Niakliaeu On February 17 Action: We Should Stand For Each Other Like Wall

The moods in the view of the upcoming Outraged Belarusians March appear rather festive.

Poet and politician Uladzimir Niakliaeu has told this in an interview to the Charter97.org.

- The Outraged Belarusians’ March will be held in Minsk on February 17. What is your mood in the view of the upcoming action?

- I have a working, high mood. We are all busy getting prepared for the event. It appears obvious that the society is rather steered about this decree on the so-called “social parasites”. The people seem discontent not only because they have to pay big money for no reason, but also because, regardless of all the protests and the common sense, Lukashenka keeps saying: never mind, we’ll wait and see what happens next.

What’s the point of waiting to see what happens next? It seems pretty obvious today that the society refuses to accept this innovation of the regime and that the people will never allow such scorn over them.

- Do you think the “social parasites decree” has become the extreme point to exhaust the Belarusians’ patience?

- If it was the way you say it, the extreme point to exhaust the Belarusians’ patience, I would be glad. However, as long as people still have some savings that they managed to accumulate thanks to the typical Belarusian forethought, this will save the patience for a while. However, it won’t last long. Because we are facing very hard times.

The country’s economy is totally wasted, it just doesn’t exist. The regime will have nothing to silence the hungry mouths which will start emerging from everywhere. And here, a key moment might occur, because we will deal not with the internal threat coming from the regime, but with the threat from the outside as well. Our eastern neighbor appears to behave quite aggressively. When these two threats merge, it may be the extreme point to make the Belarusians lose their patience. The boiling point.

- What would you like to tell the Belarusian citizens on the eve of the Outraged Belarusians’ March of February 17?

- You know, there are people who found themselves in a very complicated situation due to this decree, but they decided to pay the fee anyway, and think: let it be. Don’t make a mistake, nothing will come out of it. If we don’t defend each other, from the regime, from the state, from the authorities, if we don’t help each other – no one will help us. This is the law under which our ancestors lived. If a relative suffered, all the relatives helped, if a neighbor was in need – everyone put one’s concerns off and helped, if a friend, an acquaintance had a bad time – everyone considered it their duty to help. We should stand for each other like a wall. This is the only way to survive!

Important to note, the Outraged Belarusians’ March will start at 6 p.m. on February 17 in the Kastrychnitskaya Square in Minsk. The participants of the street action will demand abolishment of the “social parasites” decree.