Salihorsk Miners Demand To Arrest Lukashenka, Yarmoshyna
- 14.08.2020, 17:59
Employees of “Belaruskali” demand holding of a new election, and the dissolution of all riot police formations.
Today, at the site near the head building of Belaruskali, a meeting of the company's employees with the management is taking place. During the day, spontaneous protest actions and a meeting with the city leadership have taken place in the city, tut.by writes.
Pavel Sakalouski, Deputy Chairman of the independent trade union of miners of the first mining department, said that yesterday information appeared on social networks about the initiative of workers to meet with the management of the enterprise. Demands put forward by the people were as follows: stop the violence in the country, release those detained at the protests and conduct an investigation, punishing those who beat them, as well as recount the votes in the past presidential election.
At 4.56 pm, although the meeting was scheduled for 5.00, General Director of Belaruskali Ivan Halavaty came out to the people. Sound amplification has been organized on the site, Ivan Halavaty is speaking into the microphone, but people are asking him to speak even louder, because the last rows find it difficult to hear him properly.
Halavaty has said that he, like everyone else, is overwhelmed with emotions.
- In recent years, we have been working peacefully, building the enterprise and the country, and only you can understand what it cost us to build the enterprise for the last five years.
He has said that he, too, does not understand the violence that we have seen in the recent days, it is the pain that we all share together.
People have started clapping and shouting “Let them out!”, “Freedom!” - they demand to answer who gave the direct order to the riot police.
- In fact, it just won't work! I am in charge of the enterprise and I am not going to stand aside from the team and the timely issues. I also ask for your help, so that we support each other, - said Halavaty.
- How many workers did not go to work due to the detention, what measures will be taken with regard to them, how do we feed the children? - a woman asks.
According to Halavaty, 31 people from the enterprise were detained in 3 days. To date, 24 have been released. No one has been fired because of the arrests, and will not be fired after.
People are shouting that everyone should be freed. Halavaty claims that the information in the chats is not true. The people have booed his words.
A man comes forward, demanding to release the prisoners, Siarhei Tsikhanouski, to arrest Lukashenka and Yarmoshyna.
- Protest actions throughout Belarus will not stop until these demands are met! - the man has shouted.
The people support him with applause and chant “Go away!” A human rights activist has entered an impromptu stage.
- Please raise your hand all those who voted for Tsikhanouskaya! - he said.
Almost everyone raised their hands.
- I am now asking all those who voted for Lukashenka to raise their hands!
Six people raised their hands, including Ivan Halavaty.
The human rights activist asked the question, whose side Halavaty is on - the people’s or not. Halavaty has said that he is with the team, but it is necessary to get together and discuss the issues that are in the team. The people are shouting “Shame”.
A mechanic has taken the floor:
- Today in the afternoon, at the industrial site of the first mining department, a meeting of workers of the industrial site took place, and it turned into a spontaneous rally. All those present unequivocally condemn violence against the people.
The mechanic has called the situation in the country a disgrace for the law-enforcement agencies of Belarus. The people are chanting “Shame!”
He has noted that during the election campaign, there was not a single representative of Lukashenka on the streets, who collected signatures for him, at the same time there were many who collected them for other candidates.
A man has taken the floor, lifted his shirt and shown the beatings. He was taken by riot police near the House of Pioneers, according to the guy, for the company. The people are chanting “Long Live Belarus!”
At the meeting, they have asked to take action and free Salihorsk from the special purpose detachment as it had lost the trust of citizens, and to petition for the disbandment of the detachment with deprivation of military ranks without the right to reinstate them to serve in the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
People are asking to bring to justice those who exceeded their powers during and after the election campaign, who did not fulfill their duties in good faith in accordance with the legislation of Belarus.
Also, miners and other employees of Belaruskali at the meeting have put forward a demand to recognize the election as invalid and hold a new election with a new CEC, and the involvement of independent observers.
People are asking to keep the salaries of people detained for participating in peaceful protests, and to provide them with legal and medical assistance. Before the announcement of the last point, the mechanic asked Halavaty:
- Ivan Ivanavich, we are standing here, you answer questions. Your voice is trembling. And before you is your conscience ...
People are chanting “Well done!”
- Will you be friends with your conscience? - continued the mechanic.
The last point that the mechanic announced was to suspend production for an indefinite period until the demands are fulfilled.
Halavaty has been asked if he believes that Lukashenka had 80% of the vote, and Tsikhanouskaya had 10%. He said that he is not a member of the CEC and would not comment on this issue.
“I voted for the president, the same as the majority of the republic’s citizens,” he said.
But the people are shouting “Shame!”.