Posted on 07/28/2005 9:04:35 AM PDT by lizol
Belarus special forces storm Polish Union building 28 Jul 2005 09:45:37 GMT
Source: Reuters
MINSK, July 28 (Reuters) - Belarussian special forces stormed a building used by ethnic Poles in a pre-dawn raid on Thursday near the border with Poland, a witness said.
It is the latest in a series of moves against ethnic Poles in the ex-Soviet state in the last three months after President Alexander Lukashenko -- described by U.S. officials as Europe's last dictator -- accused Poland of plotting an uprising.
"At first, the building was encircled by police cars. Then police demanded everybody leave the building. When nobody agreed, special forces stormed the building," the witness, a member of the Union of Poles who asked not to be named, told Reuters.
"Those who did want to leave the building were grabbed and taken to police cars."
He said about 18 people, including several journalists, were detained in the operation in the western town of Grodno, near the Polish border. All were later freed.
Officials at the Belarussian Interior Ministry declined to comment.
Belarus has a 400,000-strong Polish minority and the Union of Poles, which has about 20,000 members, complains of government persecution. The Justice Ministry has said it plans to shut down the Union because of illegal activities.
The storming follows Wednesday's court sentencing of three Polish activists to up to 15 days in prison for staging an illegal street concert of Polish songs earlier this month.
Lukashenko has repeatedly accused the West of funding the opposition and plotting to overthrow him. He has tightened security in his country of 10 million people after revolutions in other former Soviet states.
The government has expelled three Polish diplomats from Minsk in the last two months. Poland retaliated.
Isn't Belarus an ruso-islamic state?
"Stalin with a bad combover" strikes again.
Lukashenko is a deranged degenerate who unfortunately happens to be in power. Putin is pretty much the same. No wonder they are friends. Let's pray for them to go peacefully down the toilet.
I recall reading some pretty nasty things about him over the past few years, but the exact details escape me at the moment.
Thanks. He looks like someone that Joe Stalin would be proud of.
But don't you think that the Belorussian nation may still exist mainly thanks to Lukashenko? I mean his personal ambitions as a chieftain of Belarus are much stronger than his will to unite with "madder russia"?
Such an "existence" under Lukashenko whether as independent nation or a part of Russia does not make much difference to an average Belarus. It's simply a living hell. Not as bad as North Korea but not too far from it either.
This is the third article I've read about him today (thanks for the pings.) He seems incredibly paranoid, as do most Communists in power today. I will pray for the people he is oppressing.
Since we have a treaty to defend Poland, if Belarus attacks, we will automatically be at war.
Since we have a treaty to defend Poland, if Belarus attacks, we will automatically be at war.
No, it's a Slavic state. (And the root "Balt" should be capitalized).
Actually every member of NATO has the same obligation, not that many would honor it.
I remember I heard stories from Yossef Bodasky that Saddam was hidding there at one point.
and the Witch is dead. |
Veteran wire reporter Helen Thomas is vowing to 'kill herself'
if Dick Cheney announces he is running for president.
The newspaper HILL first reported the startling claim on Thursday.
MORE
"The day Dick Cheney is going to run for president, I'll kill myself,"
she told the HILL. "All we need is one more liar."
Thomas added, "I think he'd like to run, but it would be a sad day
for the country if he does."
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