Past Memories for Future’s Sake

On April 26, 17 years after the Chernobyl catastrophe, around 3,000 Minskers marched along the city streets in a traditional annual procession. This year Chernobyl Shlyach was prepared by the coalition’s organizing committee, represented by the BPF party, UCP, BSDP (NG) and some other political and public organizations. They elected academician, BPF member Ivan Nikitchenko as the head of the action’s organizing committee. At the organizers’ negotiations with the city police there was reached an agreement that the law-enforcers wouldn’t hinder the assembly of people at the Yakub Kolas square, who will then move out towards the Academy of sciences. The policemen, however, insisted on their movement by the groups of fifty without banners and flags raised. However, on April 26 police violated their promise, preventing the people from penetrating to the Yakub Kolas square. Two young UCP activists got apprehended. Others formed a procession of a few hundred people, including the participants of the annual Chernobyl conference from Germany, scholars, volunteers, residents of the polluted lands and Chernobyl liquidators. The people carried an icon “Holy Mary of Chernobyl” and the Chernobyl Bell all the way to the Academy.