«Yes, soon!» A former political prisoner told about the words that make it easier to survive in a colony
This story was told yesterday to blogger Ihar Losik by a girl who was released on September 16.
After the first major release of political prisoners a year ago, the girls in the women's colony in Homiel began to live with hope. In December, Maria Kalesnikava and other girls were released. In March — another group.
Everyone in the camp lived by this math: Cole arrives approximately once every three months. That means, we will be soon too. The word "Cole" became almost magical in the colony. Any news, letter, rumor — as long as Cole's surname was there.
Once someone wrote in a letter that John Cole would fly to Belarus in May and gather 1000 people for a Protestant festival. The girls started thinking: «A thousand people? This is probably an encrypted message. Cole is going to release a thousand political prisoners!»
And then they saw on TV that thousands of believers, Franklin Graham, and Cole's wife really gathered in Minsk. It turned out that everything was literal, no code. Sad, but hope never disappeared.
News reached the camp in various ways — through letters, conversations, meetings.
And then one day someone from outside brought such a rumor: John Cole was asked on Twitter when he would come to Minsk. Answer: Soon!
And here the most interesting part began. What is "soon"? In three days? In a week? In a month? Or is it an American "soon" which can mean absolutely anything?
And then Cole was asked another question: «Will more political prisoners be released soon?» And he answered: Yes!
That's it. That was enough. Their own flash mob was born in the women's colony.
— When shall we go to the library?
— Soon!
— Will you have coffee with me? — Yes!
— Will you have a long visit? When?
— Yes, soon!
They laughed. They joked. Because sometimes in a colony, a joke is just a way not to go crazy from waiting. The girls decided to even make their own merchandise with John Cole and the words "yes, soon!" after their release.
As of today, about a hundred women recognized as political prisoners are in Antoshkina in Homiel. And they continue to wait. They literally catch every rumor that reaches them through walls and barbed wire. Every "soon". If only this "soon" would come faster.
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Comments
Можно радоваться освобождению заключённых и одновременно понимать, что для Лукашенко оно превратилось в циничную торговлю людьми. Это не взаимо исключающие вещи. Каждый лишний день в тюрьме - это риск, и освобождение - это позитив. Вместе с тем нахождение Лукашенко у власти способствует тому, что всё большая доля беларусов побывает в тюрьме. Он увидел для себя золотую жилу - не надо менять систему и проводить демократические реформы, достаточно запастись заложниками.