Today is the tenth Sunday in a row that the center of Minsk is filled with protesters who want Alexander Lukashenko to resign. But not everyone wants that. Our correspondent Jesper Lindau visited villages out in the Belarusian autumn fields, where he met 88-year-old Vera. She is terrified of the demonstrations.
– It used to be so quiet and peaceful in Minsk and now they fight and stop cars every day, I see that on TV, says the 88-year-old Vera who is sitting on a wooden bench inside her small beautiful yard.
She was ten years old during World War II when Belarus was destroyed. After watching the state-controlled television night after night, Vera believes that there is a risk of war again. She is terrified, for the sake of her children and grandchildren.
The tone has been raised significantly ahead of today’s and next week’s demonstrations. Opposition leader Svetlana Tichanovskaya has issued an ultimatum. If Alexander Lukashenko does not resign, the political prisoners are released and the violence ceases, next weekend’s demonstration will be huge.
From Lukashenko’s side there will be threats to use lethal force unless the demonstrations cease.
In another small Belarusian village near an autumn-yellow forest, Maria is rocking a pram with a three-month-old baby who does not want to sleep.
– I’m not a big fan of the demonstrations. I would not go even if I lived in Minsk, says Maria who thinks it looks violent on TV. Maria likes to pick mushrooms better.
In a third Belarusian city Nadjeshda stands by the roadside. The autumn sweaters inside the garden. She’s a little scared, wondering if the scary special police officer Omon is coming and visiting after she’s talking into our microphone. She also does not intend to demonstrate, not even with the pensioners of the same age.
– No, for God’s sake, I would come to Minsk for a retirement march, no, I really do not want that, she says.