Natallia Kalehava: Mikalai Statkevich’s Story Gives Me Strength To Keep Going

People are uniting for the liberation of Belarus.

Many Belarusians who ended up in Lithuania after the 2020 protests passed through the Dapamoha Center headed by Natallia Kalehava. Together with the Charter97.org website, Natalia summed up the results of the outgoing year.

– What was this year for the diaspora in Lithuania?

– It is difficult to say for the entire diaspora. I can tell you about the part of Belarusians that I help. Basically, these are people who were forced to leave Belarus at the last moment, choosing between prison and emigration. The first half of the year was associated with the arrival of very active people who wanted to change a lot, so it was quite an active time. The last months were probably associated with fatigue and disappointment, which affected the Belarusians in Lithuania. This is due, let's say, to the lack of political activity, but we still stick together.

Now, any events related to Ukraine will result in the return of Belarusians in order to fight for the liberation of their homeland. The Belarusian diaspora in Lithuania associated with our organization is actively engaged in supporting these intentions.

– What are the most important events for Belarus this year?

– The number of our people from the diaspora who went to the front is quite significant, I mean those Belarusians who are now fighting in Ukraine. It is this participation and the events that take place around it in general that unite people with a clear belief that their main goal is the liberation of Belarus.

Many have started more serious activities for returning home: learning the Belarusian language, active physical training. Therefore, Lukashenka's participation in the war only contributes to his death.

– Who are the heroes and anti-heroes of this year in your opinion?

– Lukashenka and Putin are still anti-heroes. They are not even anti-heroes, for me, they have become such an evil point and I want this evil point to turn into a void. Therefore, even in such an anti-heroic sense, I would not like to remember them.

If we are talking about this year, it was an event for everyone that Volodymyr Zelensky turned out to be a man who makes history. Unfortunately, the existing so-called Belarusian leaders, who are at large, do not make history but fall under it. And this is the difference between two, so to speak, people's leaders: Zelensky and, for example, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaia. With all due respect to her, she doesn't make history.

At the moment, Mikalai Statkevich has become a discovery for me personally, and now I am quite seriously watching his path even in prison. For me, it's the kind of story that keeps me going. This is the story of Maryna Adamovich and Mikalai Statkevich, this is also the story of Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk and Andrei Sharenda. Watching these two stories, I find the strength to continue helping people.

– What is your forecast for the next year?

– You know, I am not involved in geopolitics, but I have a feeling. At the moment, I see that, most likely, many countries will finally understand by the end of spring that they survived the winter without Putin and without his gas, and it’s not so scary. People will understand that it is more profitable to invest money and effort in restoration, rather than death and weapons.

I believe that next year there will be a final turn of the war in Ukraine, and then Russia may begin its own internal unrest, although, of course, they are still far away. But it is my hope and belief that in certain regions less dependent on Putin, such as Petrozavodsk, Khabarovsk or Irkutsk. Such processes will begin there.

In Belarus, the situation is such that if Ukraine starts to win, and Lukashenka does not “put his claw” into this war in the form of an offensive using the Belarusian army, then he will start to get out and ask for forgiveness from Zelensky. And here, of course, we may be disappointed that Zelensky will say “figure it out on your own”. So, the Belarusians will have to act on their own.

To be honest, despite the absence of all activities, I see that people in Belarus are thinking only about the war, they no longer think about any protests, about anything. As soon as the war fades into the background for them, people will definitely remember what they were like in 2020. And the reason will not be that Ukraine will help us, but that people themselves will want and be able to gather with a common goal.

I know a large number of such people. I don’t rely on polls, but I’m talking about the ties of people who are living in their homeland. I believe that victorious thoughts will enter the minds of Belarusians next year.

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