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UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 04 MINSK 001299 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM ECON BO
SUBJECT: EMBASSY MINSK WEEKLY POL/ECON REPORT - DECEMBER 22, 2006 
 
 
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Ukrainian border on their way to Gomel from Chernihiv, where they 
attended a founding convention for Belarusian left-wing parties' 
union.  Belarusian customs officers had them get off the train 
citing a need to look more closely at the activists' printed 
materials.  The activists boarded a Minsk-bound train roughly two 
hours later. 
 
¶6.   Oppositin Activists Detained in Gomel 
 
On December 18, idependent media reported that authorities 
detaine Belarusian Party of Communists members Valery Rybhenko 
and Viktor Balenkov in Gomel as they traveed to Rechitsa with 
copies of pro-opposition newpapers "Tovarishch" and "Narodnaya 
Volya," publihed in Russia, and a booklet by prominent 
Belarusan sociologist Oleg Manayev.  Police claimed to hae 
received a tip-off that the men were carrying angerous goods in 
the car.  Authorities held Rybhenko and Balenkov for more than 
an hour before eleasing them without charges. 
 
¶7.   Ammunition "iscovered" During Opposition Search 
 
On December18, police and BKGB officers in Baranovichi, Brest 
region, searched the apartment of opposition actvist and the 
leader of the local organization of the Francis Skaryna 
Belarusian Language Society, Viktor Syritsa in connection with a 
handbag theft.  Instead of the purse, authorities allegedly 
discovered 20 rounds of ammunition in the linen closet. 
Authorities held Syritsa at the police department for an hour and 
he may now face a charge of illegal possession of ammunition. 
Baranovichi State University's Economy and Law Vocational School 
dismissed Syritsa from his post as a history teacher this spring 
after he arranged a meeting between students and presidential 
candidate Aleksandr Milinkevich. 
 
¶8.   Youths Demonstrate Solidarity With Kozulin 
 
On the night of December 16, several dozen opposition youths lit 
candles in front of the house of imprisoned former presidential 
candidate Aleksander Kozulin in Minsk to display solidarity with 
the imprisoned politician and his family.  Approximately a dozen 
more activists formed a line in front of the National Library in 
eastern Minsk, holding lighted candles as well.  Police did not 
interfere with either event. 
 
¶9.   Minsk City Court Upholds Dashkevich's Sentence 
 
On December 15, the Minsk City Court upheld the prison sentence 
against opposition youth leader Dmitry (Zmitser) Dashkevich who 
was found guilty of running an unregistered organization (Malady 
Front) and sentenced to 18 months in November.  According to 
independent media approximately a dozen youth attempted to 
demonstrate near the Minsk City Court during the trial 
displaying Dashkevich's images and chanting `Shame on you!'  The 
protest was quickly broken up, but no arrests were reported. 
 
¶10.  Former Jewish Ghetto to Become Holocaust Memorial 
 
On December 18, the director of a local history museum in 
Novogrudok, Grodno region, Tamara Vershitskaya, told independent 
media that she expects a Holocaust memorial to be built at the 
site of a former Jewish ghetto.  The plans are to reconstruct two 
barrack rooms as well as workshops where the ghetto's prisoners 
worked during the Nazi occupation. 
 
¶11.  Workers to Stand Trial Over Death of Chickens 
 
On December 18, independent media reported that the regional 
prosecutor's office was taking two poultry plant workers in the 
Gomel region to trial for giving the wrong feed to broiler 
chickens.  The workers are being charged with neglect of duty as 
more than 90,000 birds died of heart failure this past August 
costing the company approximately USD 235,000.  The accused could 
be required to compensate the plant for the damage. 
 
¶12.  Three Opposition Parties Form Union 
 
On December 17, independent media reported that the leaders of 
three opposition left-wing parties, the Belarusian Party of 
Communists, the Belarusian Women's Party "Nadzeya" and the 
Belarusian Social Democratic Party "Gramada," signed an agreement 
formalizing the establishment of a union at a convention in 
Ukraine.  Although many had trouble crossing the border, 
convention organizers reported that at least 500 delegates were 
able to attend the convention 
 
¶13.  Opposition Activist Sivchik's Brother Arrested 
 
On December 19, authorities arrested Konstantin Lukashov, 
Vyacheslav Sivchik's half-brother in connection with the 
prominent opposition activist's arrest escape this past March. 
Sivchik told independent media that his brother is accused of 
 
 
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