Dear readers!

The 23^rd issue of “Culture. Nation” magazine comes at a time when the existence of the Belarusian nation experiences a challenge with adverse external and internal factors. In fact, over the past six months political and economic problems that come from our East neighbor much worsened. The question is put by an edge – or Belarus will be forced to go in the wake of Russia’s strict policies or leadership of the country will be able to get out of a critical situation once again. This is evidenced by numerous facts – an undeniable statement of the Russian Federation Premier-Minister, Mr. Medvedev about the need to deepen the integration of Belarus and Russia in the framework of the Union State (agreement on creation of which was signed in 1999 by Lukashenka and Yeltsin), the appointment to Belarus of aggressive, ignorant in term of our history, the Russian ambassador Mikhail Babich, the threat of higher oil prices for the Belarus, “apple and pear wars”, etc.

It has been repeatedly discussed in our magazine that a risky tactical balancing by President Lukashenko between Russia and the West should lead to the creation of just such a situation when aggressive Eurasian movement to the West will undoubtedly dictate Belarusians such political and economic environment which would inevitably lead, sooner or later, to absorption of Belarus by Russia. The result of this “balancing” policy was that the Belarusian government at the moment is forced to ask Russian loans to pay off debts, a deferment to repay 10-billion-loan for the construction of a nuclear power plant, and so on. Add to this a failure in carrying out reforms in the economic sphere.

Such a sad result might be explained by the absence of a clear strategic line of the Belarusian authorities in relation to Russia. So far, in response to the numerous examples of “tightening the screws” on the part of Moscow President Lukashenko proposed to block the pipeline coming from Russia to the West on the Belarusian territory. Thus, between the two countries is now going opened, the previously invisible, war – “soft colonization” of Belarus by Russia and attempts to withstand to it by Belarus. However, once such a strategy would have to be created – if not by the current but a future government! Time to hurry! In Ukraine, our neighbor in the East-Slavic civilization, presidential elections were held. Let’s hope that the course of Ukraine to the West (EU and NATO) does not change which certainly would have a positive impact on the future geopolitical choice of Belarus.

Under the guise of strengthening its “unique” sovereignty based not on national, but on the post-Soviet neo-values, the government pressed far to the periphery the real sovereignty of the nation-state. Unfortunately, the basis of such a negative attitude to everything national is a mentality and outlook of one person, President Lukashenko, who has managed during 25 years of his rule, subjugate everything and everyone. Without his consent in the country is doing nothing. It is obvious that without him could not have done the demolition of crosses in Kurapaty, and the tacit refusal of K. Kalinouski as a national hero.

He was ordered to take off crosses from Kurapaty – it was done. Neither priest protests of main religion confessions nor few public protests did save them. Mr. Lukashenko, who according to the information has never been in Kurapaty, is surrounded by people with dubious attitude to all Belarusian – wearing the NKVD form, erected a monument to the tsar’s policemen (zandarm) and guard it, and still do not know who are buried in this national memorial. They ought to read the archived data collected by Marakou which lists tens of thousands of Belarusians – the color of the nation, to understand something, and repent, and not to mock people’s memory. Anyone would like to be informed if these people know where the CEC Chairman of Central Election Committee, V. Ganchar, Gen. Y. Zakharenko … are buried?

Ask every Belarusian and he finds traces of communist regime crimes in Kurapaty. Brother of my grandfather, Siargei Ignatavich Murzionak (1896-1937), came from Western Belarus in Minsk, learned, worked as a judge, was arrested as a Polish spy in August 23, shot on November 22, 1937 in Minsk jail. Where is he buried?! As a joke can be taken the authority words on the Kurapaty improvement, where in good Soviet tradition were sent Komsomol (BRSM) and “tamed” trade unions. It is thought that this would never have happened in Lithuania and Poland – the next day, if it happened in those countries, the government like in Belarus would no longer exist.

It is a shame that so far the government of Belarus did not react to the planned reburial in September 2019 of rebels remains (1863-1864) recently found in Vilnius. No decision on the official delegation, no application or request on the need to make the tombstone inscriptions in Belarusian, including K. Kalinowski grave.

Obscure and unclear statements of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and pro-government deputies (Varanetski, Tsishchanka) do not change anything. The existence of political prisoners and constant arrests of Belarusian activists, which are continued under the rule of the dictator for a quarter century, led, it seems so, to the fact that for the majority of the Belarusian population examples of anti-national policy of the above is not emergency news. The indifference of a large part of the Belarusians to the national, which is mistakenly referred to as a tolerance, increased even more in recent years, and is very similar to that promoted by the one well-known person in the country.

As a result, the country has a big problem – an extremely low national consciousness of the Belarusian people. To the call for pray in Kurapaty after the demolition of crosses came about 200 people from two million city population. Many thanks to these people for their determination, but if you calculate, the amount consists only 0.01% of the total population of the city. It is clear that the path of the Belarusian people to true freedom is still far and lies, this only and the most likely one, through a national and democratic education of Belarusians.

 Wishing you pleasant reading.The magazine Founder and Editor, Piotra Murzionak

April 20, 2019, Ottawa

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