Christopher Smith: Lukashenko’s Dictatorship Is One of Evilest Worldwide :: Charter'97 :: News

Radio Svaboda interviewed Christopher Smith – head of the US delegation in the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, co-chairman of the US Congress’ Helsinki Commission, co-author of the “Act on democracy in Belarus 2003”. Smith called the decision to grant seats in OSCE PA to the “national assembly” unjustified.

- Did you expect such an outcome? Why do you personally object to it?

- I knew that we are faced with a tough dilemma and therefore disagree with the final outcome, for it is totally ungrounded. Human rights situation, persecution of candidates ahead of the local elections, lack of reforms in electoral law, constant disregard for the cases of the missing is something the government has to answer before the international community. However, we didn’t make them do that. OSCE PA’s decision frustrates me. But we will not keep human rights abuses in Belarus in oblivion, I promise. As concerns the elections-2004, we want them to be free and fair. Given Lukashenko continues his dictatorial policy, he will dearly pay for that.

- What positive outcomes can the OSCE PA’s ruling entail?

- I guess we will mostly deal with the negative tendencies, which will appear in no time now. For instance, Lukashenko will immediately proclaim it to be his personal triumph. You know, we expected the Belarusian authorities to make some steps forward but instead they retreated towards deeper dictatorship. And so, what can be expected of the next “parliamentary elections”? See, the situation only aggravates. However, the fact that half of the Assembly didn’t feel like proving your “parliament” with recognition, testifies to certain solidarity in the matter.

- The Canadian delegate recalled that the delegation of Cuba was accepted in the American Assembly. Isn’t it a sign that there are no democratic ways of treating totalitarian regimes, except such ones?

- In my view such policy doesn’t work – especially if we remember the dissidents, who pay with their own blood for that and served prison terms. Today there are over 400 political prisoners in Cuba, many of whom were tortured and killed. That’s a fact, rather than some fantasies. In order to help them out we got to cooperate with those, who are humiliated, rather than those, who humiliate. We have to act on the basis of certain principles. One shouldn’t be deceived into thinking that the acceptance of “national assembly” into the OSCE PA will somehow help improve human rights record in Belarus. On the contrary, the regime may take it for an approval of their policy and pursue it with all impunity.

- Over a year passed since the US Congress dealt with the “Act on democracy in Belarus”. What fate befell that draft law?

- I again submitted this draft law for their consideration and now we are seeking additional support of it. The purpose of this Act is to help the civil society, opposition and mass media by means of grants and other methods. We want them to render to the society the alternative views. Today what you have is one party dictatorship – harsh and fierce – one of the worst ever witnessed by the world.