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Enough For Kitchen Table Talks

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Enough For Kitchen Table Talks
Aleh Vouchak
Photo: charter97.org

Today Kiryl, grandson of former Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus Yury Zakharanka, turned 17.

When Kiryl was 9 months old he was left without grandfather. On May 7, 1999 Yury Mikalaevich Zakharanka was walking home along the Mahilyouskaia Street in Minsk, but never arrived. He was kidnapped in plain view of the public by some unknown persons, who, according to the received description, looked like law enforcement officers.

Until now, location of the general is unknown. There were lots of publications, documentaries, statements of evidence revealing that Belarusian authorities had a hand in abduction of Yury Zakharanka. Just like that, in the center of Europe the opposition leader was kidnapped, but the investigators are silent, though in the corridors of the investigative offices they say only one thing: when the government changes, we will punish those responsible.

Kiryl together with his mother, sister and grandmother had to leave Belarus for Germany in 2001 and they still leave there. The grandson of the respected General has been waiting for the truth from Belarusian authorities for 17 years.

Some Belarusians have forgotten about the abducted politicians, some don’t even know about the abductions, and some think that those events do not affect their lives and they can just pretend that this issue doesn’t bother them. But believe me, exactly this dark stain on the government will not let us, Belarusians, achieve freedom and well-being, until all the circumstances of this terrible crime against humanity are revealed. Belarus more than ever needs investments, credits, technologies, but the business community will not come here until the authorities punish those guilty.

We all are participators in this crime if we remain silent and not resist this evil. When will Belarusians realize that there will be no better life in Belarus for us and our children, until we learn to respect ourselves and be honest with our children? I see that Belarusians crave for changes, but they expect these changes to be made by others. No, me dear fellow countrymen, until each and everybody realizes that he/she is stealing the best time from our successors, we won’t become a strong, independent and responsible nation. Children will not forgive us afterwards.

And while we’re having kitchen table talks, the authorities go on beating our neighbors, friends, because they are football fans, who wore “Pahonia” t-shirts, because a disabled person has to beg in the Metro to survive somehow, because people were cheated by building scammers, but they are not allowed to protest, because a mother protects her child, when the authorities take it away by force. This will end when we are in solidarity with each other.

May be it’s enough for the tolerance? Maybe it's time to stand up for our common future? Don't wait for the changes to happen – act to make them happen.

I wish Kiryl to be as brave, responsible and truly patriotic, as his grandfather Yury Zakharenka was. And be sure, Kiryl, no one will escape from justice for the committed crime. Time will not help them hide - too much evidence and too many witnesses who know how and what happened to the General on that fateful evening.

Aleh Vouchak, the leader of civil society movement named after Yury Zakharenka, specially for charter97.org

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