The president of the Belarusian bishops’ conference has been barred from re-entering his country from abroad, after warning in a pastoral letter read out in churches on Sunday that the nation’s worsening crisis could spill into civil war. “Returning to Minsk, I was not allowed in at the Kuznica-Bialystok border crossing [with Poland],” Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, 74, of Minsk-Mohilev told the Catholic Information Agency, KAI, in Poland on Monday. “No explanation was offered. Even though I’m a citizen of Belarus I was told I was banned from entering Belarus, nothing more.”
Church sources in Minsk confirmed the exclusion of Archbishop Kondrusiewicz from the country.
For more than two weeks, Belarusian security forces have been confronting demonstrators protesting over the 26-year rule of President Alexander Lukashenko, who claimed to win a disputed presidential election on 9 August. In his letter, read in Catholic churches on Sunday, Archbishop Kondrusiewicz said Belarusian society was “spiritually ill”. He had arranged for a statue of St Michael the Archangel to be carried through the church's four dioceses, seeking divine help to settle the country’s conflicts.
Last week Catholic leaders in Minsk protested after law enforcement agencies blocked the entry of Sts Simon and Helena Church and later arrested protesters who had fled inside to avoid police. Auxiliary Bishop Yury Kasabutski said police actions late on 26 August were “inadmissible and illegal”. He said: “The church is a sanctuary of God that is open to everybody.”
“Blocking the entry and exit of people contradicts the right of citizens for freedom of conscience and religion guaranteed by the Belarus Constitution. Moreover, it insults the feelings of believers and goes beyond the laws of mankind and God.” His statement was also supported by Auxiliary Bishop Aliaksandr Yasheuski.
Archbishop Kondrusiewicz was out of the country when the incident occurred, but issued a statement of support for his auxiliaries and noted that the Belarusian armed forces are supposed to protect citizens’ rights, not hinder them.
He also called for reconciliation and dialogue to resolve the dangerous political instability in the country. President Alexander Lukashenko claimed his sixth election win on 9 August, with the electoral commission saying he won 80.1 per cent of votes cast. His nearest challenger, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, 37, a rights activist and former teacher, fled to neighbouring Lithuania after the ballot. During the nationwide protests that followed, police arrested thousands of demonstrators, including at least two priests who had tried to intervene with security forces.
In the incident at the church on 26 August, police had dispersed protesters in a nearby square, and about 100 of them took refuge in the church to escape. Police blockaded the entrances for several hours and, after opening the doors, arrested several people who left the church, according to Rome-based AsiaNews.
Sunday was Lukashenko’s 66th birthday and Russian President Vladimir Putin called him to offer his birthday greetings and invite him to Moscow. Protesters for their part chanted “Happy Birthday, you rat.” Lukashenko had previously called protesters “rats”.
Loading ...
