The hunger strike I and other bloggers wrote about earlier is gradually becoming an unfortunate sign of desperation, a message to the outside world, internet visitors, the West, etc., whereas inside Belarus a neighbor next door may not know that someone is starving for democracy. I am thrilled with the young protesters’ self-determination and composure, but I agree with EM of TOL Blogs – practically nobody knows about the action within the country.
Moreover, I am worried about the health of the teenagers who deprive themselves of food. So today Siarzhuk Hudzilin, one of young hunger strikers, fainted after eight days without nutrition. Now doctors recommend him to stay at home and not to go out by himself. Siarzhuk hopes that his friends will help him come to Minsk where he would be able to continue his protest beside his friends.
Some days ago, Milinkevich himself personally dissuaded a few teenagers from continuing their health-endangering action. But others persisted. Paval Sieviaryniec, a political prisoner and the godfather of Young Front, commended regarding the hunger strike a demonstration of the truth of the Gospel – “Man will not live on bread alone but on every Word which comes out of the mouth of God.” “The Holy Spirit is based on the faith, good will and love. This is what the young people are showing. Adult politicians lack that faith, good will and love,” Sieviaryniec said to RFE\RL, “The faith of Young Front members contrasts disbelief and apathy in hearts of many opposition leaders. The good will of Young Front members was their answer to those who had lost the initiative and could not lead the wave raised on March 19. And finally, the love of Young Front members, their solidarity, self-sacrifice – the fact that they suffer for the political prisoners, the unjustly fired, the expelled – displays their love. And it confronts the quarrels ravaging the opposition camps.”