MILINKEVICH'S WIFE MEETS AMBASSADOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L MINSK 000431

SIPDIS

KIEV FOR USAID
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/20/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL INR BO
SUBJECT: MILINKEVICH'S WIFE MEETS AMBASSADOR

REF: A. MINSK 395

B. MINSK 383

C. MINSK 403

Classified By: AMBASSADOR GEORGE KROL FOR REASONS 1.4 (B,D)


1. (C) Summary: On April 17, Ambassador met with Ten Plus
Coalition leader Aleksandr Milinkevich's wife, Inna Kulei,
who is the president of the newly formed Committee for the
Defense of the Repressed (PCDR). This committee provides
educational, employment, humanitarian, and medical assistance
to those who were arrested during and following the March 19
presidential elections. In addition to describing PCDR's
objectives, Kulei positively assessed the performance and
future of the Ten Plus Coalition. Kulei praised the
successful organization of the post-election demonstrations
and stressed that the Coalition will remain united without
the expense and effort of another congress. She conveyed her
sympathies for imprisoned presidential candidate Aleksandr
Kozulin's situation, but added that, unlike her husband,
Kozulin was not a responsible leader. Kulei downplayed the
impact of GOB pressure on her or Milinkevich but noted that
the regime threatened to draft her son into the armed
services, which would prev
ent him from continuing his studies in Poland. End Summary.

Newly Formed Committee To Help Election Detainees
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2. (C) On April 17, Ambassador and DCM met with Ten Plus
Coalition leader Aleksandr Milinkevich's wife, Inna Kulei,
who is the president of the newly formed Committee for the
Defense of the Repressed (PCDR). In response to the massive
arrests that followed the March 19 presidential elections,
Kulei said that she and leaders from other civil society and
human rights organizations, including the Belarusian
Association of Journalists and human rights NGO Vyasna,
formed PCDR to financially, legally and morally assist the
victims of the GOB's repression. PCDR unites and coordinates
the activities of a number of new associations that emerged
to help those who were detained from March 19-25. Before the
presidential campaign, Kulei headed the Belarusian
Association of Resource Centers and the Brest Regional
Resource Center "Nasha Vezha."

PCDR Helps Expelled Students Continue Their Studies
-------------- --------------


3. (C) Kulei explained that PCDR helps students, who have
been expelled as a result of their participation in the
post-Election demonstrations, continue their studies abroad.
(Note: Several European universities have agreed to accept
students who have been expelled from Belarusian universities
for political reasons (ref A).) PCDR facilitates the
application process: the expelled student fills out the
appropriate enrollment paperwork, writes a statement
explaining why they were expelled, and meets with PCDR
representatives, who then help place the student in an
appropriate foreign university. PCDR has already directed 10
expelled students to Polish universities.


4. (C) Kulei claimed that approximately 300 students were
jailed from five to 15 days for participating in unsanctioned
demonstrations, and now potentially face expulsions or
disciplinary actions from their universities. According to
Kulei, 20 students demonstrators have been expelled from
Belarusian universities. She expects that the number will
increase during the summer term when universities will expel
more students for "technical reasons."


5. (C) Ambassador noted that some civil society leaders
informed Emboffs about students who participated in the
demonstrations with the intention of getting expelled so they
could study in foreign universities for free. Kulei said
that while it is not possible to know the motive of every
demonstrator, PCDR uses its extensive network of contacts to
easily verify whether the student actually participated in
the demonstrations. Kulei vouched for the students with whom
she has met and spoken extensively as having "authentic"
motivations for protesting.

PCDR Provides Employment, Medical and Financial Assistance
-------------- --------------


6. (C) According to Kulei, PCDR has created a system to find
new employment opportunities for those activists who lost
their jobs as a result of their political activities during
and after the elections. PCDR recruits businesses in Belarus
and abroad that would be willing to employ those who have
been fired for political reasons. PCDR then works with
unemployed activists to find appropriate job placements.
PCDR also provides job training and arranges internships
abroad.


7. (C) Kulei told Ambassador that PCDR also distributes
humanitarian and financial aid to those in need. Many
families of the arrested protesters cannot afford to provide
care packages for their imprisoned families members or cannot
survive without the income that their arrested family member
previously provided. PCDR is working with the Catholic and
Protestant churches to provide humanitarian and financial
aid, including groceries and rent payments, for these poor
families.


8. (C) Finally, Kulei explained that PCDR also offers
medical, psychological and rehabilitation services to those
who were beaten and arrested during the protests. PCDR
provides medicine and arranges doctor appointments for them
with volunteer specialists.

Coalition Will Hold Together, No Repeat Congress Necessary
-------------- --------------


9. (C) Kulei mentioned to Ambassador that she attended the
IRI-hosted opposition discussions on election aftermath in
Vilnius on April 14 as the representative of the Vyasna human
rights NGO. She claimed the opposition coalition would hold
together but needed to transform into a broader movement to
include the new people who appeared on and after March 19.
She argued against holding a new congress, stressing that the
last congress has not yet fulfilled all its resolutions and
that another congress would be costly. Kulei conceded,
however, that the Ten Plus Coalition leaders need to increase
communication and develop a plan of action for the future.

