Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05MINSK939
2005-08-12 05:23:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Minsk
Cable title:
EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - August 03, 2005
how-toVZCZCXRO9375 RR RUEHCD RUEHFL RUEHLA RUEHMRE DE RUEHSK #0939/01 2240523 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 120523Z AUG 05 FM AMEMBASSY MINSK TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2794 INFO RUCNOSC/ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY COOPERATION IN EUROPE RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MINSK 000939
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM ECON BO
SUBJECT: EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - August 03, 2005
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MINSK 000939
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM ECON BO
SUBJECT: EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - August 03, 2005
1. The following are brief items of interest compiled
by Embassy Minsk over the past week.
--------------
Human Rights
--------------
2. Statkevich Begins Sentence
On July 29, opposition politician Nikolai Statkevich
arrived in Baranovichi to serve his two-year restricted
freedom sentence for staging unauthorized
demonstrations. Authorities moved Statkevich to
Baranovichi from Krupki so that his ill father could
easily visit him. Statkevich will live in prison
barracks, work ironing clothes, and report to the local
administration at an appointed time each day.
Authorities banned Statkevich from working for a private
company, claiming he had to work for a state-owned
enterprise, although there is no law to support this.
The authorities reportedly offered to reduce his
sentence if he would abstain from political activities,
but Statkevich refused.
3. Partial Victory
On July 29, Gomel's Central District Court ruled in
favor of opposition activist Maria Bogdanovich and
ordered the Gomel Regional Local History Museum to pay
her two months' back wages. The museum fired
Bogdanovich in May for "repeated failure to carry out
her labor contract duties without valid reason", but
Bogdanovich claimed it was due to her political
activities. The Court, noting an "unsound psychological
climate" at the museum, ordered the administration to
pay the wage arrears and change the wording on
Bogdanovich's record to "dismissal by mutual consent".
4. Activists Detained
On July 30, police in Dokshitsy briefly detained
Belarusian Popular Front (BPF) leader Vintsuk Vyachorka
and party member Aleksey Kovalets for alleged
distribution of newspapers and bulletins. According to
Vyachorka, the police ransacked their car and seized
copies of the registered newspapers Salidarnasts, Zhoda,
and the BPF's bulletin. The activists were released and
not charged.
5. A Sanctioned Punch
On July 31, the Prosecutor's Office dismissed Svetlana
Zavadskaya's request to initiate criminal proceedings
against an OMON guard who punched her during a July 7
demonstration marking the fifth anniversary of her
husband's disappearance. Police and the Prosecutor's
Office found no ground for a criminal case, siding with
the OMON officer in question, who said he was merely
trying to calm Zavadskaya after she had hit him.
Zavadskaya plans to appeal the decision. On August 1,
the OMON peacefully dispersed a demonstration in support
of Zavadskaya.
6. Independent Paper Fined
On July 26, independent daily Belorusskaya Delovaya
Gazeta (BDG) announced that tax authorities had fined
BDG USD 21,700 in penalties for alleged irregularities
in tax payments. BDG claimed its accountants strictly
followed the Finance Ministry's guidelines and that the
fines were the authorities' attempt to force the paper's
closure using economic pressure.
--------------
Economics
--------------
7. Executives Charged
On August 1, Brest Regional Prosecutor's Office charged
top executives of two animal feed plants with
overstating output figures in statistical reports. The
director of Beryoza Animal Feed Plant allegedly
undercharged a the company bakery, costing the plant USD
4,179, and bought Ukrainian corn at a higher price than
offered by a Belarusian company, resulting in USD 17,241
in losses.
--------------
Anti-US
--------------
MINSK 00000939 002 OF 003
8. US Money Helps Opposition
On July 31, "journalist" Ruslan Poddubski on the state
television channel ONT reported that opposition
politicians are surviving off money from the US.
Poddubski accused United Civic Party leader Anatoly
Lebedko of not working because the US Embassy pays him
USD 1,500 monthly in living expenses. According to
Poddubski, the West knowingly violates international
laws against allocating money for political needs by
helping Belarus' opposition.
9. Americans Spread Conflict
On July 31, Gleb Volkov's article in the military
newspaper Vo Slavu Rodiny accused Americans of spreading
danger, not democracy. According to Volkov, the USG's
policy is to pit pro-American regimes against other
countries in the region. He cited the use of Egypt and
Saudi Arabia against the Iraqi regime and warned that
the U.S.'s behavior would only increase radical Islamic
movements and terrorism.
--------------
Relations with Poland
--------------
10. Sister Cities Conflict
On July 29, city authorities in Wroclaw and Lublin,
Poland, withdrew sister city agreements with Grodno and
Brest, respectively, in response to the GOB's
persecution of the Union of Belarusian Poles (UBP).
