Independence of our country is the result of political elites activities and the will of the Belarusian people.
The date of September 17 is a marker for our people, a symbol of the fact that Belarusians have always sought unification, the creation of a single state. "Despite all geopolitical twists and turns, attempts to divide our people, Belarusians were ready to wait and use their chance. In modern conditions, the reminder that we were once a divided people is extremely significant. In the context of geopolitical turbulence and emerging challenges, it is very important to understand that independence and sovereignty are not God-given introductory. This is the result of the work of the political elites and the will of the Belarusian people. And we can lose all this if we are not united.
The division of the people and the Polish occupation in 1921-1939 became a challenge for Belarusians, including residents of Brest region. The population of Western Belarus was oppressed, and a policy of polonization was pursued. The strategic goals of the Polish government and the Polish state were aimed at transforming the mentality and national code. They perceived Belarusians primarily as Poles corrupted by communist and Russian influence. Consequently, they pursued the "big brother" policy. They tried, as they believed, to civilize us and return us to the bosom of Poland. In this regard, a national liberation movement was born on the territory of Western Belarus. Its participants were persecuted and severely punished.
About the economic policy that the Poles carried out on the "Kresy Wschodnie" (English: Eastern Borderlands). I will highlight three key points. The first is the use of Belarusians as cheap labor for the Polish economy. The second is the use of natural resources, a raw material appendage of Poland. The third one is the market for Polish goods. Instead of the harmonious development of the region, we were offered an extremely unenviable share. At the time when factories were being built in the BSSR, industrialization and collectivization were underway, Western Belarus actually remained an agrarian and poorly developed region within Poland. The Polish government did not carry out the necessary state measures for economic equalization.
I will focus separately on the policy regarding the Belarusian language. The Belarusian language and Belarusian culture were perceived by Polish political elites as secondary, as not fully functional. Accordingly, their development was limited.