Mikalai Statkevich: Moment Of Truth Comes

(updated) It's not enough to dance to be a patriot.

One of the leaders of the Belarusian National Congress Mikalai Statkevich commented upon today's detention of his allies Uladzimir Niakliaeu, Viachaslau Siuchyk and Maxim Viniarski for Radio Liberty. The video is available here.

- "Euronews" journalists have already been here, so Europe will know everything.

Everything that was done, all these concerts - to please Europe, and now such a fail happened. All the information about the detention of Niakliaeu, Siuchyk, Viniarski came straight to me and they filmed me getting it.

- Who benefits from these detention, why did this happen?

- I think it's just their brains got jammed of fear before the rally. Although we announced straightaway that the rally will be festive. However, on the Freedom Day, people will be able to freely express their opinion at our rally, without censorship, in contrast to the concert. Probably, even this frightens (the authorities - ed.). They can not now afford the luxury of dispersing something now. But they fear that something similar to what took place 20 years ago will happen again. And 20 years ago, on March 25, 1998, there was a worthy march along the same route, from Yakub Kolas Square to the Opera Theatre. Lukashenka did not like this so much that he still remembers his shock.

I feel great pity for Uladzimir Niakliaeu. We forbade him to go to this procession, because last year he was detained by the riot police in Brest in such a way that he was seriously injured and is now undergoing a course of treatment that cannot be interrupted.

Today's detentions are brutal, but to some extent they come as a moment of truth.

I do understand the people who want to live right here right now: to grow kids, to enjoy life... We have hipsters, the Zybitskaya Street, the concert parties near the City hall - just like all normal people! Only, there are riot policemen standing around the City Hall with severe expressions on their faces. They can come to the Zybitskaya Street and say: "Face to the ground! Lie down!"So that people would remember their place.

And now - they wanted to celebrate. The authorities gave you this holiday, a concert. We have achieved this by coming out to the streets in the 2.5 years, while I am at liberty. The authorities decided not to get involved: here's a concert. And the majority said: we are patriots, we just want to celebrate. But there are other patriots who decided that it was necessary to hold a rally. There is such a message of this action: on the anniversary of last year's dispersal, the people who are looking for a way out of this hateful power have turned their eyes from Putin to us. People had an alternative: we or Putin. The people began to view us as an alternative. And this is the salvation of independence. Because there is a popular Putin and an unpopular Lukashenka, who lives on Putin's money. Where will it lead? The final is known.

If on this day (March 25 - Ed.) we just dance in the fences, then people will say: "No, these are clowns. Only Putin." Now is the moment of truth.

No matter how much you want to dance and consider yourself a patriot and a worthy person - dance and consider yourself a worthy person, but first come at 12.00 on March 25 to the Yakub Kolas Square.

If you do not come there, after what has happened and will happen, it's the moment of truth for you. You are there, at the Yakub Kolas Square, and from there you go to a concert, or you just dance. Your choice. But after that I would be careful not to be called a patriot, or maybe a decent person. Your choice.

- After what happened today, is the censorship at the festive concert possible?

- It already exists. Everything was announced beforehand, all the slogans have been coordinated. The people will be searched. Incorrect slogans will be seized. The speaker shave been warned. I think they have already selected those who will perform.

I believe that the list of speakers has been coordinated with the authorities. And those who are uncontrolled will not be admitted.

Well, maybe it's even good that everything turned out this way. There will be no illusions that Lukashenka is allegedly some "defender of independence". Have you seen such a "defender of independence"? As they say, how long can they tolerate this "face to the ground", figuratively speaking? If you respect yourself, come and stand beside us on the 100th anniversary of our independence.

- Did Uladzimir Niakliaeu intend to speak at the festive concert?

- I no that no one invited him. I know he was going to get to the Historical Museum to the opening of the exhibition (to the 100th anniversary of the BPR - edit.), but it turned out there was also censorship there, and he wasn't admitted.

- They didn't let him to the museum?

- They didn't give him an invitation. They coordinated the lists. Someone included Niakliaeu in this list, but then they crossed him out, together with the one who suggested him.

- What will be your actions before March 25?

"They'll stay here. They won't break the doors in the framework of the administrative case. I am sure that the organizers of the rally, who will remain free, will reach the gathering point. In the meantime, organizational work. We are preparing that action and we want it to be dignified and the people saw that in addition to the concert opposition, there is a protest opposition. The people's opposition, which remembers about the people, their problems, and remembers about what happened during the popular demonstrations last year.

We are with the people. We are an alternative to Putin.

Officers walk straight. I declare my intentions openly. My colleagues and I just wanted to celebrate this day. If you (the authorities - ed.) turn this holiday into a matter of moral choice of the nation, I do not choose the option to hide my intentions.

I hope that not only a few real men and women, whom I know, live in Belarus. I hope that there are many worthy and brave people here. All of us, thanks to Lukashenka, were in the situation of the moment of truth.

Choose who you are and do not flaunt.