Time 11:30 PM EST(6:30 AM in Minsk).
Second night was cold. Temperature was around -10C degrees(about 10F). People were unable to make hot tea and coffee as there was a lack of hot water. Night itself was less dangerous then previous. There were no massive arrests, however they were afraid to leave the square as it was surrounded by SWAT troops. Closer to the morning time, a group of young people successfully made their way to get hot water. Thanks god they were not arrested.
Aliaksandr Milinkevich and his wife Inna Kylei spend whole night among those who decided to stay.
Update 12:10 PM EST( 7:10 AM in Minsk).
Participants reporting that there are about 30 tents right now on the square!
Update 8:30AM EST(3:30 PM in Minsk)
Just about an hour ago few supporters of Lukashenko appeared on the square. Most of them are of an old age. From time to time they trying to crack with rally participants, but it doesn’t go futher then words.
Recent photos(from today) could be found here
Here is one of it:
Update 9:30AM EST(4:30 PM in Minsk)
Few sewers service vehicles arrived to the square. It’s not yet clear what are they going to do there. There not much people on square right now. According to reports from there, people in most need for plastic plates and cups and garbage bags.
There was also interesting post based on talk between 2 police officers. Talk was heard on the bus while they were riding somewhere. Folks were complaining, on theirs command that forces officers to stand and ‘guard’ protesting people for 12 hours in a row without food and drink(!!!), while they(command) are sitting in warm offices. It’s hard for cops to watch those rallying folks, drinking hot tea and eating sandwiches. Another interlocutor said that he actually came to protesting men asking to share some tea, and people shared meal and drink with cops. That is actually completly understandable… Protesting people are theirs ‘brothers and sisters’, they are not criminals. They trying to bring freedom and hope to theirs country. They struggling for better future not only for themselves, but for everybody(inlcuding police)…
Update 11:20AM EST(6:20 PM in Minsk)
Time for a big rally where announced. It will be March 25th, 12:00.
According to reports from Minsk, a lot of companies(goverment and private own) recieved an order from authorities to pay few employees 50 thousands belarussian roubles(around $25) to walk out to the square tonight to demonstrate support of Lukashenko. So now it turned out that goverment stared using the same tacting, as was opposition was blamed of.
However belarusian folks proposing to take those money and come to square, to support not Lukashenko, but Milinkevich.
One more unnecessary intrigue is taking place right now. It’s between Kozylin and Milinkevich. Yesterday Kozylin said that he is breaking off with Milinkevich, because latter declined to force people go home under pressure from the rumors of planned night attack on tent-city. Now Kozylin blaming Milinkevich for bad organization of rally.
Update 1:30 PM EST( 8:30 PM in Minsk)
More were arrested around square. Just today about 40 were sentenced to various terms of imprisonment.
On 25th of March, Milinkevich will announce creation of national movement “For Freedom”. In terms of this movement there will be programs of support for repressed students and youth, creating stable and reliable informatoinal network and others.
Update 1:40 PM EST( 8:40 PM in Minsk)
About 20 minutes ago Aliaksandr Milinkevich gave a speech. He asked people to stay on the square till grand gathering which will take place on 25th of March. He also announced that largest Polish Universities will accept all repressed students to study there for free.
Update
Central publishg company in Minsk ordered all retailers to stop selling flag and materials with emblem of the Minsk city.
Update 3:40 PM EST (10:40 PM in Minsk)
People are preparing to stay for another night. It’s still extremly freezing. Authorities cut electric supply again. But people are standing! They are cheerful and ready to made it till 25th of March.
Milinkevich said he will come back to stay at the square overnight.
Protestants start getting support from belarusian business community. Businessmens bringing food and drinks. They’ve expressed readiness to install power generators, heaters and bio-WC. However authorities doing everything possible to prevent that.
Meanwhile, one of the oldest and literally last independant belarussian news paper – Belarussian Business Newspaper – announced suspending production of it’s hard copies, due to the problems with distribution in Belarus. Printer refused to produce latest issue, despite of that fact that news paper is printing in Russia! Looks like Russian goverment totally supports Belarussian regime.
