Aunt Uta, our sweet “friend” from Germany
The effects of the internal struggle inside the “grand coalition” in Germany can be felt even in Belarus.
A Chrisitan democrat Georg Schirmbeck after visiting Minsk last week sharply critisized Belarusan regime in his interviews to German media, calling it “last dictatorship of Europe”, saying that Belarus is showing “revival of Stalin’s traditions”, and calling for German foreign affairs minister to apply more pressure to Belarus:
Der Weißruthenien-Experte der Unions-Bundestagsfraktion, Georg Schirmbeck, hat die Lage der Menschenrechte in dem osteuropäischen Land scharf kritisiert. Präsident Lukaschenka sei der letzte Diktator Europas, sagte Schirmbeck in einem Gespräch mit der “Neuen Osnabrücker Zeitung”. Oppositionelle würden verhaftet oder verschwänden für immer. Auch die Presse- und Meinungsfreiheit sei faktisch von Lukaschenka aufgehoben worden. Der Stalinismus erlebe in Weißruthenien eine bittere Wiedergeburt. Außenminister Steinmeier sollte in Absprache mit den EU-Partnern den Druck auf das Regime erhöhen. Eine falsche Rücksichtnahme auf russische Befindlichkeiten dürfe es nicht geben, betonte der Unionspolitiker.
In my opinion, Christian democrat Schirmbeck is totally correct in his assesment of the situation in Belarus. The call for pressure, especially in light of the pending amendments to the Criminal code, is also very reasonable.
So what’s the reaction? Uta Zapf, a socialist, who pretends to be the biggest friend of Belarusan opposition (of course, after our truly biggest “friend” Hans-Georg Wieck), issues an angry press release in response to that, in which she says: 
- that she’s still in charge of the Belarus affairs;
- that other Bundestag MPs can not make such statements without first consulting the other members of the Grand coalition;
- and, finally, that Germany should not be so tough on Lukashenka and his gang.
And mind you, this is not some commie from China, Uta Zapf is an ex-chief of the OSCE mission in Belarus, a “big friend” of our opposition. But, apparently, party interests always seem to be the top priority. And she comes from Schröder party, with Schröder-Putin being close friends and multi-billion dollar partners. I think Uta Zapf is quite sure that Lukashenka will stay in power after 2006-until death, and she’s quite OK with that.
This is just a small reminder to all of those who hope that Germany can be of any help to Belarus. It will not. It is not. And it never was. But it was capable to exterminate one fourth of our population (the record beaten only by Russians, who killed 50% of Belarus population in 1654-1667).
November 29th, 2005 at 9:30 pm
That is interesting. Can you tell me where I could find some more details on Zapf’s reaction. Preferrably in English or Russian, but if necessary I guess I could have a go with a German text as well.
/Tobias Ljungvall
November 29th, 2005 at 9:46 pm
Actually, my source was a Belarusian article:
http://www.svaboda.org/articlesfeatures/politics/2005/11/154A67FC-488E-452A-BD1C-66959F1BDDFD.html
But I’ll try to locate the original…
November 29th, 2005 at 9:54 pm
Here’s the German original:
http://www.belarusnews.de/politik1297-.html
“[ SPD-Bundestagsfraktion ] - Zu den Aeusserungen des Unionspolitikers Georg Schirmbeck erklaert die stellvertretende Sprecherin der Arbeitsgruppe Aussenpolitik der SPD-Bundestagsfraktion und Vorsitzende der deutsch-belarussischen Parlamentariergruppe, Uta Zapf:
Wer, ehe die Arbeit des Bundestages richtig begonnen hat, neue Strategien in der Aussenpolitik gegenueber Weissrussland verkuendet, vergisst, dass die grosse Koalition gemeinsam entscheidet.
Der Deutsche Bundestag ist bisher in seiner Politik gegenueber Weissrussland sehr einig gewesen. Unsere Kritik am zunehmend repressiven Regime von Praesident Lukaschenko war und ist einmuetig. Die Beschluesse des Bundestages sind immer gemeinsam gefasst worden.
Es kann aber nicht zielfuehrend sein, jetzt ploetzlich den Dialog mit der Administration und den Parlamentariern einzustellen und stattdessen den grossen Knueppel herauszuholen.
Ohne diesen Dialog und unsere Unterstuetzung fuer die Demokratisierung des Landes werden wir die Menschen in diesem Lande im Stich lassen.
Wir brauchen eine Dialogpolitik, die ohne Umschweife die berechtigte Kritik formuliert und gleichzeitig die zivile Gesellschaft und die demokratisch gesinnten Oppositionspolitiker unterstuetzt.
Die Europaeische Union hat bei ihrem letzten Rat umfangreiche Massnahmen beschlossen, die eine solche Politik des Dialogs, der Unterstuetzung von Demokratisierung des Landes und moderate Sanktionen beinhaltet. Deutsche Osteuropapolitik hat sich stets eng mit den europaeischen Partnern abgestimmt. Dabei soll es bleiben.
