Hunger-strikers from Free Trade Union of Belarus are rudely expelled from Babruisk City Executive Committee
At 10 a.m. on November 5, the members of the Free Trade Union of Belarus who have been dismissed from the Tractor Details and Aggregates Plant, Aliaksandr Hramyka, Aleh Shauchenka, Aliaksandr Varankin and Mikalai Zhybul, declared a hunger-strike in the building of the Babruisk City Executive Committee. The
activists intended to spend the first day of the hunger-strike in the building in order to draw the attention of the officials to their problem.
The workers believe that the plant administration didn't extend the labor contracts with them due to their membership in the FTUB. Bear in mind, recently the fired workers have addressed Aliaksandr Lukashenka with an open letter, but haven't received any response. Instead, they were informed that their appeal was forwarded to the Minsk Tractor Plant, from which it can return to the head of the plant, Aliaksandr Ahranovich, whose actions they appealed.
“The officials seemed not to pay any attention to us”, said Aliaksandr Varankin. “But it was probably them who called the police. Police lieutenant-colonel Siarhei Rudzko arrived. He told us he had read about the hunger-strike in the Internet. He quite rudely pushed us out to the street, grabbing us by the clothes, and then also proposed to lead us to the social employment centre.”
At present, the hunger-strikers stay outside the building of the executive committee. They intend to stay there until the evening, hoping that the authorities will pay attention to their problem.
“We intend to stand here until Lukashenka, the guarantor of the Constitution” pays attention to what is happening at TD&A Plant. We have understood that the local authorities are reluctant to deal with our problem,” say the hunger-strikers.
As reported by them, their relatives treat their hunger-strike with understanding. “They understand that we need to struggle for the truth and justice, and there is no other way out in our country”, pointed Mr. Varankin.
