Post-Referendum Events -- September and October, 1997

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• The Referendum of November, 1996   Web page

• Summary of   Pre-Referendum Events   Web page

• Summary of   Post-Referendum Events, through December, 1996   Web page

• Summary of   Post-Referendum Events, January and February, 1997   Web page

• Summary of   Post-Referendum Events, March and April, 1997   Web page

• Summary of   Post-Referendum Events, May and June, 1997   Web page

• Summary of   Post-Referendum Events, July and August, 1997   Web page

• Summary of   Post-Referendum Events, November and December, 1997   Web page

September, 1997

• Soros Closes Operations in Belarus. Hungarian-born U.S. financier and philanthropist George Soros on 3 September said he is closing down the Soros Foundation in Mensk, RFE/RL's Belarusian Service reported. In a statement, the foundation said the closure is the result of harassment by tax authorities in Mensk, including "politically motivated investigations, unjustified and exorbitant fines, and the seizure of its bank account." The statement accused Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka of conducting a campaign to destroy civil society and independent mass media. Soros denies accusations by Belarusian authorities that the foundation has been involved in opposition political activities. Foreign Minister Ivan Antonovich told state television on 3 September that the closure is an attempt to provoke a "sensational" political reaction. Soros's Open Society Institute has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to former Communist countries to promote democracy and a free press.   RFE/RL NEWSLINE   Vol. 1, No. 110, Part II, 4 September 1997

• The 10 East European presidents attending the European security meeting in Vilnius on 5-6 September were virtually unanimous in denouncing Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka's authoritarian rule, an RFE/RL correspondent at the meeting reported. Estonian President Lennart Meri took the lead in criticizing Lukashenka, and his sharp words were echoed not only by the East European leaders but also by representatives of Belarusian public organizations. The meeting's attitude toward the Belarusian leader was summed up by one official who told RFE/RL that "Lukashenka is the Lysenko of today," a reference to the Stalin-era agricultural researcher who largely destroyed the science of genetics in the USSR (see also "End Note" below).     RFE/RL NEWSLINE Vol 1, No. 112, Part I, 8 September 1997

  End Note: "The Spirit of Vilnius" by Paul Goble
  For the first time, the countries between the Baltic and the Black Seas have found a common voice, one that will help them to integrate into the West, even as they smooth their relations with one another and with Moscow. At a meeting in Vilnius on 5 and 6 September, the presidents of 10 countries in the region sharply criticized the retreat from democratic reforms in Belarus. They stressed they want to work with both Russia and the West. And they committed themselves to broader regional cooperation. . . .    from Endnote to RFE/RL NEWSLINE Vol 1, No. 112, Part I, 8 September 1997     refer to the RFE/RL Web site for the complete text.

• The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe has again urged Belarus to accept its offer to provide assistance in developing a democratic form of government, an RFE/RL correspondent reported. A spokesman at OSCE headquarters in Vienna said on 9 September that the organization is ready to resume negotiations on opening an OSCE office in Mensk. Belarus gave preliminary permission in June but stopped the negotiations in July following a dispute with the OSCE's Parliamentary Assembly. The spokesman said the organization remains concerned about developments in Belarus and the political situation there. Belarusian Foreign minister Ivan Antanovich is scheduled to discuss the proposed mission at a meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna on 18 September.     RFE/RL NEWSLINE Vol. 1, No. 114, Part II, 10 September1997

• About 20 women participated in a demonstration against the imprisonment of Tamara Vinnikova, ex-chairperson of the National Bank currently held in custody for alleged abuses of her position, near the building of the Committee for State Security ('KGB') in the centre of Mensk from 4 to 6 pm on September 10. The protest had been organised by the Women's Christian Democratic Movement (WCDM) in cooperation with some other political parties, and sanctioned by the city administration. The protesters held signs saying, "Tamara Vinnikova's life is in danger," "A prison and KGB custody is not the right place for a woman," and so on. . . . According to Ms Petina, the women's population in Belarusian prisons sharply increased in recent years and reached 16 percent of the total number of prisoners. The WCDM sent a letter to President Lukashenko two months ago, demanding the release of Tamara Vinnikova. Lukashenko never answered. Meanwhile, Vinnikova is undergoing medical treatment in a KGB hospital. She refuses to be operated while being in custody.     excerpts from BelaPAN (Mensk, Belarus), No. 32, Thursday, September 11, 1997 2:30 p.m.

• US State Department deputy spokesman urges Belarus to resume its course towards building an open society. US State Department Deputy Spokesman James Foley said September 5 that the United States "deeply regrets that actions by the Government of Belarus have made it necessary for the Belarus Soros Foundation to close its offices in Belarus." Mr. Foley said that "the behavior of the Government of Belarus toward the Belarus Soros Foundation sends a very negative message about the intentions of the Government of Belarus regarding democracy and human rights." He urged the government of Belarus to take constructive actions to resume its course towards building an open society. "The Government of Belarus must abide by its international commitments, notably to the Organisation for Cooperation and Security in Europe (OSCE), to permit the free flow of information and the establishment of democratic institutions, James Foley added.     information from BelaPAN (Mensk, Belarus), No. 36, Friday, September 12, 1997 3:00 p.m.

