[ad_1]
Demonstrations against President Alexander Lukashenko have been taking place in Belarus for weeks. Observers in the capital Minsk are now talking about the most violent clashes between police and protesters in weeks, although the president likely wanted to send a signal to ease the situation.
SRF News: Are you surprised by the toughness of the police?
David Nauer: No. The Belarusian police have been extremely brutal with the protesters for weeks. Also on Sunday, men dressed in black, hooded, attacked citizens with batons and fired stun grenades into the crowd. There were many arrests. 500 people are in detention, it was said last night.
Lukashenko had these people put in jail, then came over and spoke to them.
On Saturday Lukashenko met with several opposition prisoners. Is that a sign of willingness to dialogue?
It could have been interpreted that way on Saturday, but not after the violence on Sunday. This meeting took place in the secret service prison; by the way, it is still called KGB as it was in Soviet times. Lukashenko had these people put in jail, then came over and spoke to them. The head of state is admitting that these people are political prisoners.
Lukashenko has so far refused any dialogue with the opposition. Why did you meet them on Saturday after all?
There are different theories. You say you may want to show the West that you are not such a bad dictator after all. It is a problem for Lukashenko that European states no longer recognize him as a legitimate president. However, I don’t think anyone in western capitals will fall for this trick.
Another thesis is that Lukashenko is trying to divide the opposition and attract parts of it to his side. Some people should be included in the discussions about a new constitution, albeit under the terms of the regime. And the radicals are supposed to be beaten in the streets.
The most prominent participant in the meeting was the bank director and politician Viktor Babariko. He wanted to run for the presidential election but ended up in jail. Why did Lukashenko meet with him?
The list of participants in the meeting remains a mystery. Babariko couldn’t choose whether to participate. He has been in detention for months. In these prisons, the inmates are subjected to massive psychological pressure. Some of them are even tortured. One must assume that Lukashenko wanted Babariko there because he has good relations with Russia.
A figure like Babariko, who is a friend of Russia and also has a certain format, could be a long-term alternative.
He worked for a Russian state bank for a long time, and the idea of bringing Barbariko on board is even suspected to have come from the Kremlin. Russia supports Lukashenko. But the Russians also see that it has lost its people. A figure like Babariko, a friend of Russia and with a certain format, could be a long-term alternative. But that’s just a guess.
Are there signs that the situation is easing?
No, I don’t see them. Lukashenko does not want to give up power. He believes that the land is his. The people of the country know that this is not true and do not back down. They risk their freedom and health every Sunday. That is brave, almost heroic. At the moment, this seems like some kind of brutal ritual with no sign of a solution.
The interview was conducted by Claudia Weber.