This article discusses the aftermath of the 2020 Belarusian presidential election, which was widely disputed and led to a series of protests against the authoritarian regime of President Alexander Lukashenko. The author interviews several Belarusians who were involved in the protests or have fled the country, and they reflect on the lessons learned from that period.
Some key points mentioned in the article include:
* Many people fled in panic when they saw police arriving at their school during election results.
* An internet shutdown made it difficult to communicate, get news, or coordinate efforts.
* The protests began to lose momentum after several weeks due to a lack of clear strategy among the movement.
* Some protesters felt exhausted and desperate but continued to march because they wanted to do something for people who were still behind bars in Belarus.
The article also highlights the challenges faced by the pro-democracy movement, including the regime’s relentless brutality against those who opposed Lukashenko. The author notes that many Belarusians are now hesitant to look back on that period as a total defeat, but rather as a moment of national awakening and a rekindling of pride in their language and history.
The article also mentions how some Belarusians have sought refuge in wartime Ukraine and are using this opportunity to assert the distinctiveness of their language and culture, challenging years of Russification and reaffirming their national identity.