INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

BELARUS UPDATE

Edited by Victor Cole

Vol. 2, No. 37

September 1999

IN THIS ISSUE:

-- HUMAN RIGHTS AND OPPOSITION NEWS --

GOVERNMENT-OPPOSITION CONSULTATIONS UNDERWAY
On September 3, under the auspices of the OSCE AMG in Belarus, the delegations of the Belarusian government and opposition met in Minsk to discuss access to the state-owned mass media as a precondition for dialogue. Alexander Lukashenko's aide Mikhail Sazonov headed the official delegation, Mikhail Pastukhov, a former Justice of the Belarusian Constitutional Court and the current chair of the Center for the Legal Defense of Independent Media at the Belarusian Association of Journalists, led the opposition, and Ambassador Hans-Georg Wieck, head of the OSCE AMG, mediated. Members of the opposition delegation offered their solutions to the government and the OSCE representatives. The OSCE group presented a document entitled "Presentation of the Dialogue in the Press." On September 4, Mikhail Pastukhov traveled to Vilnius to brief Semyon Sharetski, chair of the disbanded 13th Supreme Soviet and the opposition’s acting head of state, on the results of the September 3 meeting. Pastukhov told a Baltic News Service correspondent that the main focus of the meeting was to determine the necessary preconditions for more constructive talks. While stressing the necessity of dialogue between the opposition and Lukashenko, he expressed serious doubts that the current efforts would bring any results.

On September 8, consultations between the authorities and opposition continued. The government agreed to provide the opposition with some air time in the state-controlled media. The time and length of the air time will be considered at a special commission meeting scheduled for September 14. Pavel Yakubovich, editor-in-chief of the Sovetskaya Belarusiya newspaper and a staunch supporter of Lukashenko, was appointed the head of the commission. Alluding to Wieck’s complaints, the official press-release promised that all "further reporting on consultations and talks will be carried out in full compliance with norms of journalists' ethics." (Belapan, September 3, Baltic News Service, September 6)

OSCE OFFICIAL REJECTS OPPOSITION LEADER'S CRITICISM AS UNGROUNDED
In his recent interview to the ILHR, Semyon Sharetski, chair of the 13th Supreme Soviet, complained that Hans-Georg Wieck "pushes the opposition into talks with the government, sometimes even in violation of international principles." "The OSCE AMG in Belarus has never exerted pressure on anyone and has no means for such pressure at its disposal. The criticism of the OSCE group expressed by Sharetski is baseless," Hans-Georg Wieck responded in a recent press release. "The OSCE group stresses that in accordance with its mandate it consults the authorities, the opposition (including the Supreme Soviet), and public organizations about the ways of developing democratic institutions in Belarus. The consultations provided by the OSCE group can be either accepted or rejected," Wieck wrote. (Belapan, September 8)

PUBLIC COMMITTEE TO SUPPORT DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS SET UP IN MINSK
An organizing committee of the People’s Movement for Democratic and Free Elections has been set up in Minsk. The first congress of the new non-governmental body is scheduled for early December. The committee is chaired by Mechislav Grib, a former speaker of the 12th Supreme Soviet. The committee members called on the Belarusian people and public organizations to support the democratic parliamentary elections "as the only way out of the political impasse." (Belapan, September 7)

CHARTER 97 REPRESENTATIVE, EU OFFICIAL DISCUSS SITUATION IN BELARUS

On September 9, Alexander Silich, Charter 97 representative in Brussels, met Yan Marinus Wiersma, head of the EU delegation for Ukraine, Belarus, and Moldova, to inform him about the current political situation in Belarus and the recent negotiations between the authorities and the opposition. Wiersma expressed his solidarity with the democratic movement of Belarus and his readiness to support it. A preliminary agreement was reached to organize a series of meetings in Brussels between EU officials and members of the Belarusian opposition. (Charter 97, September 10)


AUTHORITIES CONTINUE TO HARASS OPPOSITION
On September 3, Charter 97 activists held a picket in Minsk under the slogan "Dictatorship is Rotten Meat!" Yuri Khadyka, deputy chair of the Belarusian Popular Front, also took part in the protest. During the picketing, two policemen handed him two subpoenas for his participation in opposition marches on July 21 and July 27. Both hearings are scheduled for September 13. He was also informed that on May 31 he was fined 150 million BR (about $50) by the Sovetsky District Court in Minsk for taking part in a protest this past spring. The court heard the case without Khadyka’s presence. (Charter 97, September 10)

