[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 126 (Thursday, October 7, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Page S10689]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     SUPPORTING DEMOCRACY IN BELARUS

  Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, I welcome the unanimous passage of the 
Belarus Democracy Act, BDA, by the United States Senate last night 
following similar action by the House of Representatives earlier this 
week. As co-chairman of the Helsinki Commission, I am particularly 
pleased at timely adoption of this important legislation. I thank 
Chairman Lugar and Senator Biden for their assistance in facilitating 
consideration of this bill by the full Senate.
  Repression and stagnation have been the hallmarks of the regime of 
Aleksandr Lukashenka, the leader of Belarus who increasingly tightened 
the noose around those who express independent views. A series of 
fundamentally flawed elections have left Belarus without legitimate 
executive and parliamentary leadership. Against this backdrop, 
preparations are underway for parliamentary elections and a referendum 
later this month. The elections take place in an environment in which 
the regime has intensified its repression of the remaining independent 
media and vilification of the opposition and their supporters. 
Lukashenka is also seeking to manipulate the situation to extend his 
rule by eliminating constitutional term limits for president, possibly 
paving the way for him to become a ``president-for-life.''
  As co-chairman of the Helsinki Commission, I have maintained a strong 
interest in Belarus and have tried to inform my Senate colleagues about 
the increasingly troubling developments in that strategically located 
country, whose 10 million people have suffered cruelty at the hands of 
czars, Nazis, Communists and now, Aleksandr Lukashenka. During my 
service on the Commission, I have met and come to know many of the 
courageous individuals, who often at personal risk have spoken out in 
support of democracy in the face of Europe's last dictatorship, 
including the spouses of opposition leaders and a journalist who 
disappeared in 1999 and 2000 because they dared speak to the truth.
  Belarus, under Lukashenka, has the worst human rights record in 
Europe. His regime has increasingly violated basic human rights and 
freedoms. The goal of the Belarus Democracy Act is to help put an end 
to repression and human rights violations in Belarus and to promote 
Belarus' entry into a democratic Euro-Atlantic community of nations 
following years of self-imposed isolation.
  The Belarus Democracy Act authorizes additional assistance for 
democracy-building activities such as support for NGOs, independent 
media, including radio broadcasting to Belarus, and international 
exchanges. It also encourages free and fair parliamentary elections, 
which have been notably absent in Belarus and which look to be highly 
problematic when they are held on October 17, judging by the pre-
election environment and the regime's tight control over the electoral 
process.
  The BDA includes sense of the Congress language that would prohibit 
U.S. Government financing, except for humanitarian reasons and U.S. 
executive directors of the international financial institutions would 
be encouraged to vote against financial assistance to the Government of 
Belarus except for loans and assistance for humanitarian needs. The 
bill also requires a report from the President concerning the sale of 
delivery of weapons or weapons-related technologies from Belarus to 
rogue states and on the personal wealth and assets of Lukashenka.
  Nearly 2 years after the introduction of the Belarus Democracy Act 
the situation in that country has spiraled downward. Adoption and 
implementation of the Belarus Democracy Act will offer hope that the 
current period of political, economic and social stagnation will indeed 
end. It shows our concrete support for the courageous individuals, non-
governmental organizations, independent media and independent trade 
unions struggling mightily against the machine of repression. And it 
shows our support for the people of Belarus, who deserve a chance for a 
brighter future.

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