Alexander Nadson: Belarusian powers are like janissaries

• 22.03.2013, 16:28

The day of March 25, 1918 became the guiding star for many generations of Belarusian, but not for the incumbent regime.

Father Alexander Nadson, the priest of the Belarusian Greek Catholic Church and Apostolic Visitator for Belarusians abroad, gave an interview to charter97.org before the Day of Freedom.

- In a few days we will celebrate the 95th anniversary of the Belarusian People’s Republic. First of all, let me congratulate you on this day and ask, what does it mean to you?

- Thank you. I would like to congratulate your readers on the day of March 25. This day is a symbol, the guiding star that lights our way. When the Belarusian People’s Republic was declared, we got hope that the time will come when Belarusians obtain real independence. Without this event our lives would have been much harder.

- In your view, why is it so that the official powers not only ignore this day, but even hinder common Belarusians from celebrating it, by breaking peaceful demonstrations and assaulting their participants?

- The question is, if the powers truly are Belarusian. I doubt it. That’s why they create hinders. We can recall from history that long ago in the Ottoman Empire there was an army of janissaries. The powers took away young children from their non-Turkish parents. The children were then raised to hate everything what was theirs. These soldiers were the most violent in the entire Turkish army. Today’s people in the regime are somewhat similar to the janissaries. They hate everything Belarusian. It is obvious that Lukashenka doesn’t serve our people. For him, the most important thing is his desire of individual power. Just remember the first years of his rule: at those times he had great ambitions, he wanted to become the leader of the neighbor state – but he didn’t succeed. He lacks scale. So he had to limit his ambitions to Belarus that became his barony.

- After 1918 there have been many attempts restore Belarus’ independence: the armed uprising of Slutsk, certain resistance during the Second World War, the anti-soviet partisan movement. Why wasn’t the goal achieved?

- There were many reasons. First of all, the geographic location of Belarus, with no natural defense on its borders. It was very difficult to preserve the independence. The second reason is that during that time the national consciousness of the Belarusian people was just forming. Basically this process began in the early 20th century with Nasha Niva newspaper. And several decades was not enough to make the entire nation realize how important an independent state is. I believe that the majority of people, particularly in the villages, simply didn’t care.

- After the war ended you left Belarus and took part in the partisan movement in France fighting against the Germans, and also joined the army of General Anders. Did you meet many Belarusians? Did they participate in the military actions on the “western” side of the anti-Hitler coalition? What were their hopes?

- It was the year 1994, the war wasn’t over. I left with a group of decent Belarusians and we hoped that our country would become independent. We realized what the West didn’t know anything about Belarus. We were registered as Poles or Russians. And we tried to change that. First of all, we needed to fight to be recognized as Belarusians, to create an understanding that there is such a country, Belarus.

- You were among the founders of the most powerful union of Belarusians abroad in the post-war time, Association of Belarusians in Great Britain. What goals did the Belarusian Diaspora pursue? Did you manage to achieve them?

- Our first goal was to preserve our Belarusian heritage and help each other. Another crucial goal was to spread information about our country. After the war we had to start our lives anew in a new country. And mutual help was important not only to settle down, but also to remember that we are Belarusians. It was very hard, but at least Belarus became less unknown due to our efforts. We were young and full of energy and we could accomplish something. Our achievements in Great Britain are the Association of Belarusians of Great Britain and the editorial house Belarusian Studies. We even invited western researchers of Slavism to study Belarus.

- In your opinion, what main tasks do Belarusians abroad have today? What are the key directions of the Diaspora’s activity? How can it impact the situation in the country?

- It is hard to impact. The generation of the emigration wave that I belong to is elder, many of our friends are leaving us. There are not so many people of my age left. There is a new emigration wave, those who emigrated in the end of the 20th – beginning of the 21st centuries. Many of them settle down, get a job, but I don’t see any interest in working with the Belarusian issues there. I always feel sad when I can’t find that solemn spirit that we shared when we were starting up things from nothing back then. It is very good that people don’t deny their Belarusian nationality today, but it’s sad that so few of them actually do something for their country. There are exceptions from this rule. There are people who left abroad and who work hard. But if we look at the significant number of Belarusians who live in the West, there are only few activists among them. But we should thank God for those who do something.

- We know from the examples of our neighbors, like Poland, what decisive role the church can play in the fight for freedom. What role does the church (I mean all traditional Christian churches) play in the fight for freedom of Belarusians? What role should it play? What is needed for that?

- This question is both interesting and emotionally charged. The purpose of the church is not to fight for national independence. But, on the other hand, we are Christians, believers, and we should always fight for the justice. And this justice should be for everyone, people of all nationalities, social status and so on. I do it as a priest. As a Belarusian, I always say that our people should take its place in God’s family of all peoples.

- Do you plan to meet with Pope Francis? What would you discuss with him?

- If God gives me strength, I would like to come to Rome and ask for the Pope’s audience. But it is too early to talk about it. The main thing I’d ask is to pray for Belarus.

- Today some western politicians claim that Lukashenka guarantees the independence of Belarus, and urge to negotiate with him. Is this the right position? Who guarantees the independence of Belarus today?

- Unfortunately, this is nothing new. Even before the WWII western politicians, democrats sought compromise with Hitler. It led to nothing. They sought compromise with the Soviet Union. Again, nothing happened. Now they are looking for a compromise with Lukashenka. He is a little person, not the same scale as Hitler or Stalin. But western mentality always tries to avoid conflicts. To keep things calm. It is not always feasible. Such compromises have never resulted in something good. Sometimes it is necessary to express one’s moral attitude, a strong moral position.

As for the question about those who guarantee independence, I have much hope in the young people of Belarus. Although I am far away from them, physically and in my age, I watch the new generation with interest and hope. Despite all difficulties, there are many decent Belarusians there. The fact that today our country is independent, even though only on paper, is already penetrating the people’s mentality. Even if they don’t use the Belarusian language, they realize that they are Belarusians, citizens of the Republic of Belarus.

It is crucial for everyone to do only what agrees with one’s consciousness. It would have been very good had the same rule applied to the politics,.

- We know from history what role emigration has played for countries under occupation. For example, the Polish government of Sikorski in exile during the WWII, Free France of de Gaulle. In your view, how influential is the Belarusian Diaspora today? What does it lack to raise its authority?

- The number of emigrants has played a crucial role here. The Polish Diaspora was very strong already in the 19th century. The Belarusian Diaspora has done what it could. And it couldn’t do that much. The people who left after the last war had nothing in the new country. And they managed to do a lot, for the culture and for the politics. Belarus is no longer a “white spot” on Europe’s map. Association of Belarusians in Great Britain has contributed with the English-language Journal of Belarusian Studies published during 20 years and spread among all largest libraries in Europe, among many politicians and scientists. Moreover, a new generation of young Belarusians has come. They are citizens in other countries, but they consider themselves Belarusian, they cherish their roots. This phenomenon is particularly strong in the U.S. and Canada.

- There was a period when many governments in exile have passed their powers to official representatives of their countries. And it was not uncommon that some of the emigrants took key posts in new democratic governments. Is a similar scenario possible in Belarus?

- People from the old emigration did a smart thing: in the early 90s some thought that Rada of the Belarusian People’s Republic should pass its powers to the Belarusian government. They didn’t do it back then, and I believe that that was they did right. But I do hope that soon the time will come when it will be possible, when a democratic government will be elected in Belarus.

- Thank you for the interview.

- Thank you. And once again, I would like to congratulate on the 95th anniversary of the Belarusian People’s Republic and wish all the best.