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"We Were Inspired By Siarhei Tsikhanouski"

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"We Were Inspired By Siarhei Tsikhanouski"

The story of a resident of the Homel region who continues to fight for freedom.

I was born in the Vetka district, in the homeland of the diplomat and politician Andrei Hramyka, in the village of Novyja Hramyki. My father taught drawing and physics and also worked as the director of a village school. We spoke at home and school exclusively in our native language.

Unfortunately, the tragedy at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant has not bypassed my family either. It was clear that something terrible had happened, but there was no way to find out. It is also impossible to leave the native land, it was forbidden in the village council. For understanding: it was impossible to imagine that the headmaster of the school would leave... all residents would be scared, so w had to wait... after 4 years, there was already a different approach - everyone was almost forcibly expelled from their native village. As always, I was sent to a pioneer camp in the summer, and my mother became very ill. The move was very difficult, we were leaving for the unknown.

In 1995, I entered the Faculty of Philology with a degree in Belarusian language and literature. This was still the period when the only state language was Belarusian, when democratic values and pluralism of opinions were appreciated, when it was difficult, but the dream of a better life gave hope. There was a popular joke among classmates: “All our subjects are in the Belarusian language, only physical education is in Russian.”

During my student years, I noticed the first changes that indicated that the state is not changing for the better. First, they changed the flag, then the Belarusian language was pushed into the background. But all the same, we did not understand how significantly the country would change. The understanding of everything came later when I was working as a teacher.

We were inspired by Siarhei Tsikhanouski

I was inspired by Brest. More precisely, the resistance of Brest residents to the construction of the battery plant. Then for the first time in Homel, I went out to "feed the squirrels" in the park. And each time there were more and more people who also shared their thoughts, their views. And I felt there as among my friends, associates, like-minded people. There was a desire to change something, firstly, the attitude towards the language, the influence of the public on significant issues of the city and country. So that people are not "tolerant" and lazy. There was anxiety for the language, for the nation, the feeling that we were losing it.

Siarhei Tsikhanouski gave the opportunity to all of us to get to know each other and make friends. He invited us, talked about not ours but also other people's in other cities problems. Indignation came after the first repressions in Homel. And the more repressions there were, the greater the indignation became. It was not clear why people should not gather on the street? Why can't you talk to friends?

It was on me that the pressure began on May 7. There were fines, and detention, and conversations with the police, and the police on duty near the house, and the capture of me as especially dangerous, etc. After these events, I began to support everyone who was subjected to repression. I started going to the courts. Also, people later came to me for trials. Then we carried parcels to the IVS together...

I then thought: "If I do not support my friends who are also fighting for the truth, then I am a traitor." Such support took a lot of time, especially in August, September, and October, but I could not do otherwise.

How I became a blogger

One of my neighbors filmed my detention on a mobile phone, and then this material was posted on the Internet. It started on July 3rd. There were not very many views, but the comments were funny. It turned out pretty cool. And since then I have tried to shoot the video myself and made my own channel. There I tried to prepare memos for people. How to behave in the police office? How to write to the prosecutor's office? I recorded people after the courts separately.

Now the channel has almost 3.4 thousand subscribers.

About elections

I didn't sign for anyone. And, unfortunately, I do not believe in the elections, only the name has remained from them. Although there were worthy candidates. It was already clear that there would be no elections if they began to hinder the registration of candidates, and then also detain and provoke. The result was already predictable. But many people opened their eyes and saw what was really happening. That people are raped, insulted, compared to cattle...

I was an election observer. It was an enchanting experience! On the first day at the polling station where I was observing, I counted 30 people on their heads, and in the minutes at the end of the day, they wrote 223! Complaints to the prosecutor's office and higher commissions were unsuccessful. What else is there to talk about?

The protests did not have any "puppeteers," except for comrades from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the KGB. It was they who provoked more and more. The prosecutor's office also did not react to violations of the electoral legislation. Thus, it is impossible to decide according to the law, the Internet is disabled... And what is left to do if there is no Internet? Just go outside! Here is the result: violence in the streets and the police department.

How is life in emigration

Now in Kyiv, I have a little bit more opportunities. I can speak freely and openly about what I think. I help my colleagues psychologically, I make videos...

Someone now says that we should not have walked with flowers, but it was necessary to fight more radically. Someone says the opposite: what flowers, they could shoot everyone. In fact, we won! People began to rally, speak their native language, overcame fear... We formed a civil society. This is a success! Songs, poems, culture... We can say that the best weapon at the moment is language! National Liberation Movement - The Path to Victory! A large number of people have already shown that they exist, and they are the majority. We have a centuries-old culture, we do not crave Russia or Poland. We are Belarusians!

Sviatlana Narskaya, Shtodzen

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