Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06MINSK276
2006-03-15 10:10:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Minsk
Cable title:  

Milinkevich Holds Three Meeting With GOB

Tags:  PGOV PREL PHUM ECON BO 
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RR RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHSK #0276/01 0741010
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 151010Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY MINSK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4001
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 0966
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 000276 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/13/16
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM ECON BO
SUBJECT: Milinkevich Holds Three Meeting With GOB
Interference, But Little Violence

Classified by Ambassador George Krol for Reasons 1.4 (B,D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MINSK 000276

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/13/16
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM ECON BO
SUBJECT: Milinkevich Holds Three Meeting With GOB
Interference, But Little Violence

Classified by Ambassador George Krol for Reasons 1.4 (B,D)


1. (C) Summary: Emboffs on March 12 observed three of 10+
Coalition candidate Aleksandr Milinkevich's meetings with
voters in Minsk. Milinkevich's messages in all three
gatherings focused on "stability should not equal
stagnation," "the elections will not be free and fair," and
"vote against self-isolation." Milinkevich and his
supporters were denied permission to hold rallies inside
government-owned facilities, thus the candidate held the
meetings outside. The last (and most widely publicized)
March 12 rally attracted approximately 2,500 people.
Although there was a large security presence at the
gatherings, security services did not attempt to disband or
prevent the gatherings from taking place. However, the
authorities used loud music and the pro-Lukashenko
Belarusian Republican Youth Movement to interfere and
provoke the crowd. Two Ukrainian journalists and 15
Ukrainian activists were reportedly arrested following the
last meeting. Milinkevich plans to hold similar gatherings
on March 16 and 18. End Summary.

First Rally Small with No Interference
--------------


2. (C) Poloffs on March 12 observed 10+ Coalition candidate
Aleksandr Milinkevich's first rally at 12:00 at the Salut
movie theater. The theater, as so many venues have done in
the past, denied Milinkevich and his supporters entry,
resulting in Milinkevich addressing 400 people on the
theater steps with a handheld megaphone. Although the
weather was cold and snowy, the crowd - comprised of all
ages, but mostly seniors - listened to Milinkevich for a
full hour. Milinkevich's speech centered on such themes as
"stability should not equal stagnation," "the elections
will not be free and fair," and "vote against self-
isolation." Pedestrians briefly stopped to listen and
some, once they found out it was the opposition, quickly
left.


3. (C) There was no uniformed police presence, but at least
30 plainclothes security personnel mingled throughout the

crowd. Poloffs spotted at least three security forces
cameramen on the ground and one on the theater's balcony
videotaping all persons present. DATT found two unmarked
30 PAZ buses, normally used by Ministry of Interior Troops
(MVD),parked behind the theater and two large metro buses
parked three blocks away. Poloffs, however, did not
observe any arrests or provocations.

Second Meeting Larger, More Interference
--------------


4. (C) DATT attended Milinkevich's second meeting with
voters at 15:00 at the Palace of Railroad Workers.
Plainclothes officers again were in close proximity to the
crowd, but did not interfere. However, the Palace played
music loudly over its intercom in an attempt to drown out
Milinkevich's speech. A group of Lukashenko supporters,
most likely the Belarusian Republican Youth Union (BRSM),
appeared with pro-Lukashenko banners shouting "Za Belarus"
(Lukashenko's 2001 campaign slogan "For Belarus") and "Za
Batka" (Lukashenko's self-imposed nickname meaning "father"
and/or "leader"). Four unmarked 30 PAX buses, one marked
Police UAZ-469 Jeep, and the same two metro buses seen at
the earlier meeting were parked behind the Palace. DATT
did not witness any arrests or violence.

Third Appearance Gathers Large Crowd
--------------


5. (C) Poloffs observed Milinkevich's final meeting that
took place on the steps of the Ice Palace after the venue
refused to allow the candidate and his supporters access.
About 2,500 voters, including visiting Ukrainian activists,
gathered to listen to Milinkevich, despite two uniformed
police officers telling the crowd on loudspeakers that the
facility was closed for "hockey practice." Again there was
a large plainclothes security presence. Uniformed police
blocked vehicle access to the parking lot and discouraged
pedestrians from approaching the Ice Palace, again claiming
it was closed for hockey practice. Poloffs and DATT
counted one UAZ-469 Jeep with MVD license plates, the same
two metro buses seen at the earlier meetings, and five MVD
30 PAX buses (two empty and two occupied by uniformed
troops) parked behind the Palace. [Comment: According to
DATT, these troops wore blue camouflage, differentiating
themselves from the solid-color uniforms worn by the

MINSK 00000276 002 OF 002


regular MVD militia troops.] After listening to the radio
chatter coming from a nearby security officer's radio,
Poloffs learned that security services stopped a
Milinkevich vehicle carrying placards.


6. (C) Two large Ukrainian flags, one Belarusian
nationalist white-red-white flag, a denim flag, and several
small EU flags appeared. Twenty minutes into the meeting,
a double column of young men (about 30 in number) marched
from around the back of the Palace into the center of the
crowd and unfurled two large, professionally done banners
with slogans "No Color Revolutions" and "Milinkevich Q No,
Lukashenko Q Yes." A dozen plainclothes officers Poloffs
had been observing joined the Lukashenko supporters. They
chanted the slogans "Za Belarus" and "Za Batka," to which
Milinkevich's supporters chanted loudly "Milinkevich" and
"Live Belarus." Milinkevich cited the incident as another
GOB-sponsored provocation and asked his supporters not to
respond. Some members of Milinkevich's crowd began
throwing snowballs at the Lukashenko supporters.


7. (C) At the end of his speech, Milinkevich supporters
escorted him to his van. Several of the young Milinkevich
supporters accused the Lukashenko supporters of being BRCM
members and, noticing some of their accents, called them
"kolkhozniki" (collective farm workers, or rudely,
"peasants").

Ukrainian Activists and Journalists Detained
--------------


8. (C) Poloffs did not witness any arrests or violence, but
according to human rights NGO and online news source
Charter 97, plainclothes officers detained Ukrainian
Channel 5 journalist Anna Gorozhenko and cameraman Leonid
Leonidov as soon as they were to begin a live broadcast.
Up to 15 members of the Ukrainian Students' Brotherhood and
their leader Oleg Yatsenko were allegedly beaten and
detained following the meeting. After the Ukrainian
Embassy intervened, journalist Gorozhenko and Leonidov were
released later in the evening. On March 13, five of the
detained Ukrainians were sentenced to 10 days in jail for
participating in an unauthorized demonstration and
disorderly conduct. Two Belarusians were arrested and
sentenced to 10 days for the same charge and fined USD 290
for "petty hooliganism. The rest of the Ukrainians have
not yet been charged.

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


9. (C) The President and the GOB have repeatedly stressed
that they will not allow unsanctioned and "illegal" public
gatherings in the run up to the elections. In addition,
the GOB has implemented a variety of measures to keep the
opposition rallies relatively small, but the candidates
have not yet been prevented from holding rallies. The
Milinkevich team plans to hold more meetings with voters in
Minsk and the regions on March 17 and March 18.

KROL