Dozens Hurt in Belarus Bomb Blast

Dozens Hurt in Belarus Bomb Blast

news.bbc.co.uk

At least 50 people have been injured in Belarus after a bomb exploded during a concert in the capital, Minsk.

The event was taking place in the centre of the city to mark the ex-Soviet nation's independence day.

President Alexander Lukashenko, whose rule has been denounced as autocratic by the US and the European Union, was attending the concert.

(visit the link for the full news article)

A more blatant example of a government conspiracy you could not wish to see.

Yes it is early, but first impressions are that this has all the hallmarks of a psy-ops type operation.

The President of Belarus is a dictator with a long record of brutal suppression of political opposition. The media (-only a couple of TV stations and a tiny handful of radio stations and newspapers) are tightly monitored & pro-government.

The President rules by decree, surrounded by blank-faced 'yes-men'. The leader of the opposition disappeared in a pool of blood several years ago. Mass demonstrations were brutally suppressed a couple of years ago. The President made a public proclamation there would be no 'Orange Revolution' as happened in the Ukraine...

The opposition is, in fact, run by intellectuals. It has always had a purely democratic agenda, with no hint of extremist elements at any time. That is what I mean by 'blatant'.

Alexander Litvinenko accused the Russian government of committing false-enemy type 'terrorist' atrocities in order to increase patriotism and shore-up its power base, and we all know what happened to him:

During his time in London Litvinenko authored two books, "Blowing up Russia: Terror from within" and "Lubyanka Criminal Group," where he accused Russian secret services of staging Russian apartment bombings and other terrorism acts to bring Vladimir Putin to power.

Source: en.wikipedia.org...

The evidence he presented was actually devastating:

1) Suspicious characters placing objects under a housing tower block
2) Concerned citizen phones police
3) Police make arrests - culprits caught red-handed planting bombs
4) Culprits turn out to be government agents
5) Government goes silent for several weeks before giving an explanation:
6) "This was a secret operation to create a terrorist scenario and plan the reaction".
7) Problem: real explosives were being planted & no authorities had been notified...

Now enter Belarus, 4th July 2008.

Even the date hints at a calculated, callous political message: those pushing for independence are terrorists. The 3rd July Independence Day celebrations in Belarus, had just finished:

...it happened on the very anniversary of the capital's liberation from Nazi occupation, near the impressive monument to WWII heroes. It could have hardly been more symbolic.

Source: news.bbc.co.uk...

After reading the above related article another possible interpretation emerges: forces within the existing power structures are flexing their muscles. Nevertheless that too would mean the perpetrators are cold-blooded fear-mongers willing to go to any means to justify extreme measures and ongoing dictatorship, in full knowledge all the blame would be directed at the visible opposition.

BBC comment notwithstanding, the former interpretation seems more likely - President Lukashanko has been trying to reunite with Russia for many years, and therefore has a similar agenda to President Putin. The physical borders between Russia and Belarus were removed long ago. (Lukashenko has even been pushing for monetary union over recent years.) It is widely believed his ultimate aim is to become president of a reunited Russia/Belarus. Stamping out 'terrorism' would constitute a welcome addition to his ticket...


news.bbc.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)




[edit to comment on interpretation of BBC editor of 2nd article]

[edit on 5/7/08 by pause4thought]

Brilliant, pauseforthought...

I am not much for keeping abreast of political happenings in that portion of the world, but I can immediately draw correlations to the 9/11 movement.

July 4th...as their Independence Day.

9/11 - or 9-1-1, the American (Universal?) Emergency Phone Number

07/07/07 - The British Attack, 777 is an easily recalled number and is associated with god(I think)....

Though it should be important to note that many people can draw the conclusion that to strike on a symbolic date is important.
(Devil's Advocate statement)

At any rate, I also notice patterns emerging as the internet grows that have kind of created a larger and more disheveled mirror to the "intelligent opposition" you described.

I would like to read more, but I wanted to post a first impression and commend you on a well thought post...

Originally posted by pause4thought

It is widely believed his ultimate aim is to become president of a reunited Russia/Belarus.

