INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

Maria Kolesnikova Has Been Abducted in Belarus and That’s Important News

Waves of oppression and compassion are flooding the world. Hardcore business as usual? Or feminine leadership for change?

In Belarus, something special is happening. Thousands of people are flooding the streets in a peaceful protest against their government.

But this movement is so much bigger than that! It represents one of the waves that are flooding the world right now.

One wave of change is hardcore oppression, the other wave is mindful compassion.

We are watching the world being changed. And it’s up to us all, in our own local communities, which wave is going to flourish.

Which wave will define the future of humanity on this planet?

Here’s my perspective on what’s happening.

What’s Happening in Belarus?

Three women are the faces of a peaceful protest for change in their country, Belarus. Alexander Lukashenko has been leading the country under a strict regime since 1994.

Belarus is located between Russia, Ukraine, and Nato-members Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia. And, as such, very important for the European Union as well.

On Sunday, the 9th of August 2020, presidential elections were held. Lukashenko sought a sixth term in office. He has not had a serious challenger in the previous five elections, resulting in him being called “Europe’s last dictator.”

A violent dictator alright. On 1 September, in a statement by the human rights experts of the United Nations about Belarus, more than 450 documented cases of torture and ill-treatment of detainees were mentioned, including sexual abuse and rape of women and children.

Officially, Lukashenko won the elections. But opposition candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya claimed to have won a decisive first-round victory with at least 60% of the vote. She called on Lukashenko to start negotiations.

He refused. One day after the vote, Sviatlana fled the country with her children and has become the main face of the peaceful protests that resulted.

Thousands of women and men take to the streets every day. The protesters are forcefully beaten down by police officers. Still, the people of Belarus rise every morning and demonstrate in peaceful ways.

They give flowers to the police officers.

They sing songs.

And they feel the power of community.

Recently, even the LGBT community dared to join the protesters. They carry rainbow flags.

“LGBT people are calling for freedom. We are tired of living in a dictatorship where we simply didn’t exist,” said Anna Bredova, one of the rainbow flag bearers.” — ABC News Australia

Three Women

Sviatlana is now in Lithuania. She is the spouse of Belarusian YouTuber and activist Siarhei Tsikhanouski who initially led the opposition.

However, he was put in prison before the elections began. And although Sviatlana claims to rather focus on being a mother and bake cakes, she stood up and ran for president.

There are two more women though, as faces of this peaceful protest. Veronika Tsepkalo left the country, just like Sviatlana.

But Maria Kolesnikova stayed in Belarus.

And now she has been abducted.

Feminine Leadership Is Rising

Why should we care, you ask? It’s far away.

Belarus has nothing to do with us, in our safe (well, how safe for everyone are our countries really?) western world countries.

Well, I care.

I care a lot!

Recently I wrote about feminine leadership and how two waves are flooding this earth now. One is the wave of the Trumps, Putins, and Bolsonaros.

They are arrogant, violent, and want to control others.

The other wave is what I call feminine leadership. Andrea Menard describes the 7 qualities of a feminine leader beautifully in her blog.

And this is not about men or women. It’s about the compassionate kind of leadership that tolerates diversity. It’s about emotional intelligence. It’s the kind of leadership that inspires others to become their best self.

In my story, I described Nelson Mandela as my biggest real-life example because of his Truth and Reconciliation Commission after the abolition of apartheid in South Africa.

And I follow the uprising in Belarus.

It’s such a good example of what’s happening in the world right now!

Lukashenko takes to hardcore violence. The protesters use flowers and songs to disarm him. And I really hope they can keep their patience and peace.

Peaceful protest is such a strong weapon as you can read in this Guardian article about Hong Kong.

Putin has given his support to Lukashenko, which scares me. But at this moment Lukashenko doesn’t dare to shoot with sharp (yet). He is too afraid that the police officers will stop obeying him. And when they no longer support him, he will be lost.

And now the abduction of Maria.

I send my love to all Belarus’ women and men on the streets.

I hope they will remain strong. And I cry for the missing people, the beaten people, and all their loved ones. I hope all of them can feel the wave of change that is also happening in other countries.

Like in New Zealand with their young, wise leader Jacinda Ardern who united her nation in the aftermath of the Christchurch shooting. And who is now leading her country so wisely with regard to the COVID-virus.

It’s really a wave of change that’s flooding the world.

And we are all part of it, one way or another.

We need to be strong and kind and supportive. All of us, in the face of hardcore violent oppression. We need to stick to peaceful protesting. It’s a powerful weapon if we combine it with fierce support in our communities.

I send my love. Will you send yours too, please?

Let’s weave the new compassionate societies with the threads of our love.

Let’s do it together.

And if you want to connect, you can find me on LinkedIn or Twitter. Or somewhere in the world, changing our economies into life-supporting systems for all species…

Further Reading

You can find me here: LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, ManyStories or my website.

© Désirée Driesenaar