The material is part of of the “Belarusian dominoes” project, in which Belarusian Outriders reporters, supported by Gazeta.pl, report on events in Belarus.
W Bia³orusi you can hear from many interlocutors that success protests depends on the behavior of employees of state-owned enterprises and the joining of as many companies as possible to the national strike. On Friday morning, she called for an extension of the strikes Swiat³ana Cichanouska. – Dear Belarusians, employees of Belaruskali, MTZ, Grodno Azot and other enterprises. You are a symbol of a new, free Belarus, and this means that our children’s future depends on your unity and your determination. Therefore, I am asking you: continue and expand the strikes, do not be intimidated, unite. We will force the authorities that have locked themselves in their palaces to hear our voices – she appealed on the recorded video of Cichanouska.
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Belarusian security forces are scattering protesters in Minsk after Lukashenka’s victory is announced
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Belarus. They are on strike in the capital. “I’m scared but I don’t want to go on living with this fear”
The strikes began last week after authorities decided to use force against the protesters. On August 17, Alyaksandr Lukashenka flew to the Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant, whose workers also went on strike. During his speech, the incumbent president heard shouts of “Go away!” The workers of the Minsk Tractor Plant came to support their colleagues. On their return, they stopped in front of other companies and shouted at their employees to leave the plants and join the strikes.
– We believe, we can and we will win! could be heard amid chanting shouts.
The representative of Swiatłana Cichanouska, Wolha Kawalkowa, came to the workers who stayed at the Minsk Engine Factory. – We’re just getting started. We just organized ourselves and left for the first time… We have to show others that we should not be afraid that we are free and that we can go out to defend our views. Yes, we will not get a salary for these days … But we are ready to make a sacrifice for our country of transformation, two young workers told her.
Kovalkova told them that they would receive support, and if the government changed, everyone would be paid money for the strike, but she also stressed that human sacrifice should be avoided. – I’m scared but I don’t want to go on living with that fear, that’s why I left – explains one of the older workers of the Minsk Tractor Plant along the way.
On the same day, a protest action took place near the headquarters of the state television, and at the same time, there was support for journalists who also stopped working in protest. Kavalkova also appeared there, stressing that Belarusians had the right to a peaceful form of protest. At the same time, she thanked those journalists of state-owned TV channels who joined the protest.
She was followed by one of the three opposition leaders, Maria Koleniskowa.
– Thank you for your solidarity. I appeal to the employees of television. I know how terrible it is for you, I know that you fight this fear. But believe me – it is easy to tell the truth, especially when we know that we are the majority. All who are here now – you are our heroes – she said.
Enough of living in fear. “It turned out that you left and you can go. 80 people, where are they ?!”
South of Minsk is Soligorsk. An industrial city that was founded in 1958. Currently, there are over 106,000 people living there. residents. Regardless of its young age and size, it is an important industrial center of Belarus. There are 62 state-owned enterprises and joint-stock companies in the city. But over 90 percent. their production is carried out by the company Belaruskalij, which extracts potassium salts and produces fertilizers from them.
It is not known how now, but a few years ago he was the second tax payer in Belarus. The production is mainly exported. About 20,000 people work in this holding. people. And it was part of his workers’ collective that declared the strike. In the morning, over 2,000 people gathered. employees, but at 11 only a few dozen left.
In the square, in front of the city council, there is a stage – it was left over from an event, and now it is used by protesters.
– We are not cattle, herds and cowards. We are the nation. We Belarusians! – the words of the song come from the loudspeaker on the stage. Belarusian workers are standing nearby.
They say after what happened during elections and after them, there is no turning back. They are ready to stand until the end, because they don’t want to live in a country that doesn’t take them into account. They are not afraid of layoffs, more so of whether the leaders of the protests will leave them.
A group of young men are sitting in the stands, they are also Belaruskali employees. They brought a white, red and white flag that they want to be attached to the stick. They are all from the third mine and have joined the strike.
– We left because they stole our votes, the right to choose. All our conscious lives have been taken from us. We came out against the current regime that beats and kills people in the streets for disagreeing with it. For people who have disappeared without a trace – over 80. As a sign of solidarity with beaten Belarusians, those who suffered – they explain.
They say they are fed up with living in fear, but they do not hide that many others are still afraid. – Virtually all workers in our company are against this regime. But some are afraid. They frighten them: with loss of salary, with criminal cases, the miners explain.
They are pressured by management, threatening that the people who organized the strikes would bear full responsibility for the losses suffered by the companies and would face criminal liability. And, of course, the wage freeze. This divided the workers, although initially, they say, almost everyone wanted to join the strike.
– Everyone should decide for himself what he wants, how is he going to live with it? Will he not be ashamed to watch people pass by [w oczy]Will he not be afraid of his children going out for a walk? After August 9, it turned out that you left [z domu] and you may be gone. 80 people, where are they ?! They are not there – says one of the miners, referring to people who went missing during the protests.
They want to live peacefully, but they also want their choice to be respected and their civil and labor rights.
– They just spit on us. Yes, we chose another the president. We don’t know if it will be [Swiatłana Cichanouska] good or bad. But we chose someone else and we want to try and live with a different president. It is our choice, it is the choice of the Belarusian people. According to our constitution, power belongs to the nation and we want it to be respected – they emphasize.
Mental state does not allow you to work
At 6 p.m. people gather in the square. The rally program contains only three points. First, there are trade union leaders, including veterans, who mentioned the struggle for their rights in 1991. After them, the Belarusian rock band J: Mors performed. And then representatives of the strike committee appeared on the scene. It was announced that from tomorrow they will meet in the square twice a day: at 9:00 and 16:00.
– Due to the events that took place during the election campaign and during the period of brutal use of force against peaceful protesters, Belaruskali employees are in a mental state that does not allow them to fulfill their duties in a safe way for their life and health! (Applause) Workers are forced to worry for the safety of their families and loved ones! (applause) In accordance with Article 41 of chapter III of the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus, we have the right to defend our social and economic interests, including a strike – you hear from the stage.
Those gathered in the square receive these words with enthusiasm.
– Postulates of Beloruskalia’s strike committee. First, the election results were not recognized on August 9 – we hear.
– Uhodi, uhodi! Go away, go away! the long gathered people shout.
– Secondly, we demand that Alyaksandr Lukashenka and Lidzija Yarmoshin be held accountable [szefowa Centralnej Komisji Wyborczej] for falsifying the election results!
– Disgrace, disgrace! – is heard in response
– Third, free all political prisoners and participants in the action. Declare all decisions and judgments unlawful.
– Freedom, freedom! the protesters shouted back.
– Fourth, not to allow administrative, disciplinary and criminal measures to be applied against those on strike. Fifth, securing workers’ rights during a strike. Cancellation of employee contracts and introduction of full-time employment – you hear from the stage.
It is difficult to say today how long the strike will last and whether it will be possible to implement the presented postulates. It is also not known exactly how many plants are on strike and how many employees of the companies in question joined the strikes all over Belarus. The situation is made difficult by the complicated and long procedure of legalizing strikes. A special fund has been established, from which aid is to be paid to those striking workers, who withhold wages. Meanwhile, representatives of the strike committees are summoned for questioning.
Piotr Andrusieczko, reporter: In Outriders a correspondent from Ukraine and Eastern Europe. He is able to provide a unique context, helping to better assimilate the topic and understand the issues he writes about. Professionally, since December 2013, he has been reporting on events in Ukraine. He was in Maidan, in Crimea, and from the beginning of the conflict – in eastern Ukraine. He was chosen the Journalist of the Year 2014 in the Grand Press competition.
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