Due to the lack of coverage by western media, maybe you aren’t too familiar with the situation that has been occurring in Belarus for the past few weeks, or if you are, maybe you’re interested in finding out more about it. Either way, the political situation in Belarus needs to be discussed and the world ought to know what is happening.
The presidential election in Belarus
Political journalism and activism are often met with a lack of free speech in these parts of Europe, so reports of the internet being shut down and political activists in Belarus being imprisoned come as little surprise. Somehow, it’s normal for us. This year Belarusians had to choose who will be their president in the presidential election. After the election results got released, all hell broke loose.
According to the election results, Lukashenko won with a big difference against the opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who eventually had to flee the country to neighbouring Lithuania due to her safety concerns. Prior to her running in the election, her husband Siarhei Tsikhanouski, the political activist, ran as the opposition but then got arrested for "participating in an unauthorized protest action".
Protests in Belarus: how and why?
The election results started massive protests all around the country and 100,000 Belarusians have joined to protest the election’s outcome, most notably in the capital city of Minsk. The peaceful protests soon turned into a series of violence as the Belarusian police and army violently punished the protestors, which can be seen through videos on social media.
In the wake of the whole situation, it has been reported that the internet in Belarus got shut down as well. To protest peacefully and against the violence, women of Belarus got together and went out on the streets carrying flowers. As an Eastern European woman myself, it was a beautiful sight to see those women rise above the situation, especially since women are often the most oppressed in Eastern European cultures. But to understand the oppression, it’s essential to do a little brief history lesson.
A brief history of Belarus
An Eastern European country, Belarus used to be a part of the infamous Soviet Union and gained independence from it in 1991. After being part of the communism regime for years, the country has been highly influenced by Russia in all aspects – politics, business and culture. Even though Belarus could be considered the centre between the West and East in Europe, it often relies on the Motherland rather than the European Union and the West. But that comes as no surprise, as being Eastern European myself, it’s always easier to identify with Eastern European ways of life rather than the Western ones.
To truly understand the frustration of Belarusians today, it’s important to understand their history. Their president, Alexander Lukashenko, has been selected as president since 1994 and often is referred to by Western Media as “Europe’s last dictatorship”, mostly due to their poor human rights record. Being oppressed unfortunately somehow seems to be normalized in post-communist countries.
The West often forgets about the struggles of Eastern Europeans, but it’s essential for our voices to be recognized. It’s the 21st century and each one of us should have their human rights respected, as well as the right to freedom of speech and democracy. If you are interested in doing more for Belarus and helping out, you can do so by visiting this Instagram and following their guide.
Written by Rahael Klemen
Credit for photos: IG - @koshevskayam
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