Pre-Referendum Events
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- In addition to specific events related to censorship, human
rights
violations, political intimidation, and so forth, as noted in the
following, another sequence of events have and are taking place in
Belarus that just as negatively affect the hope for a free press,
human
rights, democracy, and civil institutions: Funding for many such
activities has been severely cut or has been dropped entirely; for
example, both The Belarusian Historical Review and the
Miensk Mass-Media Center (MMC) have had their funding cut
off
(by the Soros Foundation in March, 1996, for the latter). The
frequency of such occurrences is having a chilling effect as well.
- Follow link to full text of the
Resolution made by the International Scholarly
Conference, "Belarus - problems of a peripheral region of
Eastern
Europe," Stuttgart, Germany, 10-14 April, 1996. The resolution
was sent to the President of the Academy of Sciences of Belarus
(ANB),
Mr. Leonid Sushchena. A second copy was sent to the President of the
Republic Belarus, Mr. A. Lukashenko.
"We, historians and scholars working in the field of Belarusian
history, wish to express our serious desquiet over the attempt to
limit
the freedom of scholarly research in Belarus. The halting of the
printing of the Belarusian encyclopaedia, coupled with the personnel
changes in the management of the encyclopedia which have taken place
against the background of a campaign to suppress the independent
media
constitute an attack on human rights and the intimidation of
opponents
of the present regime."
Posted to the Internet, 26 April, 1996
- According to Reuters and other news sources, Beloruskaya
Delovaya Hazieta has been shut down by decree of the current
Belarusian government (executive branch), as of early June, 1996
(Reuters, June 27, 1996, on the newsgroup,
clari.world.europe.eastern).
"[US] State Department spokesman Nicholas Burns expressed
disappointment Thursday over the closing of an independent newspaper
in
Belarus."
"We're very disappointed by that and disappointed by many
of
the actions of the
Belarusian government." The other actions include the
government's denial of access to
printing facilities and distribution networks for the the
Delovaya Hazieta and other
independent publications, Burns said in an earlier
statement.
"Belarus is a party to
international human rights agreements which recognize every
individual's right to
freedom of speech and assembly," Burns said. "We urge the
government of Belarus to
comply with these internationally recognized standards,
which
Belarus has undertaken
freely to respect."
- Independent Radio Station Closed in Belarus. Station 101.2 was
shut down because its operations were "interfering in government
communications." Radio Rossii and PAP reported on 1 September.
The station broadcast primarily music and some news. The head of the
station, Zhanna Litvina, said the move was just another in a series
aimed at curtailing media freedom. She also said it was part of the
state's anti-Belarusian policy, since it was the only independent
channel broadcasting in Belarusian and fostering national 'rebirth.'
The station plans to appeal the decision. OMRI Daily
Digest, Sept. 4, 1996; Ustina Markus
- Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court Valeryi Tsikhinya has
said the court does not approve of several resolutions adopted by the
All Belarusian Congress, ITAR-TASS reported on 22 October. Tsikhinya
said the court continues to support the "zero option"
solution, whereby both the president and the parliament refrain from
holding referendums on their proposed constitutions. He noted that
the
president's draft constitution is based on a "philosophy
contravening the principle of division of powers." He added that
if that version is approved in the referendum "Belarus will
become
a totalitarian state." Tsikhinya also stressed that the court
has
ruled on 19 decrees issued by the president and found 17 to be in
contravention of the constitution. OMRI Daily Digest,
Oct.
23, 1996; Ustina Markus
- The Foreign Ministry announced it was unhappy with the European
Parliament's resolution on the situation in Belarus. The European
Parliament found the country's regime to be authoritarian. Belarus's
Foreign Ministry responded that the country had been a
"pioneer" in nuclear disarmament, and the European
parliament's resolution was "incorrect, out of place, and
regrettable." The resolution will hinder ratification of an
agreement on partnership and cooperation between Belarus and the
Council of Europe and also implementation of a trade accord.
OMRI Daily Digest, Oct. 29, 1996; Ustina Markus
- Alyaksandr Lukashenka said he would dissolve parliament if the
Constitutional Court ruled that his proposed referendum was illegal,
Reuters and ITAR-TASS reported on 29 October. Last week the court
announced it would review Lukashenka's and parliament's draft
constitutions, and if it found they were actually new constitutions
rather than just amendments to the existing basic law, any
referendum on them would not be legal. OMRI Daily Digest,
Oct. 30, 1996; Ustina Markus
- The U.S. Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe held a
hearing on the situation in Belarus, RFE/RL reported on 31 October.
