A Story from Salihorsk about Happy Women and Real Men

If today Belarusians were asked what love is, many would not talk about the stars in the sky and serenades under the moon.

In their view, love is carefully folded programs, daily letters of the size of half a notebook, and watch under the police department and pre-trial detention center in the pouring rain.

Love is when a husband says that he will no longer work and receive a salary, and you say “thank you” to him for that because you know what it cost him to make such a decision.

Do you think this does not happen? Salidarnasts talked with beautiful women, whose love today saves their men.

Volha: “I learned from the news that Sasha went to the strike”

- On March 8 this year, we will also celebrate if no one is detained, - Volha Kananovich from Salihorsk calmly says.

For nine months now, her family life has been reminiscent of textbook stories about revolutionaries. Volha and Aliaksandr live from detention to detention.

- Over time, at some stage, fear recedes and you stop being afraid. But now we understand even more clearly what all this is for, - Volha confidently declares.

The first time, Aliaksandr was detained back in June 2020 in Minsk, where he went on business.

- After release, he decided to take a walk in the center, came to Gorky Park; he did not have any flags or posters, he was alone, dressed in a T-shirt with Pahonia. Maybe that's why he was almost immediately detained and taken to the police department. He was kept there for 4 hours and released with a fine, - Volha recalls.

On July 14, about a dozen people gathered on the central square in Salihorsk, who wanted to express their disagreement with the refusal to register as presidential candidate Viktar Babaryka. One of those who came was Aliaksandr Kananovich.

- There was no rally; people just stood, exchanged opinions, Sasha was with our eldest 8-year-old son. The chief of militia came up to them and said: "I give three minutes for you to disperse, otherwise, we will detain." But three minutes had not passed. No one even had time to think when AMAP came in. The husband held his son by the hand, the child was simply pushed away, and the father was taken away before his eyes, without even knowing who the boy was with, - Volha says.

At that time, Aliaksandr was given 5 days "for alleged disobedience to law enforcement officers."

- Then he became an independent observer. On election day at 8 pm, he was kicked out of the polling station. My children and I had just come on this time to meet him. We decided to wait for the protocols. We were sitting on a bench, the children were playing nearby, the youngest child was 3 years old.

Literally, 15 minutes later, a bus drove up, and my husband and I were pushed there. There were few people around, someone hurried to leave, but I thought that we were not doing anything bad, and I was not going to run. The children did not notice how we were taken away. My husband and I could not calm down, I shouted all the way: "I have children there, what you are doing?" They threatened me: “Shut your mouth, otherwise, we'll put your muzzle on the floor,” Volha still recalls with a tremor in her voice the events of the fateful day.

It is even difficult to imagine the emotions of the mother of young children, who cannot find out what is happened to them. Volha was released only after 7 hours.

- Sasha was left for 10 days, and I ran home, not knowing where to look for the children. Fortunately, the older child was able to inform the grandmother that we were missing, and she then found them. He, the poor boy, was so scared that he had to go to a psychologist.

My husband was in Luban, where the attitude towards the detainees was normal. I wrote a bunch of complaints that the rights of my children were grossly violated, that they were left in a knowingly dangerous situation. But in response, I received only duty replies, - the interlocutor says.

On January 18, a worker of the JSC Belaruskali Aliaksandr Kananovich left for the strike. He worked at the enterprise for about 20 years.

- For a long time, I could not make up my mind because he brought the only income to the family. I am a fitness trainer by profession, but now I have almost no income. My husband's salary was about 2.5 thousand rubles. But I cannot say that I did not anticipate such a development of events.

I learned that Sasha had gone to the strike from the news. The first thing that I said to him when I saw it: “What are we going to eat?” Volha confesses.

She says that the family did not make any savings and that now they really have to save a lot. The history of arrests and detentions in the Kananovich family did not end there.

On November 13, during an excursion to the Kosauski castle, Volha was detained.

- It really was an interesting guided tour for the members of the strike and their families. We decided that I would go and be distracted, and my husband stayed with the children. During the excursion, a bus pulled up, and we were told: "Let's go to the ROVD." We received a standard answer to all questions about what was the matter: then you will find out, - Volha says.

This time, she was held in a pre-trial detention center for three days before the trial and was released with a fine of 10 base days for “participating in an unauthorized mass event.”

- Then I was very scared of the very fact that they would leave me in a pre-trial detention center because I did not know what it was. And my husband was very scared for me when he found out. But over time, the fear passed. When I was detained for the last time, I was no longer so afraid, although the security forces acted very tough,” Volha says about the recent detention of a group of people who went to the forest near Salihorsk to relax in nature.

- For me personally, the key moment when my consciousness turned upside down was the understanding that, under this power, I could not protect my children. I cannot punish anyone for offending, and I cannot complain to anyone. Therefore, everything we do, we do for the sake of our children, - Volha explains what gives her the strength to support her husband and remain optimistic.

They have been together with Aliaksandr for 12 years; for 10 of them, they have been married.

- He is very kind, - Volha calls the main quality of her husband with which he conquered her.

For a recent walk in the forest, Volha Kananovich was fined 80 base units. The family of the strike committee member does not have that kind of money.

Katsiaryna: "My daughter cried when she heard that dad was beaten"

Katsiaryna and Anton Dzemkou this year will celebrate a "tin" wedding. They have been married for 8 years. We met in the spirit of the times - on the Internet. Anton wrote "Hello," and Katsiaryna answered immediately.