• Yury Belenky, the deputy chairman of the opposition Belarusian National Front, was arrested on 16 September in Mensk, Belapan reported. He was seized in the office of Belpromstroybank, where he works, and taken by force to the police station. The police gave no explanation for his arrest and released him several hours later, after Belenky had claimed parliamentary immunity. Meanwhile, the EU on 16 September criticized the "anti-democratic attitude" of Belarus and Lukashenka. It also said that it has suspended participation in talks between the government and the opposition.   RFE/RL NEWSLINE   Vol. 1, No. 118, Part II, 16 September 1997

• EU Foreign Ministers on 15 September issued a strongly worded statement criticizing Belarus for "allowing recurrent violations of human rights" and for its "obstructive" attitude to relations with the EU, RFE/RL's Brussels correspondent reported. The statement announced several measures to restrict contacts with and aid programs for Belarus. Observers in Brussels told RFE/RL's correspondent that Russia, and possibly other countries, have exerted influence to try to suppress the EU's criticism of Belarus.   RFE/RL NEWSLINE   Vol. 1, No.119, Part II, 17 September 1997

• Alyaksandr Antipenka, the executive director of the Soros Foundation in Mensk, told RFE/RL's Mensk correspondent on 16 September that police have confiscated property belonging to the foundation's office. Antipenka estimated the value of the seized goods at $3,000. The Soros Foundation was forced to close its premises at the beginning of September after the government claimed it owes $3 million in back taxes. The foundation says that it previously received assurances from the government of its tax exempt status. It accuses Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka of seeking to destroy civil society in the country.   RFE/RL NEWSLINE   Vol. 1, No.119, Part II, 17 September 1997

• The Belarusian Foreign Ministry on 19 September rejected the EU's criticism of Mensk's human rights record as unacceptable interference in the country's internal affairs, Interfax-West reported. The statement came in response to an EU declaration on 15 September criticizing Mensk for its actions against journalists and reconfirming the sanctions on Belarus that the EU had imposed earlier.   RFE/RL NEWSLINE   Vol. 1, No. 122, Part II, 22 September 1997

• BelaPAN's sociological service Zerkalo (Mirror) conducted a poll among 500 Mensk residents from September 19 to 21 to question them about changes in their well- being after the November 1996 referendum. Almost half the respondents (42 percent) said that their well- being remained unchanged, 12 percent saw some improvement and 37 percent said that their well-being changed for the worse. Among the respondents who said that their living standards improved, 39 percent claimed that it was their personal success, 20 percent said that the improvement was achieved thanks to their relatives or family members, 11 percent achieved success with the help of their boss or colleagues, 9 percent friends or neighbours, 6 percent expressed gratitude to the president, 5 percent to entrepreneurs and 4 percent expressed gratitude to the government. Twenty-eight percent of the respondents blamed the government for a decline in their living standards, 26 percent blamed the president, 14 percent politicians, 7 percent their boss or colleagues, 6 percent blamed themselves and 5 percent said it was "bad luck". Only 1 percent of the respondents blamed the opposition or international organisations.     information from BelaPAN (Mensk, Belarus), No. 75 Friday, September 26, 1997 2:00 p.m.

October, 1997

• Mensk, 29 October. At their recent conference in Trieste, parliamentary speakers of Central European Initiative member states unanimously adopted a resolution recognising the 13th Belarusian Supreme Soviet (the Belarusian legislature dismantled as a result of the November 1996 referendum) as the only legitimate parliament in Belarus, said Supreme Soviet Chairman Semen Sharetsky who attended the conference together with the Supreme Soviet's ex-speaker, Stanislav Shushkevich. According to Mr Sharetsky, speakers of the Ukrainian and Moldovian parliaments, Aleksandr Moroz and Dmitry Mopan, also voted for the resolution.

  The conference participants discussed the state of legislative and local governing bodies in Central Europe and measures in the field of crime prevention. Messrs Sharetsky and Shushkevich made reports on the two issues.

  Sharetsky and Shushkevich also met with the delegations of Austria, Moldova, Poland, Ukraine and some other countries. Aleksandr Moroz told the Supreme Soviet leaders that he feared that the totalitarian regime which was being established in Belarus, may spread to Ukraine. He also expressed his surprise with actions of some Ukrainian parliamentarians who have recently met with the leaders of the Belarusian National Assembly in Mensk disregarding the 13th Supreme Soviet.     information from BelaPAN (Mensk, Belarus), No.88; Wednesday, October 29, 1997; 6:00 p.m.

• What Next?. . . .

• The Referendum of November, 1996   Web page

• Summary of   Pre-Referendum Events   Web page

• Summary of   Post-Referendum Events, through December, 1996   Web page

• Summary of   Post-Referendum Events, January and February, 1997   Web page

• Summary of   Post-Referendum Events, March and April, 1997   Web page

• Summary of   Post-Referendum Events, May and June, 1997   Web page

• Summary of   Post-Referendum Events, July and August, 1997   Web page

• Summary of   Post-Referendum Events, November and December, 1997   Web page

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