Last night there was a rally and concert sponsored by the main opposition candidate Aleksandr Milinkevich. Though organizers claimed that 10,000 people attended the event, there seemed to be less than half that. Still, the mood was jovial and optimistic. Each of the bands harped on the same general theme: they expressed frustration with the current president and a desire for change.
The man set to bring about that change, Milinkevich, arrived half way into the concert that took place on Bangalore Square. Speaking in Belarusian, in itself an act of defiance, he pumped up the crowd, railing against the current regime for its crack down on basic freedoms. Closing his speech he declared that all Belarusians should be able to live in a free and just society where they can always listen to "beautiful Belarusian rock!"
Special forces troops, though amassed on the perimeter of the square, allowed the rock to play on despite threats that provocateurs would be in the audience. Earlier in the day an SMS was sent to all Minsk residents warning them to stay in doors or "run for their lives". Most felt this to be the work of the security services and ignored it.
Many are nervous, however. One concert goer, Aleksei, said that members of his family had been calling all day pleading with him not to go out on election day. The KGB has accused the opposition of planning to detonate bombs amidst large crowds on election day. Many see this as a threat that the authorities themselves will carry out such acts.
Throughout the concert, the MC made announcements warning opposition activists to be vigilant, not to drink and to beware of any provocation. Few doubt that there will be large rallies on election day whatever the results and despite warnings that violence may occur.
Last night's event ended without incident. Afterwards, I joined a number of activists as they clandestinely tied strips of blue denim, the revolutionary symbol, to signs and door handles throughout Minsk. If caught, they would be given a fifteen-day stint in jail automatically. If they were nervous about this, it wasn't evident. Their thoughts were mostly on the elections and the potential for change inherent in them. Some were certain that change would come, if not on election day, then soon. Others were not so sure.
There was a sense of desperation that weighed heavily over all of them. Pasha, a local actor declared, "I don't want my son to grow up under "Him"!" Each had traveled outside of Belarus, to Poland, the Baltics and even to Western Europe. They have seen how their neighbors have advanced, while in Belarus they have experienced stagnation. They will have their opportunity to express their displeasure today, though most fear that no one will listen