[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 145 (Friday, October 22, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S13048-S13049]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          CRACKDOWN IN BELARUS

  Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, just a few weeks ago, many of my Senate 
colleagues met a young, dynamic parliamentarian from Belarus, Mr. 
Anatoly Lebedko, right here on the Senate floor. He impressed us with 
his dedication and commitment as he advocates for democracy and the 
rule of law in his home country currently being rule by a repressive 
regime.
  You can imagine how shocked and concerned I was to receive a call 
from the State Department this week informing me Mr. Lebedko had been 
picked up by the authorities as part of the latest crackdown in 
Belarus. I am sure my colleagues who met Mr. Lebedko share my concern 
for his well-being and for the safety of all of those struggling for 
democracy and freedom of speech.
  Eight years after the break-up of the Soviet Union, Belarus finds 
itself increasingly isolated from the rest of Europe as a direct 
consequence of the authoritarian policies pursued by its present 
government which have stifled that country's fledging democracy and 
market economy.
  The Helsinki Commission, which I co-chair, held a hearing a few 
months ago to assess democracy and human rights in Belarus. In July, a 
number of Commission members and I had the opportunity to hear Mr. 
Lebedko address the annual Parliamentary Assembly meeting of the 
Organization of Security and Corporation in Europe (OSCE) in St. 
Petersburg, where he outlined developments in Belarus and the prospects 
for genuine political and economic reforms.
  Clearly, the cycle of political and economic stagnation in Belarus 
will only come to an end through genuine dialogue based on human 
rights, democracy and the rule of law. The Helsinki Commission has 
called on Belarus to adopt meaningful political and economic reforms in 
keeping with that country's obligations as a participating State of the 
OSCE.
  On September 3, the government and opposition in Belarus began 
consultations at the office of the OSCE Advisory and Monitoring Group 
in Minsk. These talks, long urged by the international community and 
the Helsinki Commission could represent an important step in beginning 
the process of reversing the bleak human rights and democratization 
picture in Belarus.
  Until recently I had been encouraged by what appeared to be the start 
of a dialog between the Belarusian Government and opposition. However, 
there have been a number of disturbing developments, including 
continued harassment of opposition members, a renewed crackdown on the 
independent media in recent weeks, and now the detainment of Mr. 
Lebedko.
  We recently wrote to Secretary of State Albright voicing concern 
about the situation in Belarus and called on the State Department to 
intensify its work in this area. This most recent development 
underscores our concerns.
  I ask unanimous consent that copies of our letter to the Secretary of 
State, a letter we sent to the President of Belarus, along with recent 
news clips be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                                            Commission on Security


                                    and Cooperation in Europe,

                                 Washington, DC, October 15, 1999.
     Hon. Madeleine Korbel Albright,
     Secretary of State, Department of State, Washington, DC.
       Dear Madam Secretary: We are writing to voice our growing 
     concern over violations of the principles of democracy, human 
     rights, and the rule of law in Belarus under the 
     authoritarian leadership of Aleksandr Lukashenka, who remains 
     in power despite the expiration of his legal presidential 
     mandate last July. The fledgling opposition in Belarus 
     deserves both our moral and material support as they seek to 
     overcome the legacy of Communism and authoritarianism and 
     build a democratic society firmly rooted in the rule of law.
       Many of us recently had an opportunity to meet with Anatoly 
     Lebedko of the United Civic Party of Belarus, a young 
     political leader who, despite personal risk, continues to 
     openly criticize the Lukashenka regime. His personal safety 
     is of particular concern as he returns to Belarus following 
     an intense crackdown against the opposition.
       In recent weeks, Lukashenka has reportedly authorized a 
     series of measures designed to further suppress Belarus' 
     already beleaguered opposition. Border controls have 
     apparently been tightened and officials in Minsk and other 
     large cities have been instructed to ban public protests and 
     demonstrations. The few remaining independent opposition 
     newspapers, including Naviny and Kuryer, have likewise come 
     under increased pressure from the authorities.

