Brest's Nina Bahinskaya: I Want to Cry With Joy, How Our People Have Changed
- 22.12.2020, 14:47
Every Sunday, Alena Hnauk takes a train and goes to protest to Brest from Pruzhany.
Alena Hnauk is often called Brest's Nina Bahinskaya. And few people know that she is not from Brest. Every Sunday, Alena Piatrouna gets on the train and goes to protest to Brest from Pruzhany. And this is more than 100 kilometers - two hours one way, Belsat reports.
A 63-year-old pensioner from the village of Tkachy, Pruzhany region, has become known throughout Belarus for her unbending character. Hnauk was detained ten times, she had 7 courts, more than 30 days in the IVS, a criminal case was opened against her, but the woman does not give up and says that she will go out until we win.
Alena Hnauk was born in Polesie in 1957 into a family of ordinary collective farmers, but she walked boldly through life. Difficulties and trials made her only stronger. The journalists came to her home to hear her story:
On the communist party and dissidence
I was an athlete, an excellent student, and a secretary of the Komsomol organization. I learned the truth from books. My first demonstrative step was still at school when we decided to hold a closed Komsomol meeting. And the Communist Party looked after us so that we correctly resolve party issues, and the leader of the communist cell was present at such meetings. So I asked him to come out. This caused a strong resonance, the story reached the first secretary of our district committee of the Komsomol, but I was not punished for it.
Later, I went to Moscow and entered the only university in the USSR that trained party leaders. It was difficult to get there, but I was able to do it. Many party leaders studied there. And then I, a simple girl from the village, saw the whole essence of the Soviet system. And this institution made me a dissident because I saw that the authorities say one thing and do another. And when perestroika began, the Popular Front began to form, and I was in the forefront.
In 1993, I received my second education, and economics was added to the legal studies.
About faith
I used to oppose faith, but later I came to God, became a believer. Andrei Sakharov had a great influence on me. He was the standard-bearer of democratic movements; many listened to him and respected him. At Sakharov's funeral, I learned that he was a very religious person.
About kids
I have four children. The two elders are Tatstsiana, she is 45 years old, and son Zhenya, he was three years younger; in 2005, he died. Later, I had two more children - a daughter and a son, who is now 25 years old. My children are very close; in this protest movement, we are one family.
We even were in a temporary detention facility with my youngest son: he went to release his mother when he saw that I was being detained, and they seized him too.
About pension and fines
From 1993 to 2000, I lived and worked in Moscow, where I registered my own company, but I was forced to return home: I went bankrupt, the Russian authorities took over the business, and in a short time, I lost both my office and my apartment. 10 years of work in Russia did not add to my retirement experience, which affected my pension.
I get 240 rubles. I deliberately calculated that in order to pay all my fines (about $ 1,300), I need to pay half of my pension for more than two years. I think that this is not all, because I go out to protest every Sunday and am not going to stop.
Every time I prepare for detention and imprisonment, I have all the necessary things in my backpack for this - a plastic cup, fork, spoon, socks, underwear.
I wanted to buy myself some things, but I could not afford them, and when people chipped in on me for fines, I bought myself a coat and winter shoes to drive at full speed. And let them deduct the fines from the pension.
About a neighbor and her cat
In the village, they call me Baptist, although I am not a Baptist. But if someone does evil, something illegal, I will never keep silent, and many people do not like it. One woman decided to deal with me for this, and I was even warned: she wants to kill you. I didn't believe it, I thought this only happens in the movies, but it happened; she broke my head, a criminal case was opened.
I forgave that woman, I waited for her repentance for two years, but instead, she attacked me again. But again, she failed to kill me.
When this woman died, her cat came to live with me.
About courage
I have a healthy lifestyle. My morning begins with prayer and cold exposure training: every morning for 30 years, I have been pouring a bucket of ice water over myself. There was a time that I didn't even have a medical card.
In 2016, I decided to participate in the winter swimming competition — such a test of character. I knew how to stay on the water, but I had to swim 25 meters in ice water. So I went to the pool, went to the instructor, and said: teach me how to swim, I will participate in the championship. He asks: how much time do we have? I said: a week. It was an act for me to swim without being able to swim. And I swam, swam with dignity, took second place among women. This is my most important medal – for my courage.
About betrayal and resilience
My heart is calling me to protest; it is calling me to go to Brest [for the protests]. Although a couple of times, I went out to the square in Pruzhany. Everyone already knows me, and so when I go, maybe this will inspire someone not to give up.
I don't give up myself. We are all not giving up. If you see violence against others, you cannot remain silent, so I cannot stay away because it will be a betrayal of my people. I think Lukashenka did not expect our people to show such steadfastness. If they told me: Alena, if you go out, they will kill you, I would go out anyway.
I could go to the USA, Spain, Poland: but I only see myself here.
Forgiveness
When I hear at rallies: "We will not forget, we will not forgive," I do not agree. I think so: we will not forget, but we will forgive. After all, there is no way out, as this could lead to civil war.
I think that after the change of power, it will be necessary to deal with every case, with every person; you need to be very careful in every situation so that the innocent do not suffer. It will be necessary to hold popular meetings and decide the fate of everyone there. Give everyone a legal assessment.
About the criminal case
A criminal case was filed against me on September 13, when people blocked one of the city's central streets and danced around, and there was a woman who looked like me.
About 50 people are involved in this case. The authorities believe that people have blocked traffic and inflicted heavy losses on the city. I learned that they estimate these losses at 1,000 rubles, that at that time, there was public transport.
This case is "sewn with white threads." With their criminal cases, they want to intimidate people, make them think whether it is worth leaving. But they forget that the point of no return has already been passed. I believe that the criminal case will not go to court.
About the ship of power
I think about protests, and I want to cry with joy because of how our people have changed. Now we should be proud of the people.
My children are very close; in this protest movement, we are one family.
And most importantly, there is no blood on the hands of the protesters because you cannot build a new normal country when you came to power with bloody hands. This is a spiritual law.
I think that the authorities no longer have that power. Their ship has many holes. And holes are made every time: every even the smallest protest makes new holes; even if I go out alone, this is a new hole on this ship. They do not have time to patch them. And I'm sure this ship will sink - it's only a matter of time.