- I am not a local, I came to Salihorsk to study at a college and was supposed to stay there for work. I didn't make any further plans, and then Anton appeared on the eve of the final exams. Then he had a couple of months before demobilization. On the first date, he invited me to take a walk around the city. Then I did not think that I would stay in Salihorsk for the rest of my life, - Katsiaryna recalls.

She speaks in a cheerful voice and even tries to smile, and then lowers her eyes again but does not cry. Literally on the eve of our conversation, Anton was sentenced to 15 days for a walk in the forest.

- Anton was very happy when I got pregnant, even though we weren't married then, we just filed an application. We immediately decided that we would have many children. Anton is very proud that he is a father of many children, - says the interlocutor.

The worker of JSC Belaruskali Anton Dzemkou was one of the first to go on strike, even before the People's ultimatum.

- I dissuaded him for a long time, - Katsiaryna admits.

- Is he the only breadwinner in your big family?

- I assure you, I was not afraid because of money, I was afraid for him. I didn't think about money at all. I saw what could happen to the striking miners, I saw how they were detained. But Anton said that he had to support the guys who went to the strike first. And I agreed, - Katsiaryna recalls how hard it was for her to accept her husband's decision.

She says that since then, there have been more worries in her life but no less love.

- When he was detained for the first time on an excursion to Kosava, he called from the ROVD, and I was very scared. I remember I called my mother-in-law and could not resist, I burst into tears. Anton was then kept for seven days.

Last weekend, the mother-in-law already called and said: something happened, Anton is not available. I was alarmed but did not want to think about the bad. I even lay down, tried to fall asleep, but still got up and began to read the Internet. I saw that they were detained, that they were detained harshly, and then I burst, into tears again, - already calm Katsiaryna says.

Nobody invited her to the court, Anton was given 15 days of arrest. He will miss this March 8 for the first time.

- We, besides me, have two more daughters - 4 and 7 years old. There is also a little son. The younger ones do not understand, but the eldest daughter heard my mother-in-law and I discussing that Anton might have been beaten during his arrest. She does not understand where dad is, but she cried from the fact that he was beaten. Now we are trying to distract her.

Anton always gives us gifts for all the holidays. He asked what to give me for the next birthday, but I refused the gift. Family is our greatest gift.

We constantly confess our love to each other. Anton is a tactile person, he loves to hug me, friends are even surprised that we have been together for so many years, have been married for a long time, and he is all about hugs,” the interlocutor smiles.

When asked how the family survives for six months without a husband's salary, he replies that relatives are helping.

- We were supported by all, no one reproached either my husband or me. And when Anton was now taken away, the wives of other guys from the strike called and wrote to me. It helps a lot when everyone supports each other, - Katsiaryna admits.

She confidently says that she does not regret her husband's decision to go on strike, and she is waiting for her main gift - his return, albeit not on March 8th.

Nadzeja: "When my husband was detained, I realized how dear he is to me"

“My husband returned after his arrest and the first thing he said was:“ I don’t go to work tomorrow, I don’t work for this regime anymore,” Nadzeja Asipian recalls.

They were detained with her husband together during the same excursion to the Kosauski castle.

- It's good that we didn't take our 11-year-old daughter with us, we left her at home with my grandfather. Otherwise, the child would be frightened. We drove together, and both of us were taken away. While we were together, it was not very scary, it became scary when we were separated. I was worried not for myself but for my husband because, due to illness, he had to take prescription drugs daily for several years. We expected to return and took the pills with us only for one day. For at least five days, my husband was without medication, - Nadzeja worries.

Both of them did not return from that excursion. Ihar was given 10 days, Nadzeja was released after the trial, three days later, with a fine of 20 base days.

- Paradoxically, that excursion was very interesting. I didn’t know about this castle, but I was delighted with it and I advise everyone to visit Kosava, despite what I have experienced, - says the interlocutor of Salidarnasts.

Her husband worked for several years at the unitary enterprise Niva, where they make spare parts necessary for OJSC Belaruskali. The strike committee members from the "Niva" united with the miners.

- I am grateful to my husband for what he did. This is the act of a strong man, - says Nadzeja about Ihar's civic position.

Nadzeja has known for a long time that he is capable of serious deeds. 15 years ago, Ihar, without hesitation, moved from Bryansk to Salihorsk because of his beloved woman, who had a small child from his first marriage.

- He bribed me with stability. We have a big age difference, and I felt that I had met a person who is wiser, stronger, more experienced,” Nadzeja admits.

In recent months, she says, the couple have been able to re-evaluate each other.

- I was also on that walk near Salihorsk, where people were seized. Then I ran away, but it turned out that my passport remained there. Therefore, the next day, I went to the ROVD myself, I did not want to be taken from the house in front of the child.

While I was away, I found out that our house was being searched. I was very worried about my daughter, and when I returned, I calmed down. I learned that my daughter was not frightened at all. This means that Ihar was so calm that it was passed on to the child. My husband accompanied me to the court, waited near the court, met and supported me in every possible way, - Nadzeja says.

She was punished with a fine of 45 basic units. But the spouses intend to appeal the court decision.

- I would say that, despite the material difficulties, we have recently become closer. Previously, we did not attach such importance to the words of love, the husband could sometimes say: "You know that I love you." Now he confesses his love to me every day, he has become more caring, often says: "Lie down, rest, I do it myself." I appreciate it endlessly!

When he was detained for a day, I realized how dear he is to me. I held on all the time, and when I met him later, I broke down and burst into tears, - says the wife of the strike committee member.

In fact, Nadzeja does not allow herself to cry, only if a little, only if from joy. She says that she does not regret anything, and admits that if she had to go through all the events of recent months again, she would not change anything, she would do the same.