Democracy News

Belarusian President Remains Defiant Against Democratic Opposition
May 4, 2011
By: Carlos Aramayo | Printer Friendly

In an April 20 address, Belarusian President, Alexander Lukashenko blamed democracy for causing recent troubles within the country. Specifically, Lukashenko said that democracy caused the deadly April 11 bombing of a subway station in the capital city of Minsk, Voice of America reported. “Above all, the government is to blame for this, so much of the so-called democracy has made us nauseated,” Lukashenko stated. Lukashenko’s remarks underscored fears that his government would use the bombings, which killed 13 people and wounded more than 200, to broaden his already extensive control over the former Soviet republic.

According to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, speaking to congress, Lukashenko asserted that Belarus had “over-democratized” ahead of the December 2010 presidential election. “I said then that we would give full freedom and democracy, but that this would have consequences,” he stated. Prior to the poll, Lukashenko took the unusual step of allowing opposition candidates to campaign freely and debate one another on television. However, these seemingly positive steps toward democracy were later quashed when Lukashenko ordered the police to violently crack down on post-election protesters. According to international observers, Lukashenko stole the election by manipulating the poll’s result. Official results from the election show that Lukashenko received 80 percent of the overall vote.

During the post-election crackdown, hundreds were arrested and several dozen people now face up to 15 years in prison for organizing the protest. The detainees included seven of the nine opposition presidential candidates. Opposition candidates stand accused of allegedly inciting violence. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported that Lukashenko suggested that members of the Belarusian opposition and Western governments were behind the subway attack. "It seems like someone is trying really hard to destabilize the situation in our country, external forces are trying to strangle our independence, and make it possible to interfere in our internal affairs," Lukashenko stated.

In an interview with Voice of America, the European Council on Foreign Relations Belarus expert Jana Kobzova, said the tactic of blaming others is a key part of Lukashenko’s strategy. "The key to his surviving is making sure that others are blamed – and that is exactly what the speech was about: blaming the West," Kobzova stated.

On May 3, Voice of America reported that Lukashenko had ordered the country’s last two opposition newspapers to be closed. An editor of one, Narodnaya Volna, vowed to keep printing, either in exile or underground.

For more information, please see the Belarus case study in the Diplomat’s Handbook for Democracy Development Support.

For previous news on Belarus, please see:
US and EU Announce New Sanctions on Belarus

Sources:
Voice of America – Belarus President Vows to Destroy Opposition

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty – Belarusian President Defiant As Political, Economic Tensions Mount

New York Times – Deadly Blast Hits Subway Station in Belarus

Voice of America – Analysts: Belarus Moves From Authoritarian to Totalitarian