Seven Excerpts from Alies Bialiacki’s Works

Much of what Alies Bialiacki had written before he was imprisoned still remains topical. Nasha Niva chose and translated seven excerpts from his works.

“We build our country by our own mind and we base upon our traditions.” A very convenient slogan for the regimes with mass violations of human rights. Say, it’s our business and we will sort it out ourselves.

Nostalgia for USSR, 2005

Why are all dictators so alike? The formula to keep people obedient and subservient is as old as the world. Dissent is eradicated and lackey devotion is welcomed, the information is controlled and people are given only what approved by a dictator. The whole world becomes an enemy and dissenting persons got imprisoned or disappear... These theses, which may be named eternally, becomes the sort of Lego bricks, the clichés, no matter whose name all newspaper headlines bear and whose face is constantly shown on TV.

Here is Hitler who exposes a “conspiracy” by his closest associates and destroys them. Stalin does the same. And here is Lukashenka who sends his former mentor Minister of Agriculture Liavonau to prison. Here is Lukashenka who fires those who helped him gain the power. One of them — Viktar Hanchar — soon disappears...

Here is a vivid picture: Kim Il-sung teaches Korean peasants to plant rice, and here he shows Korean steel makers how to melt metal. Where have I seen all that? Oh, I do remember: here is military uniform dressed Lukashenka shooting a machine gun; and then he personally conducts sowing and harvesting campaigns; goes to negotiate on export of Belarusian lorries MAZ to Lebanon; lays the foundation of ski resort Silichy near Minsk...

We may start from different side. Here is Lukashenka who ‘allies’ with Milosevich and shows his ardent support of Iraq and Iran. And here is Hitler who allies with Stalin; and Gaddafi who supports terrorists in Europe... Why are they all so alike?

Poor are those nations who yield to the rule of a dictator. His sweet-voiced orations seem so magical. Listening to him, it seems everything is turning out well: we’re winning, and all the enemies — both at home and abroad — will soon be defeated, and then the land of ours will turn into the paradise... And anything is sacrificed to sweet-mouthed Vaal.

However, it brings a painful awakening: did we do it? Were we asleep or were we mesmerized? Did we believe in this nonsense so sincerely and devotedly?

Let us move further. Here is Turkmenbashi Niyazov who builds the biggest mosque in Central Asia — and might be in the whole world. Here is Hitler who holds the most pompous Olympics ever seen before; here is Saddam Hussein who swims across the Tigris and his ministers follow him; and here is Lukashenka skiing, and his ministers are following him. And here he is approving the giant projects of the library and stadiums, and his minister announces the construction of the world’s fourth tallest TV tower... Why does he need the TV tower? To let the man with the moustache, with husky voice enter every our house, every our family through a TV set...

Déjà Vu, 2005

The lessons of Polish Solidarity are very important for Belarusians, too. They show how changes depend on common people, on every single citizen. When Poles went on strike, nobody knew what it might result in for every single person and for the whole country. Lech Wałęsa, recalling that first day, told he had been leaving his home as heading to war: he had said goodbye to his wife and children as he had thought he would never come back, he would be imprisoned or killed. A strike which took place on the same shipyard 10 years before Wałęsa’s one was shot by police.

Thus, non-violent nature of all actions of insubordination was crucially vital for the strikes organizers.

The preparations by daredevils, truth-seekers, who published underground newspapers and flyers, who brought truth to workers despite oppressions, were also significant.

I am sure, the veracious information about the real state of things, the inborn desire for freedom common not only among Poles, but also Belarusians, will soon change social and political situation in the country in spite of Belarus authorities’ seemingly full control over all spheres of civil life. And no one will manage to hinder Belarusians to choose freedom.

Choosing Freedom, 2005

The major drawback of Belarusian politicians is their inability to unite and work together for a common aim. To know how to curb your own pride is an indicator of political maturity. “We love our Homeland,” you say, and quarrel with one another. Good is your love for the native country if you constantly feud with its inhabitants.

Jogging on the Coast of Geneva Lake, 2005

In such a nervous situation the authorities could arrest Isa Gambar at any moment. I have no idea whether our presence could change anything, but Ms. Gambar asked me to stay overnight. We simply slept side by side on the parquet floor of the sitting room.

I believe our staying there was important for his family. They felt safer that way. Knowing the Azerbaijani authorities’ formal piety for international organizations, it could help to prevent his arrest.

Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan, 2006

One my friend told me a tale of a Belarusian who caught a goldfish. The goldfish begged a Belarusian to free it in exchange for three wishes. The man asked her: “Give me donkey ears.” The goldfish did. The man continued: “I want an elephant trunk instead of a nose.” The fish gave him the elephant trunk. Then the Belarusian came up with the third wish: “I want to have elk horns.” The fish gave him the horns like elks have. The Belarusian released the goldfish into water. But goldfish’s curiosity made her return and ask: “Tell me, man, why didn’t you ask for a posh house, a speedy car or a beautiful wife?” “Oh, could I really have this?” said the Belarusian with timid voice.

2006

“How can I explain my children the benefits of being independent?” a history teacher asked me.

“The main point,” I answered after mulling over for a moment, “the independence is like our house. It will guarantee safe, cosy and a better life. Tell them so, and it will be true.”

Our House, 2005

Political skills must be as professional as any other. It is impossible for one to become a politician at once being a farmer or a blue collar.

Politicians are fostered for years. One should not be deceived by dreams about someone who is going to do politicians’ or political parties’ work.

Our Blood, 2002

Alies Bialiacki is a prominent Belarusian human rights activist and defender. He was born in Karelia, the Russian Federation, to a Belarusian family in 1962. In 1964, the family moved to Belarus.

Alies Bialiacki, a philologist and a teacher of Belarusian language, was an activist and advocate of Belarusian national movement during his postgraduate studies in late 80’s.

He was a member of Minsk City Council of Deputies in 1991–1995, and then became one of the founders of Viasna human rights centre, one of the most influential in Belarus.

Human rights centre Viasna is the member of The International Federation for Human Rights (IFHR) and Alies Bialiacki, who is also the vice president of the IFHR, remains the Chairperson of Viasna hitherto.

Alies Bialiacki was prosecuted around 20 times during his career, but on August 4, 2011, Belarusian authorities arrested Alies Bialiacki under charges of tax evasion (‘concealment of profits on an especially large scale’, Article 243, part 2 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus). This article includes penalties of up to 7 years imprisonment and the confiscation of property. The indictment was made possible by financial records released by prosecutors in Lithuania and Poland.

On October 24th 2011, Alies Bialiacki was sentenced to 4 ½ years’ imprisonment.

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