[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 12]
[House]
[Pages 16897-16899]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  URGING GOVERNMENT OF BELARUS TO ENSURE DEMOCRATIC, TRANSPARENT, AND 
                         FAIR ELECTION PROCESS

  Mr. LEACH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 652) urging the Government of the Republic of 
Belarus to ensure a democratic, transparent, and fair election process 
for its parliamentary elections in the fall of 2004.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 652

       Whereas the establishment of a democratic, transparent, and 
     fair election process for the 2004 parliamentary elections in 
     the Republic of Belarus and of a genuinely democratic 
     political system are prerequisites for that country's 
     integration into the Western community of nations;
       Whereas the Government of Belarus has accepted numerous 
     specific commitments governing the conduct of elections as a 
     participating State of the Organization for Security and 
     Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), including provisions of the 
     Copenhagen Document;
       Whereas the election in the fall of 2004 of Belarus's next 
     parliament will provide an unambiguous test of the extent of 
     the Belarusian authorities' commitment to implement these 
     standards and build a democratic society based on free 
     elections and the rule of law;
       Whereas previous parliamentary elections in Belarus have 
     not fully met international standards;
       Whereas it is the duty of government and public authorities 
     at all levels to act in a manner consistent with all laws and 
     regulations governing election procedures and to ensure free 
     and fair elections throughout the entire country, including 
     preventing activities aimed at undermining the free exercise 
     of political rights;
       Whereas a genuinely free and fair election requires a 
     period of political campaigning conducted in an environment 
     in which neither administrative action nor violence, 
     intimidation, or detention hinder the parties, political 
     associations, and the candidates from presenting their views 
     and qualifications to the citizenry, including organizing 
     supporters, conducting public meetings and events throughout 
     the country, and enjoying unimpeded access to television, 
     radio, print, and Internet media on a non-discriminatory 
     basis;
       Whereas a genuinely free and fair election requires that 
     citizens be guaranteed the right and effective opportunity to 
     exercise their civil and political rights, including the 
     right to vote free from intimidation, threats of political 
     retribution, or other forms of coercion by national or local 
     authorities or others;
       Whereas a genuinely free and fair election requires the 
     full transparency of laws and regulations governing 
     elections, multiparty representation on election commissions, 
     and unobstructed access by candidates, political parties, and 
     domestic and international observers to all election 
     procedures, including voting and vote-counting in all areas 
     of the country;
       Whereas control and manipulation of the media by national 
     and local officials and others acting at their behest could 
     raise grave concerns regarding the commitment of the 
     Belarusian authorities to free and fair elections;
       Whereas efforts by national and local officials and others 
     acting at their behest to impose obstacles to free assembly, 
     free speech, and a free and fair political campaign could 
     call into question the fairness of the upcoming elections; 
     and
       Whereas the arrest or intimidation of opposition political 
     parties and candidates such as the leader of the United Civic 
     Party and others involved with the opposition including those 
     associated with the Coalition Five Plus represents a 
     deliberate assault on the democratic process: Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) looks forward to the development of cordial relations 
     between the United States and the Republic of Belarus;
       (2) emphasizes that a precondition for the integration of 
     Belarus into the Western community of nations is its 
     establishment of a genuinely democratic political system;
       (3) expresses its strong and continuing support for the 
     efforts of the Belarusian people to establish a full 
     democracy, the rule of law, and respect for human rights in 
     Belarus;
       (4) urges the Government of Belarus to guarantee freedom of 
     association and assembly, including the right of candidates, 
     members of political parties, and others to freely assemble, 
     to organize and conduct public events, and to exercise these 
     and other rights free from intimidation or harassment by 
     local or national officials or others acting at their behest;
       (5) urges the Government of Belarus to meet its 
     Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) 
     commitments on democratic elections;
       (6) urges the Belarusian authorities to ensure--
       (A) the full transparency of election procedures before, 
     during, and after the 2004 parliamentary elections;
       (B) free access for Belarusian and international election 
     observers;
       (C) multiparty representation on all election commissions;
       (D) unimpeded access by all parties and candidates to 
     print, radio, television, and Internet media on a non-
     discriminatory basis;
       (E) freedom of candidates, members of opposition parties, 
     and independent media organizations from intimidation or 
     harassment by government officials at all levels via 
     selective tax audits and other regulatory procedures, and in 
     the case of media, license revocations and libel suits, among 
     other measures;
       (F) a transparent process for complaint and appeals through 
     electoral commissions and within the court system that 
     provides timely and effective remedies; and
       (G) vigorous prosecution of any individual or organization 
     responsible for violations of election laws or regulations, 
     including the application of appropriate administrative or 
     criminal penalties;
       (7) further calls upon the Government of Belarus to 
     guarantee election monitors from the Office of Democratic 
     Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), other participating 
     States of the OSCE, Belarusian political parties, candidates' 
     representatives, nongovernmental organizations, and other 
     private institutions and organizations, both foreign and 
     domestic, unobstructed access to all aspects of the election 
     process, including unimpeded access to public campaign 
     events, candidates, news media, voting, and post-election 
     tabulation of results and processing of election challenges 
     and complaints;
       (8) encourages the international community, including the 
     Council of Europe, the OSCE, and the OSCE Parliamentary 
     Assembly, to continue their efforts to support democracy in 
     Belarus and urges countries such as Lithuania and other 
     Baltic countries and Nordic countries to continue to provide 
     assistance to nongovernmental organizations and other 
     Belarusian organizations involved in promoting democracy and 
     fair elections in Belarus; and
       (9) pledges its support to the Belarusian people, their 
     commitment to a fully free and open democratic system, their 
     creation of a prosperous free market economy, and their 
     country's assumption of its rightful place as a full and 
     equal member of the Western community of democracies.