Jack Segal, the director of Ukranian, Belarusian, and Moldovan
affairs
at the U.S. State Department, said that if the referendum on
constitutional change in Belarus is held without a less constricted
press, it "would not be credible" and violates human rights. Segal
also
accused President Lukashenka of imposing "a virtual information
blockade" through control of television and radio. Previously, on 30
October, Segal pointed out that the U.S. has no intention to isolate
Belarus or interfere in its internal affairs and will try to develop
relations with the country, especially in providing advice and aid,
Itar-TASS reported on 30 October. OMRI Daily Digest, Oct.
31, 1996; Sergei Solodovnikov
- The Belarusian Constitutional Court began reviewing the legality
of
the referendum on 1 November, ITAR-TASS reported. Parliament
requested
the review as a way to derail the constitutional referendum scheduled
for 24 November. If the court rules that the draft constitutions put
forward by the president and parliament are only amended
constitutions,
then the referendum will take place. Should the court rule that the
drafts are actually new constitutions, then the referendum would not
be
legal, and President Alyaksandr Lukashenka has said he would dissolve
parliament. He won a popular mandate to do so in the May 1995
referendum. On that ballot, a non-binding question was inserted
asking
if the president should have the power to dissolve the legislature,
to
which 77.7 % of voters responded yes. OMRI Daily Digest,
Nov. 1, 1996; Ustina Markus
- About 70 deputies, including the entire Yabloko faction, several
independents, and members of the Our Home Is Russia faction walked
out
of the [Russian] Duma as Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka
began to address the chamber on 12 November, ITAR-TASS reported.
Deputies from the Communist faction and the LDPR stood to applaud
him.
Before Lukashenka's address, Yabloko leader Grigorii Yavlinskii made
an
unsuccessful last-minute attempt to postpone his appearance until
after
the 24 November constitutional referendum in Belarus, arguing that
Lukashenka would use his Duma speech to "pressure Belarusian public
opinion." Communist and LDPR deputies insisted that Lukashenka be
allowed to speak, saying he leads "a brother republic, the only one
which is really friendly toward Russia." OMRI Daily
Digest,
Nov. 13, 1996; Scott Parrish
- In his controversial speech to the [Russian] State Duma on 13
November (see OMRI Daily Digest, 13 November 1996), Belarusian
President Alyaksandr Lukashenka claimed that Belarus is not an
economic
drain on Russia, that economic reforms are proceeding, and that his
government respects human rights. OMRI Daily Digest, Nov.
14, 1996; Scott Parrish
- Alyaksandr Lukashenka on 14 November signed a decree firing the
chairman of the Central Electoral Commission, Viktar Ganchar, and
replacing him with Lidiya Yermoshina, Reuters reported. Ganchar had
infuriated Lukashenka by describing the president's 24 November
referendum as "a piece of legal idiocy" and threatening not to
validate
the results. The parliament, the Constitutional Court, and Ganchar's
commission have all said the vote should be advisory and have no
legal
force. But Lukashenka has decreed that it will have legal force. The
last straw in the conflict between the president and Ganchar was the
latter's unsuccessful attempt to speak before the Russian Duma the
same
day as Lukashenka. Ganchar said that he will ignore the decree and
continue carrying out his duties. OMRI Daily Digest, Nov.
15, 1996; Sergei Solodovnikov
- Andrei Sannikau tendered his resignation on 14 November, Reuters
reported. Sannikau said he disagrees with the president's policies.
This is the first sign of open resistance to Lukashenka in the
government since Viktar Ganchar quit as deputy prime minister last
December. OMRI Daily Digest, Nov. 15, 1996; Sergei
Solodovnikov
- Letter of protest sent to President Lukashenka by members of
Internet community: Letter at IDC web
page, November 17, 1996. In part:
"We are writing to express our concern about the current
political
situation in Belarus in the wake of the upcoming referendum on
Constitution of Belarus. Please, be assured that we, nationals of
many
countries, representing different walks of life and having a vested
interest in Belarus support development of democracy, furthering
Human
Rights, and protection of Constitutional institutions in your
country. . . ."
". . . .We request, Mr. President, that you reconsider your most
recent actions and political behaviors and allow the democratic
process
in Belarus to develop according to the Constitution of your country,
which should be governed by the rule of law, not by the rule of one
individual. The latest developments in Belarus suggest that the
latter
is taking place."
