Mothers should protect their children

A woman who had been label called “opposition’s cashier” by Interior Minister of Belarus Uladzimir Navumau has been found. Natalya works as a chief accountant as one of Minsk enterprises.

She told “Belorusskiy Partizan” on the phone on Saturday: “I entered as I saw beaten children. I was to be with them. It’s not like strangers being there, it’s different… I saw Zmitser Dashkevich, Artur, Kasya Halitskaya… I asked to accompany them. When I entered the police department together with all the guys, they didn’t let me out of allow me to go away from there later”.

-- How did you found yourself at the rally of opposition on March 25?

-- My son went there. He is a Young Front member. After hours I went there too. As it is a holiday, it’s 90 years of our republic, I wanted to be there, to walk along the streets of my native city with other people. I went with a friend of mine. I met her at Traktarny Zavod metro station; we came to Kupalauskaya metro station, and from Kupalauskaya we managed to arrive to Victory Square only, as trains didn’t stop after that. We got off, and went to the Police Academy, and were not allowed to go further. We were on our way back, crossed the road on a pedestrian crossing at Victory Square near the bus stop of the 100th bus. And [riot policemen] started to encircle us. There were many buses standing there, through a window I saw Zmitser Dashkevich and other guys. He was badly beaten. I started crying. I started to look for my son anxiously. I wanted to enter the bus, but riot policemen stopped me. Then they started to drag new people into the bus, I asked to enter the bus again, but a riot policeman didn’t allow me. I told I want to accompany children to the police department, even grant some help.

-- You weren’t detained, were you? Did you enter the bus of you free will?

-- I entered because I saw beaten children there. I was to be with them. . It’s not like strangers being there, it’s different… I saw Zmitser Dashkevich, Artur, Kasya Halitskaya… I asked to accompany them. When I entered the police department together with all the guys, they didn’t let me out of allow me to go away from there later.

- On what grounds?

-- On no grounds at all, though I tried to explain it later, and everybody confirmed my words…

- And how the money was found in your things? Have you been searched? And what money it was?

- I wasn’t searched. They started to make a list of the articles everybody had. They registered everything I had as well. The money had been intended for buying calcium-silicate building blocks from “Zabudova” company which is situated in the village of Chysts. I had queued there since September 6, 2006. I couldn’t come and buy these blocks as I had to pay taxes on March 20. I asked for a possibility to come and pay for them after March 20. The sum was prepared by me already. I didn’t have the whole sum; I’m going to borrow short.

- Are you building a house?

- Yes. I told in the police department that this money is intended for buying building materials. They didn’t even tell me anything about that. They simply copied numbers of banknotes, that’s all. I had the money in rolls of bills, a million each. There were six wads. Women usually do so in order to pay off easier. The rest of the sum was lying just so, as one of my acquaintances who had borrowed money from me returned the money.

At about 3 a.m. we were taken to the detention center in Akrestsin Street. Before that I sat in a room with Artur [Finkevich]. A report was drawn up there. Riot policemen drew up reports, they were crossing out something there. And when I read the report that I had beaten riot policemen, it turned my blood cold. I said: How can you write things like this?! Then a lieutenant came and started to write a new report, but I didn’t even want to read it.

- Have your words been entered into the report?

- First riot policemen were writing their notes… When the lieutenant arrived, he read the first report written by riot policemen and threw it away. He started to write a new one. I didn’t even read it. I refused to sign it and wrote on the back side that I do not agree with that. I went to the court without signing the report. Then they told that I must be pictured, my fingerprints taken. I started to cry, but I didn’t signed any documents again.

- What happened next?

-- We were taken to the detention center in Akrestsin Street. I saw Krystsina Shatsikava was taken bad, that Dashkevich’s face was swollen because of bruises. Krystsina asked for a doctor to be called in. I was indignant: how could they go so far as to beat young people like that then we were invited to the second floor and placed to a cell. We were searched again. First there were 6 or 7 persons in the cell, and about 4 p.m. three more girls were placed there. They were students of the Foreign Languages institute. They were on their way home from the university, and were seized.

- What happened next?

- We expected at least tea to be given us in the morning. But we hadn’t been given any tea. In fact, we stayed hungry for 24 hours. At 10 or 11 a.m. I was summoned. When I was walking along the corridor, I saw four persons. One of them had a camera. While I walked, he shot me all the time. By the way, I was pictured in the police department as well. There was a table in the office where I was taken. My money was placed there. I thought my things were taken there from the police department. A lady of 30-33 entered. She started to “interview” me, in a way. She asked: “Is it your money?” I said yes. “What is it for?” I said I had money with me as I wanted to buy building materials. “Isn’t it money for opposition?” she asked. I said, certainly not. Then I asked her to present herself and asked why were they videoing me. She presented herself and said she worked for the First TV Channel.

