Padabed thinks supporters of independence are slime

Alena Makarevich, Young Front activist and participant of the action dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the Belarusian National Republic independence, told Radio Svaboda about beating and arrests of the youth on 25 March.

– Alena, there is information, that you were beaten up twice. Tell about it.

– I was beaten when I was breaking through the cordon. Zmitser Dashkevich, Artur Finkevich and I tried to cross over street railways near editor’s office of “Vecherni Minsk,” but we didn’t succeed, because militia began to beat us brutally, Dashkevich was hit in the face, Finkevich was given a blow in the eye. Riot militiamen beat me on the legs, so there are no traces of beating on my face...

I can say just one thing: when we were staying, we heard an order of Padabed, head of Minsk riot militia. He said: “Take that slime,” meaning us three. So they took us. We saw him, he said it pointing at us. We understood he had a list of people who should be detained. Taking into account judgements our boys got (15 days of arrest), we understood, they had such a list, because other less famous people were sentenced only to fines.

– Were you fined?

– I’m a minor. They draw up a report against me, and I was set free 0.30am.

– Alena, you have such a vigorous voice... Did any energy remain in you after the action?

– Frankly speaking, it didn’t remain. We didn’t expect such turn of events. We have discussed the situation, and Artur Finkevich said he doesn’t remember such things since 2004... We hoped for some liberalisation, everything was so unexpected, that no impressions remain... Just shock.

– How and when did you join the protest movement?

– It was in 2006 during the elections. Then I joined the Young Front, and we continue to struggle now...

– Alena, when will you be 18? You can get into prison then...

– Yes, but what can I do?

– Will it be after main political events or can it coincide?

– It will be in summer.

– When you go to an action, you want to change something. What would you like to change, what concrete thing don’t you like in the current situation?

– I’m indignant with everything: with our people, it is so stupid, frankly speaking, with the authorities - they are infidels, you understand what I want to say... When they say about negotiations with Europe and then act like that. I’d like everyone feels in his or her heart he or she is Belarusian, only than awakening of people will begin.

– What attitude school teachers have towards you?

– Headmaster promised to expel me from school yesterday. It’s not the first time. I was said to take my documents and go away. They allegedly won’t allow me to take exams. We will discuss the situation until the vacations end.

– Do your classmates support you?

– You know, they are joshing me, but then I noticed one went to a demonstration, then second, third, forth...

– Is the BRSM (pro-Lukashenka youth movement) active at your school?

– 99 per cent of pupils, since 5th form, are members of the BRSM. In the 11th form pupils join the BRSM by force, because they fear not to be enrolled into a university, and so on. I said I wouldn’t join the BRSM, and they didn’t include me in the list.

– When you are at meeting, you may be beaten, taken to a paddy wagon. How do your parents react to it?

– My father has normal reaction. But, mommy is not so enthusiastic after letters from the KGB were sent to her place of work, after she began to feel some discrimination at work. She waits I will be 18 and she won’t be responsible for me.

– What would you like to say to the people listening to you today?

– I’d like to wish them belief and hope. I wish they weren’t afraid to take to streets. Because who else but us? I wish people didn’t say only the youth continue to believe... With all my soul I wish hope and belief in our better future.