[[Page 16898]]


  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Hensarling). Pursuant to the rule, the 
gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach) and the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Lantos) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach).


                             General Leave

  Mr. LEACH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on H. Res. 652.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Iowa?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LEACH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 652, which calls on the 
Government of Belarus to ensure that parliamentary elections which will 
take place in October of this year are democratic, transparent, and 
fair.
  Thirteen years after the fall of Communism, Belarus remains one of 
the few nations in Europe where the transition to democracy has not 
taken sufficient root. The current political leadership continues to 
rule in an authoritarian manner and its government continues to track 
down those individuals and organizations who are trying to help build 
support for democracy and democratic institutions.
  Unlike the situation in Ukraine, the government in Belarus has thus 
far not given any clear indication that it is committed to free and 
fair elections. However, in a recent meeting with the ambassador from 
Belarus, the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter) of the Subcommittee 
on Europe was led to believe that the government's positions on the 
elections could be positive. The ambassador gave assurances that the 
government would enforce the elections codes and would allow all 
political parties to have representatives on the electoral commissions 
which oversee implementation of the elections. He also indicated that 
Belarus would cooperate with the OSCE and would allow international 
observers.
  At a hearing the Subcommittee on Europe held in March on Belarus, the 
gentleman from Nebraska (Chairman Bereuter) pointed out that the 
gentleman from Illinois (Speaker Hastert) and several Members met with 
the leaders of the Belarus opposition, collectively known as the 
Coalition Five-Plus, to discuss the elections and their visions for a 
democratic future for Belarus.
  This group of political parties is united in a common platform in an 
attempt to bring democracy and respectability back to the Belarus 
Parliament.