- So, what’s her name?

- You know, I do not remember now. I said: “Shame on you! You have decided to manipulate with my money? Do you have conscience?” I wanted to leave the room – the door was open. I went out, and while I walked along the corridor, a man with a camera was filming me. I told about everything to my cell-mates

It’s such an awful thing, as it can be easily checked that I was in a queue for buying calcium-silicate building blocks…

In 40 minutes they sent for me again. I thought we would be taken away, as many people were taken away. I took my hat, but I was told to leave it. I was taken to some room again. Two persons in plainclothes were there. I saw one of them at a picture in Nasha Niva, at the Charter’97 web-site, when equipment of Radio Racyja was seized. He had a light brown coat on, with fair hair…

I was asked how I felt in the call. Then they asked is it true that my son was a Young Front member, and whom I know among the Young Front members. I said that I know Zmitser Dashkevich, Artur, that they are persons who believe in Bog, do not drink, do not smoke, they have good heads on their shoulders, speak our mother tongue, Belarusian… I told my son wrote an essay before the holiday, and I could quote it: “Motherland should be dearer for you than your mother and father. No matter what cruel things or injustices are done to you by it, you must endure it and not to look for ways to avoid it”. (She starts to cry). They told me that they can help me to be released. I said let the court decide it. And if the court would sentence me to 15 days of arrest, I will stay in prison. And if I would be sentenced to a fine, I’ll pay… Though I told nobody arrested me, that I simply couldn’t go away from there as a mother, I was to follow the young people, as I know they are often beaten in paddy wagons. And during the trial over Zmitser Dashkevich, I learnt my son was transported with other guys in a paddy wagon, they were beaten there.

- What’s the name of your son?

- Zmitser Yasevich. I was asked about my son. I said he’s a member of the Young Front. He cannot be an activist, as he studies, but when he arrives home (he studies in a [Vilnius-based] European Humanities University) he meets with friends and certainly supports them…

At 35 I was left alone… My husband died. All my life is devoted to children and work…

And later we were taken to the court. Two sergeants were witnessing in the court, certainly. They said I was shouting: “Long live Belarus!”, that I was not obeying them, and they detained me, though it was a lie. I was sentenced to a fine, 30 basic units. I was told that my money would be returned only after I pay the fine. But I must buy the building materials before April 4, their cost has risen already… I have decided that a million should be taken by them from the money they seized. They agreed. But I haven’t been given and receipt. Then i went home. My son didn’t stand trial as he didn’t have a passport with him on the rally. I was looking for him in all police departments. I was told he wasn’t found anywhere. Later I was told allegedly he was in the police department of Zavodsky district, though for a long time I was told he wasn’t there. And only at 3 a.m. I was told that he was in the detention center in Akrestsin Street.

- Are you a member of some party?

- No, I am not. I support my son as a mother. He has patriotic believes. And the events that are happening are simply awful. I told those KGB guys that I’ll fight for my son till the end.

- Do you have one son?

- Yes. I’ll buy blocks before April 4, and after that I want to visit Interior Minister Uladzimir Navumau. I want to show all my documents for construction. It is very easy to check and to confirm. I told about that the KGB men and police.

I was also asked how I would live in case I would be fired. I answered that if my director wouldn’t understand me, I’ll hold on. I have a working experience of 34 years, I have graduated from 2 universities, I majored in finances. I have nothing to fear, I won’t stay unemployed. But I think they will understand me at my work.

I think I haven’t broken any law. And what concerns the things that have happened to me, that had been reported to Navumau, or told about at the Belarusian TV… It’s somebody’s strategy, it’s a deceptive maneuver, in order to divert attention of people from the beating during the rally. I think these KGB men, if they phoned my company, they are sure to have made a call to “Zabudova” as well. They simply needed a misleading thing…

- Please tell us what’s your name?

- You know, I do not want my name to be mentioned at all. Call me simply Natallya. I am afraid that they will pressure me, crackdown on my enterprise. I am simply afraid of that…

When you will write about it, please write that I have done everything because I am a mother. Mothers must protect their children, and not to be indifferent. My actions are actions of a mother who would never walk past children who are beaten…

Photo by Yuliya Darashkevich, Nasha Niva