"It is 4 o'clock in the morning. There are sirens wailing, and gunfire can be heard everywhere. Teenagers aged 13 to 14, dressed in military uniforms and armed with rifles, run out of tents. Some return the fire, while others crouch down and run over to wounded schoolchildren. They bandage them, place them on stretchers and try to get them to safety. This is from a video that can be found on the "Patriots of Belarus" Instagram account."
"The "Patriots" are a social organization that was founded in December 2020, in the wake of the crackdown on the mass protests that erupted after the disputed presidential election of the same year. On the organization's website it describes its goals as promoting "respect and pride in the state symbols of the Republic of Belarus" and preserving the state's sovereignty and independence."
"According to the authors of a report called "Children without a future: the militarization of childhood in Belarus," Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko is using war games, maneuvers and swearing-in ceremonies to prepare schoolchildren for a "hot" war. The authors argue that the militarization of children is "a strategy for the regime's survival." The report was compiled by the Association of Former BELPOL Officers and the National Anti-Crisis Management (NAU), which were both founded by critics of Lukashenko and operate in exile."
It is 4 a.m.; sirens wail and gunfire is heard while 13–14-year-old teenagers in military uniforms run from tents, return fire and tend wounded schoolchildren, bandaging them and placing them on stretchers. "Patriots of Belarus" was formed in December 2020 to promote respect for state symbols and preserve sovereignty; it runs a "challenge" letting 9th and 10th graders experience military life. The 2020 disputed presidential election and following crackdown preceded intensified youth militarization. Alexander Lukashenko is using war games, maneuvers and swearing-in ceremonies to ready schoolchildren for a "hot" war as a strategy for regime survival. Exiled groups including the Association of Former BELPOL Officers and the National Anti-Crisis Management (NAU) compiled the findings.
Read at www.dw.com
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