Days of Belarusian Literature Were Carried out without Representatives of Union of Writers :: Charter'97 :: News

On 4 September the Days of Belarusian Literature started in the town of Kamianiets in Brest region. The organizers of this official measure didn’t invite to it members of the Union of Belarusian Writers that is considered to be “opposition” to the official literary associations.

However, the local authorities ignored this proposal. Alies Paskievich, chair of the Union of Belarusian Writers, thusly commented on the situation:

-- The authorities divided Belarusian writers into loyal and disloyal ones. The latter group is not represented at the official days of poetry, state magazines and literary weeklies, which is harmful for literature and contemporary Belarusian culture. Ordinary citizen doesn’t ask why the writers weren’t invited, he simply decides that there’s no contemporary Belarusian literature, no famous writers. He thinks so because he doesn’t see them come to traditional literary feasts.

Ordinary citizens sometimes took these days for harvest celebration. Ryhor Matusievich, author of several books about Kamianiets, said:

-- I proposed to install a memory sign in the place where the town hall used to be and mention that in 1503 the city received Magdeburg privilege.