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Protests Erupt in Belarus Following Secret Lukashenko Swearing-In Ceremony

Charles Maynes

   Thousands of Belarusians staged mass demonstrations Wednesday night to
   denounce the secret inauguration of President Alexander Lukashenko.

   Security forces in the capital, Minsk, turned water cannons on
   protesters and dragged scores of them away after news broke on
   stateBeltanews agency that the 66-year-old Lukashenko was sworn in for
   his sixth term, defying mass demonstrations demanding an end to his
   26-year rule in the wake of controversial elections last month.'¯

   Lukashenko insists he won the August 9 election in a landslide --
   garnering 80% of all ballots -- despite widespread claims at home and
   abroad the vote was heavily rigged to keep him in power.'¯

   "We didn't simply choose a president. We defended our values, our
   peaceful life, our sovereignty, and our independence," said Lukashenko
   in addressing a grim audience of several hundred officials bussed in
   for the occasion.'¯'¯

   "I cannot, I have no right to abandon Belarusians."'¯

   Yet for all Lukashenko's insistence on a mandate, there were few signs
   of celebration.'¯

   Authorities shut down Minsk for Lukashenko's motorcade in advance of
   the event, which was not broadcast on state television.'¯

   Neither were foreign dignitaries -- including representatives from
   Russia, Lukashenko's closest ally --'¯'¯on hand.'¯

   In an interview with VOA's IgorTsikhanenka, U.S. Senator Jack Reed, a
   member of the Senate Armed Services committee, said the clandestine
   ceremony is another indication that Lukashenko has lost the support of
   the Belarusian people.

   "The Belarusian people have really demonstrated great courage and great
   commitment," Reed said. "They've been undaunted by terror, by
   oppression, assaulted by the police forces. And they keep coming back.
   And they really recognize that Lukashenko must go and they're doing all
   they can peacefully to get him to go."

   Within hours, SvetlanaTikhanovskaya-- Lukashenko's main rival in the
   election -- issued her own statement rejecting the event as a
   "farce."'¯'¯

   "Today, hidden from the people, Lukashenko tried to carry out his own
   inauguration," saidTikhanovskaya, calling him neither the "legal nor
   legitimate head of Belarus."

   "I -- SvetlanaTikhanovskaya-- am the sole leader who was elected by the
   Belarusian people. And our goal is now to build a new Belarus
   together."'¯

   Tikhanovskayahas said she would call for free and fair elections once
   Lukashenko had been removed from power.

   Several European nations -- including Germany, Denmark, and the Baltic
   nations -- announced they would no longer recognize Lukashenko's
   government.'¯

   "The fact that this ceremony took place secretly and without the
   participation of society -- is very telling," said'¯Steffen Seibert,
   the German government's official spokesperson in a statement first
   reported by the Interfax news agency.'¯

   "After that, Lukashenko can no longer count on any democratic
   legitimacy," added Seibert.'¯

   The sentiment was echoed by the European Union Thursday, which
   dismissed the event as a "so-called inauguration" in a written
   statement from Brussels.

   "This 'inauguration' directly contradicts the will of large parts of
   the Belarusian population, as expressed in numerous, unprecedented and
   peaceful protests since the elections, and serves to only further
   deepen the political crisis in Belarus."

   The EU has called for sanctions against those responsible for vote
   manipulating and subsequent violence against peaceful protesters.'¯

   Russia -- which has been Lukashenko's main backer amid the political
   turmoil -- made no formal statements but has previously said it
   recognizes Lukashenko as the legitimate leader of the country for
   now.'¯

   For six consecutive weeks, hundreds of thousands have rallied to demand
   Lukashenko's resignation over what they argue was a deeply flawed
   election.'¯

   Key candidates were arrested ahead of the vote --
   includingTikhanovskaya'shusband -- which prompted her surrogate
   candidacy.'¯'¯

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