Harte Worte werden keinen Dialog befoerdern, der langfristig geeignet ist, auch Weissrussland an Europa und seine demokratischen Werte heranzufuehren.”
I’m actually quite confused. What does she mean my dialog? When was the last time Lukashenka people had a meaningful dialog with European politicians? Can Uta Zapf give a concrete date?
November 29th, 2005 at 10:02 pm
Thanks, I just read it. Sweden also has a sometimes strange preference for “dialogue” in all possible and impossible situations. In this case, I would agree with Schirmbeck. Zapf lost my confidence last year when she signed a totally meaningless agreement with Lukashenko’s pet Mikhail Orda.
/Tobias Ljungvall
November 30th, 2005 at 5:43 pm
Shrug… well see it this way… atleast things are more and more coming into the spotlights.
> I think Uta Zapf is quite sure that Lukashenka will stay in power after 2006-until death.
To be honest I think the same. Despite many people wanting him gone, he and his regime are sure doing their bests to stay in power. Being in control of the law makes things very easy for them. Those proposed modifications are proof of it. Things are becoming a time bomb, sooner or later things are going to erupt into violence. The only way Belarus is going at the moment is global isolation or reunification with Russia.
December 1st, 2005 at 1:46 am
A correction: Uta Zapf is not a socialist, but a social democrat.
I am convinced, that German SPD and Uta Zapf see the Belorussian government truly as what it is: a gang of murders occupying government control. Her statement I would sort in some kind of the meaning, that it might not make life more easy to say a suspect that you want him to sit for a lifetime, before you arrested him. Better tell him that after you got him, so you have a better chance to get him peacefully. I am quite sure, that George Soros and friends are going to finance a revolution in Belorus like in Ukraine.
I would expect Uta Zapf to have been influenced in her opinion by Mikola Statkevich. What do you think about Mikola Statkevich?
December 1st, 2005 at 12:45 pm
Hi, Marcel! It’s nice to see new faces here. ;)
> German SPD and Uta Zapf see the Belorussian government truly as what it is
Actions speak louder than words. And Schröder years showed very clearly what kind of position Germany has toward Belarus. It can be summarized in two words: (1) Either ignore Belarus question or (2) Or leave all to Putin, the best friend (which is the same as point #1).
It seemed, that Christian democrats were more keen on supporting democracy and freedom in Belarus. But now we probably will never find out, because they didn’t really win the elections, and we have a grand coalition.
> I am quite sure, that George Soros and friends are going to finance
George Soros has totally withdrawn from Belarus, since he was kicked out in 1996 by Lukashenka. The only money his foundation provides for Belarus are several dozen of yearly scholarships for different education programs (for example, CEU in Hungary or AUBG in Bulgaria).
> What do you think about Mikola Statkevich?
I think he’s quite OK. Lukashenka is definetely very afraid of him.
Although I personally can’t imagine him as a top opposition leader (in fact, none of them seem to be the kind of people who are capable to beat Lukashenka in current circumstances)
December 1st, 2005 at 2:06 pm
Politisches Blog aus Belorus
Bei Statler und Waldorf bin ich über www.br23.net gestolpert, ein politisches Weblog in englischer Sprache aus Minsk, Belarus.
Zu Belarus hatte ich im Parteibuch schon einmal anläßlich der Inhaftierung von Mykola Statkevich wegen der Organisation…
December 1st, 2005 at 5:46 pm
If you tell, that actions speak louder than words, then let’s look to actions. What actions do you expect? Maybe write a letter to Uta Zapf, ask her, why she acts as she acts and publish it. I would publish it, too.
I have read, that DW-World broadcasts in Russian, not in Belarusian, and I think, that’s reason to ask why they do so (I guess, they just don’t have any people speaking belarus) and how to change it. Have you contacted responsible people at DW-World? Did you get an answer?
I couldn’t see, that christ-demokrats in Europe would hae taken other action. In fact, Uta Zapf demands to act together with EU against the Lukashenka regime, so that Europe speaks with one voice and has more power.
Mykola Statkevich is well known among German social demokrats. I think, his opinion influents politics of german social democrats more than other things. It might be not such a stupid strategy to talk with authorities to develop things like in Kiev and not like in Peking. I’m convinced, that German social demokrats do want a change in Belarus and do not take care for Putin disagreeing to this.
I hope, Belarus opposition will find financial support as Ukrainian opposition found it. The Zubr website does already look quite well. I hope, they will win against Lukashanka.
December 1st, 2005 at 9:05 pm
This should answer part of your question Marcel http://www.br23.net/en/2005/11/15/deutsche-welle-revisited/
It is very unlikely that the outcome of the 2006 presidential election will be anything other than luka remaining in power till his death. Even as we speak many plans are being created and executed to make certain of this. The “Proposed” changes to the criminal code is a very obvious example, its almost completely written just to make that the opposition doesn’t stand a chance. (See http://www.br23.net/en/2005/11/28/world-war-three/ )