Participant of Square-2006: Everyone shared everything they could
Hrodna inhabitant Yuras recalls the events that followed the election-2006 and compared them with the current protests.
Euroradio: what songs remind you of the tents?
Yuras: They sang Homel Waltz to the guitar, it was cold and it was interesting to sing. N.R.M. was popular in the square – “Three Turtles” and “Balloon”.
Euroradio: People were made to get off trains back then. How did you manage to come to Minsk from Hrodna?
Yuras: Our acquaintances were made to get off because they had said something on the phone and looked informal. My brother and I knew about it and we formally supported the country with the help of tickets to Zhodzina situated not far from Minsk. It was our trick, we said that we were heading for Zhodzina, not Minsk. We paid a bit more, but the Square was worth it.
Euroradio: What are your most vivid reminiscences of the Square?
Yuras: The first night in the tents. I said that even Christian communities cold envy the solidarity, the sympathetic attitude to one another and the participants’ culture. They were very interesting people who risked a lot. I recall the moments of solidarity when people shared everything they could: they put off their clothes and gave them to others, shared food and drinks. It was about -8 degrees Celsius. Nobody was offended, it was like ideal communism. The way people warmed themselves was impressing – they took each other by the arms and were standing together like that.
Euroradio: Do you communicate with some of them now?
Yuras: I did not make any friends there but I got to know some people a few months later and it turned out that we had met in the Square. I met many acquaintances including a few people from Hrodna and it was a pleasant surprise.
Euroradio: Do you remember anything bad?
Yuras: I spent only the first night there, I remember bus #100. Some people tried to escape from the surrounding and bus #100 stopped right in front of the tents. You had 10-15 seconds to reach the bus. I remember the night, the deserted square, the tents and the special forces standing at a distance. It was the first night and you did not know want would come to their minds. You saw it and you kept thinking.
Euroradio: Has you life changed after the Square?
Yuras: Naturally, the square influenced me as something that I had survived and experienced. I became less doubting and sure of what I was doing. I think the best protest in Belarus is productive work. You have to work at self-improvement and your professionalism. Fighting is not the best way to protest, professionalism will win anyway.
