B4-0514/97

Resolution on obstruction of non-governmental humanitarian relief organizations in Belarus

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its previous resolutions on the situation in Belarus,

- having regard to the Council declaration of 30 April 1997,

A. whereas President Lukashenko issued on 10 March 1997 a decree calling into question the tax exemptions granted to charitable organizations by a decision of the Belarus Council of Ministers of 28 October 1996, and whereas humanitarian relief organizations are hence regarded as commercial enterprises,

B. whereas the Belarus authorities have adopted two regulations (1672/12 and 1710/12 of December 1996), which are in clear contradiction to the constitution of Belarus, to the Belarus law on NGOs, as well as to international civil rights standards, and which subject the delivery of humanitarian aid to such restrictive conditions that make it virtually impossible for international relief organizations to forward any humanitarian aid to the victims of the Chernobyl disaster,

C. whereas shipments forwarding humanitarian aid to Belarus are systematically and arbitrarily retained at the Belarus borders, the non-governmental charitable organizations being asked to pay discriminative taxes and storage fees, and whereas huge amounts of food and medicines have perished as a result,

D. criticizing the fact that international NGOs are hindered in freely distributing humanitarian aid inside the country,

E. whereas the Belarus authorities are obstructing the work of the Belarus 'Children of Chernobyl' Foundation, which coordinates the work of more than 500 international and 72 national NGOs, trying to criminalize the organization using unfounded allegations and issuing arrest warrants for their project managers, who have therefore sought protection in Germany,

F. whereas the Belarus authorities illegally detained the director of the Soros Foundation and confiscated the bank accounts of the organization, thus forcing the foundation to stop its work in Belarus,

G. whereas the Lukashenko administration is hindering the work of non-governmental private organizations which organize rest stays abroad for affected children from radioactive zones, by denying the NGOs the right to choose by themselves the children to be sent abroad,

H. whereas local organizations have absolutely no means of forwarding any complaints against arbitrary prosecution and repression of the activists of the NGOs on account of the judiciary being influenced by the authorities, all mass media having been muzzled by the authorities, closure threats hanging over the few independent newspapers, and foreign correspondents being expelled from the country,

1. Calls on President Lukashenko to withdraw his decree of 10 March 1997 in order to re-establish the necessary working conditions for non-governmental humanitarian relief organizations, by implementing the Belarus Council of Ministers' decision of 28 October 1996 granting tax exemption for charitable organizations;

2. Calls on the Belarus Government to cease immediately all intimidation measures against Belarus and Western non-governmental relief organizations, to allow their staff members to return to Belarus without any fear of prosecution and to continue their work without impediment and interference from the authorities;

3. Calls on the Belarus Government to grant free and unhindered access for humanitarian aid to the country and allow the non-governmental relief organizations to distribute humanitarian aid freely inside Belarus;

4. Requests the Belarus authorities to adopt a clear and coherent legal framework concerning the activities of non-governmental organizations in accordance with international standards, in order to prevent local and customs authorities arbitrarily taking discriminative measures against relief organizations;

5. Requests the Belarus authorities to withdraw their regulations 1672/12 and 1710/12 which violate the Belarus constitution and citizens' rights, and to adopt new regulations with acceptable conditions based on international standards in order to make it possible for non-governmental organizations to continue their work in a normal way;

6. Requests the authorities to promote the organization of rest stays for children from radioactive zones instead of hindering such initiatives by denying the NGOs the right to select by themselves the children to be send abroad, and to stop interfering in the work of the NGOs;

7. Reiterates its position that any further cooperation between the European Union and Belarus cannot be achieved until clear steps towards respect for human rights and democratic and legal reforms are taken by the government of Belarus;

8. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the President and Government of Belarus and the democratically elected Parliament of Belarus.