Wroclaw authorities claimed the decision would not
affect Grodno residents and announced that 40 Grodno
children would still visit Wroclaw for an August
holiday. Lublin authorities cancelled a visit to Brest
and vowed not to resume ties until Belarus-Poland
relations normalized. According to counselor at the
Belarusian Embassy in Warsaw Tadeusz Struzhetsky, more
than 60 Belarusian cities, districts and regions
continue to maintain ties with 80 cities, districts and
regions in Poland.
11. Poles Go to Prison
On August 2, police arrested Tadeusz Gawin, the first
chairman of the UBP, and deputy head of the UBP Wieslaw
Kiewlak, sentencing them both to 15 days in jail for
participating in an unauthorized demonstration. Over
100 people attended the August 1 demonstration at the
House of Poles in Grodno, including the vice president
of Poland's Sejm, Donald Tusk. Gawin criticized the
GOB's decision not to recognize the March UBP convention
and to force a new, government-controlled convention on
August 27. He called on UBP members to support
Andzhelika Boris and the UBP leadership elected in
March.
--------------
Miscellaneous
--------------
12. Radiation Reduction
On July 28, the Cooperation for Rehabilitation (CORE)
program announced that it has helped reduce the maximum
radiation intake levels among residents tenfold in the
Chernobyl-hit Bragin district. However, the average
radiation dose in the district remained at 30 Becquerel
per kilogram. The project examined 8,000 residents over
two years with Human Radiation Meters (HRM) installed at
the district's two Radiation Control Centers (RCC).
Several children were diagnosed with high radiation
doses. CORE hopes to open two new RCCs, install an HRM
at the district hospital, and launch a mobile HRM.
13. New Modeling Rules
On July 29, Prime Minister Sergey Sidorsky signed a
resolution on a new set of license regulations for
modeling agencies in accordance with the March
presidential decree on preventing trafficking in
persons. Under the new regulations, 80 percent of
agency staff must have degrees in pedagogy, healthcare,
physical culture, tourism, art or design. This also
includes hairdressers, manicurists and stylists who must
have at least five years' professional experience.
Agencies must have a set curriculum and program of
studies for each discipline, specialized educational
MINSK 00000939 003 OF 003
facilities and workshops.
--------------
Quote of the Week
--------------
14. On August 3, Interior Minister Lieutenant-General
Vladimir Naumov outlined the ideal behavior of police
officers.
"Police must use polite means to beat confessions out of
criminals. A polite and considerate police officer can
succeed in persuading a criminal to confess.
[Unfortunately] There are still police officers swearing
like troopers."
KROL
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM ECON BO
SUBJECT: EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - August 03, 2005
1. The following are brief items of interest compiled
by Embassy Minsk over the past week.
--------------
Human Rights
--------------
2. Statkevich Begins Sentence
On July 29, opposition politician Nikolai Statkevich
arrived in Baranovichi to serve his two-year restricted
freedom sentence for staging unauthorized
demonstrations. Authorities moved Statkevich to
Baranovichi from Krupki so that his ill father could
easily visit him. Statkevich will live in prison
barracks, work ironing clothes, and report to the local
administration at an appointed time each day.
Authorities banned Statkevich from working for a private
company, claiming he had to work for a state-owned
enterprise, although there is no law to support this.
The authorities reportedly offered to reduce his
sentence if he would abstain from political activities,
but Statkevich refused.
3. Partial Victory
On July 29, Gomel's Central District Court ruled in
favor of opposition activist Maria Bogdanovich and
ordered the Gomel Regional Local History Museum to pay
her two months' back wages. The museum fired
Bogdanovich in May for "repeated failure to carry out
her labor contract duties without valid reason", but
Bogdanovich claimed it was due to her political
activities. The Court, noting an "unsound psychological
climate" at the museum, ordered the administration to
pay the wage arrears and change the wording on
Bogdanovich's record to "dismissal by mutual consent".
4. Activists Detained
On July 30, police in Dokshitsy briefly detained
Belarusian Popular Front (BPF) leader Vintsuk Vyachorka
and party member Aleksey Kovalets for alleged
distribution of newspapers and bulletins. According to
Vyachorka, the police ransacked their car and seized
copies of the registered newspapers Salidarnasts, Zhoda,
and the BPF's bulletin. The activists were released and
not charged.
5. A Sanctioned Punch
On July 31, the Prosecutor's Office dismissed Svetlana
Zavadskaya's request to initiate criminal proceedings
against an OMON guard who punched her during a July 7
demonstration marking the fifth anniversary of her
husband's disappearance. Police and the Prosecutor's
Office found no ground for a criminal case, siding with
the OMON officer in question, who said he was merely
trying to calm Zavadskaya after she had hit him.
