{"id":23860,"date":"2020-09-22T15:53:51","date_gmt":"2020-09-22T14:53:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/unitelive.org\/?p=23860"},"modified":"2020-09-23T12:56:35","modified_gmt":"2020-09-23T11:56:35","slug":"where-democracy-is-not-a-right","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/?p=23860","title":{"rendered":"Where democracy is not a right"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Belarus \u00e2\u20ac\u201c which literally means [land of the] White Rus \u00e2\u20ac\u201c is a landlocked eastern European nation. Population: under 10m. Capital city: Minsk. Governed by: Alexander Lukashenko, the first and only president since 1994. Some have described his rule as \u00e2\u20ac\u0098a dictatorship\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 while he himself has described his style of ruling as \u00e2\u20ac\u0098authoritarian.\u00e2\u20ac\u2122<\/p>\n

To continue, Lukashenko\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s record on human rights has been widely criticised. The only country in Europe to officially still have capital punishment, opponents to the regime, including independent politicians, journalists and yes, independent trade unions, have been repressed, sometimes violently.<\/p>\n

Up until a few weeks ago I doubt if most people would have heard of Belarus. Following Lukashenko\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s \u00e2\u20ac\u0098re-election\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 on August 9, of which many independent observers have reported concerns of serious fraud, manipulation and irregularities before, during and after the election \u00e2\u20ac\u201cdisproportionate violence, persecution and arrests were rained down on people peacefully protesting against the results.<\/p>\n

Overnight the formerly overlooked republic of Belarus had become a target of worldwide, democratic condemnation.<\/p>\n

These voices included IndustriALL Global Union and IndustriAll European Trade Union \u00e2\u20ac\u201c both to which Unite is affiliated, who expressed their outrage and anger at the disproportionate violence used \u00e2\u20ac\u201c including that used against leaders of the three independent Belarus trade unions.<\/p>\n

Spontaneous walkouts <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

A wave of spontaneous walkouts and wildcat protests of workers took place. Belarus Workers had created striking committees to coordinate protest activities in response to the\u00c2\u00a0extreme violence, arrests and detentions\u00c2\u00a0<\/a>orchestrated by President Lukashenko. And the authorities replied with repression and intimidation.<\/p>\n

Workers downed tools to join the protests. IndustriALL reports that by August 20, 7,000 workers arrested on August 9 still remained detained in prison. Strike leaders began to go \u00e2\u20ac\u0098missing\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 and there has been reports of \u00e2\u20ac\u0098extremely alarming accounts of brutal torture, heavy beatings and other inhuman acts of violence while in detention.\u00e2\u20ac\u2122<\/p>\n

But the situation only got worse \u00e2\u20ac\u201c and it appears especially so for women opposition leaders. Belarusian Independent Trade Union (BITU) international secretary, Lizaveta Merliak (pictured), was shortly to find out what it was like to be taken by the state for herself.<\/p>\n

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It happened on Monday afternoon, August 30, as she finished work for the day. Lizaveta was arrested in front of her house in Grodno as she arrived home with her husband and young son.<\/p>\n

In a scene straight out of a trashy thriller, she got out of the car and two men in plain clothes approached her. Showing no warrant or other official documents, (although one did very briefly wave some sort of id paper in front of her) the men took her phone and bundled Lizaveta into a car \u00e2\u20ac\u201c to the despair of her family, who looked on, helpless. But this was no film, no novel \u00e2\u20ac\u201c this was really happening. \u00c2\u00a0The intervention looked like \u00e2\u20ac\u201c and was in fact \u00e2\u20ac\u201c that a wife and mother had just been kidnapped by the state.<\/p>\n

As Lizaveta was being taken by these men, her husband called the local union leader to inform her colleagues of her arrest.<\/p>\n

Lizaveta was later taken to the local police station where she was interrogated by several people on her participation in the protest against rigged elections earlier that same day.<\/p>\n

Support for Lizaveta came flooding in and the police station allegedly received many calls both from inside and outside of Belarus.<\/p>\n

Union activists were demanding explanations \u00e2\u20ac\u201c why had this happened? Why had Lizaveta been arrested? \u00c2\u00a0IndustriALL among many others believe that these acts of solidarity certainly played a role in Lizaveta\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s release from custody, a few hours later. However the police kept her phone and she is still due to face trial at a later date.<\/p>\n

Her union BITU believes that its\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 active links with striking committees at different companies in Belarus could well have been the reasons behind the arrest.<\/p>\n

Since then many members of the striking committees have had to withdraw because of the enormous pressure on themselves and their families. Some have even had to escape to neighbouring countries \u00e2\u20ac\u201c fearing for their very lives.<\/p>\n

Women now lead the way<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

But the fight goes on \u00e2\u20ac\u201c with women now leading the way, with marches and peaceful protests throughout Belarus \u00e2\u20ac\u201c despite violence and repression from the state. On September 12 around 10,000 women marched on the streets of Minsk, demanding the departure of Lukashenko.<\/p>\n

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Since the beginning of the resistance, women have been involved and continue to play an active role in the movement.<\/p>\n

