Nil Gilevich Welcomes People’s March :: Charter'97 :: News

National poet of Belarus Nil Gilevich assumes that by taking part in the People’s March “For Better Life!” the citizens may say “no” to the country’s leadership. “I’d really like to see it massive and I welcome the very idea of it. Hopefully, this is the method with which the people may express their viewpoint and make it clear to the authorities that they aren’t going to tolerate such nightmare any longer,” – said Nil Gilevich in an interview to Charter’s press-center.

- They know you as the veteran of the Belarusian poetry and convinced struggler for Belarusian independence and its democratic reconnaissance. How would you assess the current state of affairs in Belarus?

- The situation is so complex that I personally see no grounds for optimism. Everything is in the dire straits, both economy and everything else. One could get an impression that the leaders of the regime want to sell the country to the neighbors in order to avoid responsibility. Only concerted actions can help change the situation. Will there be a political will for that, I don’t know. 12 years ago after the tragic events of the year 1991, I, as the head of the 12th Supreme Soviet delegation, visited Vilnius to engage in the mourning meeting on January 16. It seemed as if the whole city took to the streets at once – 1 or 2 million citizens. Never saw anything like that in Minsk. We don’t need revolutions, but only the will of the nation. At the moment I see none of it in Belarus. There are too many people, who prefer lies. Many speak of the truth and democracy but nobody really takes it too heart, trusting those, who lie about happy future. That’s the complexity of the situation.

- What is the main leverage, which the democratic forces, intelligentsia and citizens have to press in order to change the flow of history for an opposite direction?

- First and foremost, we must unite on the common public-political platform, which will start with the words of independence and sovereignty. Not until that can we talk of the rule of law and better prospects. However, speaking alone won’t be enough. We have to unite all our efforts. We need millions of people to realize that they have to stand together shoulder to shoulder to change their lives for the better. This regime will do us no good, for it goes the wrong way. And we have to make them know that it is high time they changed the state policy.

- What’s your attitude to the People’s March “For Better Life!”, which will take place in Belarus on March 12?

- I’d really like to see it massive and I welcome the very idea of it. Hopefully, this is the method with which the people may express their viewpoint and make it clear to the authorities that they aren’t going to tolerate such nightmare any longer.