2001 Policy Archive

U.S. Mission to OSCE Statement on Belarus Elections (Aug. 30, 2001)

Delivered by Charge d'affaires Douglas A. Davidson to the Permanent Council

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

The United States too remains very troubled by the situation developing in Belarus in the run-up to the election.

The connection between disappearances over the last two years and government-run death squads has yet to be proven. However, a number of sources, including Oleg Alkayev, a former senior Interior Ministry official, have made serious allegations that heighten concern that a connection does exist. We take these charges very seriously and we call for a full, independent and public investigation.

Mr. Chairman, there have been other actions by the Belarusian authorities that lead us to question whether Belarus will be able to conduct a free and fair election.

On August 22, ten American citizens applied for visas to participate in ODIHR's [the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights] observation effort as short-term observers. A week later the visas are still not issued. We urge Belarus to issue visas to all short-term observers without further delay.

Last week, we raised our concern about the seizure of 400,000 copies of a special edition newspaper as well as the seizure of election materials of opposition candidate Goncharik. On August 28, authorities seized 40,000 copies of another special edition independent newspaper Rabochiy. The planned print run was to be 400,000. The paper was being printed on the Magic Printing Press, which was just re-opened by authorities following Magic's decision to allow a representative of the State Press Committee to act as executive director of the company. This representative ordered the seizure based on an article in the edition about alleged crimes conducted by Lukashenka.

Mr. Chairman, fair access to the press is a prerequisite for a free election. If State authorities censor and seize materials from the independent press, it cannot be said that such access exists.

Despite the fact that domestic observation is specifically allowed under Belarusian law, authorities seek to stifle efforts by raiding offices and seizing computers and other equipment.

We applaud the courage of domestic observers as well as that displayed by ODIHR observers and look forward to the definitive reports they will provide on the election.

Mobile voting and early voting are especially vulnerable to manipulation. According to the Belarusian Helsinki Committee (BHC), it has received complaints from election commission chairpersons that executive officials were pressuring them to replace ballots during early voting. To dispel these concerns, Belarusian authorities need to allow effective election monitoring at all polling places by domestic and international observers for the full five days of polling and during the vote counting. They also need to provide independent access by all parties to the press, allow meaningful participation by all parties in electoral commissions at the national and local levels, and end the harassment of non-governmental organizations engaged in election-related civic education and observation.

Actions -- not words -- will prove Belarus' commitment to free and fair electoral processes. We hope in the coming days that we can applaud actions that signal such a commitment.

Thank you.