“Sovetskaya Belorussia” about Union of Poles: “Before this Andzelika is nailed down, nothing would change”

Another opus by Dmitry Kryat (Dzmitry Krat) about the conflict in Ivyanets has been published in the newspaper owned by Lukashenka’s administration and was called “Ghosthouse”.

“Sovetskaya Belorussia” returns to the topic of seizure of the Polish House in Ivyanets by Belarusian authorities again. This article is apparently a response to intention of Polish authorities to impose sanctions against Belarusian officials for violations of the rights of the Polish minority in Belarus and recent arrests of the UPB leaders.

The author of the article Dmitry Kryat starts with quoting US Senator Mark Hanna: “There are two things you need for success in politics. Money and I can't think of the other”.]

“It is a wonderful comment to the developments with Ivyanets “Polish house” and in general to numerous stories in which names of Borys, Poczobut, Pisalnik, Sobal appear, as well as other personalities of kinetic energy of “Polonia”. Banal struggle for money are taking place, and certainly behind a smokescreen of high and beautiful words. If Tereza Sobal had been calling names and making scenes to her former friends in the local branch of the UPB, placed a flag with a white eagle in the centre of Ivyanets only because of her principles and absolutely without seeking to profit, it would make her akin to Mother Teresa undoubtedly. But looking at the events in Ivyanets, the artificial row related to who is first-class Pole, and who is second-class; “black lists” and this entire devilry, it becomes clear that this problem cannot be resolved by discussions: it has come to trials and police. But if we try to understand the plot of struggle of “Tereza Sobal and her friends for the Polish cause”, even superficially, it becomes clear that the real meaning of the conflict is material interest, and not a romantic battle for “cleanness of robes”, the writer of “Sovetskaya Belorussia: flings accusations.

And ten, “in the best traditions “of the Soviet press, Kryat offers words of “indignant citizens of Ivyanets”, full of groundless charges against the leader of Ivyanets branch of the Union of Poles Tereza Sobal and statements that “only her people” could get into the Polish House while she was the leader, and now it finally belongs to “everyone”.

And in the end Kryat quotes some “83-year-old lady Zoya”: “Before a pinch of salt is dropped on the tail of this Andzela (probably Andzelika Borys, the UPB leader, is meant – charter97.org), nothing good would come of it. She has wedge herself into the Polish government. So let them take her to their country. Let her live a quiet, well-off life”.

A journalist of “Sovetskaya Belorussia” claims that one forth part of his conversations with people in Ivyanets have been printed. “I had enough material in my Dictaphone for at least 8 newspaper pages. For all who think that I have decorated the tale with fictions, I invite you to my place, let us listen together. Unlike Warsaw, in Ivyanets not many people pay attention to this tempest in a tea cup. Young people are not interested in squabbling, elderly people have so many problems with each other that it’s hard to tell it in a tale or write with a pen. In any case, everyone speaks about Tereza Sobal with an understanding smile, nobody sees her as a “great martyr”. Everyone knows perfectly well that she had been working for money, and not following the dictates of heart,” he wrote.

Then Kryat gives a “piquant detail” as he describes it:

“It is common knowledge that not so many Poles live in our country. Calling things by their proper names, we should say that many people in Ivyanets, for instance, confirm that by “a Pole” they most often mean “a Catholic”. There are many historic reasons for that. Nevertheless, when people want to be called Ukrainians, even when they had been living in Belarus for many generations, it is wonderful, nobody would be against. The same situation is with Russians, Poles and so on. On the other hand, not a single conflict situation with ethic minorities had been recorded up till now. But isn’t Kyiv thinking about its people? Would Lithuania be silent in case of discrimination of Lithuanians in Belarus? Nothing of the kind! Only a little group of paid-up patriots is making a row. It’s a pity that some Warsaw politicians are so absorbed by “struggle” which had been initiated by them. They should have asked Archbishop Kandrusevich, as it is a part of Polish mentality, to seek advice from a Roman Catholic priest, and he would tell them the truth. And the truth is that another eruption nationality conflict had been invented on purpose and brought to us from outside. But people, who belong to Orthodox or Roman Catholic Church, do not accept artificial passions. And it is not clear at all, what do they want from our country?” the representative of “Sovetskaya Belorussia” questions.