Beside that international journalist were prohibited to extend theirs accreditation period, and a lot of belarusian reporters were jailed. People in the regions have completly no clue what is trully going on in the heart of their country.
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{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
i remember from our revolution in 1989 the fact that the autorities from mthet time (ceausescu’s communist regime) tried the same methods to spread the people from the square. the kgb workd mostly in the night.they arrested the people who was alone on the streets in the neighbouring of the square.THE BIELORUSSIAN MUST NOT LEAVE THE SQUARE.
in 1990 when also ware in central square from Bucharest anti iliescu demonstrations (iliescu was a communist not so evil that ceausescu but still a communist who didn’ t too much democracy) i remember thet, when we started to gather in the square the autorities of Bucharest suddenly remembered that they have to repair all the streets of the square…and brought for this the most big buldozers i ever seen. but the demmonstrants didn’t leave the square for ALMOST 4 MONTHS!!!!
another thing i want to say: when a ruler is very afraid of a revolution he become disperate and began to scary people.in Romania ceausescu issued a law in 1989 which said that is forbidden to gather more than 3 poeple on the street toghether, because…among us are …terrorist and he wants to protect the country!KGB BULL SH…..! AS I SEE THE KGB METHODS ARE THE SAME . THEY DON’T HAVE TOO MUCH IMAGINATION…
WHY THIS SITE IS NOT VISITED?
the most important thing for your revolution is to be well known all over the world.thanks god that euronews are showing images from Minsk square. showing theese images to many people will paralize lukasenko’s regime. because the no dictator , even a stupid kgb as lukasenko , wants not to be responsable for killing people. he knows what happened with slobodan milosevic…
we do have visitors of course. people are not very active about leaving their comments…but what can you do? if you want to help to spread this information – post links to the website on forums and blogs, tell your friends…
Yeap, a word of mouth. But it also depend on us…Posting a quality material in a timely and accurate manner, brings readers. No question about it. Sometimes we are not consistent.
yes, man. exactly. especially this part about ‘timely manner’
i have put your net adress on the biggest forum of students in Romania. although students from today in Romania ware little children in 1989 and 1990 they can remember and be with young people of belarus.
is a very good thing that the cops sipatizing the demonstrators. this means lukasenko is really a bad, bad, ruler if even the cops (which are no very diffrent by the cops of soviet union) don’t love him…
DIVIDE ET IMPERA! IT is bad that the two leaders have, already, diffrent points of view.
ONE OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS THAT THE WARRIORS FOR FREEDOM IN BELARUS MUST DO (THE ROMANIANS HAVE NOT DONE 15 YEARS AGO AND IT WAS BAD) IS TO FAITH ONLY FOR FREEDOM , NOT FOR AN LEADER OR ANOTHER. LEADERS CAME AND GO AND MAY BE CORRUPTIBLE…
exactly…
Nick, what is your opinion on the relatie silence of Basescu and Tariceanu? I am very disappointed that they have not bothered to make any meaningful statements in the press (that I can find). And after their riding the coattails of Ukraine’s Orange Revolution in 2004, I find it ridiculous.
Please keep feeding us all the news, Xela!
i strongly wish a anticommunist leader as Basescu for Belarus!!! it is true i don’t wish a primminister as Tariceanu (but this is our problem).
BE SURE THAT BASESCU IS VERY , VERY GLAD THAT THE REVOLUTION BEGUN IN BELARUS.BE SURE THAT HE IUS SUPPORTING THE BERARUSSIANS FROM ALL HIS HEART.
but the leaders from romania have to be very careful in political declarations for two reasons:
1 reason-about half million romanians live in Ukraina since soviet union ocupied those regions in 1940.(by other words Ukraine has stolen from our land). ukraine keeps silence about this…
2 reason-3,5 million romanians live in Moldova (the former soviet republic) which was also ocuppied in 1940 by Stalin.Moldova is ruled now by a russian and is the poorest country of Europe. We don’t want make them problems.Basescu is waiting for the ellections in Moldova because there was already a war in 1992 between romanians and russians.
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