International action against oppression of illegitimate government in Belarus is urgent – thedailynewnation.com

Friday, September 11, 2020

Thousands of demonstrators gathered in Minsk on Saturday at the spot in the Belarusian capital where a protester died in clashes with police, calling for the country's authoritarian president, Alexander Lukashenko, to resign after 26 years in power. The protests have gone on for one month since the results of the presidential election in which election officials say Lukashenko won a sixth term in office but which is reality were fraudulent.

Despite harsh police action against the protesters, including the detention of 7,000 people, the demonstrations have swelled into the largest and most sustained wave of protest since Lukashenko took power in 1994.

The Belarusian president, Alexander Lukashenko, has used his first interview since mass protests erupted against his rule to say he does not plan to step down soon. Lukashenko spoke to a group of pro-Kremlin Russian journalists including the editor-in-chief of Russia Today, Margarita Simonyan, and made it clear he plans to fight to cling on to power.

Lukashenko is in power shamelessly by bribing the army and the police for using to suppress the people. He is in power rigging the election and terrorising the people. Against his own people he is inviting Russian military help also.Unfortunately Putin has decided to send in special forces from Russia--perhaps thinking that a friendly dictator is better than a non friendly democratic government, no matter that Lukashenko has no popular legitimacy to remain in power. It is useless talking human rights when one can continue in power with the power of the gun and no popular election.

The main problem for Belarus is that Russia may try to prop up Lukashenko so he can stay in power. He has been able to resist Russian interference for 20 years but the danger is that if Lukashenko realises that he can't stay in power he may encourage Russia to prop him up. Russia has previously used chances like these to annex territory--like it did in 2015 when it annexed the Crimea but may instead help Lukashenko to remain in power. To stick to power for some people is like drug addiction and they will be saved by foreign power to keep their own people as slaves.

So what does the future hold for Belarus--rule under Lukashenko is probably the worst thing which can occur. It is time that Lukashenko realizes that he has outlived his usefulness to the Belarusian people and just go quietly. Oppressing them with his security forces and faking election results for the umpteenth time will not endear him to the people. He must not act like his godfather Putin and cling on to power. He must realize that the people can throw him out and go.

Modern dictators with the support of the army and the police have become too power for the people to change. The people's election is not necessary for government to be legitimate. Only international community can ensure that the government must have popular legitimacy.

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International action against oppression of illegitimate government in Belarus is urgent - thedailynewnation.com