Deputy Chairman of Babrujsk executive committee on ideology Mikhail Kavalevich prohibited local newspapers to publish advertisements about the visit of a leader of the united democratic opposition of Belarus Alyaksandr Milinkevich to Babrujsk on November 24.
The chairman of the National Committee of Democratic Forces, the leader of the United Civil Party Anatol Lyabedzka arrived to Kyiv to take part in celebration of the “Orange Revolution” anniversary.
On November 22-23 in Georgia an international forum “New Wave of Europe’s Liberation: Democracy and Transformation” dated to the second anniversary of the Rose Revolution. Among the participants of the forum are a well-known Soviet dissident, Israeli politician and writer, one of the leaders of the ruling Likud party, a former Minister without portfolio, responsible for Jerusalem, social and Jewish diaspora affairs Until May 2005 Natan Sharansky, a President of the Project on Transitional Democracies, the President of the US Committee on NATO Bruce Jackson, a Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matthew Bryza (USA), an assistant of the Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, former leader of the Union of the Right Forces of Russia Boris Nemtsov, the leader of he civil initiative “We Remember”, a member of the Council of Civil Initiatives “Free Belarus” Iryna Krasouskaya, a scholar of the Jamestown Foundation Vladimir Sokor (USA), a French philosopher Andre Glucksmann and others.
A coordinator of the “Belarusian Popular Front Youth” Ales Kalita was detained for distribution of the independent newspaper “Narodnaya Volya”. During the detention police sergeant Ivan Dulub dislocated Ales Kalita’s arm. After Kalita was taken to police department of the Soviet district of Minsk, he fainted, and policemen had to call in an ambulance, the human rights center “Viasna” informs.
Slonim-based youth civil association “Vetraz” has received an official letter from the Law department of Hrodna Regional Executive Committee, stating that a written warning had been issued to them, the Assembly of Non-governmental organizations informs.
On invitation of the Civil Party “Pora” representatives of the civil society of Belarus have arrived to Kyiv. Among them are leaders of the Council of Civil initiatives “Free Belarus” Zmitser Bandarenka and Zmitser Barodka, and activists of the Zubr movement Uladzimir Kobets and Alyaksandr Atroshchankau.
An entrepreneur Mikalay Autukhovich told to his lawyer that he is going to continue hunger strike till the end. As said by the doctors, such a long abstention is very dangerous for health. No reply has been received yet for the request of the lawyers to the administration of Hrodna prison. They asked to render immediate medical emergency care to him. “I think that it is necessary to raise an issue about access of independent medical experts, representatives of society and mass media to him. We must move heaven and earth. We should know what state of health he has, as he can simply die, and the authorities would not react to that. For them it means no person, no problems,” the head of the regional organization of the Belarusian Popular Front Party Syarhei Malchyk believes.
Reporters Without Borders today urged the Belarusian authorities to seriously investigate the possibility that journalist Vassili Grodnikov of the opposition daily Narodnaya Volya,
whose body was found on 18 October, was murdered, pointing out that new evidence has emerged since the police conducted their initial enquiries.
Viktar Syritsa, a lecturer of Baranavichy higher Economic and Law College lost his job for organizing a meeting of the students of the college with the candidate of democratic forces of Belarus at imminent presidential elections, Alyaksandr Milinkevich, the press service of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Narodnaya Hramada).
Belarus`s opposition, keen to pep up an apathetic public against the country`s autocrat, Alexander Lukashenka, has hit on two new ideas. One is to invite citizens to mark the 16th of every month by turning off their lights, and placing a candle in a window.
Belarusian authorities prohibited the local Poles to organize a festival of Harcerstwo (a Polish scout organization – Polish Scouting and Guiding Association, or Zwiazek Harcerstwa Polskiego). The authorities also informed that they are going to make an inspection of the educational organization “Polska Macierz Szkolna”.
On November 21 Minsk Economic Court disallowed the claim of the newspaper “Narodnaya Volya” to the unitary enterprise “Minskoblsajuzdruk”, which has cancelled a contract for distribution of the newspaper in Minsk region via its newsstands. The BelaPAN was informed about that by the lawyer and human rights watchdog Harry Pahanyajla, who represents the interests of the newspaper.
On the 15-th of November, in Copenhagen during the 51-st session of NATO Parliamentary Assembly a resolution concerning Belarus has been adopted. According to the Nederland deputy Bert Kunders’s proposal “7b” article – an appeal to the parliaments and governments to cut down contacts with official Minsk – has been taken away from the document project. The adoption of Belarus resolution is commented by the vice-chairman of United Civil Party Yaroslav Romanchuk.
On November 17, Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenka declared that he expected to win 90% of the electoral vote in the presidential elections of 2006, a figure far exceeding anything he has achieved hitherto. At the same time he accused the European Union and the United States of using the "rhetoric of globalization" to try to "enslave" Belarus. Earlier in the week, the United States had stated its belief that the elections were unlikely to be free and fair, given the government`s control over the media, the restrictions on free speech, and the authorities` refusal to permit observers to monitor the event (Pravda.ru, November 17; AP, November 15).
The Chinese Defense Ministry will send two delegations to Belarus this week to work on expanding military ties with the country, sources in the Belarussian Defense Ministry told Interfax on Monday.
The last dictator 11:02, 22/11/2005, By Tsotne Bakuria, Washington Times
November, not April, may be the cruelest month when it comes to politics. While Americans enjoy freedom at the polls, other countries are plunged into election turmoil. I could only wonder the other day if the orderly lines of voters under brilliant autumn sunshine truly appreciated their freedom of choice. In Azerbaijan, the recent parliamentary elections were declared fraudulent: ballot stuffing, and all that. Bordering Iran and Russia, that oil-rich country is strategic for the United States and demonstrations planned in the city of Baku are likely to destabilize the situation, not to mention further derail big hopes of spreading democracy. Of course, there is no such problem in nearby Belarus.
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