People’s Assembly: Food riots are yet to come (Photo, video)

(updated) On October 8 mass protest rallies called the People’s Assembly had been planned to be held in Belarus. However the authorities have done everything to intimidate people and prevent them from taking to the streets.

The organisers of the rally had chosen such a form as “the people’s assembly” as even under Lukashenka’s laws holding such assemblies does not require permission of the authorities. However, in violation of its own laws, the authorities banned holding gatherings of citizens and announced that the “People’s Assembly” is an unsanctioned rally.

A week before the rally opposition activists responsible for holding the meeting were detained all over the country. Hundreds of people were arrested and incarcerated. Dissemination of information about the People’s assembly was put down unmercifully, persons distributing materials were arrested, and leaflets seized.

Organisers of the People’s Assembly in Minsk and 30 other cities of Belarus were summoned to the prosecutor’s office where they were presented official warnings about responsibility for holding “unsanctioned” rallies.

The most fierce crackdown took place on October 8. Oppositionists were detained starting from 6 a.m., they were literally taken out of beds, traffic policemen and special services seized their cars, in which they transported sound amplifying equipment or the Resolution of the Assembly to the place of the rally’s holding. As usual, the pretexts for arrests were far-fetched: “the car had been stolen, we are searching for illicit drugs and armaments, you look like a fugitive criminal…”

The persons who had applied for holding the rally, the co-chair of Belaruski Ruch party Viktar Ivashkevich, and the leader of the Trade Union of Radio and Electronic Industry Henadz Fyadynich had been summoned by the Prosecutor’s office and Minsk city executive committee where Minsk Mayor Mikalai Ladutska himself threatened them by “responsibility”.

In almost all state institutions ideologists and leadership warned people: if you participate in the rally, you are fired. The same preventive conversations had been held with students and even schoolchildren.

Independent websites including charter97.org on the territory of Belarus were blocked since early morning on October 8.

As a result, the rally hasn’t taken place in many regions due to intimidation of their organisers and participants, as well as because the authorities on purpose held official events on the venues where the People’s Assembly had been announced. And when nothing was staged there, those places were encircled by metal barriers.

Under the circumstances, including bad weather (it was raining) about 1000 persons gathered for the rally in Minsk. Bangalore square was encircled by crowd control barriers. In order to get inside one had to undergo a search by riot policemen with metal detectors.

The square was surrounded by paddy wagons, buses with riot police and police cars.

People refused to go into the “ghetto”. Politicians Viktar Ivashkevich, Henadz Fyadynich, Anatol Lyabedzka, Uladzimir Nyaklyaeu, Mikita Likhavid and Dzmitry Drozd addressed the public.

In the resolution of the People’s Assembly its participants demanded the authorities to stop the price hike, to index-link salaries, cancel the contract system, to hold a free election and release all political prisoners immediately.

Participants of the rally held banners: “Free Zmitser Bandarenka!” and “Sannikov is our president”, white-red-white national flags and flags of “European Belarus” civil campaign.

Those who present voted for holding the next People’s Assembly on November 12. In Minsk the rally iis to be held in the same place, on Bangalore Square.

Today one should not focus on the number of participants of the rally, stated the leader of the United Civil Party Anatol Lyabedzka.

As said by him, mostly activists of oppositional organizations had gathered for the rally on that day. “But it is just a beginning,” the politician stressed. “Now we need to inform people about the situation in the country, so that the next rally in a month to have more participants. It is possible, as people are greatly dissatisfied by the situation in the country.”

The presidential candidate Uladzimir Nyaklyaeu who was present at the rally, stated that the situation in the country has not drawn to a head yet, for the protest to become a massive one. The authorities have means to suppress storm centers of dissent and protest. Though, is extremely expensive to uphold the regime. And they can draw funds for that only from people.

The head of the independent trade union of Radio and Electronic industry Henadz Fyadynich stated that “the regime is not ready for a dialogue” and accused Lukashenka’s regime of total deception. “They are increasing prices and saying that the nation is living better and better,” the trade union leader said. Fyadynich warned that in case the situation does not change food riots could happen.

Giving evaluation to the rally, Viktar Ivashkevich answered: “IT is just a beginning. We should continue work on mobilizing people. We do not put an end to the People’s Assembly, but suspend it till November 12. On November 12 at 1 p.m. we shall gather in the same place.”