Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “33 years ago, Belarus adopted its Declaration of State Sovereignty.
The path Belarusians had to walk to restore their state was far more complex than that of many other nations. For two centuries, we were oppressed by the Russian Empire, not allowed to even dream of independence. Those who dared to pursue their dreams were executed along with Kastus Kalinouski, died during the Slutsk Uprising for the Belarusian Democratic Republic, were buried in Kurapaty, or ended up tortured in the Gulag.
And yet, no one managed to destroy Belarusians' dream of their own country. The Declaration of Sovereignty was adopted at a time when the Belarusian nation was freeing itself from the rule of an “inhumane” power, as Belarusian writer Vasil Bykau used to call it, and Belarusians lived in hope and faith that only bright days lay ahead.
But making the desire for independence a reality turned out to be difficult: today, the Lukashenko regime is gradually relinquishing our country's sovereignty. It clings to power at the expense of people's welfare and health, turning Belarus into a nuclear target and a haven for criminals. We have long recognized that true independence can only be achieved once the regime has been overthrown.
I am not an analyst or an expert to make predictions. History shows we Belarusians are good at defending what is rightfully ours. And I am convinced that Belarusians will attain the independence and the country we deserve. No matter how difficult it may seem now, we will look back on these times as historical moments — the history of our fight for freedom and independence. And these difficult days will be just one of its chapters.
Long live Belarus!”.
