Belarus: Eurostars are divided into camps for the civil conflict!
Belarus has been on an unprecedented course of instability and concern for the past month following the results of the August 9th presidential election. The former Soviet country has attracted global interest because of the strong reaction of its citizens to the face of the longest-serving leader in the country’s history, Alexander Lukashenko, directly questioning the outcome of the recent presidential election. The country’s eurostars are taking a stand, with most on the side of the insurgents.
The chronicle of the demonstrations
Ongoing opposition protests in Belarus saw the largest turnout yet over the weekend, following days of public rallies against the disputed reelection of President Alexander Lukashenko.
Hundreds of thousands of peaceful demonstrators gathered in Minsk and other Belarusian cities demanding free and fair elections. Protesters are seeking the release of all political prisoners, justice for perpetrators of human rights abuses and the resignation of Lukashenko.
An unprecedented wave of protests have swept across Belarus in recent days after users on social media started sharing videos and photos showing security officers brutally repressing demonstrators angered by the official results of the disputed presidential election. On August 9, incumbent President Lukashenko claimed victory with more than 80% of the vote. It was his sixth consecutive win since 1994, when he took over the country.
Independent exit polls are officially banned in Belarus, but according to civil society activists and members of opposition, Lukashenko’s support was only because of extensive vote rigging. Activists claim that the president’s opponent – Svetlana Tikhanovskaya – won the race with 65-70% of the vote. Tikhanovskaya had entered the race after authorities jailed her husband, Sergei Tikhanovsky, a popular blogger who tried to launch a presidential campaign.
Now Tikhanovskaya has left the country to Lithuania, where her children were already there, expressing fear for her own life and that of her children. With videotaped messages she urges protesters to remain on the streets. No one knows what will happen to Belarus, as president Lukashenko in the last hours he ordered the army to disperse the protesters.
Eurostars take a stand in the crisis
The artists who represented Belarus in previous years in the competition could not, of course, remain silent in all this by taking a stand on the facts. Most of them are in the demonstrations, on the side of the opposition, some have chosen to remain silent, while only one is on the side of Lukashenko.
Who are on the side of the opposition?
First and best we would say are Litesound, the band that represented the country at Eurovision 2012. In fact, shortly before the elections, they released the Belarusian version of their participation, with messages in favor of the opposition. They are in the demonstrations every day, as they inform us through their social media.
This year’s representatives of Belarus VAL also did not hesitate to show their preference for the opposition, also participating in anti-government demonstrations, while expressing their grief over the police violence.
Naviband, Alekseev, Ivan and Uzari, either by participating in opposition demonstrations or simply by posting them on social media, took a stand in favor of the need for political change, thus supporting the protesters’ struggle.
Those who are silent
Of the representatives of the last decade, two have not expressed a position publicly and there is an explanation for both. TEO, which traditionally maintains a very good relationship with the country’s public television, after presenting various of its shows, preferred silence. Zena did the same, where her young age may play a role.
Lukashenko’s supporter
The only eurostar in the country to openly support the current president of Belarus is Alyona Laksaya. Alyona represented Belarus at Eurovision 2013 and according to what she states, she wants to be in the competition again. Maybe that is her motivation.
We hope that these conflicts will end as less bloodily as possible, ending for the good and justice of the citizens of Belarus!
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