"Does a Negro decide how indigenous Belarusians should behave?" Former political prisoner Vishniak lashed out at Alana Gebremariam

The scandal began with a series of screenshots from Hanna Vishniak's Instagram stories, which quickly spread across social networks. In the published frames, the activist posted emotional text messages with obscene language and insults directed at former political prisoner Alana Gebremariam. In her Instagram stories, Vishniak rudely expressed indignation that a dark-skinned girl 'decides how indigenous Belarusians should behave,' and demanded her exclusion from the democratic movement.

Павялічыць

She elaborated on her thoughts on Facebook. There, she complained about the presence of people of Ethiopian origin in Belarusian diplomacy, the protoparliament, and discussions about national identity.

Павялічыць

In a conversation with a Nasha Niva journalist, Hanna Vishniak stated that she 'had no conflict with anyone,' and that her statements concerned exclusively political disagreements.

Nevertheless, explaining her position, she again resorted to racist remarks.

"We all understand well what an ethnic Belarusian looks like," Vishniak argues. She is indignant that a person who visually "does not look at all like an indigenous Belarusian" promotes narratives alien to the country.

Vishniak categorically opposes any compromises with Lukashenka's supporters, calling her opponents — specifically, Alana Gebremariam, Maria Kalesnikava, Tatsiana Khomich, and Ivan Krautsoŭ — "Lukashenka's lobbyists".

She is convinced that Belarusians within the country oppose negotiations and concessions to the regime but are forced to remain silent due to repression, which is why she considers it her right to speak sharply and without regard for restrictions.

At the end of the conversation, Vishniak contrasted Gebremariam's position with her own principles, as well as the views of some former political prisoners. She emphasized that for them, there has always been a clear formula: "Lukashenka is the enemy, and Crimea is Ukraine". The activist also questioned Gebremariam's pro-Ukrainian stance.

Characterizing her opponent's stance as "pro-Russian," Vishniak concluded that "people with such views have no place in the Belarusian democratic community".

In response, Alana Gebremariam wrote that she would collect cases of those who "were harmed by Hanna Vishniak". 

Павялічыць

Alana Gebremariam explained to Nasha Niva that the racist outbursts were merely the last straw, and the real problem runs much deeper.

According to her, even during their imprisonment in Homel women's colony No. 4, Vishniak pitted women political prisoners against each other, provoked conflicts, deliberately violated internal regulations, setting up others, and spread rumors that Gebremariam and others allegedly cooperated with the administration or "were not patriots enough".

After her release and departure into emigration, the harassment continued. Gebremariam recounted that Vishniak even compiled a document with fabricated "character descriptions" of various former women political prisoners and accusations of them working for operatives, which she then sent to a chat for relatives of political prisoners, shocking the parents.

Additionally, according to Alana, Vishniak attended closed events of democratic forces, where she approached Gebremariam's colleagues and convinced them that Gebremariam allegedly cooperated with the regime. There were also instances of threats to other people, including from men acting on Hanna's behalf.

Gebremariam emphasizes that she fears for her own safety and the safety of other women, as she believes Vishniak is capable of escalating from threats to physical violence. Other victims are already ready to join in filing a collective statement to the police, with whom Alana is collecting evidence — screenshots and voice messages.

The activist also expects from the leaders of democratic forces not just a general condemnation of xenophobia, but a complete ban for Hanna Vishniak from participating in any events and conferences of the democratic community, as previous non-public complaints from political prisoners to the structures went unanswered.

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya also reacted to the scandal. In a comment to Zerkalo, she said that "this incident can only cause disappointment and condemnation".

"We can all be different in some ways, but that does not prevent us from being Belarusians. It is very strange to hear about something like this," summarized the leader of democratic forces.

• 4
• 1
• 6
• 43
• 1
• 0
• 1
• 0