                              {time}  1900

  Unfortunately, members of the opposition political parties and 
participants in political demonstrations continue to be subjected to 
harassment, surveillance by government agents, arrests and physical 
abuse. For these reasons, it is important that the United States 
Government, including this Congress, continue to emphatically express 
our strong support for free, fair, and transparent elections.
  In Europe, the situation in Belarus understandably seems to be of 
equal concern. The OSCE, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, and the 
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe have all expressed deep 
concerns over Belarus and its forthcoming elections. In fact, members 
have been informed that the Chair of the Belarus Working Group of the 
OSCE Parliamentary Working Assembly recently visited Minsk for 
additional discussions on the elections.
  Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 652 emphasizes that if Belarus is ever to become 
more integrated into the community of democratic nations, it must work 
toward the establishment of a genuinely democratic political system in 
which the freedom of association and assembly are guaranteed. It also 
must be a fact that political candidates from the opposition should be 
free from political harassment and intimidation as they campaign for 
office, and in which the media is free to act independently, free from 
government control or intimidation.
  Finally, there must be a system in which elections and the electoral 
process are open, transparent, and fair if Belarus wishes to be 
included in the community of democratic nations.
  The parliamentary elections this fall will be a litmus test for 
President Lukashenko's commitment to democracy and the direction he 
intends to take Belarus in the future.
  In closing, Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 652 rather precisely explains the 
concerns and recommendations of the United States House of 
Representatives. It has been crafted by the gentleman from Nebraska 
(Mr. Bereuter), and the Congress is in his debt for emphasizing the 
importance of this issue to the people of Belarus, as well as Europe 
and the United States.
  I also would like to thank the distinguished ranking member of the 
committee, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), for his 
leadership on so many issues, particularly those that relate to the 
historical transitions taking place in Eastern Europe.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this resolution and urge all of my 
colleagues to do so as well.
  Over the past 2 decades, totalitarian government after totalitarian 
government has fallen to the forces of democracy in one of the greatest 
achievements of the modern era. Tin-pot dictators and brutal military 
thugs have been tossed out of their ruling palaces, replaced by leaders 
chosen in fair elections, leaders willing to govern in an open and 
transparent manner.
  Sadly, Mr. Speaker, some dictatorial regimes continue to cling to 
power, using brutal force, intimidation, and torture to resist the 
worldwide trend towards democracy. Without a doubt, Alexander 
Lukashenko Belarus is a rising star in the world's list of rogue 
dictators.
  In 1996, Lukashenko amended the constitution in a flawed referendum 
and in 2001 extended his term in office through an election that was 
neither free nor fair. He stole local elections in March and in 
November of 2003.
  Mr. Speaker, the list of Lukashenko's violations of internationally 
recognized human rights does not end with fraudulent elections. 
Political opponents are intimidated, arrested, or disappear without a 
trace. Independent media outlets have been closed, and journalists are 
prevented from writing the truth.
  Nongovernmental organizations have been closed. United States 
nongovernmental organizations attempting to promote political party 
development have been kicked out of Belarus. Trade union leaders have 
been repressed, and religious freedom has been eroded. In short, Mr. 
Speaker, the human rights and democracy situation in Belarus is on a 
steady downwards path.
  Belarus is now preparing for parliamentary elections in October. Our 
resolution calls upon the Government of Belarus to ensure that these 
important elections are conducted in a free and fair manner.
  The United States and the European Union have been working jointly to 
encourage the government to conduct these elections in an open manner 
under the watchful eye of the Organization for Security and Cooperation 
in Europe. I have no confidence, however, that Lukashenko has any 
intention of listening to the voices of his own citizens or those of 
the international community who are demanding political change.
  Yet, the Government of Belarus must understand that we will never 
forget the cause of human rights and the cause of democracy in Belarus, 
and that the United States and Belarus will never have fully normal 
relations until Belarus moves assertively and convincingly towards a 
democratic form of government.
  I strongly support passage of this resolution, and I urge all of my 
colleagues to do so as well.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LEACH. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Shimkus).
  Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, it is great to be down here on the floor 
with

[[Page 16899]]

my friends and colleagues who want to continue to push for freedom and 
democracy. I dabble in this as not a professional on the committee, but 
I cannot think of a better way to spend one's additional free time than 
to work with the colleagues and friends that I have on the Committee on 
International Relations in promoting freedom and democracy. If the 
United States is not about freedom and democracy for ourselves and for 
other countries, then what are we for?
  The great words of the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach) and, of 
course, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), I cannot really add 
to them. I just want to add my voice to the chorus of many, as Chair of 
the Baltic Caucus and concerned about that region of Europe, and, 
really, the last dictator in Europe and his oppression of the 
democratic movement, that he needs to be placed on notice.
  They have upcoming elections. They are not being conducted fairly and 
freely, and there is harassment, there is intimidation, there are 
beatings. Even by their own rules, they are not allowing fair coverage 
by the state-run television media. It is important for us here to let 
them know publicly, through this debate and through passage of this 
resolution, that we are watching and that we are not going to go away; 
and we are going to join with our friends in the international 
community. We are going to join with our friends in Western and Eastern 
Europe and the NATO countries, and we are going to continue to say, for 
the sake of your own people, for the sake of freedom and democracy and 
economic growth and vitality, join the Western free countries. Tear 
down your borders, open up your system, allow your people to choose.
  There are very credible organizations and groups of committed 
citizens of Belarus joined in the Party of Five, very disparate 
elements, different ideologies. They so much want freedom and democracy 
that they have put aside the ideological debate on how to run a 
government, to say, let us have democracy. Let us first get to the 
basic, fundamental principles of democracy and freedom, and then let 
us, in a peaceful setting, sometimes probably as rancorous as we have 
on the floor of the House, let us then, in open debate, decide how we 
are going to do that.
  I have met with them. They are patriots, and they are again from the 
far right and the far left, and they only want one thing. They want 
access to the political system and the democratic process.
  We are watching. This resolution continues to put Mr. Lukashenko on 
notice that we are not going to go away. The international community is 
here, we are behind not only the people of Belarus, not only the people 
of the region, but the whole international community in calling for 
free, fair, and honorable elections this October.
  I thank the members of the Committee on International Relations, 
especially the chairman and the ranking member, for making sure that 
this is put on record and that we have a chance to speak on it on the 
floor tonight. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the 
future.
  Mr. LEACH. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Hensarling). The question is on the 
motion offered by the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 652.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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