“We understand that the fate of Ukraine and Belarus is now linked. We are two countries from the same region, both fighting for the right to choose our own path. In our country that is a fight against a dictator, in Ukraine against the so-called Russian Empire.’
Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, the woman who took on Lukashenko in Belarus and became the face of the peaceful resistance against the dictator, is in the Netherlands, among other places, to receive a large prize. She is ‘very honored’ to receive the Four Freedoms Award from Prime Minister Rutte on Thursday in Middelburg – after Angela Merkel, Nelson Mandela and Doctors Without Borders, among others.
‘Until the last moment I did not believe that the war would happen’, she says not long after landing at Schiphol. ‘After all, our countries all went through the Second World War. And Russians remember that, so it’s a shock to everyone.”
The consequences are serious for all countries that President Putin wants to unite under the Russian flag. That is why Tikhanovskaya is also in the Netherlands to ask for support for the maintenance of an independent sovereign Belarus. There is no question that this is threatened by the presence of ‘two irrational, unpredictable dictators’.
She acknowledges that Belarus’s fate is now intertwined with that of President Putin, but Tikhanovskaya points out that wars sometimes have ‘unforeseen consequences’. “Everything changes now. Russia is being hit hard economically, as is Belarus. The economic blockade could lead to a coup d’état or other unforeseen consequences. The war itself also weakens Russia.
Life is very difficult for Belarusians now, many are also separated from their families (such as Tikhanovskaya himself, whose husband has been in prison for almost two years, red.), but that’s the price we have to pay. Freedom is not a gift, we have to fight for it.
The war changed the image of Belarus from a country that resisted its dictator to a country that… co-callingent was in a war of aggression. It took us time to explain that government and people are two different things. Polls, including international ones, show 85 to 90 percent of Belarusians are against the war – compared to nearly 80 percent in Russia’s support for the war.’
Belarus had bigger protests in 2020 than Russia has seen recently. Now Belarusians view the war very differently. How do you explain that?
“Belarus and Ukrainians see themselves as unique nations, with their own identity, and they want to defend it. Russians define themselves as an empire, they always have to prove that they have their own sphere of influence. That’s a dictator’s narrative, and people take it over, they don’t want to think about it. But we must defend our little nation.
“In 2014 we saw how Ukrainians defend their identity and their nation, and that has inspired many Belarusians. We began to see ourselves as Belarusians, not part of Russia – which Lukashenko always promoted by talking about ‘proud brothers’. †
Language plays an important role in this struggle. Also in Belarus?
In the 28 years that Lukashenko has been in power, he has deliberately suppressed the Belarusian language. As if he didn’t want these Belarusian seeds to blossom. I am very grateful to the organizations that have worked hard for years to defend our language. After the protests of 2020, it became very important for people to speak Belarusian.
‘For two years now, many people have understood the importance of national identity. Russian propaganda says that anyone who speaks Russian belongs to the Russian Empire. Well, most Belarusians speak Russian. So we must embrace our Belarusian roots and culture.’
What is happening in the Belarusian army?
“We hear that soldiers are very relieved that they were not sent to Ukraine. Lukashenko didn’t stop our soldiers from fighting, they did it themselves. They were totally demoralized and did not understand why they had to fight against our brothers and sisters in Ukraine. Lukashenko did not dare to give the order. Although we have also received unconfirmed information that he gave that order but it was not carried out.
‘A lot of Russian equipment could not be transported properly because it was stopped by the actions of our partisans. So Russia did not find a safe place on Belarusian territory. That also plays a role. A lot of equipment has now been withdrawn from Belarus, but there are still ten thousand Russian soldiers.’
Your team, operating from Lithuania, is approached by people working under or for the regime. Can you tell us something about that?
“There are such attempts by people in the bureaucracy, in the military and in business. Who understand that there is an alternative center of power, internationally recognized. They want to find out which way things are going. And Lukashenko knows this, he doesn’t trust anyone anymore.’
The recent referendum in Belarus ended the country’s non-nuclear and neutral status. Will Belarus become a powder keg if Finland and Sweden join NATO?
‘Of course we are afraid of that. Nobody recognizes that referendum, but dictators are so crazy! That is why we are now also asking Western countries if they want to give our country security guarantees. Because sooner or later the war in Ukraine will end and it is now clear that Lukashenko does not control the situation in our country. We do not want a ‘silent occupation’ of Belarus and already regard our country as partially militarily occupied.’
If there is an occasion now, will Belarusians stand up again?
‘That is possible, but only when the time is right. Now large demonstrations would only lead to new atrocities. But the workers are ready, our activists know how to organize disturbances, we have battalions in Ukraine, we have partisans blocking train traffic. If the opportunity comes, Belarusians will make one last effort. But they need to know that it will bring real change.’