefull attention for some days, there will be changes "

Brave people. A local group in my city does a lot of humanitarian work for Chernobyl and has to interact regularly with the Belarus government. Now he's trying to kick them out also, and has consistently downplayed the effect of the disaster which is (get this) 20 years ago this year. How time flies.

I was relieved when I heard on the radio this morning that the demonstrations weren't beaten down by force, I was scared that the police might shoot at the people, because Lukashenko had said before that "all demonstrators would be seen and treated as terrorists".

I hope that media's attention is not goingto die down again during the next time.

"the disaster which is (get this) 20 years ago this year. How time flies." I know, I'm going to be 20 this year. I think the accident happened in May or April and I was born in June 1986. I was one of the children, where the mothers were told to be careful not to drink milk and eat fresh lettuce and things that might be contaminated, whilst pregnant.

Traveller in Time waving a banner
"As long as the international press is at the demonstration . . . . .

Well, there are other countries known with lasting peacefull demonstrations ending in a (non violent) revolution. "

TV news an hour ago said: At the meeting of EU's foreign secretaries today, they discussed the manipulation of the election in Belarus. They are considering to impose a travelling-restriction on the leaders, so that they aren't allowed to enter the EU. And, what I found pretty sensible: Freezing the financial means of Lukashenko and his fellows in other states. It would have an impact if Russia would support this, too (unlikely though) That's what I think, at least. And the ministers spoke against economic embargoes that could hit the population, but would leave the leader unaffected. Sounds also sensible.

I'm afraid it won't make a major difference though. He's got a big ally in Russia, who are still mad as hell about Ukraine and Georgia "defecting" to the West. Russia doesn't really care what he does, so long as Belarus stays within its sphere of influence.

I think you're right Woodpigeon...

It's at least a start for the EU to make an official stand that says openly: The elections were neither fair nor free. I have to credit it to the US government ( as hard as it may be - not a great fan of Mr Bush here ) that they speak openly, too, and I think they're even officially "not acknowledging" the Lukashenko government.

Traveller in Time trying to find 'news'
"Strongest suggestions I can find 'hardly amounted to an elegant victory'

< http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4827690.stm >

On October Square in Minsk
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'Four leading activists have been arrested . . . '
'The crowd now numbers out 150 . . . '


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