US embassy cable - 05MINSK1262

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MINSK 001262 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, ECON, BO 
SUBJECT: EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY REPORT - October 13, 2005 
 
1.  The following are brief items of interest compiled 
by Embassy Minsk over the past week. 
 
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Human Rights 
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2.  New Life Church Fined Again 
 
On October 7, a Minsk court fined New Life Church 
administrator Vasily Yurevich BYR 4,350,000 [USD 2,000] 
for organizing illegal worship service on September 4 in 
the former cowshed the Church bought in 2002.  This fine 
follows the September 23 fine of BYR 4,000,000 [USD 
1,900] that Yurevich received for organizing illegal 
worship services on July 24. 
 
3.  Opposition Youth Activist Sentenced to Three Days in 
Jail 
 
On October 10, the GOB sentenced opposition youth 
activist Nikita Sasim to three days in jail for uttering 
obscenities in public.  Since he was held for three days 
after his arrest on October 7, he was freed after the 
hearing as he had already served his sentence.  Sasim 
filed a complaint against a policeman who beat him 
during an anti-government demonstration in September, 
but the authorities have dismissed it. 
 
4.  Travel Ban for Union of Belarusian Poles (UBP) 
Activist 
 
On October 12, a court rejected UBP activist Andrzej 
Poczobut's appeal of a GOB travel ban.  On July 27, a 
Grodno court banned him from traveling abroad until he 
paid the remainder of his BYR 5.1 million [USD 2,380] 
fine.  Poczobut still owes BYR 500,000 [USD 232], but 
was not able to make the next payment since he was 
serving a short jail sentence. 
 
5.  Polish Ambassador Returned to Minsk 
 
On October 11, Polish Ambassador Tadeusz Pawlak returned 
to Minsk after being recalled to Warsaw on July 28. 
Pawlak left Belarus after a series of reciprocal 
diplomatic expulsions occurred between Warsaw and Minsk. 
Although the decision to recall Pawlak stemmed from 
tension over the GOB's treatment of Polish minorities 
following the election of the UBP leader, the GOP stated 
there had been "some progress in forcing Belarus to 
respect the...rights of ethnic minorities" and allowed 
Pawlak to return. 
 
6.  National Academy of Sciences Dismisses Another 
Scholar 
 
On October 10, the History Institute of the National 
Academy of Sciences dismissed economic historian Andrei 
Kishtymov.  The official reason for his dismissal was 
that his contract, which expired on September 30, was 
not renewed.  However, Kishtymov maintained the state 
supported academic leadership did not like the tone of 
his research, having labeled it "anti-Soviet" and filled 
with "zoological hatred for the current authorities." 
 
7.  Dissident Artist Display Work in Kiev 
 
From September 27 through October 17, the works of 
Belarusian dissident artists will be exhibited in Kiev. 
Authorities in Belarus have banned these works because 
they portray anti-Bolshevik resistance activists and 
oppose the Belarusian-Russian Union. 
 
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Civil Society 
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8.  Third Time is Not the Charm for Party of Freedom and 
Progress 
 
On October 7, the Ministry of Justice denied the 
registration of Vladimir Novosyad's Party of Freedom and 
Progress (PFP) for the third time, citing forged 
signatures and irregularities in funding as the reason. 
The PFP was created to promote liberal reform and 
democratic values. 
 
9.  CIS Executive Committee Is in the Red 
 
On October 11, the CIS Executive Committee announced it 
had to close its dining room and cut back on 
 
MINSK 00001262  002 OF 003 
 
 
expenditures.  Since only four of the twelve members of 
the organization have paid their dues, the committee is 
suffering from financial hardships and cannot repay its 
RUB 1 million [USD 35,000] debt. 
 
10. Return to Soviet Style Sports Training 
 
On October 6, Lukashenko slammed the Federation of Trade 
Unions and the Sports and Education Ministries for not 
doing enough to properly promote sports training 
programs among youth.  Lukashenko then announced his 
plan to restore the Soviet era system of sports training 
for youth, stating competition was the key to a well- 
trained athlete. 
 
11. "Student Village" Proposed for Minsk 
 
On October 4, Lukashenko announced his desire to build a 
"student village" to help house the 97,000 students in 
the Minsk area who cannot find space in the dormitories. 
The village must include sports and entertainment 
facilities.  Lukashenko requested project cost estimates 
as soon as possible from his staff. 
 
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Economics 
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12. The GOB Acquires Majority Control of Private Company 
Pulp and Paper Factory 
 
On October 12, Svetlogorsk Pulp and Paper Factory 
surrendered approximately 1.5 million shares worth BYR 17.3 
billion [USD 80.5 million] to the GOB, thereby increasing 
the percentage of government ownership in the company from 
47% to 76%.  [Note: The government take-over of the Pulp and 
Paper Factory is the latest in a trend by the GOB to 
nationalize private companies.] 
 
13. No More Poultry from Romania and Turkey 
 
On October 11, the GOB announced it would no longer import 
poultry from Romania and Turkey after an outbreak of avian 
flu cases were reported in those countries.  The level of 
poultry in the Belarus should not be greatly affected by 
this decision, as Belarus imports very little poultry from 
these countries. 
 
14. Transparent Car Market Needed in Belarus 
 
On October 7, Lukashenko expressed the need create domestic 
car markets in Belarus so Belarusians can "buy everything 
they need in their home country without going to Germany or 
Lithuania."  Lukashenko does not consider the current system 
of open-air flea markets where people search for used parts 
and cars to be "civilized." 
 
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Anti-U.S. 
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15. U.S. Is World's Drug Trafficker, State Media Alleges 
 
On October 13, the 7 DNEI pro-government weekly (circulation 
37,885) alleged the U.S. is trying to help local drug 
dealers and engaging in drug trafficking by staging color 
revolutions in Asia. The article makes claims such as the 
rose revolution in Georgia was partly due to competition the 
Shevardnadze regime presented to U.S.-supported traffickers; 
the war in Afghanistan was organized to take control of the 
opium fields there; and because the "stan" countries became 
transit points for drugs it was necessary to "free" them 
from leaders who were trying to stop the flow of illegal 
drug trafficking. 
 
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Quote of the Week 
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16. The Minister of Education comments on the reasons 
why politics should stay out of universities: 
 
"Both students and professors are citizens, and they 
have a right to be engaged in politics. However, we want 
the educational process to remain an educational 
process. It means that classrooms and lectures should 
not be used for declaration of one's views. You should 
keep to the curriculum and standards, as you are 
instructing professionals." 
 
 
 
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KROL