[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 101 (Thursday, July 27, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1552-E1553]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             BELARUS DEMOCRACY REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2006

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 27, 2006

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing the 
Belarus Democracy Reauthorization Act of 2006, a bipartisan measure to 
provide support for the promotion of democracy, human rights and the 
rule of law in the Republic of Belarus, as well as encourage the 
consolidation and strengthening of Belarus' sovereignty and 
independence. I am pleased to be joined by my colleagues, Representives 
Lantos and McCotter, as original cosponsors.
  Three years ago, I introduced the Belarus Democracy Act which passed 
the House and Senate with overwhelming support and was signed into law 
by President Bush in October 2004. At that time, the situation in 
Belarus with respect to democracy and human rights was already abysmal. 
Belarus continues to have the worst rights record of any European 
state, rightly earning the country the designation as Europe's last 
dictatorship. Bordering on the EU and NATO, Belarus is truly an anomaly 
in a democratic, free Europe.
  The need for a sustained U.S. commitment to foster democracy and 
respect for human rights and to sanction the regime of Belarus' tyrant, 
Alexander Lukashenka, is clear from the intensified anti-democratic 
policies pursued by the current leadership in Minsk. Mr. Speaker, I am 
pleased to note that the United States is not alone in this noble 
cause. Countries throughout Europe have joined in a truly trans-
Atlantic effort to bring hope of freedom to the beleaguered people of 
Belarus. Prompt passage of the Belarus Democracy Reauthorization Act of 
2006 will help maintain the momentum sparked by adoption of the 2004 
law and the further deterioration of the situation on the ground in 
Belarus. Indeed, with the further deterioration in Belarus with the 
massive arrests of recent weeks, this bill is needed now more than 
ever.
  One of the primary purposes of the Belarus Democracy Reauthorization 
Act of 2006 is to demonstrate sustained U.S. support for Belarus' 
independence and for those struggling to promote democracy and respect 
for human rights in Belarus despite the formidable pressures and 
personal risks they face from the anti-democratic regime. The bill 
authorizes $20 million in assistance for each of fiscal years 2007 and 
2008 for democracy-building activities such as support for non-
governmental organizations, including youth groups, independent trade 
unions and entrepreneurs, human rights defenders, independent media, 
democratic political parties, and international exchanges.

  The bill also authorizes $7.5 million for each fiscal year for 
surrogate radio and television broadcasting to the people of Belarus. 
While I am encouraged by the recent U.S. and EU initiatives with 
respect to radio broadcasting, much more needs to be done to break 
through Lukashenka's stifling information blockade.
  In addition, this legislation would impose sanctions against the 
Lukashenka regime, and deny senior officials of the regime--as well as 
those engaged in human rights and electoral abuses, including lower-
level officials--entry into the United States. In this context, I 
welcome the targeted punitive sanctions by both the Administration and 
the EU against officials, including judges and prosecutors, involved in 
electoral fraud and other human rights abuses.
  Strategic exports to the Government of Belarus would be prohibited, 
except for those intended for democracy building or humanitarian 
purposes, as well as U.S. Government financing and other foreign 
assistance, except for humanitarian goods and agricultural or medical 
products. The 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 that serve 
humanitarian needs. Furthermore, the bill would block Belarus 
Government and senior leadership and their surrogates' assets in 
property and interests in property in the United States, that hereafter 
come within the United States, or that are or hereafter come within the 
possession or control of United States persons. To this end, I welcome 
the Treasury Department's April 10 advisory to U.S. financial 
institutions to guard against potential money laundering by Lukashenka 
and his cronies and strongly applaud President Bush's June 19 
``Executive Order Blocking Property of Certain Persons Undermining 
Democratic Processes or Institutions in Belarus.''
  Mr. Speaker, I want to make it absolutely clear that these sanctions 
are aimed not at the people of Belarus, whose desire to be free we 
unequivocally support, but at a regime that displays contempt for the 
dignity and rights of its citizens even as the corrupt leadership moves 
to further enrich itself at the expense of the people.

