Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Today, at the so-called ‘Stalin Line’, the regime’s actors were instructed to ‘reenact’ an act of genocide during the Independence Day celebrations. This day should be associated with freedom, dignity, and equality. But the dictatorship finds it natural to promote violence and death. Frankly, this is far from preserving historical memory and respecting the victims of fascism.
Memory of the war is not about romanticizing the horrific events endured by the Belarusian people. It’s not about children in military uniforms, photographs with military equipment, or theatrical reenactments of people being burned alive in barns.
Memory means respect. Respect for the victims. It is a reminder of the price Belarus paid for freedom and peace. ‘Reenacting an act of genocide’ does nothing to help understand this price. Cynical performances distort and devalue the Belarusian tragedy of World War II.
The regime and its accomplices turn the pain and suffering of millions into a stage play. On the one hand, it only offers minimal support for veterans, and on the other, spends millions of rubles on parades and concerts by pro-regime artists. I believe those who heard the stories from their great-grandmothers and great-grandfathers about the war will remember that for them, memory was not about farces, flowers, and fireworks. It was a tragedy so painful they could hardly speak about it.
The very definition of ‘patriotism’ is being turned into a key element of the regime’s propaganda. Instead of building a future on the foundations of respect and peace, the regime exploits the most painful pages of our history and cultivates war everywhere. It forces children to attend ‘military-tactical gatherings’, where they learn to assemble and disassemble guns. And all this happens against the backdrop of the horrific war in Ukraine.
Dear friends! We must remember the victims of the war, but do so with respect and dignity. The tragedy of World War II should remain in our history as a warning of the consequences of hatred and violence, not as a plot for another play staged by the dictatorship”.