- Between 5,000 and 10,000 people took part in a "March of Silence"
in Mensk on 17 November to protest President Alyaksandr Lukashenka's
proposals to increase his powers, Reuters reported. Ten people were
arrested and some 20 were slightly injured. The demonstrators,
carrying red and white Belarusian flags, marched on the parliament building where deputies were scheduled to hold an emergency session on the political situation in the republic. OMRI Daily Digest, Nov. 18, 1996; Sergei Solodovnikov
- Lukashenka dismissed Central Electoral Commission chairman Viktar
Ganchar on 14 November, thereby violating the constitution by
interfering in the powers of the parliament. Meanwhile, First Deputy
Parliamentary Speaker Vasil Novikau said the Supreme Soviet has begun
impeachment procedures against the president. OMRI Daily
Digest, Nov. 18, 1996; Sergei Solodovnikov
- President Alyaksandr Lukashenka on 18 November accepted the
resignation of Mikhail Chyhir and appointed his deputy, Syarhei Linh,
as acting premier, Reuters reported. Chyhir's resignation was in
protest over Lukashenka's proposed referendum aimed at increasing the
powers of the president. Labor Minister Alyaksandr Sasnou also
resigned the same day, while the parliament collected 75 signatures--five more than necessary--to start impeachment procedures against the president. In order to oust Lukashenka, the Constitutional Court will have to approve his impeachment and 132 deputies will have to vote in favor of his dismissal. OMRI Daily Digest, Nov. 19, 1996; Sergei Solodovnikov
- Lukashenka's top aide, Uladzimir Zametalin, has said the
president could prevent his impeachment even if the Constitutional Court approved it. He did not rule out the possibility of dissolving the parliament and the Constitutional Court. OMRI Daily Digest, Nov. 19, 1996; Sergei Solodovnikov
- President Lukashenka on 19 November issued a decree cutting off
Russian Public TV and NTV's communication lines to Belarus, Russian
media reported on 19 November. The restrictions, however, were lifted
later that day. Lukashenka had claimed the move was justified because
the Russian channels were unobjective and provocative in their
reporting on Belarus. Under the decree, Russian reports on Belarus
could be sent to Russia only after Belarusian media authorities had
checked and approved them. Electronic mail links with Russia were
also to have been cut. The Russian Foreign Ministry warned that it would react accordingly if Russian journalists were stripped of their
accreditation in Belarus. OMRI Daily Digest, Nov. 20,
1996; Ustina Markus
- The French, German, Italian, and British ambassadors in Mensk
have protested what they call "the illegal nature" of Lukashenka's
proposed referendum, RFE/RL reported on 19 November. The Council of Europe
also issued a statement saying that the president's efforts to boost his
powers in a way that contradicts democratic norms is jeopardizing the
country's bid to join the council. Polish President Aleksandr
Kwasniewski said he and his Lithuanian and Ukranian counterparts
intend to make a joint appeal expressing their growing concern about the
situation in neighboring Belarus. Ukraine, for its part, has rejected
Lukashenka's request to visit the Chornobyl nuclear power station.
Russian President Boris Yeltsin called for compromise and common
sense in Belarus. OMRI Daily Digest, Nov. 20, 1996; Sergei
Solodovnikov
- Following a night of negotiations, President Alyaksandr
Lukashenka
and parliamentary speaker Syamyon Sharetsky have signed an accord,
Reuters reported on 22 November. The negotiations were mediated by
Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin and the speakers of
Russia's
two houses of parliament. The agreement states that the 24 November
referendum will not be legally binding and that the parliament will
drop impeachment moves against Lukashenka. It also provides for a
constitutional committee composed of 100 representatives, half of
which
are to be chosen by the parliament and the other half by the
president.
The committee is to be headed by the president and will be formed
over
20 days following the referendum. Its aim will be to draw up a new
constitution based on the results of the plebiscite. OMRI
Daily Digest, Nov. 22, 1996; Sergei Solodovnikov
- The Moscow-brokered compromise between the Belarusian president
and
parliament collapsed one day after it was signed, international
agencies reported on 23 November. Each side blamed the other for the
failure. Under the compromise, President Alyaksandr Lukashenka would
have repealed his decrees making the constitutional referendum
binding,
while the parliament would have withdrawn its request to the
Constitutional Court to start impeachment proceedings against the
president. Deputies voiced skepticism over the agreement, and a
two-thirds majority vote could not be mustered for its ratification.
In
response, Lukashenka announced the results of the referendum would be
legally binding. Meanwhile, the Constitutional Court failed to reach
a
final decision on the launching of impeachment proceedings. It is not
scheduled to reconvene until 26 November. OMRI
Daily Digest, Nov. 25, 1996; Ustina Markus
- The Referendum of
November, 1996 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, 1997, to Present
Web page
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