The poignancy of this action is even greater when you realise how far patriarchy is deeply institutionalised in Belarus \u00e2\u20ac\u201c reaching all the way to the top. When Lukashenko received news of the candidacy of Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, the wife of a jailed political opponent, he remarked that a housewife would never be a real competitor.<\/p>\n

Earlier he claimed that the Belarusian society, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bhas not yet matured enough to vote for a woman,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 saying this was \u00e2\u20ac\u015bbecause according to the constitution, our president has strong powers.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

But the actions of Tikhanovskaya and other female colleagues has shown Belarus society that women can raise their voices and be leaders. Their actions have inspired many of the thousands of women \u00e2\u20ac\u201c still taking to the streets in protest.<\/p>\n

Sadly the women have not been spared from violent police repression. The Belarusian authorities have been internationally denounced for targeting women activists and family members of political opponents. There have even been reports that women prisoners have been raped.<\/p>\n

We often forget that in the comfortable confines of homes throughout the UK it is easy to \u00e2\u20ac\u201c and often right to criticise our government. It is currently unlikely that you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll then be arrested, tortured or even killed.<\/p>\n

Solidarity <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

But the trade union movement never forgets \u00e2\u20ac\u201c and that is why Unite is affiliated to international campaign groups such as IndustriALL \u00e2\u20ac\u201c because in the end it is only solidarity that can defeat oppression.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bI want to thank everyone; to a large extent I was released thanks to your solidarity,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 says Lizaveta.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bUnfortunately, right now other union members including Mikalaj Zimin, ex-chairman of BITU, and Anatoly Bokun, co-chairman of striking committee at Belaruskali, remain in prison. I urge you to extend your solidarity to them and all union and labour activists currently facing persecution in Belarus.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

Valter Sanches, IndustriALL Global Union general secretary echoes those views. He says, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bIndustriALL Global Union and our affiliates worldwide are closely monitoring the situation in Belarus.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bAll the facts of violence and repressions against union leaders and activists form the side of Belarusian authorities are appalling and will be denounced. Together with our allies in the union movement, IndustriALL Global Union calls on all its affiliates throughout the world to take more actions and express solidarity with Belarusian independent unions.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

Unite\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s delegate to IndustriALL Global Union is assistant general secretary Tony Burke.<\/p>\n

He pays tribute to Lizaveta. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bLiza is a very brave comrade. Her arrest in Belarus was an attempt to silence not only Liza who is the international officer of her union, but independent trade unions in the country who are fighting \u00c2\u00a0for a free and fair presidential election an end to attacks on workers\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 rights by the Lukashenko<\/a>\u00c2\u00a0dictatorship.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bUnite is helping and supporting the independent unions, their officials and members in the metal workers, the chemical workers and the electrical and radio workers unions and the Belarus BKDP federation body by working through our global trade union federation IndustriALL, the Building Workers International, the European TUC and our own TUC to help them secure justice.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bIt\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s great to see so many women leading demonstrations and strikes. Lukashenko<\/a>\u00c2\u00a0appears to be terrified that so many women are taking the lead \u00e2\u20ac\u201c hence the attempt to silence opposition presidential candidate\u00c2\u00a0Svetlana Tikhanovskaya who fled the country after her family were\u00c2\u00a0threatened.\u00c2\u00a0It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s clear they won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be backing down.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

And a Unite member originally from a neighbouring nation to Belarus has come forward and given UNITElive<\/em> a quote. Our member says, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bGreetings of solidarity to all brave comrades in Belarus, to the workers at Minsk Sugar Factory, Naftan, MTZ and BelAZ, to our friends at MPZ, BMZ and Grodno Azot, to the heroic miners at Belaruskali \u00e2\u20ac\u201c and to all Belarusian workers who stood up against oppression and injustice in their motherland.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWe, your comrades in the UK, admire you and your strong-willed fight for freedom, justice and democracy in Belarus. We are supporting your struggle with the regime \u00e2\u20ac\u201c and we will stand on your side, until you will win. Long live Belarus!\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

I couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have put it better myself \u00e2\u20ac\u201c and in part two of this special report we have an exclusive interview with Lizaveta \u00e2\u20ac\u201c so stay tuned to UNITElive<\/em>.<\/p>\n

FIND OUT MORE<\/strong> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c See IndustriALL\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s site<\/a> for the latest on Belarus<\/strong><\/p>\n

By Amanda Campbell @amanda_unite <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

But the fight goes on \u00e2\u20ac\u201c with women now leading the way, with marches and peaceful protests throughout Belarus \u00e2\u20ac\u201c despite violence and repression from the state. On September 12 around 10,000 women marched on the streets of Minsk, demanding the departure of Lukashenko.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":23864,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[17],"tags":[1429,158,209],"wps_subtitle":"In this first of a two part special report, UNITElive investigates what\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s happening to trade unionists in Belarus and how one woman union leader\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s fight shows that only solidarity can defeat oppression","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23860"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=23860"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23860\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23890,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23860\/revisions\/23890"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/23864"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=23860"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=23860"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=23860"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}