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Take Courage, People, the Autumn Coming Soon!

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Take Courage, People, the Autumn Coming Soon!
Iryna Khalip

The First Bell always follows the Farewell one.

Every winter we can see the following inscription in a bus or a tram: "Take courage, people, summer is coming soon!" I like trams in winter for this. As soon as you enter it you're looking for such a simple prophecy. If you find it, things are getting better at once. And this tram optimist is always right: the summer is about to come.

It always comes so fast that you're not able to realize and feel the spring. There are usually no regrets - summer, holidays, walks around the city until dawn. The summer is always a winner. But not this time.

Now many people feel the summer (it is to come in a few days) like destruction of hopes: what, is this all? Were all our protest actions, marches across the country a waste of time? Nothing changed?...

No, dear, changes happened. Yes, for sure. It was not a waste of time. We again feel like the people the authority is afraid of. We are not a bunch of lambs going to the slaughter. We are able not only to cry in the kitchen or on social networks. There was a feeling that we faced a Soviet stagnation. We met wonderful people, worthy Belarusians.

Let's recall amazing Natallia Papkova. Let's recall 80-year old poet Jan Hryb. Let's recall colourful and brave cleaner Svyatlana from Vitsebsk. Let's recall a one-legged Mikalai Krychko in Pinsk. Let's recall nurse Lyudmila who prayed in front of the riot police cordon. Let's recall the girl who was directing to a paddy wagon and pushed away her elbow with neglect from a riot policeman intended to grab her for that elbow. Let's recall photos, speeches. That is a great spring! Every moment was sound and has become a light memory. But this is not the end. The Farewell Bell is not the signal to abandon protests.

There are also breaks in wars. We need it. This spring Uladzimir Nyaklyayew has suffered a few hypertensic crises. On May 1 he recovered from his hypertensic crisis . Of course, he needs some treatment. Let Ales Lahvinets enjoy his parental leave. Let Natallia Papkova has a rest from endless sring protests. Let Mikalai Statkevich and Maryna Adamovich spend these days in their house, which can soon be ruined. Let everyone of us regain strength before autumn protests.

There is nothing wrong. It is silly to be proud of having no vacation for ten years. In the end this is the only thing one can boast of, it is getting harder and harder to work. A summer break will let us be better prepared for the autumn.

Of course, there will be enough work in the summer - to fight for the release of young Belarusians who are behind bars because of the Patriot case, to explain relatives the necessity to come to the Square.

And the summer will pass quickly, we all know this. The First Bell always follows the Farewell one.

Take Courage, People, the Autumn Coming Soon!

Iryna Khalip for Charter97.org

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