Belarus Freedom by Lyapis Trubetskoi The only thing that makes it bearable to follow Belarus every day, as I think about my friend Andrei Sannikov stuck in prison and even being tortured by Lukashenka's henchmen, is that he has so much support from his fellow countrymen and some dedicated campaigners in the West.
A reminder what makes this all possible, besides insufficient attention and spine from Europe and the world -- Russia. Here's a $2 billion gift to Belarus from Moscow, when it reduced its gas prices for example -- there's plenty more of that sort of aid and trade.
But there's more -- this kind of co-optation coming from Milinkevich -- agreeing to take part in the regime's staged "parliamentary elections" with his movement "For Freedom". Or this kind of contorted dithering without principle from Kuznetsov (the "For Freedom" coordinator in Gomel...)
So it's all of it -- spinelessness and indifference in the West; cooptation and insufficient standing on principles at home; and of course Russia, endorsing and paying for it all. An unbeatable combo, and why it's just so damn hard to break. Still, one must try. It starts with solidarity and "living not by the lie."
Everyday I read on the different Belarusian news sites and the European Belarus emailing about people holding pickets, demonstrations, making graffiti, doing all kinds of things to remember Sannikov, Zmitser Banderenka and other languishing in prison in poor health -- and that is redeeming, of course.
Because nothing seems to make Belastan better, and only the survival of Belarus underneath is gives us hope. Here's a new blog with a song and the spirit lives on.
Thank God Oleg Volchek, who has helped so many people, got by with just four days arrest. And the beat goes on...
