Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06MINSK1192
2006-11-14 07:42:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Minsk
Cable title:  

REGIONAL ACTIVISTS CONFIRM: BELARUSIANS ARE

Tags:  PGOV PHUM PREL BO 
pdf how-to read a cable
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DE RUEHSK #1192/01 3180742
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 140742Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY MINSK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5325
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MINSK 001192 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/14/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL BO
SUBJECT: REGIONAL ACTIVISTS CONFIRM: BELARUSIANS ARE
OPPRESSED


Classified By: Ambassador Karen Stewart for reason 1.4 (d).

Summary
-------

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MINSK 001192

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/14/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL BO
SUBJECT: REGIONAL ACTIVISTS CONFIRM: BELARUSIANS ARE
OPPRESSED


Classified By: Ambassador Karen Stewart for reason 1.4 (d).

Summary
--------------


1. (C) Pol/Econ Chief and Emboffs recently traveled to
Polotsk and Baranovichi in introductory visits with local
authorities, opposition activists, and entrepreneurs.
Opposition activists and journalists in both communities
openly described the repression they face, but continue to
cooperate together in preparation for the local council
elections scheduled for January. Polotsk businessmen praised
the economic possibilities in Belarus, but hesitated to
directly answer politically oriented questions or criticize
the authorities. Baranovichi activists gave a more
pessimistic account of Belarus' economic situation. End
Summary.

Regional Parties Working Close Together
--------------


2. (C) On November 1, Pol/Econ Chief and Poloff met with
opposition activists in Polotsk to gauge their preparedness
for the upcoming local elections scheduled for January 14,

2007. Head of the local Belarusian Party of Communists (BPC)
Leonid Karpishin noted that local level coalition parties in
total would support 10-15 candidates for local council seats
in the Polotsk and Novopolotsk regions. Karpishin praised
the level of cooperation among all Polotsk party chapters in
preparing for the elections, claiming that they meet
regularly and have relatively few conflicts.


3. (C) Poloffs during regional travel have heard similar
stories of cooperation among parties in the run-up to local
elections. On October 12, regional political party leaders
in Baranovichi claimed to Poloff and EUR/UMB Belarus Desk
Officer that regional party chapters meet weekly, work
closely together, and are fielding united candidates for
local elections.

"We Are Repressed"
--------------


4. (C) An unfortunate, but familiar theme in poloffs'
regional travel is the repression exercised by local
authorities on opposition activists. Despite the presence of
a city executive committee member in the meeting, Karpishin
and his colleagues listed the tactics used by Polotsk
authorities to prevent opposition participation in the

elections: opposition nominees not included on election
commissions, candidate signatures invalidated, student
activists expelled or threatened with expulsion, workers
fired or threatened with job loss, and party/union
deregistration and/or office eviction.


5. (C) Poloff and Desk Officer heard similar complaints in
Baranovichi. The local chapter of the BPC was the only
registered opposition party. However, after coalition leader
Aleksandr Milinkevich visited their Baranovichi office, the
landlord suspended the BPC's lease, giving the authorities
grounds to cancel the BPC's registration at any moment.
During the presidential elections the local Belarusian
National Front (BNF) and BPC leaders were arrested and held
until after the vote was counted. Independent journalists
added that strict state control over information sources and
distribution, in addition to fear in society, kept citizens
from freely expressing their opinions.

Authorities Fail to Hide Their Spite
--------------


6. (C) The Polotsk authorities' negative attitude towards the
opposition only strengthened the opposition's assertions of
repression. According to Polotsk mayor Vladimir Tochilo, the
opposition regularly failed to follow the electoral code and
for that reason was not included on the election commissions.
When asked about clashes between local authorities and
independent trade unions, Tochilo advised Pol/Econ Chief and
Poloff to scrutinize the independent unions' small
memberships before jumping to conclusions. Tochilo stressed
that he was above all a "representative of the President" and
part of the presidential "vertikal." (Note: Viktor Stukov,
head of the Free Trade Union at the Polotsk Steklovolokno
factory, told Pol/Econ Chief and Poloff in a separate meeting
that the authorities granted his union a legal address needed
for registration. Stukov suspected the authorities' decision
to grant the address to the union materialized in
anticipation of our scheduled visit to Polotsk. End note.)

Entrepreneurs Praise Economic Conditions a Little Too Much

MINSK 00001192 002 OF 002


-------------- --------------


7. (C) Polotsk entrepreneurs shied away from politics during
lunch. Successful businessman Vladimir Zakharov, who owns a
construction company, cable TV company, retail stores, and a
newspaper told Pol/Econ Chief and Poloff that it was possible
to start a successful business in commercial spheres
abandoned by the government. According to Zakharov, Belarus'
business climate had evolved as much in ten years as the
U.S.' climate has done in the last century, resulting in
favorable laws that were no stricter than U.S. legislation.
Petr Livshits, food producer and wholesaler, claimed that
business could survive in any climate, commenting that
businesses close mainly due to bad management. According to
Zakharov and his colleagues, the GOB provided equal
conditions for all businesses and did not interfere.


8. (C) Independent journalists in Baranovichi gave a
different story. Editors-in-chief of newspapers Gazeta Dlya
Vas, Gazeta Slonimskaya, and Intex-press told Poloff and Desk
Officer that a third of the region's population worked
abroad. Private businesses close to the government are
developing while individual entrepreneurs without connections
are constantly battling tax and licensing problems in order
to survive. In addition, 70 percent of manufacturing
equipment at uncompetitive state factories is antiquated with
no new investment in sight.

Local Entrepreneurs Hold Tongue on Politics
--------------


9. (C) When asked whether political freedom existed in
Belarus, the entrepreneurs in Polotsk did not directly answer
the question. Car wash and repair businessman Ruslan
Tabachnikov commented that they were free to travel, which
did not exist during the Soviet Union. Zakharov added that
he had a newspaper that provided unbiased information and was
not pressured by the local authorities. However, Zakharov
conceded that his paper practiced self-censorship, noting
that his newspaper would not criticize local authorities
because criticism "did not solve problems." (Comment: In
private conversations with Emboffs in Minsk, Zakharov was
more critical of the Belarusian authorities. End comment.)


10. (C) The local BNF head in Baranovichi said tax
authorities impose huge fines on businessmen for alleged
violations if they get involved in opposition politics.
Independent journalists added that even apolitical business
leaders cannot run for city council because authorities fear
anyone who might be independent.

Comment
--------------


11. (C) What we often see on regional trips are cities
experiencing little opportunities for the youth, declining
populations, varying degrees of economic stagnation, and a
small opposition being squeezed by local authorities who are
trying to pass off their city much like a Potemkin village.
Emboffs trips to Baranovichi and Polotsk only reinforced the
sense of oppression and authorities' tight control over
society. Opposition activists have nothing to lose, given
that many of them have been forced out of employment, and
continue to work together to challenge the authorities. The
local entrepreneurs cannot afford to be vocal without risking
the future of their businesses. Therefore, they, with a
smile, use their wealth to build schools and roads and fund
city projects, though they are most likely grumbling behind
their teeth.

Stewart