[[Page S13049]]

       Lukashenka's campaign of harassment and intimidation of the 
     political opposition has intensified. Former Premier Mikhail 
     Chigir, arrested in March on politically-motivated charges, 
     remains imprisoned. A number of other former government 
     officials and political opposition figures continue to be 
     subjected to lengthy pre-trial detention on similar changes. 
     In a particularly disturbing development, several prominent 
     opposition leaders, including Viktor Gonchar, Tamara 
     Vinnikova, and Yuri Zakharenka, have simply disappeared.
       Madam Secretary, we urge you to intensify pressure on the 
     Lukashenka regime for the immediate release of all political 
     detainees in Belarus and a full accounting of those who have 
     disappeared. We further urge you to ensure that adequate 
     resources are made available on an urgent basis to support 
     those programs aimed at strengthening independent media, 
     human rights, civil society, independent trade unions and the 
     democratic opposition in Belarus.
           Sincerely,
     Christopher H. Smith, M.C.,
       Chairman.
     Steny H. Hoyer, M.C.,
       Ranking Member, House.
     William V. Roth, Jr., U.S.S.
     Benjamin L. Cardin, M.C.
     Alcee L. Hastings, M.C.
     Ben Nighthorse Campbell, U.S.S.,
       Co-Chairman.
     Trent Lott, U.S.S.
     Kay Bailey Hutchison, U.S.S.
     Frank R. Wolf, M.C.
     Jesse Helms, U.S.S.
                                  ____

                                            Commission on Security


                                    and Cooperation in Europe,

                                 Washington, DC, October 19, 1999.
     His Excellency Alyaksandr Lukashenka,
     President,
     Republic of Belarus,
     Minsk, Belarus.
       Dear President Lukashenka: We are writing to express our 
     serious and growing concerns about recent developments in 
     Belarus. Until recently, we were becoming more helpful that 
     meaningful dialogue between the Belarusian Government and 
     opposition would take place. Within the last month, however, 
     violations of the principles of human rights, democracy and 
     rule of law have come to our attention that, frankly, lead us 
     to question your government's seriousness in finding a 
     solution to the problems of democracy in Belarus. We were 
     disturbed to learn of the arrest earlier today of democratic 
     opposition leader Anatoly Lebedko, for allegedly 
     participating in ``an unsanctioned march.''
       Our concerns include the following:
       The continued imprisonment of former Prime Minister Mikhail 
     Chygir, who was supposed to be released from investigative 
     detention where he has been held for six months.
       The disappearances of former Central Election Commission 
     Chairman Viktor Gonchar, his colleague Yuri Krasovsky, former 
     Interior Minister Yuri Zakharenka, and former National Bank 
     Chair Tamara Vinnikova.
       Increased attempts to stifle freedom of expression, 
     including the annualling of registration certificates of nine 
     periodicals, and especially the harassment of Naviny through 
     the use of high libel fees clearly designed to silence this 
     independent newspaper.
       The denial of registration of non-governmental 
     organizations, including the Belarusian Independent 
     Industrial Trade Union Associaiton.
       The police raid, without a search warrant, on the human 
     rights organization Viasna-96, and confiscation of computers 
     which stored data on human rights violations.
       Criminal charges against opposition activist Mykola 
     Statkevich and lawyer Oleg Volchek and continued 
     interrogation of lawyer Vera Stremkovskaya.
       The initial attack by riot police against peaceful 
     protestors in last Sunday's Freedom March.
       Your efforts to address these concerns would reduce the 
     climate of suspicion and fear that currently exists and 
     enhance confidence in the negotiation process which we 
     believe is so vital to Belarus' development as a democratic 
     country in which human rights and the rule of law are 
     respected.
           Sincerely,
     Christopher H. Smith, M.C.,
       Chairman.
     Steny H. Hoyer, M.C.,
       Ranking Member.
                                  ____


               [From the Washington Post, Sept. 30, 1999]

                   Belarus Opposition Paper to Close

       MINSK, Belarus.--A leading opposition newspaper in Belarus 
     said it was shutting down following a court order to pay an 
     exorbitant fine, to the minister of security over an article 
     he said injured his reputation.
       The Naviny newspaper, which has come under frequent 
     pressure from Belarus's authoritarian government, said in its 
     last issue that ``both the suit and the trial were a cover-up 
     for a carefully planned campaign by the authorities seeking 
     to close down our newspaper.''
                                  ____


               [From the Washington Post, Oct. 19, 1999]

                Belarusan Officials Blame West for Riots

       MINSK, Belarus.--Belarusan authorities accused the West of 
     being behind street clashes between some 5,000 opposition 
     demonstrators and police in which at least 92 people were 
     arrested. But Dmitri Bondarenko of the opposition Khartiya-97 
     movement said police started the fighting and another 
     opposition member said authorities have long provoked 
     violence by repression.
       The fighting broke out Sunday in Minsk following an 
     authorized rally by about 20,000 people. The demonstrators 
     were protesting the disappearance of several leading 
     opposition figures and President Alexander Lukashenka's drive 
     to reunite Belarus, a former Soviet republic, with Russia.

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