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Belarus special forces storm Polish Union building.
Reuters ^ | 28 Jul 2005

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.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: belarus; luka; lukashenko; poland; poles
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1 posted on 07/28/2005 9:04:36 AM PDT by lizol
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To: kharaku; Das Outsider; tarator; andie74; GrannyML; Tazlo; speekinout; vox_PL; Barney Gumble; ...
Eastern European ping list


FRmail me to be added or removed from this Eastern European ping list

2 posted on 07/28/2005 9:07:07 AM PDT by lizol
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To: lizol

Isn't Belarus an ruso-islamic state?


3 posted on 07/28/2005 9:08:00 AM PDT by Perdogg
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Comment #4 Removed by Moderator

To: lizol

"Stalin with a bad combover" strikes again.


5 posted on 07/28/2005 9:09:53 AM PDT by dfwgator
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To: lizol

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.


6 posted on 07/28/2005 9:10:06 AM PDT by sergey1973 (Russian American Political Blogger, Arm Chair Strategist)
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To: William Creel; Perdogg
It's neither islamic, nor Baltic (however has a border with Luthuania, which is a Baltic state).

But ruso... - sure it is.
7 posted on 07/28/2005 9:16:11 AM PDT by lizol
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To: lizol
Isn't Lukashenko one of the last communist hardliners still in power?

I recall reading some pretty nasty things about him over the past few years, but the exact details escape me at the moment.

8 posted on 07/28/2005 9:16:46 AM PDT by Stonewall Jackson (Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. - John Adams)
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To: Stonewall Jackson
Bush: Belarus Last Dictatorship in Europe

Belarus President Lukashenko Orders Foreign Music off Radio

Belarus president waves iron fist, insists there will be no people's revolutions

Belarus’ Lukashenko Accuses West of Intervention Plans

Lukashenka monopolises Belarus

Belarus slams Bush's civil corps initiative
9 posted on 07/28/2005 9:25:16 AM PDT by lizol
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To: lizol

Thanks. He looks like someone that Joe Stalin would be proud of.


10 posted on 07/28/2005 9:44:06 AM PDT by Stonewall Jackson (Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. - John Adams)
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To: sergey1973
Down the toilet. Exactly.

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"?

11 posted on 07/28/2005 12:31:11 PM PDT by Kisiel (Poloniae totius Europae adversus barbarorum nationum firmissimo propugnaculo)
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To: Kisiel

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.


12 posted on 07/28/2005 2:13:23 PM PDT by sergey1973 (Russian American Political Blogger, Arm Chair Strategist)
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To: lizol

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.


13 posted on 07/28/2005 5:10:44 PM PDT by GrannyML
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To: lizol

Since we have a treaty to defend Poland, if Belarus attacks, we will automatically be at war.


14 posted on 07/28/2005 5:17:22 PM PDT by HuronMan
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To: lizol

Since we have a treaty to defend Poland, if Belarus attacks, we will automatically be at war.


15 posted on 07/28/2005 5:17:53 PM PDT by HuronMan
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To: William Creel; Perdogg

No, it's a Slavic state. (And the root "Balt" should be capitalized).


16 posted on 07/28/2005 5:20:10 PM PDT by 1rudeboy
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To: HuronMan
Since we have a treaty to defend Poland, if Belarus attacks, we will automatically be at war.

Actually every member of NATO has the same obligation, not that many would honor it.

17 posted on 07/28/2005 5:28:24 PM PDT by Heatseeker ("I sort of like liberals now. They’re kind of cute when they’re shivering and afraid." - Ann Coulter)
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To: William Creel

I remember I heard stories from Yossef Bodasky that Saddam was hidding there at one point.


18 posted on 07/28/2005 5:42:58 PM PDT by Perdogg
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To: lizol; vox_PL; Grampa Dave; BOBTHENAILER; Smartass; devolve; potlatch; ntnychik; SAMWolf; ...

19 posted on 07/28/2005 6:22:19 PM PDT by PhilDragoo (Hitlery: das Butch von Buchenvald)
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To: PhilDragoo
Help, Help, I'M MELTING
and the Witch is dead.



REPORTER VOWS TO 'KILL SELF' IF CHENEY RUNS FOR PRESIDENT

Thu Jul 28 2005 15:32:13 ET

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."

20 posted on 07/28/2005 6:48:16 PM PDT by Smartass (Si vis pacem, para bellum - Por el dedo de Dios se escribió)
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