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Belarusian Elena does not know when she will be able to see her birth home again, so she is concentrating her efforts here in Kaunas. Raise money for the victims and dream of a drawing on the wall that symbolizes the friendship of nations
Emigrant of love
One of the last interviews Elena Aleknienė gave to the press was published in a Belarusian newspaper. Journalists from the former titled beauty shop asked her at the time how her life had developed over several decades.
“Everything is like a cinema”, a story comfortably seated on a sofa, which she told her relatives recently, E. Aleknienė agreed to share with “Kaunas Day”.
Elena communicates a lot with other Belarusians living in Lithuania, and has at least some ideas in mind on how to express her support to her friends. (Photo by Justina Lasauskaitė)
After coming of age, the beautiful girl began to participate in various beauty pageants, and in 1989, along with the remaining Miss Photo USSR finalists, the leggy beauty came to Kaunas. She stayed at the Hotel Neris and on the eve of the event went to the Old Town, where she and several other participants were photographed by Romualdas Rakauskas. After the photoshoot, the girls were started by a close young couple.
“These are not malevolent. You can go with them”, after receiving the blessing of photographer R. Rakauskas, Elena agreed to go on an evening date in Metropolis.
It is true that more than the invited boys, the attention of the Belarusian that night was attracted by another young man, who was walking from one side to the other, who did not take his eyes off her. To the great surprise of the 1920s, the next day a stranger stood at her bedroom door and offered to show it to Kaunas.
“I said I couldn’t go because I had a show in a couple of hours. He didn’t stop, he promised to come in the evening. We met, we walked. The next day he knocked on my door again, but I told him that I was going to go home. “said the first meeting. “There was a phone number on a piece of paper and a naive hope that the intruder did not actually call Brest.”
After giving up debt, a short tour of Brest, Elena was convinced that it would end. However, the core of the story was different: Elena married a Lithuanian and has lived here for 30 years.
Could not contact
Getting started, as the 51-year-old remembers, was not easy: she felt the pull of her homeland for almost ten years. Especially since at that time the native house was much quieter than the new one. In April 1990, the Soviet Union declared an economic blockade: no oil, fuel, or raw materials were supplied to Lithuania for 75 days. Elena remembers that the fuel people went to Belarus. Whats Next? The events of 1991 and January valued the Lithuanians under tanks.
“I remember we were sitting at a wedding in Brest, and the man got an unexpected message that the events of January 1991 had started. We jumped off the table without even starting to celebrate. The only difference is that all Belarusians and Belarusians who live in Lithuania have been living since August.
“I cannot live in peace for the third month in a row. I translate web pages every day,” said the woman. Keeping in touch with his mother and sister’s family in Belarus was practically impossible at first.
Internet connection interruptions started in Belarus on Election Day. One after another all the websites of opposition parties and the media that criticized the regime were blocked, as well as Western social networks, telegrams, Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp.
“I call my mother, I do not call. I call my sister, the same. Then a former classmate contacted me through some American program and shed light on what is happening in the country,” E said. Aleknienė, that she was contacted by a Belarusian journalist during a similar program. It is true that the conversation was short, the connection was lost. According to the Belarussian living in Kaunas, the journalist asked to tell how Lithuanians assess the situation in Belarus.
“People did not have any access to free media. They did not receive any information,” said E. Aleknienė, assuming the role of mediator. “As far as I can, I inform my family and friends in Belarus, I send them all the information as soon as it is successful, but everything is very blocked, the information can only be obtained by those who can circumvent it.”
Bestial behavior
The unrest that preceded the elections has intensified since the weekend of the presidential elections. The woman said that the Belarusian militia used rubber bullets and tear gas to dispel people protesting the controversial presidential elections. The Belarusian OMON forces have also become more and more aggressive with each passing day. They were joined by the army. In major cities, detainee vans, water cannons, special sport utility vehicles and military equipment were lined up. Special forces quickly occupied the most important points in Minsk, where the hottest riots previously took place: Pushkin Square and the square near the “Riga” shopping center. Several metro stations were completely closed and Internet access was again blocked. On the rooftop of Telegram, a widely used network, rooftop snipers have been reported.
“You can’t even imagine how people are treated in Belarus. If peaceful people follow the law, the government and all the favorites will spit on them,” Aleknienė recalled three children from a known family who were arrested just because they had a street demonstration. on your phone.
Tell me, could a normal man raise his hand in front of a pregnant woman? It was in Grodno for a weekend. The beaten pregnant woman lost her son.
