Andrei Sannikov: Two Things Will ‘Exploit’ Again In Belarus
7- 17.03.2024, 23:10
- 33,114
This lives among society and will be claimed.
On March 8, Andrei Sannikov, the leader of the European Belarus Civil Campaign, and candidate for the presidency of Belarus in the 2010 elections, celebrated his 70th anniversary.
In an interview with Charter97.org, the politician spoke about the first popular uprising against the Lukashenka regime in Belarus and named two factors that will work again.
— What was the significance of this campaign for you and Belarus?
— It was a popular uprising, in my opinion.
Its significance is that it was then that the movement towards revolution began. Previously, during the elections of 2001 and 2006, people were not particularly “involved.” That is, there was such an approach: observe from the outside the activities of the opposition and wait, wait passively. If something works out, well, good, we’ll welcome it. If it doesn’t work out, at least we haven’t been exposed and won’t be in danger under this system.
In 2010, people became fully involved. They actively took part in the entire campaign and it showed. After all, the queues to sign did not start in 2020. They started in 2010, when people lined up in huge chains. The authorities put up all sorts of obstacles, but, nevertheless, full houses gathered for meetings with our team, I emphasize, because we were the clear leaders, as subsequent events showed.
After the elections, I had to spend almost two years in prison. But you can read about this in my book “Belarusian Amerikanka, or Elections under a Dictatorship.”
I would note two points. First: the 2010 campaign is the beginning of preparations for the revolution. And the second is the emergence of that powerful Belarusian solidarity that we still observe, despite the repression. Because it was in 2010, 2011 and 2012 that chains of solidarity began to form, and people showed the most amazing qualities in helping those who suffered, those who were imprisoned, and their families. I know by the example of my family how people took care of Daniil, my and Iryna Khalip’s son, who the authorities tried to kidnap and take to an orphanage.
These two things are extremely important — and they totally worked in 2020. Lukashenka again managed to stifle the protests, but I think all this is alive in society, and will be in demand.
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