OPPOSITION ACTIVISTS BEATEN BY POLICE IN MINSK

On September 7, a few dozens members of the Belarusian Party of Freedom, a recently formed and still unregistered political party, gathered in Yanka Kupala square in Minsk to mark the 485th anniversary of the Orsha battle, in which the united Belarusian-Lithuanian-Polish troops defeated the Russian army. The Belarusian Party of Freedom activists attempted to burn down a Russian banner. The riot police retaliated with force to stop them. The law enforcers grabbed the famous Belarusian poet Slavamir Adamovich, who was supposed to make a speech at the rally, twisted his arms behind his back, dragged him to a police car and beat him up. Sergei Chirik, a journalist of the Belaruskaya Maladezhnaya radio program, was arrested for videotaping the unsanctioned rally. Four policemen jumped out of their vehicle, twisted his arms and forced him inside the car. The tape was immediately confiscated. The Spring 96 Human Rights Center reported that Adamovich was released the same evening with a summons to the Minsk Tsentralny District Court. (Belapan, September 8, Spring 96, September 9)

MORE ATTACKS ON INDEPENDENT PRESS

The Belarusian Association of Journalists expressed deep concern over encroachments on the freedom of speech in Belarus and requested that the International Federation of Journalists and Article 19 send independent observers to the country as soon as possible. The request was prompted by the recent tax inspections of leading Belarusian independent newspapers -- Naviny, Belaruskaya Delovaya Gazeta, Belaruskaya Gazeta, Imya, Belaruski Rynok, and Narodnaya Volya. Electricity was cut off for an entire day at the editorial office of the Grodno-based Pahonya independent newspaper, Belapan reported. BAJ considers that the actions of the authorities are aimed at preventing the dissemination of objective information during the negotiation process between the government and opposition. (Charter 97, September 10)

STATE PRESS COMMITTEE: NO REPRESSIONS AGAINST INDEPENDENT MEDIA
Meanwhile, on September 8, at a news conference in Minsk, held on the occasion of the International Day of Journalists’ Solidarity, Mikhail Podgainy, chair of the State Press Committee, maintained that "no repressive measures had been taken against the media in the last two years." According to him, the State Committee for the Press has normal relations with all newspapers and magazines that comply with the law. (Belapan, September 8)

ROCK CONCERT BANNED IN MINSK

On September 8, a rock concert, organized by the Belarusian Popular Front in the Yanka Kupala Park in Minsk, was banned by the administration of the park without any explanation. The officials simply turned off the electricity. Organizers are certain that the concert was banned for purely political reasons. Vintsuk Vyachorka, deputy chair of the BPF, who had just returned from a trip to Yugoslavia, told a crowd of three thousand that they reached an agreement with Yugoslav opposition leaders on mutual support. (Charter 97, September 9)

BPF PICKETS RUSSIAN EMBASSY IN MINSK
Last week about 20 members of the Belarusian Popular Front picketed the Russian Embassy in Minsk for four days, protesting against the possible union between Russia and Belarus. "The Belarusians have made their choice and no longer wish to join the Eurasian empire. There is no place in Russia for Belarusian culture and spirituality," the protesters said in their petition to the Russian government. In another petition, the BPF urged the U.S. government not to allow the "incorporation of Belarus into Russia." "The loss of our independence would lead to disastrous consequences in the center of Europe," the BPF’s leadership warned. (BBC, September 6)

ANTI- RUSSIAN GRAFFITI IN VITEBSK

On September 7, an unidentified person raised a national white-red-white flag on Victory square in Vitebsk. Graffiti such as "Long Live Belarus!", "Russians Go Home!", and "Moscow is the Capital of Evil", had been painted on buildings. Roman Solovyan and Yuras Karpov, activists of the local branch of the BPF, were detained by the police in connection with the graffiti but released shortly thereafter because of a lack of evidence. (Charter 97, September 9)