  Mr. Speaker, Belarus stands out as an even greater anomaly following 
Ukraine's historic Orange Revolution and that country's March 26th free 
and fair parliamentary elections which stand in glaring contrast to 
Belarus' presidential elections held just one week earlier. The 
Belarusian elections can only be described as a farce. The Lukashenka 
regime's wholesale arrests of more than one thousand opposition 
activists, before and after the elections, and violent suppression of 
post-election protests underscore the utter contempt of the Belarusian 
authorities toward the people of Belarus.
  Illegitimate parliamentary elections in 2004 and the recently held 
presidential ``elections'' in Belarus brazenly flaunted democratic 
standards. As a result of these elections, Belarus has the distinction 
of lacking legitimate presidential and parliamentary leadership, which 
contributes to that country's self-imposed isolation.
  Lukashenka, the Bully of Belarus, has repeatedly unleashed his 
security thugs to trample on the rights of their fellow citizens. 
Indeed, they demonstrated what Lukashenka truly thinks about his own 
people. Nevertheless, courageous peaceful protesters on Minsk's central 
October Square stood up to the regime with dignity and determination. 
Almost daily repressions constitute a profound abuse of power by a 
regime that has blatantly manipulated the system to remain in power.
  Albeit safely ensconced in power, Lukashenka has not let up on the 
democratic opposition. On July 17, in a particularly punitive display 
against those who dare oppose Lukashenka, former presidential candidate 
Aleksandr Kozulin was sentenced to an obviously politically motivated 
5\1/2\ years' term of

[[Page E1553]]

imprisonment for alleged ``hooliganism'' and disturbing the peace. 
Democratic opposition leaders such as Anatoly Lebedka and Vincuk 
Viachorka have been arbitrarily detained and sentenced to jail terms 
which have been as much as 15 days. Last month, opposition activists 
Artur Finkevich received a two-year corrective labor sentence and 
Mikalay Rozumau was sentenced to three years of corrective labor for 
allegedly libeling Lukashenka. Other opposition activists, including 
Syarhey Lyashkevich and Ivan Kruk have received jail sentences of up to 
six months.

  In a patent attempt to discourage domestic observation of the 
fraudulent March 19 presidential elections, authorities arrested 
activists of the nonpartisan domestic election monitoring initiative 
``Partnerstva''--Tsimafei Dranchuk, Enira Branitskaya, Mikalay Astreyka 
and Alyaksandr Shalayka. They have been in pre-trial detention since 
February 21, charged with participation in an unregistered 
organization.
  Lukashenka's pattern of anti-democratic behavior began a decade ago, 
and this pattern has only intensified. Through an unconstitutional 1996 
referendum, he usurped power, while suppressing the duly-elected 
legislature and the judiciary. His regime has repeatedly violated basic 
freedoms of speech, expression, assembly, association and religion. In 
its May 3 annual report, the U.S. Commission on International Religious 
Freedom included Belarus on its watch list, as Belarus appears to be 
adopting tougher sanctions against those who take part in unregistered 
religious activity. The democratic opposition, nongovernmental 
organizations and independent media have been subject to intimidation 
and a variety of punitive measures, including closure. Political 
activists and journalists have been beaten, detained and imprisoned. 
Independent voices are unwelcome in Lukashenka's Belarus and anyone 
who, through their promotion of democracy, would stand in the way of 
the Belarusian dictator puts their personal and professional security 
on the line. Their courage deserves our admiration, and, more 
importantly, our support.
  Moreover, we have seen no progress on the investigation of the 
disappearances of political opponents--perhaps not surprisingly, as 
credible evidence points at the involvement of the Lukashenka regime in 
their murders. I welcome President Bush's decision to personally meet 
with two of the widows in the Oval Office to discuss the situation on 
Belarus. An Administration report mandated by the Belarus Democracy Act 
and finally issued on March 17 of this year reveals Lukashenka's links 
with rogue regimes such as Iran, Sudan and Syria, and his cronies' 
corruption. Despite efforts by the U.S. Government, working closely 
with the European Union, the Organization for Security and Cooperation 
in Europe (OSCE) and other European organizations, and non-governmental 
organizations, the regime of Lukashenka continues its grip on power 
with impunity and to the detriment of the Belarusian people.
  Colleagues, it is my hope that the Belarus Democracy Reauthorization 
Act of 2006 and efforts by allies in Europe will help put an end to the 
pattern of clear, gross and uncorrected violations of OSCE commitments 
by the Lukashenka regime and will serve as a catalyst to facilitate 
independent Belarus' integration into democratic Europe in which 
democratic principles and human rights are respected and the rule of 
law is paramount. The Belarusian people deserve better than to live 
under an autocratic regime reminiscent of the Soviet Union, and they 
deserve our support in their struggle for democracy and freedom.

                          ____________________