Zavadskaya plans to appeal the decision. On August 1,
the OMON peacefully dispersed a demonstration in support
of Zavadskaya.
6. Independent Paper Fined
On July 26, independent daily Belorusskaya Delovaya
Gazeta (BDG) announced that tax authorities had fined
BDG USD 21,700 in penalties for alleged irregularities
in tax payments. BDG claimed its accountants strictly
followed the Finance Ministry's guidelines and that the
fines were the authorities' attempt to force the paper's
closure using economic pressure.
--------------
Economics
--------------
7. Executives Charged
On August 1, Brest Regional Prosecutor's Office charged
top executives of two animal feed plants with
overstating output figures in statistical reports. The
director of Beryoza Animal Feed Plant allegedly
undercharged a the company bakery, costing the plant USD
4,179, and bought Ukrainian corn at a higher price than
offered by a Belarusian company, resulting in USD 17,241
in losses.
--------------
Anti-US
--------------
MINSK 00000939 002 OF 003
8. US Money Helps Opposition
On July 31, "journalist" Ruslan Poddubski on the state
television channel ONT reported that opposition
politicians are surviving off money from the US.
Poddubski accused United Civic Party leader Anatoly
Lebedko of not working because the US Embassy pays him
USD 1,500 monthly in living expenses. According to
Poddubski, the West knowingly violates international
laws against allocating money for political needs by
helping Belarus' opposition.
9. Americans Spread Conflict
On July 31, Gleb Volkov's article in the military
newspaper Vo Slavu Rodiny accused Americans of spreading
danger, not democracy. According to Volkov, the USG's
policy is to pit pro-American regimes against other
countries in the region. He cited the use of Egypt and
Saudi Arabia against the Iraqi regime and warned that
the U.S.'s behavior would only increase radical Islamic
movements and terrorism.
--------------
Relations with Poland
--------------
10. Sister Cities Conflict
On July 29, city authorities in Wroclaw and Lublin,
Poland, withdrew sister city agreements with Grodno and
Brest, respectively, in response to the GOB's
persecution of the Union of Belarusian Poles (UBP).
Wroclaw authorities claimed the decision would not
affect Grodno residents and announced that 40 Grodno
children would still visit Wroclaw for an August
holiday. Lublin authorities cancelled a visit to Brest
and vowed not to resume ties until Belarus-Poland
relations normalized. According to counselor at the
Belarusian Embassy in Warsaw Tadeusz Struzhetsky, more
than 60 Belarusian cities, districts and regions
continue to maintain ties with 80 cities, districts and
regions in Poland.
11. Poles Go to Prison
On August 2, police arrested Tadeusz Gawin, the first
chairman of the UBP, and deputy head of the UBP Wieslaw
Kiewlak, sentencing them both to 15 days in jail for
participating in an unauthorized demonstration. Over
100 people attended the August 1 demonstration at the
House of Poles in Grodno, including the vice president
of Poland's Sejm, Donald Tusk. Gawin criticized the
GOB's decision not to recognize the March UBP convention
and to force a new, government-controlled convention on
August 27. He called on UBP members to support
Andzhelika Boris and the UBP leadership elected in
March.
--------------
Miscellaneous
--------------
12. Radiation Reduction
On July 28, the Cooperation for Rehabilitation (CORE)
program announced that it has helped reduce the maximum
radiation intake levels among residents tenfold in the
Chernobyl-hit Bragin district. However, the average
radiation dose in the district remained at 30 Becquerel
per kilogram. The project examined 8,000 residents over
two years with Human Radiation Meters (HRM) installed at
the district's two Radiation Control Centers (RCC).
Several children were diagnosed with high radiation
doses. CORE hopes to open two new RCCs, install an HRM
at the district hospital, and launch a mobile HRM.
13. New Modeling Rules
On July 29, Prime Minister Sergey Sidorsky signed a
resolution on a new set of license regulations for
modeling agencies in accordance with the March
presidential decree on preventing trafficking in
persons. Under the new regulations, 80 percent of
agency staff must have degrees in pedagogy, healthcare,
physical culture, tourism, art or design. This also
includes hairdressers, manicurists and stylists who must
have at least five years' professional experience.
Agencies must have a set curriculum and program of
studies for each discipline, specialized educational
MINSK 00000939 003 OF 003
facilities and workshops.
--------------
Quote of the Week
--------------
14. On August 3, Interior Minister Lieutenant-General
Vladimir Naumov outlined the ideal behavior of police
officers.
"Police must use polite means to beat confessions out of
criminals. A polite and considerate police officer can
succeed in persuading a criminal to confess.
[Unfortunately] There are still police officers swearing
like troopers."
KROL