Kozulin is Not a Responsible Leader
--------------


10. (C) Kulei expressed sympathy for imprisoned opposition
leader Aleksandr Kozulin but made clear she did not consider
him a responsible leader like her husband. When asked, she
rejected Kozulin's claim that she convinced Milinkevich to
break his agreement with Kozulin to urge the people to leave
the square. Kulei maintained Milinkeivch himself decided he
could not abandon the people when they told him they would
remain on October Square despite impending consequences.


11. (C) In a gesture of solidarity, Kulei told Ambassador
that she contacted Kozulin's wife, Irina, to invite her to a
women's support group for the wives and mothers of imprisoned
activists. (Note: During an April 4 meeting with Ambassador,
Irina relayed her surprise that Kozulin's opposition
"colleagues" were not offering support now that he is a
political prisoner (ref B). Irina rebuked Milinkevich in
particular, saying he had not once called her to convey his
sympathies.)

Demonstrations Were Successful Due to Extensive Planning
-------------- --------------


12. (C) When Ambassador asked if the demonstrations on
October Square had occurred spontaneously, Kulei told
Ambassador that these demonstrations were the result of
carefully orchestrated and executed plans. (Note: Kulei's
claim is at odds with the assessment of other Coalition and
civil society leaders.) Kulei claimed that 70 percent of the
people on October Square came from the regions. Given that
information dissemination to the regions is so poor, the
large regional participation is likely the result of
extensive recruitment by the opposition. Kulei said that
although Zubr and Khopit started their information campaigns
early, their impact was unclear. Instead, Kulei praised the
Belarusian Assembly of Democratic NGOs' "For Freedom"
campaign as having been the most effective and visible
campaign and cited the "For Freedom" buttons that people wear
around town.

Russian FSB in the Tent City?
--------------


13. (C) When Ambassador inquired about Communist Party
Belarusian leader Sergei Kalyakin's statement that the
Russian Security Services (FSB) comprised the overwhelming
majority of tent city participants on October Square, Kulei
dismissed Kalyakin's claim that the encampment was largely a
Russian FSB effort to pressure Lukashenko. Kulei added that
Kalyakin was ill during the week following the elections and
therefore spent little time on October Square. She said that
she and Milinkevich spent two days in the tent city and can
vouch that Kalyakin's statement is inaccurate, but added,
"perhaps he has information."

Free Speech Includes Criticism
--------------


14. (C) She complained about some in civil society, including
political theorist Vladimir Matskevich, who do nothing to
promote change except criticize the opposition. She wondered
if Post could influence these people to take a more
constructive approach. Ambassador indicated one should just
get used to the fact there will always be critics, since free
speech is an integral part of democracy. Ambassador agreed
that there are many that criticize and demand strategies for
change while doing little to bring about change, and urged
Belarusians to unite around common goals. Kulei said that it
was "a big step" for Belarus when people from different
places worked together respectfully. Kulei also proudly
commented that the number of people who would fight for
change and defend their choice has risen significantly after
the elections.

Women Leaders' Potential in Public Life
--------------


15. (C) Ambassador praised Belarusian women activists, saying
that they have the potential to be the country's leaders.
Kulei agreed that women leaders are very active and work well
together. While she expressed a keen interest in engaging
more women in promoting civil society, she admitted it would
be hard for Belarusian women to get over their hesitancy to
take on active leadership roles in Belarus' male dominated
society. She commented that women tend to be more emotional
and need to become more "balanced." Kulei expressed
gratitude that male leaders seem to have become more willing
to accept her as a woman leader.

The Milinkevich Family
--------------


16. (C) Kulei told Ambassador that her son, who had been
arrested on October Square, wanted to return to Poland to
continue his studies but the GOB is threatening to draft him
into the Belarusian armed forces. Kulei noted the GOB uses
this tactic against many young politically active men. (Note:
The regime has also repeatedly threatened to draft Zubr
activist Nikolai Sasim despite his student and medical
waivers, which exempt him from service (ref C).)


17. (C) Kulei said that she and Milinkevich are healthy but
tired; they plan to take some time off in May. Both Kulei
and Milinkevich experience harassment from the GOB, but she
dismissed it as more annoying than threatening.


18. (C) Kulei also shed more light on her personal
background. She told Ambassador that she is a Catholic
convert, having earlier been a communist atheist. She also
mentioned that she had worked in the Belarusian procuracy,
therefore implying that she has a legal education.

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


19. (C) Kulei is clearly an intelligent, organized and
articulate person. Her commanding presence makes it easy to
see how people could view her as the force behind the
soft-spoken Milinkevich. Kulei's assessment of the status of
the Ten Plus Coalition left out many of the criticisms that
Post has heard from other contacts associated with the
Milinkevich camp. Kulei presented a productive environment
with a few outstanding problems, but nothing that her husband
could not handle as the Coalition's leader.
Krol