MINERS PROTEST AGAINST NEW DECREE ON LABOR DISCIPLINE

On September 8, about four thousand miners protested in Soligorsk, Minsk region, calling upon the government to repeal the presidential decree "On additional measures aimed at the improvement of labor relations and the strengthening of work discipline." Under the decree, employees are faced with increased responsibility for violating workplace regulations. The decree gives the authorities the means to pressure workers. The miners urged the government to respect the labor legislation currently in force. (Charter 97, September 9)

OFFICIAL TRADE UNIONS PLAN PROTEST
On September 30, the Coordinating Council for Preparing Protests, set up by the Belarusian Federation of Trade Unions, approved a draft resolution to be adopted at the rally. "We should not keep silent while most of our collective agreements are not being fulfilled, while wages are becoming worthless, when in response to the people's dissatisfaction with the president's decrees and the government's decisions, the labor and socio-economic rights of citizens and trade unions are being restricted," wrote the leaders of the Federation in the resolution. The workers demanded that the government curb the growth of prices and inflation; increase wages and pensions and guarantee their timely payment; repeal legislation that hinders the development of production and decreases the population's living standards; provide trade unions regular access to television, radio and other media; and repeal the recent decree on labor discipline, which curtails the rights of employees. (Belapan, September 7)

--AT HOME IN BELARUS—

LUKASHENKO PLEDGES TO TIGHTEN SECURITY
"All the Belarusian law enforcement agencies are prepared for action to forestall a possible wave of extremism," Lukashenko said on September 9 during his working trip to the city of Mozyr, while commenting on the recent terrorist blast in a Moscow apartment building. "The heads of all defense and security agencies will be held responsible for any breach of public order in the country. This applies to everybody from the head of the presidential security service to the heads of the KGB, Interior Ministry, Prosecutor’s Office, and the army," he added. Lukashenko refused to disclose which specific steps had been taken to prevent terrorist attacks. He hinted that the heightened security was prompted by not only events in Russia. "There is no need to take to the streets, to roar, to shout, and to demand," Lukashenko said, referring to a trade union protest planned for September 30. In his opinion, "that protest is organized not by workers but by the trade union functionaries who have lost their slice of bread." Lukashenko noted that he is in full control of the situation in Belarus and pledged to maintain the peace "by all available means." (Interfax, September 9)

…AND ISSUES NEW DECREE

Lukashenko’s new decree "On measures for the prevention of incidents during public events" was published in the state media on September 10. The decree makes the law "On Rallies, Meetings, Processions, Demonstrations, and Picketing," which is already in force, more severe. In particular, the time for holding public events is limited to 8.00 a.m. - 10.00 p.m. Organizers are prohibited from setting up tents and other temporary installations, from using models of different kinds of weaponry. Theatre companies are prohibited from using unregistered emblems. The distance of mass event locations from subways and underground stations is being increased from 50 to 200 meters. "It is clear, that on the pretext of public safety the authorities are trying to make it harder for democratic forces to carry out protest campaigns", said Nikolai Statkevich, chair of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party. (Charter 97, September 10)

NOT INVITED

In response to not being invited to an international conference in Yalta, Ukraine, Alexander Lukashenko initially refused to grant Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus permission to fly over Belarusian air space. The permission was eventually granted. The conference of the Baltic and the Black Sea countries is being held as a continuation to a forum organized in Vilnius in 1997, when Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma proposed a similar presidential-level meeting in Yalta, to which the leader of Belarus was initially scheduled to be invited. But amidst recent international debates over the vague status of Lukashenko after his term in office expired two months ago, coordinators of the conference decided to withdraw his invitation. (Baltic News Service, September 9)

AN "UNFRIENDLY ACT"

The Belarusian Foreign Ministry called Ukraine's decision to recall Lukashenko’s invitation "an unfriendly gesture." Ukraine motivated the withdrawal by the difficult relations between Belarus and the EU and OSCE. "Representatives of the EU and OSCE denied that they tried to influence Ukraine with respect to the conference participants. However, Ukraine's decision runs counter to the objective of eradicating dividing lines in Europe, including the Baltic-Black Sea area," a ministry official told Interfax on September 9. (Interfax, September 9)

