[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 163 (Wednesday, November 17, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S14741]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 75--EXPRESSING THE STRONG OPPOSITION OF 
CONGRESS TO THE CONTINUED EGREGIOUS VIOLATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE 
 LACK OF PROGRESS TOWARD THE ESTABLISHENT OF DEMOCRACY AND THE RULE OF 
LAW IN BELARUS AND CALLING ON PRESIDENT ALEXANDER LUKASHENKA TO ENGAGE 
   IN NEGOTIATONS WITH THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE OPPOSITION AND TO 
       RESTORE THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF THE BELARUSIAN PEOPLE

  Mr. DURBIN (for himself and Mr. Campbell) submitted the following 
concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
Relations:

                            S. Con. Res. 75

       Whereas the United States has a vital interest in the 
     promotion of democracy abroad and supports democracy and 
     economic development in Belarus;
       Whereas in the Fall of 1996, President Lukashenka devised a 
     controversial referendum to impose a new constitution on 
     Belarus and abolish the Parliament, replacing it with a 
     rubber-stamp legislature;
       Whereas Lukashenka illegally extended his own term of 
     office to 2001 by an illegitimate referendum;
       Whereas Belarus has effectively become an authoritarian 
     police state, where human rights are routinely violated;
       Whereas Belarusian economic development is stagnant and 
     living conditions are deplorable;
       Whereas in May 1999, the Belarusian opposition challenged 
     Lukashenka's unconstitutional lengthening of his term by 
     staging alternative presidential elections, unleashing the 
     government crackdown;
       Whereas the leader of the opposition, Simyon Sharetsky, was 
     forced to flee Belarus to the neighboring Baltic state of 
     Lithuania in fear for his life;
       Whereas several leaders of the opposition--Viktor Gonchar, 
     Yuri Krasovsky, Yuri Zakharenka, Tamara Vinnikova, and other 
     members of the opposition, have disappeared;
       Whereas the Belarusian authorities harass and persecute the 
     independent media and work to actively suppress the freedom 
     of speech;
       Whereas the former Prime Minister Mikhail Chygir, who was a 
     candidate in the opposition's alternative presidential 
     elections in May 1999, has been held in the pretrial 
     detention on trumped up charges since April 1999;
       Whereas President Lukashenka's government provoked the 
     clashes between riot police and the demonstrators at the 
     October 17, 1999, ``Freedom March'', which resulted in 
     injuries to demonstrators and scores of illegal arrests;
       Whereas President Lukashenka addressed a session of the 
     Russian State Duma on October 26, 1999, advocating a merger 
     between Russia and Belarus; and
       Whereas Anatoly Lebedko, Chairman of the Committee for 
     International Affairs of the Supreme Soviet of the Republic 
     of Belarus, Nikolay Statkevich, leader of the Social 
     Democratic Party, and Valery Shchukin, Deputy of the Supreme 
     Council, were arrested and imprisoned for taking part in the 
     Freedom March: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That the Congress--
       (1) condemns the current Belarusian regime;
       (2) further condemns the arrests of Anatoly Lebedko, 
     Nikolay Statkevich, and Valery Shchukin;
       (3) is gravely concerned about the disappearances of Viktor 
     Gonchar, Yuri Krasovsky, Yuri Zakharenka, Tamara Vinnikova, 
     and other members of the opposition;
       (4) calls for immediate dialogue between President 
     Lukashenka and the Consultative Council of Belarusian 
     opposition and the restoration of a civilian, democratically 
     elected government in Belarus;
       (5) calls for a duly constituted national legislature, the 
     rule of law, and an independent judiciary;
       (6) urges President Lukashenka to respect the human rights 
     of all Belarusian citizens, including those members of the 
     opposition who are currently being illegally detained in 
     violation of their constitutional rights;
       (7) further urges President Lukashenka to make good on his 
     promise to hold free parliamentary elections in 2000;
       (8) supports the appeal by the Consultative Council of 
     Belarusian opposition parties to the Government of Russia, 
     the State Duma, and the Federation Council for a cessation of 
     support for Lukashenka's regime;
       (9) calls on the international community to support the 
     opposition by continuing to meet with the legitimately 
     elected parliament; and
       (10) calls on the President of the United States to 
     continue to--
       (A) fund travel to the United States by the Belarusian 
     opposition figures;
       (B) provide funding for the nongovernmental organizations 
     in Belarus; and
       (C) support information flows into Belarus.

 Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, in 1996, President Alexander 
Lukashenka imposed a new constitution on Belarus that effectively 
destroyed its nascent democracy and returned that country to a Soviet-
style police state. Human rights violations are routine and living 
conditions are deplorable because of the stagnant economy. Opposition 
leader Simyon Sharetsky fled to Vilnius, Lithuania.
  The situation in Belarus has worsened dramatically in recent months 
for remaining members of the opposition. Some have disappeared, 
including Viktor Gonchar, Yuri Krasovsky, Yuri Zakharenka, and Tamara 
Vinnikova. Some have been arrested for taking part in the October 17, 
1999 ``Freedom march,'' including Anatoly Lebedko, Chairman of the 
Committee for International Affairs of the Supreme Soviet of the 
Republic of Belarus, Nikolay Statkevich, leader of the Social 
Democratic Party, and Valery Shchukin, Deputy of the Supreme Council.
  Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia are very concerned about the direction 
Belarus has taken under the Lukashenka regime. Belarus' economy is 
apparently imploding, and neighboring countries are concerned about 
regional instability. Our recent experience with Slobodan Milosevic's 
Yugoslavia should make us all concerned about the implications of a 
ruthless dictator threatening stability in Europe.
  Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia have successfully transformed 
themselves from Soviet-dominated Communist states to fully democratic 
market democracies integrated with the West and Western institutions. 
We must be sure that Belarus does not threaten the remarkable progress 
these stalwart countries have made in only 10 years since the fall of 
the Soviet empire.
  Also troubling is a draft treaty that may be signed before the end of 
the year between Lukashenka and President Yeltsin to effect a political 
union between Russia and Belarus. All Western countries should be 
concerned that such a union would only hurt efforts to shore up 
Russia's economy and strengthen its fragile democracy.
  That is why my colleague, Senator Campbell, and I join together today 
to a resolution condemning the actions of the Lukashenka regime. This 
resolution--a companion measure to one introduced by our colleague in 
the House of Representatives, Representative Sam Gejdenson--condemns 
the Lukashenka regime, the arrest of opposition figures and the 
disappearance of others; calls for a dialog between Lukashenka and the 
opposition, the restoration of a democratically-elected government and 
institutions; calls on the U.S. President to fund travel by Belarusian 
opposition figures and for non-governmental organizations in Belarus 
and to support information flows into Belarus. I call on my colleagues 
to join us in cosponsoring this resolution.




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