Helsinki Commission members seeks Albright's intervention

WASHINGTON - Helsinki Commission Co-Chairman Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-Colo.) has written Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright to express "grave concern about the personal safety of leading Belarusian opposition members" with whom he met recently in Washington.

Sen. Campbell wrote the letter in light of news reports indicating that Belarusian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka threatened members of the opposition party after their meetings with Washington lawmakers in late May. "Similar threats were issued by President Lukashenka prior to the disappearance of a leading opposition figure last year," Sen. Campbell wrote.

Other signatories of letter were Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Sen. Jesse Helms (R-N.C.), Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee Chairman Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), and Baltic Caucus Co-Chair Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.).

"The democratic opposition in Belarus deserves both our moral and material support as they seek to overcome the legacy of communism and authoritarianism and build a democratic society firmly rooted in the rule of law," the letter read. "Given the deterioration of human rights in Belarus and in particular repressive measures against the opposition, support for democratic forces in Belarus is more pressing than ever."

In their letter, the senators called on Secretary Albright to release existing State Department program funds "to enhance assistance to the democratic forces in Belarus at this critical juncture."

"We, therefore, urge you to take all available steps to help ensure the personal safety of these Belarusian opposition leaders and to ensure that adequate resources are made available on an urgent basis to support those programs aimed at strengthening independent media, human rights, civil society, independent trade unions and the democratic opposition in Belarus," the senators added.

- Ben Anderson

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, June 18, 2000, No. 25, Vol. LXVIII

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