Belarus - the void between ideals?
Belarus (aka white Russia), is a country in Eastern Europe, bordered by the EU to the west (Poland, Latvia, Lithuania) and the Russia/Ukraine to the East. It's boundaries have fluctuated massively over the centuries with its people coming under successive empires and conquests. It lost a quarter of its population during the Second World War, with 90% of its capital city, Minsk destroyed. It became part of the Soviet Union until its dissolution in 1991. Over the past 18 years it has had one leader, Alexander Lukashenko, who has ruled the country through the surrounding economic and political instability of the 1990s and the increasing international isolation of the 2000s. To be frank, western media rarely portrays Belarus in a positive light. The US government called Belarus, "Europe's only remaining 'outpost of tyranny' ". The BBC was recently allowed an interview with the Belarussian leader - a summary can be found
here. When describing Belarus the BBC states:
Two decades later (after FSU collapse), the sense of national identity is weak, international
isolation continues and the nature of political links with Russia
remains a key issue.
Thus the stereotypical image of Belarus, is that of a grey, centrally planned ongoing 'soviet-style' dictatorship, lacking in freedom, opportunity and fairness. However, beyond the portrayed stereotype, very little is known by those in the UK of the people of or indeed life in Belarus. I am very grateful for the chance to have had a visa, giving me the opportunity to explore the nation of Belarus and meet the people who live there.
Learnings from Belarus
1. Lukashenko (the president) is not unpopular.
2. Belarussians view their country as a young country, that is bound to make some mistakes as it develops its own national course.
3. The country and its infrastructure are surprisingly modern.
4. The countryside is beautiful.
5. There seems to be relative freedom in expression, so long as you remain inline with the law (sometimes tricky) and don't organise activities to overtly criticise the ruling party.
6. Many Belarussians are confused by the EU's stance of isolation towards their country. Ethnically, historically, culturally and linguistically Belarus has many ties with Russia. It's not a case of choosing to align oneself towards one or the other. Belarus falls under both European and Russian spheres. 'Narrow-mindedness' may in fact come from the West in failing to recognise this.
7. Minsk central MacDonalds was recently demolished to build a new library for the university. The other MacDonalds remains on Lenin Street however...!
8. The believing church is active, dynamic and growing in Belarus.
9. Don't flush toilet paper - it is for the bin next to the toilet.
10. The roads in Belarus are really good - the best I've seen in the Soviet Union.
11. They value their environment and have quite a few natural parks - 'how were we to survive, if it were not for the blueberries and mushrooms?'
12. Hyperinflation means the amount you can take out of an ATM is limited by the width of dispensing slot.
13. Belarussians are friendly, inquisitive and full of ingenuity.
