MIKOLA MARKEVICH WROTE LETTER TO PAHONIA FROM ASIPOVICHY FORCED LABOR INSTITUTION

Dear friends,
Here I am, serving my term in Asipovichy. In the morning Tatsiana Barel and Lavon Minaw, members of Asipovichy branch of Belarusian Language Society, met me on the train station. Really wonderful people. It turned out that there is quite a strong group of our people in Asipovichy. They belong to different organizations (NGOs), but they all stay in close contact with each other. They publish a newspaper PANARAMA (299 copies), youth newspaper PATRYATYCHNAYA STARONKA, there is access to the Internet. Ihar Simbiraw deals with lay out, equipment, and coordination. All people are really great. Including policemen.
The latter registered me in the bunkhouse. I share room # 430 with a maypole from Salihorsk. The commandant's office is empty because of the amnesty. Everybody is surprised that I came from so far away, I am the only person from Hrodna here. Tomorrow I'll get checked at STD clinic – this is the obligatory requirement here. Then I need to find a job. Generally, jobs are a great problem in the town. The conditions in the bunkhouse are really terrible: stink, cockroaches, and dirt… We are 152 people here, divided into 3 detachments. I am in the second one.
The third detachment consists of women, if you can call them so. They are 50 people (there is a woman from Navahradak). This is the distinction of Asipovichy forced labor institution. It is the only institution of such kind for women. At least, so I heard from the person on duty, who registered me today.
Many kisses and hugs to all of you. I love you all.
Mikola

P.S. in case of my good behavior, I have a chance to get a leave for 3-5 days