Amid demonstrations for a change in the country, some people still support the government and accuses the marches to be "external-made".
In Lukashenko’s Belarus, not everyone is seeking a “peremen” ( “change” in Russian), nor agrees to start something new. Especially considering the values brought by the demonstrators as “not suitable for Belarusians standards”. Government’s supporters, often neglected by the international medias, express different points of view and their concerns over a new failed-revolution that could bring the country on the brink of collapse, like in the Ukraine of in some Arab countries.
Red and green flags, the national colors firstly introduced by Lukashenko in 1995 instead of the former white and red (considered by the country as the flag used by collaborationists during the the traumatizing Nazi occupation), are still waving on government’s buildings. But also, during some pro-Lukashenko’s demonstrations, happening all over the country. If some rumors were saying that the “batka” (the “father” as the President is called by his supporters) would still reach between 10% and 20% of people’s support, the opposition is labelling their participants to be “paid and corrupted by the government”. Olga, 34, a government’s antagonist, utters that “not only they are paid, but they are also threatened by to lose their job in case they would not join the set-up parades”.
A hidden part of the population thus, completely poles apart from the peaceful marches and accused to be subjugated by the authorities, has been left without enough space to express their point of view in medias.
Andrei, a TV-actor, agrees to answer some questions despite refusing to be filmed or taken in pictures. He is afraid, threatening to send the recording of the conversation to the police. “I received many threats from people telling me I was a fascist only because of my political views. I just want to protect myself”. The 44 years-old TV professional lost his job right after the 9th of August’s elections: “I was fired because of my political views. My boss and my colleagues, supporters of this change and of Lukashenko’s opposition, told me that I wasn’t welcome anymore. I loved my job. I was doing advertising spots. Now I only live with the government’s unemployment subsidy. They fired me because they feared I would be a spy” adding that “I just want to show that people who support the government are normal citizens with different opinions. But the opposition’s hardliners that are willing a democratic change, they seem to listen to their point of view only, which is very controversial”.
