“Shut up everyone!”

A lot of newspapers have been closed down under the rule of Lukashenka.

But an attempt to eliminate the newspapers “Nasha Niva” and “Narodnaya Volya” is a special case. It is a symbolic turning point in the relations between the authorities and independent media.

Even the Tsar government at the beginning of XX century did not descend to closing down “Nasha Niva”. They did many dirty tricks, but never put a knife to our throat.

The current authorities seem not to have exhausted all arguments expect for a knife. The authorities monopolized political TV and radio broadcasting; official newspapers have a much larger circulation than independent press, but all in vain. The official propaganda suffers an overwhelming defeat. It’s not a coincidence that two prominent soldiers on the ideological front, Natallya Pyatkevich and Alyaksandr Zimouski, were resigned after the post-election analysis. Alyaksandr Lukashenka was not happy, moreover, was very unhappy, with the voting results…

The events of the first four months of 2011, a currency crisis, price growth, a terrorist attack, have not raised popularity of the head of state. In all appearances, economic problems will only aggravate. I have an impression that the authorities are losing control over the situation. In these conditions, they see danger in any alternative information. A reaction to this situation was a desperate cry “Shut up everyone!”

An attack on “Nasha Niva” and “Narodnaya Volya” is only beginning, it is evident. Mopping up operation on the Internet can be expected soon. The media, which will not get it in the neck now, will be asked to pull in horns. A turning point is coming, when only one point of view, the official, will have the right to exist…

Will a stake on brutal force delay or speed up the outcome? God knows. But a reader wrote to “Nasha Niva” forum:

“There were the Black Hundreds and there was “Nasha Niva”. “Nasha Niva” has remained, but where have the Black Hundreds gone?

There were the Bolsheviks and there was “Nasha Niva”. “Nasha Niva” has remained, but where have the Bolsheviks gone?

There is “Nasha Niva” and there is Lukashenka. No hints, but “Nasha Niva” has reached the final”.

I have no doubts how the fight will finally end.