So far, you cannot forget the woman who was shot in the abdomen by OMON by the fact that she, standing on the balcony of an apartment building, yelled at the masked men: “What are you doing? those people on the street. “
“More recently, two OMON soldiers confessed to consuming something. There is no other explanation for their cruelty and those crystal gazes. Tell me, could a normal man raise his hand against a pregnant woman? That was the case in Grodno an end of week. The beaten pregnant woman lost her child. ” Emotions were barely quenched by the mother of three, Elena.
I can’t see my loved ones
The woman did not hide her regret that the current situation in Belarus has disturbed the lives not only of the locals but also of the Belarusians who left. Having previously traveled to Brest at least once a year, Elena now has no idea when she will see her relatives again.
“I’m scared. There are commentators who say I’m going to Belarus instead of uploading videos to the Internet. Okay, I’ll go, they’ll arrest me and … who will be better? I have a family here: a man, children.” interlocutor.
Family members also live in fear, according to her. Especially a sister with a husband. The latter suffered under the Lukashenko regime ten years ago when he was working in customs. This time, the man was charged with foreign charges.
Elena, like her compatriots, believes in a more beautiful future for Belarus, of course, without Lukashenko. (Photo by Justina Lasauskaitė)
“Imagine what it would be like if he was arrested again,” said E. Aleknienė that the heads of the family support the fighters with all their hearts, but observe the situation from outside.
It is true that they have not watched television for a long time, because neither the local news nor other programs reflect reality. Only sample reports, beauty pageants and colorful music concerts are on display. The elections were held on the same principle: although Lukashenko announced that he had obtained the majority of the votes, Elena does not know a person who would have surrendered for the dictator.
“Unless they are people without critical thinking. Retirees who have no idea about their life. Because the pension is paid on time. But you would see how Lukashenko’s grandmother’s army treats young people. It attacks them, steals their clothes, flags out of control, “he said. For the actions of the henchmen of the dictator of Belarus.
Thanks to the Lithuanians
Elena was pleased that Lithuanian politicians were among the first to express their clear and firm position on Belarus. From the earliest days, ordinary people also declared support for the neighbors.
In commemoration of the anniversary of the Via Baltica, Lithuanians shook hands and once again stood in solidarity with Belarus fighting for democracy. On social media, people decorated their profile photos with Belarusian flags, and some of them even learned a slogan that sounds on the lips of a common Belarusian: “Viera, moža, pieramoža”.
“I have a family doctor. He tells me: ‘Elena, no revolution is without weapons.’ You know, if your people accept them, I’ll be the first to go to Belarus! Why? That they would not come to us “, – E. Aleknienė was happy with the unconditional support of the Lithuanians.
Although there are those who think otherwise, Elena is convinced that any support is important for Belarusians: temporary shelter, jobs, the opportunity to study. Of course, material support is also needed. So when the opportunity arises, Elena collects donations to help the compatriots who have come to Lithuania. For example, at the Šančiai festival in Šančinė last week, Elena invited her own vegetable pancakes, other delicacies, to her gatherings and invited victims to help people affected by the repression in Belarus.
“Moral support is especially important. Knowing that there is someone who supports each of your steps and decisions. As my family is doing now. I heard a man say something very recently: we have been living in politics for two months,” said the Belarusian asset.
On the plans – a drawing
Currently, Elena communicates a lot with other Belarusians living in Lithuania, and has at least some ideas in mind on how she could express her support for her relatives and motivate them to move forward. People believe that they will be able to overthrow Lukashenko and raise the flag of democracy in the country.
“I would very much like the wall of a house to be decorated with a drawing to commemorate the friendship between Lithuania and Belarus. I have also looked at the building on Vaidoto Street. I hope the city authorities agree with me. Preliminary sketch of a Belarusian artist I also spoke with the artist from Alytus about acting. I think that such a drawing would be very useful and meaningful, “the woman recalled the history that connects Belarus and Lithuania since the time of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. – After all, I say who more will understand Belarusians better than Lithuanians. You have been in the Soviet Union for several decades and Belarus has been with Lukashenko for 26 years. “
Not only Elena’s mother and sister remained in Belarus. There is also his cousin, who owns a newspaper. Speaking with a relative, the woman was born with another idea – a photographic exhibition, which reflects the realities of today in Belarus.
“It has a lot of professional photos that perfectly illustrate what is happening in Belarus now. A similar exhibition was held to commemorate January 13.” Although the idea of becoming a body still requires a lot, the woman did not doubt that Such a display would really attract a lot of attention.
Photo by Justina Lasauskaitė
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