He also said in November 2006, that he wanted a union with Ukraine, in order to face "economic blackmail from Russia".



In October 2006, a Belarusian rights activist was sentenced to two years in prison for saying that Lukashenko needed a psychiatric examination...:shk: Lukashenko is crazy...

reply to post by MemoryShock


Many thanks.

This trait of far-right governments has been rearing its ugly head all over the world for some considerable time:

"You demand privacy, the right to believe, say and do as you wish, the right to free and fair elections, the right to personal liberty plus an independent, impartial judicial system? -Maybe you are a terrorist."

Cue a smear campaign. Cue surveillance. Change the laws to make sure there are charges to fit. Can anyone guess what comes next?..

Interesting angle you present on a possible reason for this blast, I did some searching and found this poiece from the Washington Post, which shows that the US is quick to offer help in the investigation of this bombing even though the two nation's aren't on the best of terms. Lukashenko responded:

"I am grateful to the Americans for their offer. I gave an order to special services to accept this help, if it is needed," he said. "In any case, Belarusian special services are ready to collaborate."

If it is needed probably means it won't be accepted by those in charge of the investigation. IMO.

Belarus leader: no post-blast clampdown on opposition
LINIYA, Belarus (Reuters) - Belarus' President Alexander Lukashenko said there would be no general clampdown on his opponents on Saturday after an unexplained bomb explosion wounded about 50 people at a concert he attended the day before.

No one has claimed responsibility for the blast, the authorities in the ex-Soviet state have played it down and Lukashenko, who was nearby but unhurt, said he did not see it as an assassination attempt.

With all the focus on issues in the Middle east, it does make you wonder what is happening in other areas of the world.

Thanks for sharing

reply to post by Hellmutt


Great contribution.

I was unaware of his statement about wanting a union with Ukraine. I think it must have been a short-term response to his problems with respect to paying for Russian gas & oil. It was quite a soap opera at the time. Putin has never baulked at snubbing, even humiliating Lukashenko. But if you bear in mind that his long-term goal is union with Russia and political control of the entire region it is possible to untwine his agendas.

Russians want strong, centralized political government. It is cultural and historical. Lukashenko therefore tries to play the strong man in standing up to Russia (even courting ridicule by the Russian government) without alienating the populace in the process. The Ukrainian angle is interesting, but whether he would try to follow through with this rhetoric would depend on which way the wind was blowing. Currently the people of the Ukraine are split 50-50 with respect to allegiance to Russian hegemony or the European union.

In October 2006, a Belarusian rights activist was sentenced to two years in prison for saying that Lukashenko needed a psychiatric examination...

Get this. My information says he was put away for revealing that Lukashenko had already undergone such treatment.

Lukashenko is crazy...

I think it is more acceptable to speak in terms of mental illness.

Keeping this story up to date:

Lukashenka to Sheiman: “It is you who is guilty first of all!”

At a meeting on the investigation of the bomb blast in early morning on 4 July in the city center Alyaksandr Lukashenka expressed his bewilderment on the fact the incident had happened on the site, controlled by militia and the KGB. “So, how could it happen? How did you guard?” Lukashenka wonders.

He criticised Viktar Sheiman, State Secretary of the Security Council, first of all. “I don’t think, you, Mr Uladzimir, should be on the post after the incident. It is you, who is guilty first of all,” A. Lukashenka said.

reply to post by JacKatMtn


Thanks for the update.

Interesting. I still wouldn't put it past the head of this state to have planned it all behind the scenes with only the knowledge of a select few, for his own purposes, and then blame it on whoever necessary to deflect suspicion. I base this on the fact that the opposition has always been entirely peaceful both in its rhetoric and its actions. The state, on the other hand, has consistently acted with intimidation, violence and all manner of infringements of human rights in its efforts to silence opposition.

It also has to be said that it should be obvious to anyone prepared to stop and think that the opposition would only stand to lose the support of the populace and to attract just anger and condemnation both by the state and by outside observers by committing an act of terror.