Protests erupt as Belarus moves towards union (03/31/96)

Protests erupt as Belarus moves towards union

MIENSK - Demonstrators, numbering up to 30,000, according to the BBC World Service, marched down Francis Skaryna Boulevard, surrounded the state television headquarters and clashed with riot police on March 24, local and Western media reported the same day. The crowd, led by Belarusian Popular Front Chairman Zyanon Pazniak, was protesting President Alyaksandr Lukashenka's decision to conclude a treaty of union with Russia, to be signed on April 2.

Speakers at the march and demonstration, called to commemorate the 78th anniversary of the Belarusian People's Republic (which lasted for nine months in 1918 before being partitioned between Poland and the future USSR), questioned Mr. Lukashenka's motives in promoting to the forthcoming treaty, which would create a supranational governing council composed of the Russian and Belarusian presidents, prime ministers and parliamentary officials.

Mr. Pazniak was quoted by the BBC report as saying that "Russia would be up to its neck in blood" if it tried to reoccupy Belarus.

The demonstrators were prevented from gathering in front of the Parliament, whereupon they marched to the television building. Riot police broke up the gathering by firing tear gas and beating numerous demonstrators with batons, reported OMRI Daily Digest on March 25.

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