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Mothers of Lukashenka's persecuted opponents read out Kastus Kalinowski's farewell letter

The sixth Belarusian-language dictation campaign will begin on February 2, the 175th birth anniversary of Belarusian national resistance hero Kastus Kalinowski.

Days before the start of the campaign, the mothers of some opposition activists who have been persecuted by the Belarusian authorities read out excerpts from "Pismo z-pad shybienicy" (Letter from under the Gallows), a farewell letter by Kalinowski, who was publicly executed in Vilna (currently Vilnius) in 1864 at the age of 26.

The letter is this year's dictation text.

The women included Halina Siwchyk, mother of activists Kastus Lukashow and Vyachaslaw Siwchyk; Volha Zavadski, mother of TV cameraman Dzmitry Zavadski who went missing in 2000; Valyantsin Alinevich, mother of imprisoned activist Ihar Alinevich; and Taisa Kabanchuk, mother of Belarusian Christian Democracy activist Vadzim Kabanchuk.

Ms. Siwchyk said that the women wanted to address Kalinowski's words to all people in the country.

"Be together with us," said Ms. Zavadski.

"Don't forget your heritage and your heroes," said Ms. Alinevich.

"All of us, every Belarusian needs this, needs this very much," said Ms. Kabanchuk.

"Glory to heroes! Long Live Belarus!" the women said. //BelaPAN