Helsinki Commission examines volatile developments in Belarus (11/24/96)

Helsinki Commission examines volatile developments in Belarus

by Orest Deychakiwsky

WASHINGTON - Over the past year, observers have noted increasing signs of serious political and economic deterioration as President Alyaksandr Lukashenka's increased authoritarianism and human rights repression have become subjects of concern - both within and outside Belarus. A briefing held by the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe examined the volatile political and human rights situation in Belarus, focusing on the scheduled November 24 referendum on extending the president's powers.

Witnesses included: Zyanon Paznyak, chairman of the Belarusian Popular Front who was recently granted political asylum in the U.S.; Jack Segal, director of Ukrainian, Belarusian and Moldovan Affairs, U.S. Department of State; Jan Zaprudnik, leading expert on Belarus and former editor, Radio Liberty Belarusian Service; and Antti Korkeakivi, legal advisor on the CIS, Lawyers Committee for Human Rights.

Mr. Paznyak characterized President Lukashenka as lawless and against all things Belarusian - even his own people. He cited the drastic decrease in Belarusian language schools, persecution of people wearing the traditional national flag or insignia, and the arrests at last spring's demonstrations merely for speaking Belarusian. Citing specific instances, he stated that human rights are "totally ignored" and that Mr. Lukashenka, by ignoring the law, is acting as a dictator.

Mr. Segal outlined official U.S. positions on the situation in Belarus, asserting that "the political character of Belarus as a nation hangs in the balance, with the issues of freedom of expression, human rights and separation of powers at the center of the debate."

While recognizing Belarus' worsening human rights record and unsatisfactory progress in building a democratic system, he argued that the U.S. should not turn its back on the country, but should cooperate where possible to assist Belarus, including engaging "in a dialogue on political reform."

He noted that the U.S. has repeatedly expressed its dissatisfaction with the Belarusian government's intolerance of opposition and exercise of a virtual information blockade against its critics in the electronic media, and will continue to seek Belarus' compliance with the democratic principles it undertook to uphold as a member of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Mr. Zaprudnik reflected on political and daily life in Belarus based on his most recent visit. He characterized President Lukashenka's method of running Belarus as relatively simple: "Blame the enemy - the Parliament, the opposition parties, the liberal Russian media, the West, the CIA - through the monopolized media and press" and castigate and fire various public officials. As a result, according to Mr. Zaprudnik, "Folks in the country blame bad officials who get in the way of a good president for their misery."

On the other hand, young people are resisting Mr. Lukashenka's political course and becoming "increasingly active on behalf of democratization, freedom of speech, Belarusian nationhood and cultural rebirth."

Mr. Korkeakivi commented on Mr. Lukashenka's controversial draft constitution - scheduled for a the November 24 referendum - from the human rights perspective, concluding that it "puts forth a system that really undermines the other two branches of power so effectively that the president can interpret human rights provisions without any real check."

He also pointed out that in addition to the content of the draft constitution deserving criticism, the referendum process itself can also be challenged as illegal. Indeed, following the commission briefing, the Belarus Constitutional Court, Parliament and Central Election Commission (CEC) all said the vote should be advisory and have no legal force. President Lukashenka, not surprisingly, has "overruled" the Constitutional Court verdict and related parliamentary decisions, and has removed the chairman of the CEC.