[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 118 (Thursday, September 28, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S9458]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 CONTINUING CLIMATE OF FEAR IN BELARUS

  Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, as co-chairman of the Helsinki 
Commission, I take this opportunity to update my colleagues on the 
situation in Belarus, as I have done on previous occasions.
  The Belarusian parliamentary elections are scheduled for October 15, 
and unfortunately, they do not meet the basic commitments outlined by 
the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) 
concerning free and democratic elections. Moreover, many observers have 
concluded that the Belarusian government has not made real progress in 
fulfilling four criteria for international observation of the 
elections: respect for human rights and an end to the climate of fear; 
opposition access to the state media; a democratic electoral code; and 
the granting of real power to the parliament that will be chosen in 
these elections.
  Instead, the Helsinki Commission has observed that the Lukashenka 
regime launched a campaign of intensified harassment in recent days 
directed against members of the opposition. We have received reports 
that just last week, Anatoly Lebedka, leader of the United Civic Party, 
whom many of my colleagues met when he visited the Senate last year, 
was roughed up by police after attending an observance marking the 
first anniversary of the disappearance of a leading member of the 
democratic opposition Viktor Gonchar and his associate, Anatoly 
Krasovsky. And just a few days ago, we were informed that Belarusian 
Popular Front leader Vintsuk Viachorka's request for air time on 
Belarusian television to explain why the opposition is boycotting the 
parliamentary elections was met with a hateful, disparaging diatribe on 
the main newscast ``Panorama.''
  This is only the tip of the iceberg--in addition, the Helsinki 
Commission is receiving reports of detentions, fines and instances of 
beatings of opposition activists who are promoting a boycott of the 
elections by distributing leaflets or other literature or holding 
meetings with voters. In recent weeks, we have also been informed of 
the refusal to register many opposition candidates on dubious grounds; 
the seizure of over 100,000 copies of the independent trade union 
newspaper ``Rabochy''; forceful disruptions of public meetings with 
representatives of the opposition; an apparent burglary of the 
headquarters of the Social Democratic Party; a ban of the First 
Festival of Independent Press in Vitebsk, and recent ``reminder 
letters'' by the State Committee on Press for independent newspapers to 
re-register.
  Mr. President, Belarusian opposition parties supporting the boycott 
have received permission to stage ``Freedom March III'' this Sunday, 
October 1. At a number of past demonstrations, police have detained, 
harassed and beaten participants. Those in Congress who are following 
developments in Belarus are hopeful that this demonstration will take 
place peacefully, that authorities do not limit the rights of 
Belarusian citizens to freedom of association and assembly, and that 
the Government of Belarus will refrain from acts of repression against 
the opposition and others who openly advocate for a boycott of these 
elections.
  Mr. President, the Helsinki Commission continue to monitor closely 
the events surrounding these elections and we will keep the full Senate 
apprized of developments in the ongoing struggle for democracy in 
Belarus.

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