Belarus: My Country, My Hope

Belarus, translated, means "White Russia." This quaint and poetic name, I believe, is quite well suited to my country. "White," here, means clean. The country’s quiet charm can penetrate a traveler's soul, subtly, gradually, through a soft play of the morning sky over a vague horizon, through its vast velvet expanse fields, through an overpowering balmy air of century-old pine forests.

My country is one of the few remaining places on our planet where one can see the amazing miracle of nature relatively undisturbed by human intrusion.

Surprisingly, right here in the very center of Europe, time seems to have slowed its pace to a crawl. While the 21st century rages all around, while civilization thunders forward in amazing spurts, nature in Belarus remains real, its people remain human, and eternal values reign. Belarus is an island of calmness in the swirl of chaotic time, a place where wisdom, harmony of the body and soul, are cherished.

Since ancient times Belarus has also been called "Lakeland." Lakes are the eyes of Belarus, the reason the country is sometimes referred to as "blue-eyed" Belarus. The lakes bathe churches, bright fires of evening city, tree-shaded parks, and the river of Nemiga. The Nemiga flows into the depths of the history of my country, into its capital of Belarusii, the city of Minsk.

During its almost millennial history my city, Minsk, has gone from provincial center to state capitol of the 10-millionth state. It has undergone fiery conflicts, many times burned, but has always triumphed. It has even grown more lovely over those many years.

But there are other countries in the world, where the people cannot speak freely, write freely and live freely! This is the greatest misfortune of Belarus . . . until now. Free souls are subjected to psychological violence, disappear without leaving a trace, or they die – those who do not agree with opinions of those in authority.

I feel deep bitterness and pain when I realize how many talented musicians and scientists have been forced to leave my country. I survive and am stronger for surviving the violence so familiar to my relatives.

The people of Belarus are like chess pieces. In Belarus, we see real live people being played on the board of politics!

Belorussian authorities control the media, the television, and even Internet. Its people, my relatives, find themselves in “information isolation!”

If I am granted one wish it is to tell the story of my country’s plight to people everywhere who believe as strongly in freedom as I. Perhaps their leaders, heads of state, could influence Belarus for positive change. My hope, our hope as people of Belarus, is to continue fighting and to never surrender; for there are rewards for all who sacrifice for freedom.

If any reader wishes to learn more about my country, Belarus, and to help support my people, please visit the following websites:

http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/
http://www.3dway.org/about/english