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Belarus President Refuses to Step Down, Opposition¹ Calls for General Strike

The political opposition in Belarus called for a nationwide general strike on Monday. The appeal is the latest in a series of efforts to force Alexander Lukashenko, the country's long-time leader, from power. Opposition activists² say cheating in the presidential election last August resulted in his reelection.

Opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya had threatened the general strike two weeks ago in an effort to energize³ the protest movement. She was Lukashenko's main opponent in the election. Tikhanovskaya fled Belarus under what she described as fear for her family's safety after the vote.

She demanded that he resign as president or face a general strike. She also demanded an end to violence against demonstrators and the release of political prisoners.

On Monday, the independent news website Tut.by published pictures of workers striking at several factories. The site also reported that many workers were detained at the Grodno Azot factory for joining the strike.

Nexta, a social media platform, published pictures of university students in Minsk blocking the entrance to the Belarus State University.

Some people could be seen gathered near the offices of the A1 telecommunication⁴ company in Minsk. They were holding the red and white flags of the opposition.

A spokeswoman for the prime minister said all the country's major industrial companies were operating normally. But Tikhanovskaya's representative disputed the claim, adding that government officials are "nervous."

The people's ultimatum⁶

Tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Belarus on Sunday. It was 11th straight weekend of large demonstrations⁷ aimed at ending Lukashenko's 25 years in office.

Yet once again, government security troops and police were out in large numbers. The human rights group Vesna reported that more than 300 protesters were arrested.

Rights groups estimate more than 8,000 people have been detained since the protests began. A United Nations investigator⁸ reported last month that thousands of people had been "savagely⁹ beaten" and there were more than 500 reports of torture, which the government denies.

Lukashenko has refused to resign as president. He says he won the election with more than 80 percent of the vote.

Lukashenko also has support from Russia, which considers him a loyal ally along its western border.

A Russian government spokesman suggested that his country was growing concerned about the strike's ability to affect Russia's economy. He noted¹⁰ that the two economies worked together "at the highest levels."

"For us, it's extremely important how...reliably the Belarus factories function," the spokesman added.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has provided economic aid to Belarus and has said he will provide military assistance, if necessary. The head of one of Russia's intelligence services was in Minsk last week and met with Lukashenko.

The United States and other Western governments have condemned¹¹ the violence against demonstrators and supported actions meant to punish Lukashenko and his supporters. The European Union said it no longer considered Lukashenko as the head of Belarus.

French President Emanuel Macron and German Chancellor¹² Angela Merkel are among European leaders who have met with Tikhanovskaya directly.

Washington calling

In a separate development, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke⁵ with Lukashenko by phone on Saturday. It was the first high-level contact between the two countries since the political crisis in Belarus began.

The State Department said Pompeo voiced "U.S. support for the democratic aspirations¹⁴ of the people of Belarus. He also demanded the release and the return of Vitali Shkliarov, a Belarusian-American political observer who was arrested while visiting his parents in Belarus before the August elections.

Government officials have charged him with helping¹⁵ to organize illegal demonstrations. They say his actions are evidence of western interference in Belarus.

Last week, Lukashenko ordered the Belarusian-American released from detention¹⁶ and placed under house arrest. He reportedly had been suffering from health problems while in prison.

Belarus state television released a statement saying the country and Russia were ready to answer any threats "jointly¹⁷."

Words In This Story

platform – n. a website that allows someone to tell a large number of people about an idea, news and information or a product

savagely – adj. with extreme cruelty

reliably – adj. with certainty

function – v. to use, make or do

aspiration¹³ - n. a hope or goal for the future

1 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

2 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 energize   

vt.给予(某人或某物)精力、能量

参考例句：

• It is used to energize the city.它的作用是为城市供给能量。
• This is a great way to energize yourself and give yourself more power!这种方法非常棒，可以激活你的能量，让你有更多的活力！

4 telecommunication   

n.电信，远距离通信

参考例句：

• Telecommunication is an industry of service.电信业是一个服务型的行业。
• I only care about the telecommunication quality and the charge.我只关心通信质量和资费两个方面。

5 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

6 ultimatum   

n.最后通牒

参考例句：

• This time the proposal was couched as an ultimatum.这一次该提议是以最后通牒的形式提出来的。
• The cabinet met today to discuss how to respond to the ultimatum.内阁今天开会商量如何应对这道最后通牒。

7 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

8 investigator   

n.研究者，调查者，审查者

参考例句：

• He was a special investigator for the FBI.他是联邦调查局的特别调查员。
• The investigator was able to deduce the crime and find the criminal.调查者能够推出犯罪过程并锁定罪犯。

9 savagely   

adv. 野蛮地，残酷地

参考例句：

• The roses had been pruned back savagely. 玫瑰被狠狠地修剪了一番。
• He snarled savagely at her. 他向她狂吼起来。

10 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

11 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

12 chancellor   

n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长

参考例句：

• They submitted their reports to the Chancellor yesterday.他们昨天向财政大臣递交了报告。
• He was regarded as the most successful Chancellor of modern times.他被认为是现代最成功的财政大臣。

13 aspiration   

n.志向，志趣抱负；渴望；(语)送气音；吸出

参考例句：

• Man's aspiration should be as lofty as the stars.人的志气应当象天上的星星那么高。
• Young Addison had a strong aspiration to be an inventor.年幼的爱迪生渴望成为一名发明家。

14 aspirations   

强烈的愿望( aspiration的名词复数 )； 志向； 发送气音； 发 h 音

参考例句：

• I didn't realize you had political aspirations. 我没有意识到你有政治上的抱负。
• The new treaty embodies the aspirations of most nonaligned countries. 新条约体现了大多数不结盟国家的愿望。

15 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

16 detention   

n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下

参考例句：

• He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。
• He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。

17 jointly   

ad.联合地，共同地

参考例句：

• Tenants are jointly and severally liable for payment of the rent. 租金由承租人共同且分别承担。
• She owns the house jointly with her husband. 她和丈夫共同拥有这所房子。