Svetlana Alexievich Refused To Head Official Commission On Establishing Monument In Kurapaty

The Nobel Prize laureate has said that it is not possible because of massive repressions against the opposition in the country.

Nobel laureate in literature Svetlana Alexievich was called from the Lukashenka's administration and offered to head the commission to establish a monument in Kurapaty.

Svaboda asked Svetlana Alexievich to tell about this fact.

– I do not want to discuss it. We had a difficult conversation.

– And what would you say about the announced competition of sketches of a memorable sign in Kurapaty?

– I was not even very well prepared for this conversation, I do not know much about it. There are already some conflicts. They tried to tell me, but since I did not think to go into it, the only thing I said was that there should be people for whom Kurapaty is a matter of life. And only Pazniak would have the right to lead such a commission. And there should be more people who actually raised Kurapaty up.

– Was that the only call you received from Lukashenka’s administration?

– Yes, for the whole time.

– In general, what monument can be made in Kurapaty?

– Professionals are needed here. Well, I have to think about this, as I have not thought about it yet. It is very difficult, such monuments already exist in the world. And it's very hard, of course, to find some kind of tragic image again. It's not right to pass judgment on this matter just like that.

– So you refused the administration’s offer...

– Well, proceeding from the fact that I had quite poor vision... People are in prison, there were so many arrests on Freedom Day, there was such hatred, they were beating people with hatred. So it would be somehow strange for me to participate in all this.

– And did they tell you who else was in this commission?

– They told me, but I cannot remember. I remember that there were Yakubovich, Kuzniatsou. Well, Kuzniatsov is a person who was engaged in repression, and the rest were the officials whom I do not know.

– It is a pity that these issues are disposed in camera...

– That's what I was saying, that there should be a people's discussion, because it's all somehow done behind the scenes. It's not mine considering my character and perception of such things.... I cannot play under the blanket.