BALTIC WAVES RADIO FOR BELARUS TO LAUNCH IN JANUARY
The non-governmental Baltic Waves radio station will start broadcasting from Vilnius next January. At the end of August, the Lithuanian Radio and Television Commission granted Baltic Waves a license, which allows it to broadcast radio programs in Belarusian and in the other languages of Lithuania's national minorities until the end of 2000. As the programs will be heard in the neighboring states, the Belarusian authorities earlier voiced deep dissatisfaction over Lithuania's plans to air programs for national minorities. The radio station was funded by a NGO, which received £30,000 ($50,000) in financial assistance from the UK-based Westminster Foundation for Democracy. (Baltic News Service, September 6)

HARD-HIT BELARUS SEEKS IMF EMERGENCY LOAN

Belarus, abandoned by Western creditors because of its slow reforms, plans to ask the IMF for a stabilization loan, Finance Minister Nikolai Korbut said on September 9. Belarus would ask the fund to approve a Contingency and Compensatory Fund Facility loan, usually granted at a low interest rate to nations where the economy is suffering due to external factors. Belarus's economy has been hit by a poor grain harvest and has also been feeling side effects from Russia's crippling financial crisis. "We will invite an IMF mission in September-October and will ask for this stabilization loan," Korbut said. He did not name the sum of money to be requested. "The country faces a poor harvest for a second year in a row and the situation in Russia, our main market, has not improved," he said. Minsk applied last year for a similar IMF loan worth $100 million, but the Fund refused to allocate the money, saying that Belarus's economic problems were largely due to slow reforms. The government maintains strict control of prices and wages, and subsidizes companies that it considers strategic with direct grants or soft loans. Barter trade prospers, while payments are thwarted by the complicated multiple exchange rate mechanism. The IMF last year recalled its resident representative from Belarus, protesting against the unwillingness of the authorities to respect reform programs which had been agreed upon. Korbut said, however, that Belarus had every right to ask for the favorable loan because of its paltry harvest. "The situation is complicated and we have gathered only a half of the planned harvest. But the current economic course has nothing to do with this," he said. (Reuters, September 10)


--BROTHER SLAVS—

RUSSIA-BELARUS UNION LOOKS MORE DISTANT

On September 8, Vladimir Putin, Russia’s Prime Minister, told journalists in Minsk that a union treaty between his country and Belarus could take longer than initially hoped. He said that the much-discussed treaty might be ready for signing sometime before next summer. "I hope the signing of the treaty will take place before Russia's presidential election in 2000," he said after talks with Lukashenko. The blurred time frame contrasted sharply with earlier official forecasts that the treaty would be completed by September or October of this year. Putin added that the only document signed during his visit was an agreement to harmonize future economic legislation. Belarus is eager to adopt the Russian ruble, but the two states disagree on who would be empowered to print it. Their generally warm relations have also been soured by the growing Belarusian debt (about $442 million) for Russian gas, oil, and electricity. Belarus wants to import these energy resources at the lower prices offered within Russia. Sergei Ling, the Belarusian Prime Minister, said that during the meeting the Russian government had agreed to receive Belarusian manufactured goods worth $70 million as payment for natural gas. (Reuters, September 9)

--CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS—

September 30- The Federation of Trade Unions will hold a nationwide protest

October 17 – Freedom March in Minsk

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Belarus Update is a regular news bulletin of the Belarus Human Rights Support Project of the International League for Human Rights. The League, now in its 58th year, is a New York-based human rights NGO in consultative status with the United Nations and ILO.

The Belarus project is a part of Human Rights Defenders' Project, originally launched in 1982 to defend individuals and groups who suffer reprisals for promoting human rights in their societies. Among those the League defended were Andrei Sakharov, Kim Dae Jung and Jaime Castillo Velasco.

The Belarus project was established to support Belarusian citizens in making their cases before the U.S. government and public and international fora and intergovernmental organizations regarding President Alexander Lukashenko's wholesale assault on human rights and the rule of law in Belarus.

For more information e-mail belarus@ilhr.org or call (212) 684-1221 or fax (212) 684-1696 or visit our web site at www.ilhr.org.