Independent trade unions in Belarus struggle for democracy and a free press

(Helsinki 01.02.2003 - Juhani Artto) The independent, democratic trade union movement in Belarus faces a difficult situation that deserves urgent and effective international solidarity. Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko governs this country in the style of a dictator, with elections serving merely as a smoke screen barely concealing the undemocratic reality. The Belorussian journalist Aliaksandr Starykevich has been one of the victims of Lukashenko's rule.

The opposition candidate in the 2001 presidential election was Vladimir Gontsharik, who at that time led the major union federation FTUB (FPB in Belorussian). Since then Lukashenko and his assistants have worked hard to suppress opposition from the FTUB leadership, and succeeded in summer 2002. Three weeks later the new FTUB President Leonid Kozik dismissed Starykevich from his post as Editor-in-Chief of the FTUB publication Belaruski Chas. Until this time the paper was the most important independent media channel in Belarus.

In January 2003 six more journalists lost their jobs at Belaruski Chas. Defenders of Belorussian press freedom insist that these dismissals were motivated by political reasons.

Aliaksandr Starykevich visited Helsinki in January, just a few months after his previous visit. Developing co-operation with the Finnish trade union movement has been high on the agenda of these visits.

Read more about the situation in Belarus in Trade Union News from Finland.