BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

12/02/2006

Violence feared for Belarus election

MINSK, Belarus, Feb. 12 (UPI) -- As Election Day approaches in Belarus, officials are concerned about possible violent repression and vote rigging in the last of Europe's dictatorships.

President Alexander Lukashenko has been in power for 12 years, during which time opponents have been jailed and violently put down -- and possibly disappeared -- the Times of London reports.

Alexander Milinkevich - a physics professor for 25 years before being fired in 2001 for opposing Lukashenko -- is running against Lukashenko in the March 19 election, and could be considered the front-runner, if not for the prospect of rigged elections, the newspaper said.

Milinkevich said people would take to the streets peacefully when the results are announced, either to celebrate or to protest.

But after the recent revolutions in Georgia and Ukraine, supporters of Milinkevich -- including thousands in various youth organizations -- hint at revolt in Belarus.

Lukashenko warned that police will "give them such a going-over they won't know what's hit them," if there are any "provocations."

Milinkevich has the support of the United States and the European Union, the newspaper said.

Source:

http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20060212-033647-9420r