Belarus Fact
Belarus
On October 23, the Lower House of Parliament announced that the parliamentary faction Respublika faction was formally liquidated. The faction, which was pro-democratic, had only 6 members rather than the required 10. They vowed to continue their activities despite the ban and death threats members have received. ... Independent trade unions faced continual government harassment. In April, an ASM union activist was fired from the Grodno Truck Factory after a factory security guard discovered $0.20 (454 rubles) worth of nuts and screws when he was leaving work. The worker was a member of a trade union commission in 2002 that uncovered management's failure to index back wages. On September 18, Chairman of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BCDTU) Aleksander Yaroshuk received a 10-day prison sentence for contempt of court. The Prosecutor's Office filed charges against Yaroshuk for describing the Supreme Court's decision to close the Air Traffic Controllers Union as "a stage play with an end known in advance" in an article published by an independent newspaper. On October 17, a Minsk Administrative Court sentenced BCDTU lawyer Vladimir Adynets to 5 days in prison for failing to appear in court as a legal representative to a plaintiff involved in a labor dispute when his cl ... [Read More]
United States Initiatives to Prevent Proliferation
The United States leads the world in efforts to prevent the proliferation of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. To combat the spread of these weapons, the U.S. is undertaking many multilateral initiatives with its partners in the global war against terrorism, with its traditional allies, and in the United Nations. The United States believes that proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) by rogue states and terrorist organizations represents one of the greatest threats not only to U.S. security, but to the security of all. Preventing proliferation through proactive efforts is a primary focus of U.S. global strategy. The September 11, 2001 attacks and subsequent anthrax attacks revealed the determination and resources of terrorist organizations such as Al-Qaeda, and reinforced the importance of efforts to prevent the proliferation of WMD. To co ... [Read More]
V. Country Narratives -- Countries A through G
Burundi is a source country for children trafficked for the purpose of forced child soldiering. The country is emerging from a 12-year civil war in which government and rebel forces used approximately 3,200 children in a variety of capacities, including as cooks, porters, spies, sex slaves, and combatants. There are reports that the government army and two former rebel groups the CNDDFDD (Nkurunziza) and the CNDD (Nyangoma) still have a small number of children in their ranks. While there were unconfirmed reports that these two rebel groups recruited boys in 2004, there were no reports that the army recruited child soldiers. The one rebel faction that remains outside the peace process, the PALOPEHUTU-FNL, continued to recruit and use child soldiers. The Government of Burundi does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, ... [Read More]
2004 Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Belarus
The Constitution and Labor Code set a limit of 40 hours of work per week and provide for at least one 24 hour rest period per week. In reality, because of the country's difficult economic situation, a number of workers found themselves working considerably fewer than 40 hours per week. Reportedly factories often required workers to take unpaid furloughs caused by shortages of raw materials and energy and a lack of demand for factory output. ... The law provides for the right to organize and bargain collectively; however, the authorities and state owned enterprises hindered the ability of workers to bargain collectively and, in some instances, arbitrarily suspended collective bargaining agreements. An ILO Commission of Inquiry concluded that several trade unions had been denied the right to bargain collectively because of the deregistration and nonregistration of unions. The independent Free Trade Union reported it had been unable to open negotiations on a collective bargaining agreement for workers at the Mogilev factory of artificial fiber for over a year. Unions reported that some enterprises and state agencies pressured workers to accept individual contracts in lieu of collective contracts and also altered the duration of the contracts from life to fixed terms (see Section 6.a.). ... [Read More]
Belarus: Announcement of Presidential Elections
The United States notes the fact that Belarus has set September 9, 2001 as a firm date for presidential elections. We view these elections as an important opportunity for Belarus to reverse the process of self-imposed isolation and to begin to restore its proper place in the Euro-Atlantic community. The United States has consistently supported democratic development in Belarus, and is prepared to work with Belarusians of all political groupings, both bilaterally and through the OSCE, to promote free and fair elections. Key to an open electoral campaign and process are the criteria set forth by the OSCE last year and Belarus' Copenhagen Document commitments. These criteria include an end to the climate of fear, equal access to the state media for all candidates, respect for freedom of assembly, as well as transparency and fairness in registration of candidates and functioning of electoral commissions. ... [Read More]
Eurasia-Caucasus Fact Sheets - US Department of State
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Consular Information Sheets
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | ... [Read More]
U.S. Assistance to Belarus Fiscal Year 2004
The estimated $10.14 million budgeted by all U.S. Government agencies for assistance programs in Belarus in fiscal year 2004 is allocated roughly as follows based on information available as of the date of this fact sheet: ... Journalism and management training, legal defense, and on-site business consultations strengthen independent print and broadcast media outlets while increasing their capacity to provide objective, fact-based information. Legal training for local lawyers, activists, NGOs, and citizens is also provided, in addition to support for Legal Advice Centers. In 2003, a womens economic empowerment program was initiated in Belarus to fight against trafficking in persons. Moreover, the Eurasia Foundation, National Endowment for Democracy, and U.S. Embassy administer small grants for indigenous NGOs to foster civil society, human rights, independent media, and other initiatives to promote democracy in Belarus. ... [Read More]
Belarus (10/04)
Because of the unpredictable and at times hostile environment for investors, the U.S. Government currently does not encourage U.S. companies to invest in Belarus. Belarus continuing problems with an opaque, arbitrary legal system, a confiscatory tax regime, cumbersome licensing system, price controls, and lack of an independent judiciary create a business environment not conducive to prosperous, profitable investment. In fact, several U.S. investors in Belarus have left, including the Ford Motor Company. ... [Read More]
Belarus
Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Countries and Other Areas [Read More]
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