Sitrep 7: March 25 Protests End In Violence

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MINSK 000336

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

DEPT ALSO FOR INR
KIEV ALSO FOR USAID
E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL BO
SUBJECT: Sitrep 7: March 25 Protests End In Violence



1. (U) Summary: When police denied an estimated 7,000 protesters
access to October Square for the March 25 "Freedom Day" rally,
opposition leaders Aleksandr Milinkevich and Aleksandr Kozulin led
the crowd to the alternate meeting point Yanka Kupala Park.
Milinkevich used this opportunity to launch the "Movement to
Liberate the People of Belarus" and to invite the crowd to join him
at a protest on April 26 on the anniversary of the Chernobyl
accident before telling the crowd to disperse peacefully and go
home. Kozulin, however, encouraged the crowd to follow him on a
three-kilometer march to the Okrestina detention center where
protesters were being detained after the March 24 police raids on
the October Square tent city. Riot police violently broke up the
march led by Kozulin using smoke and percussion grenades and
arrested at least 100 people, including Kozulin. Milinkevich
publicly blamed the police and Kozulin for the outbreak of violence
on March 25, but also offered Kozulin "moral support." Opposition
youth held a candle light vigil on March 26 as a gesture of
solidarity with those who were beaten and detained while the pro-
Lukashenko youth group (BRSM) are demonstrating in front of the
U.S. and other Western embassies to protest Western "interference
in the internal affairs" of Belarus. End Summary.

Police Deny Demonstrators Access to October Square
-------------- --------------


2. (U) At noon on October Square on March 25, approximately 7,000
people attempted to gather to protest the police crackdown on the
opposition tent camp on March 24 and to celebrate the 88th
anniversary of Belarus' "Freedom Day," which marks the country's
brief independence from Russia in 1918. However, significant OMON
and Special Forces presence as well as "human chain-link"
barricades prevented the demonstrators from accessing the square.
Several thousand demonstrators carrying flags and chanting "Long
Live Belarus!", who had gathered in front of the State Department
Store (GUM),attempted to break through the police barrier but were
pushed back by riot police. Another smaller group of approximately
2,000 people who had gathered on the other side of October Square
were also denied access by police.

Rally Moves to Yanka Kupala Park
--------------


3. (U) When the security forces refused to allow the crowd to
access the Square, opposition leaders Milinkevich and Aleksandr
Kozulin called on the protesters to march to the alternate meeting
location at Yanka Kupala Park, approximately one-half a kilometer
away from October Square. A strong police presence accompanied the
demonstrators to the next meeting spot, but allowed approximately
8,000 activists to gather in Yanka Kupala Park to hear speeches
from Milinkevich and Kozulin. The crowd, however, prevented two
state Belarusian Television (BT) journalists from entering the park
by pelting them with snowballs and shouted "Shame!" at them for the
negative BT coverage of the demonstrations.


Milinkevich Launches Movement; Kozulin Marches to Okrestina
-------------- --------------


4. (U) According to independent media sources, Milinkevich used
the 2:00p.m. rally in Yanka Kupala Park as a forum to launch the
"Popular Movement for the Liberation of Belarus," with a slogan of
"Freedom, Truth, Justice." Milinkevich promised the crowd that the
opposition would not wait until the next presidential elections to
mobilize and invited those present to participate in another
session of the Congress of Democratic Forces (date to be
determined). Milinkevich expressed his disappointment that 200,000
people failed to gather at the October Square Election Day protest
on March 19 because "if that had occurred, the regime would have
fallen." [Note: In several press releases, Milinkevich had
instructed followers in the regions not to come to Minsk on
Election Day, but instead to go to their local polling stations to
find out the announced results and wait there.] Milinkevich
invited all the protestors to attend an upcoming demonstration on
April 26 in remembrance of the Chernobyl accident.


5. (U) Independent media reported that Milinkevich called on the
crowd to disperse peacefully, but Kozulin urged everyone to follow
him to the Okrestina detention center, where police were holding
several hundred demonstrators from the March 24police raid of the
tent city at October Square, in order "to liberate the newest
heroes of Belarus."

March to Okrestina Ends in Violence
--------------

MINSK 00000336 002 OF 003




6. (U) As Kozulin led approximately 2,500 demonstrators from Yanka
Kupala Park to the Okrestina detention center, riot police blocked
the crowd on the road near the railroad bridge on Dzerzhinskovo
Avenue. Kozulin's office claimed that Kozulin talked with special
police force (SOBR) commander Colonel Dmitry Pavlichenko,
explaining that the rally was peaceful and organized and asked
Pavlichenko not to use force. Independent press reports that the
police set off percussion and smoke grenades and beat their shields
with batons as they advanced toward the crowd that was chanting
"Long live Belarus!" and "Fascists!".


7. (U) According to a Belapan journalist, police brutally kicked
and beat many activists, including women, leaving at least two
people immobilized on the ground. Police set off three percussion
grenades to stop the crowd from advancing. Police forced dozens of
people, many of whom were covered in blood, into wagons and took
them to detention centers. Independent media reported that police
searched for and captured demonstrators who took refuge in private
backyards and nearby stores.

MOI Defends Police Decision to Disperse Crowd
--------------


8. (U) Claiming that Kozulin called on the crowd and Yanka Kupala
Park to "seize power by force, attack state and guarded facilities
and even to physically liquidate the head of state," Interior
Minister Vladimir Naumov said that the police's decision to
disperse the oncoming crowd was "adequately" justified. Naumov
claimed that the police did not apply "special means" to disperse
the crowd and that the protesters set off an unidentified bomb.
Naumov reported that eight police officer and Interior Troops
soldiers were injured when protesters threw stones and bottles at
the police. Naumov stated that the police arrested only the most
active participants and promised that a decision about their
charges and prosecution would be made soon.


