Truth about Belarusian death squad learnt in Washington

The play dedicated to the political assassinations in Belarus, and which had a premiere on the day of disappearances of Viktar Hanchar and Anatol Krasouski, appalled American spectators.

As informed by Voice of America, Belarus Free Theatre is an independent troupe of free actors who do not have their own stage in Belarus. Belarus Free Theatre does not even have an address, its plays are banned, and its actors can be fired from full-time job any moment at the best. And at the worst they are simply imprisoned. All actors once worked in other theatres, but as soon as they decided to dedicated their life to Free Theatre, they were fired.

“Those who have decided to dedicate their lives to Free Theatre, do not work anywhere officially now. All of us were forced to leave our jobs. As for me, my work record card, for instance, is kept at home for 4 years already. All the state theatres have “relieved” us,” an actor Aleh Sidorchyk told.

It was the first appearance of Free Theatre in Washington. The theatre from Minsk which is banned in its home country presented his much talked-of plays “Jeans Generation” and “Discover Love” by Mikalai Khalezin (Nikolay Khalezin).

As informed by Voice of America, “Discover Love” is a love story told by a woman who finds out her husband has been kidnapped and murdered. As independent European experts believe, Iryna Krasouskaya’s husband Anatol was a victim of political “death squadrons” in Belarus Following the initial shock of the tragedy, her thoughts turn to words left unsaid, dreams unrealized. The work intermingles the experience of the widow Irina Krasovskaya with that of similar stories of women from Asia, South America and Latin America. Collection of materials for the piece took nine years, as it was hard for Iryna to speak about her husband’s murder, and to return to those events. Even now it is hard for Iryna to watch this play, even after 10 years.

“It is well done emotionally, but it is so hard for me… As it is my life. Many years have passed, but it still hurts,” Iryna Krasouskaya said to Voice of America.

The tour of the independent Belarusian theatre has attracted attention of the press and public in the US. “Washington Post”, an influential newspaper, has written about the tour of the theatre as about an important event, as a theatre with such a free political form is a breakthrough for the US audience. Running a risk of arrest, Belarusian spectators take their passports to the performance in Belarus. What was demonstrated on the stage was a shock for the public in Washington.

“I have never heard about the events shown in the play. I am so shocked I cannot speak calmly. We have come with our friends, and this play has made a really great impression on us,” one of the spectators said.

“I think it is a very patriotic piece. On the one hand, it is very intimate, and on the other, it is a universal topic. Many similar events are taking place around the world, such things happen everywhere, but they must not happen. This play tells about a strong love and a loss. Murders evoke grief and terror,” another dweller of Washington shared her impressions.

In the end of the report Voice of America noted: in Washington, like in other countries of the world, where Free Theatre actors performed, nothing limits their creative freedom, but on return to Belarus, their dangerous standoff with the regime will continue. However, the realization how many fans they have in their motherland, and understanding of the importance of their mission, to bring a free word to the closed society, make their sacrifice worth the risk.

Representatives of the Belarusian expat community had a chance to attend performances of the Free Theatre in Washington. After the performance of “Discover Love” a representative of the Belarusian Youth Movement of America shared his impressions with www.charter97.org:

- The play “Discover Love” is based upon real facts, a real love story of Iryna Krasouskaya and Anatol Krasouski. It gives the play not only a social meaning, but a noticeable political overtone. This play launched the international campaign of creative workers in support of the UN Convention against forcible abductions.

The drama is exceptionally deep and symbolic. It found echo in each person’s heart. The words of the protagonist when he tells about his death are memorable. And terrible cold is piercing one’s heart, as it is not a legend; it is truth of life, of life in Belarus. Terrible people are always found in the world, they want money and power, disregarding the fact that they walk over dead bodies in a proper sense of the word to achieve their aim.

It is natural that people turn to God in crisis moments. And that’s where the potential is concentrated which feeds the hope of people for a better future. That is why a prayer for innocent victims written by Polish Catholic priest Jerzy Popiełuszko, who was murdered by Communist authorities, has become a part of the play.

The performance has moved our hearts, as people from our today’s Belarusian life have been shown. That is why when you watch “Discover Love” one understands that the events happened to the main heroine, could have happened to each of us. Isn’t it the most important thing, when you leave the theatre to realize something?