The Few, The Timid, The Youth Groups

C O N F I D E N T I A L MINSK 001106 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/15/15 TAGS: PREL PINR BO CH SUBJECT: The Few, The Timid, The Youth Groups Classified by Ambassador George Krol for Reasons 1.4 (B,D) Ref: Minsk 884 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Poloff met with a series of non-partisan youth NGOs to determine young peoples' attitudes to the present and future of Belarus. All of the youth organization leaders criticized GOB policies regarding youth and democracy. They also painted a dismal picture of the situation for NGOs in Belarus today. Leaders expressed fear for the present, but hope for the distant future. End Summary. The Youth Groups -------------- ¶2. (SBU) On July 27, Svetlana Koroliova described Rada, the Belarusian Union of Youth and Children's Public Associations, to Poloff. Rada is a registered umbrella organization trying to create an alternative to the government's youth policy and to unite youth groups nationwide to develop a youth program similar to those throughout Europe. Rada encourages young people to develop their own definitions of leadership, democracy and patriotism. Their goal is to provide a new youth policy when the regime changes; they are not focused on changing the current administration. Regardless, local authorities recently froze Rada's bank accounts after a tax inspection because of funds received from UNICEF. There are currently 15 member organizations within the Rada network. ¶3. (U) On August 5, poloffs met with members of Voka, a registered youth organization working to promote knowledge of Belarusian history and culture and use of the Belarusian language, particularly in education. Voka members are quite active and passionate. They publish a newsletter, which they distribute in schools and openly on the street. The group organizes flashmobs and youth camps, and it collects signatures for petitions to increase the use of the Belarusian language by companies and GOB ministries (fully aware that the GOB will not respond). They estimate 200 members, with 50 active in their projects. ¶4. (SBU) On August 15, Alena Talapila described the Union of Belarusian Students (UBS),which was deregistered by the GOB in 2001. Founded in 1990, the UBS is a nationwide organization striving to unite Belarusian students from universities, colleges and vocational schools, as well as those studying abroad. The organization's main goals are achieving educational reforms - Talapila acknowledges this is impossible without political reform - and popularizing the Belarusian language in education. UBS activities focus on cultural events and the protection of students' rights. The leadership of UBS teaches members how to deal with possible encounters with the KGB, university security forces and university administration. Talapila noted that relations with authorities have been quiet recently, almost too quiet. UBS members expect government pressure to increase dramatically over the next few months, leading up to the 2006 presidential elections. They estimate 1000 members, with 150 active. ¶5. (SBU) On August 29, poloffs met with Elena Kasko, chairwoman of New Faces, a member organization of Rada. Founded in 1996, New Faces successfully reregistered in 1999, but with a number of warnings. Due to the July 19 parliamentary law regulating NGO activities (reftel),Kasko fears that the GOB will refuse to reregister New Faces again, but she insists that they will continue activity regardless. The organization's general goal is to support the initiatives of young people and to provide them with an environment in which they are free to think and express themselves. New Faces cooperates with several NGOs abroad, as well as with the Dutch and Swedish governments, to carry out student exchanges, fundraising initiatives and joint social projects. However, strict GOB regulations have increasingly limited the organization's activities. Six months ago, the GOB refused to register one of New Faces' long-term projects that reached out to handicapped youth, single mothers and other marginalized young people. New Faces has approximately 200 members, with 85 active. The Bigger Picture -------------- ¶6. (C) There is a high degree of cooperation among the various non-partisan youth groups and even between some non-partisan youth groups and politically active youth groups. The UBS works on projects with Malady Front, as well as with regional groups across Belarus. Although New Faces does not work with political youth groups, the members respect the work of the political groups and provide them moral support. As Kasko put it, the politically active youth groups are, "all working for the same goal - democracy in Belarus". ¶7. (C) Kasko said she is optimistic about the future simply because, "totalitarianism cannot last forever." However, she thinks repression will get much worse before it gets better. She believes that the majority of young people in Belarus are too concerned about their personal futures to become involved in any type of independent organization and would prefer that others change the political landscape for them. She said that those who participate in government youth groups, particularly the Belarusian Republican Union of Youth (BRYU),tend to do so because they are forced to join or because joining is the easier option. The BRYU offers members discounts at bars and gyms, accommodation at universities and employment after graduation. Kasko worries most that some youth actually believe the government propaganda. She asserted that it is essential to keep non-governmental youth organizations functioning, even if they are repressed and prohibited from carrying out big projects, because such organizations provide a vehicle through which young people can think and express themselves. Kasko maintains that this is the very reason the GOB despises these organizations, despite their lack of political affiliation. Comment -------------- ¶8. (C) The GOB seems to apply repressive measures to these groups somewhat haphazardly. Repression is milder for them than for political youth NGOs and mostly takes the form of warnings, rather than outright persecution. When the GOB does take serious measures, such as deregistering the UBS or freezing Rada's bank accounts, it appears to be arbitrary. That is, there is no discernible pattern. For instance, Voka quite vocally opposes GOB policies, but has had only two or three very minor run-ins with authorities. However, as Kasko pointed out, the GOB has already prepared the "legal framework" for the possible liquidation of all non-governmental youth groups. ¶9. (C) Whereas there are relatively small numbers of young people who join non-governmental youth groups and even fewer who participate in the activities, those who participate do so actively and are determined to develop structures and policies that will support civil society when the political situation changes. They accept the possibility of encounters with the authorities, though they try to avoid them, but say they will continue fighting for their futures and the future of Belarus as long as they can. Unfortunately, these youth represent a small minority of the youth of Belarus. Most youth seem to fall into the category of being too scared to join independent youth organizations or too attracted to the incentives that are associated with membership in state-sponsored youth groups. KROL