Kozulin Among the Many Arrested and Detained
--------------


9. (U) Human rights activists report that approximately 100 people
were arrested, including Kozulin, when the crowd met up with the
police on Dzerzhinskovo Avenue. Interior Minister Naumov claimed
"Kozulin, who was at the front of the procession, entered into open
conflict with police officers and...broke a police video camera."
[Note: Belapan reported that numerous witnesses at the scene did
not see Kozulin break any cameras.] Independent media and youth
group activists reported that police kicked and beat Kozulin before
taking him to the Zhodino detention center. Kozulin's press office
reported that he faces a hooliganism charge under Article 339 of
the Criminal Code. No one can confirm where Kozulin is right now;
his wife has appealed to state authorities to release his
whereabouts.


10. (SBU) Freelance American journalist Michael Schwartz [protect
accordingly] was roughed up by police near October Square on March

25. He claimed that approximately 25 Special Force officers
kicked, punched and beat demonstrators. He presented video footage
of the beatings to Emboffs.


11. (U) Belapan reported that prominent Russian journalist and
outspoken critic of Lukashenko Pavel Sheremet was arrested on March

25. Sheremet told reporters that police handcuffed and blindfolded
him before beating him repeatedly in a police vehicle. Sheremet
was held at the Okrestina detention center before his release on
March 27. Sources informed Post that all the charges were dropped
and Sheremet is being deported.


12. (U) Independent media reported that police detained Milinkevich
spokesman Pavel Mozheiko on March 25 for one hour at the Tsentralny
district police station and promised to initiate criminal
proceedings for resisting an officer.

Milinkevich Blames Kozulin for Violence But Offers Support
-------------- --------------


13. (U) On March 25 in an interview with Ekho Moskvy, Milinkevich
blamed Saturday's outbreak of violence in Minsk on the police, who
used brutal force on the demonstrators, and Kozulin, who urged the
demonstrators to march to the Okrestina detention center.
Milinkevich said that the united opposition forces had decided that
the March 25 demonstration in honor of "Freedom Day" should be
peaceful and festive, thereby suggesting Kozulin should not have

MINSK 00000336 003 OF 003


led the people to Okrestina.


14. (U) During March 26 visit to the Zhodino detention center where
Kozulin and the son of Milinkevich's wife are being held,
Milinkevich presented a more mollified position on Kozulin and even
offered him moral support. Milinkevich stated, "Without any doubt
I came to express moral support to Alexander Kozulin. We might have
different approaches in strategy and tactics, [but] when someone
find himself in prison and was put there against law, I want to
morally support him by coming here and checking if he is here. I
believe common ground should be sought anyway, regardless of any
emotional and tense moments."


Opposition Youth Light Candles for Detainees, No Rally Held
-------------- --------------


15. (U) Human rights NGO Charter97 reported in the evening on March
26 several hundred people lit candles on Nemiga Avenue in a gesture
of solidarity with those who were beaten and detained during the
protests on March 25.


16. (U) Separately on March 26, Post heard rumors that youth groups
were planning another demonstration on March 26 at 18:30 at either
October Square or at the place where police had arrested Kozulin.
While many security forces and OMON were present on October Square
at 18:30, Emboffs did not see any demonstrators at either October
Square or the place on Nemiga Avenue where Kozulin was arrested.
Police permitted people to walk through the square, but immediately
broke up any pockets of people who congregated even momentarily.

Demonstrations at the U.S., Polish and Lithuanian Embassies
-------------- --------------


17. (U) Members of BRSM (Belarusian Republican Youth Union),a pro-
Lukashenko state-sponsored youth organization, held rallies in
front of the U.S. and Polish embassies on March 26 to protest the
countries' "interference in the internal affairs of the state,
provocations and Western double standards" as reported by BelTA
state news agency and ONT TV channel. BT claimed over 1,000 BRSM
members participated in the event. [Note: No more than 100
activists were present in front of the U.S. Embassy.] According to
BRSM leader Mikhail Orda, his organization is calling for EU and US
to respect Belarus and "stop ignoring the will of Belarusian
people."


18. (U) On March 26, BT also accused the Lithuanian Embassy of
coordinating riots in Belarus. BT reported that the instructions
came from Lithuanian Foreign Minister Antanas Valionis and were
carried out by the Lithuanian Embassy in Minsk. BT noted that many
Lithuanian, Polish and Ukrainian citizens were among the detained
protesters. BT therefore concluded that since "the embassies of
these countries have actively tried to have them [i.e. their
citizens] released, all street riots occurred on authorization from
foreign states and their diplomatic missions."


19. (U) On March 27, BRSM held rallies in front of the U.S.,
Polish, Lithuanian and French embassies. Charter97 reported that
Minsk universities have been ordered to send students to
participate in these protests. A group of not more than 100
activists holding banners and waving flags stood outside of the
U.S. Embassy for most of the day. A pro-Lukashenko communist group
also demonstrated in front of the U.S. Embassy on March 27. One of
the members of the Communist group handed PAO a statement that
read, "The people of Minsk are outraged at the U.S. and OSCE
interference into the internal affairs of Belarus and at the
incitement of the opposition to disorder. The people have chosen
Lukashenko to be the Belarusian president. Is it really
satisfactory to you that the whole world hates you? Hands off
Belarus!" The statement was signed by the people and Communists of
Minsk. [Note: Under Belarusian law a group must apply 15 days in
advance to hold a public demonstration. As it is highly unlikely
these groups applied for permission to picket a week before the
elections, these are unsanctioned demonstrations. However, pro-
Lukashenko unsanctioned demonstrations appear to be tolerated.]

KROL