2004 press releases

Press Event with Latvian Foreign Minister and Belarusian Opposition Leaders. Statement of U.S. Senator John McCain (August 20, 2004)

It is an honor and a pleasure to be back in Latvia, a country that is testament to the aspiration of citizens everywhere to live in freedom and democracy. Latvia, one of America's great friends in the world, is also one of the world's great success stories. A piece of the Soviet empire just a decade and a half ago, today Latvia claims a prosperous economy, membership in both NATO and the European Union, and a foreign policy in which its citizens can take great pride. This country has made great strides, and is even contending to host the next NATO summit.

It is with sadness that I must contrast the Latvian success story with the tragic events unfolding now in Belarus. President Alexander Lukashenko has manipulated the constitution to solidify his control. He has ordered the disappearances of opposition activists and journalists. He runs Belarus as if it were the Soviet Union, instilling a climate of fear, repression, and arbitrary rule. Under Mr. Lukashenko's leadership, the government has routinely harassed, arrested, and physically attacked democracy advocates - individuals guilty of nothing more than speaking out against the dictatorship into which their government has descended. As just one example, Mikhail Marinich, who served as Belarus' ambassador to Latvia, returned to his country with a desire to run for President. For his role in the opposition, on April 26 of this year he was thrown in KGB detention. He remains there today.

Yet there is no reason to despair. Instead, there is reason to hope. There is reason to hope because there are in Belarus individuals like those standing beside me. Alexander Bukhvostov is a leader of the Belarusian Party of Labor, an opposition group that was recently liquidated by the Supreme Court. General Vitaly Frolov leads the parliamentary faction Respublika, and is the sole voice of dissent in President Lukashenko's rubber-stamp government. After conducting a hunger strike recently, General Frolov was attacked outside of his home by masked men. Vintsuk Viachorka is the leader of the Belarusian Popular Front. His party recently received a letter from the Ministry of Justice accusing it and five other major parties of participating in an "illegal coalition" -the Five Plus Coalition of democratic parties.

But these courageous men do not despair. Instead, they act. They lead the fight for freedom and democracy in Belarus, knowing that tyranny in their country cannot forever endure. This month the people of Latvia, along with those of Estonia and Lithuania, celebrate the 15th anniversary of "Hands Across the Baltics" - the historic event in which hundreds of thousands of patriots joined hands to express their desire for freedom and independence. At that time, had anyone claimed that freedom and democracy were just around the corner, he would have been dismissed as a dreamer - or worse. Today Mr. Lukashenko may appear firmly in power - a picture compounded by reports that he will attempt a bogus referendum giving him a third term. Yet I believe that, ultimately, the proud people of Belarus will be as successful as the great people of Latvia in their quest for freedom.

As the democracy leaders here can attest more eloquently than I, the fight for freedom and a better life in Belarus is difficult. But the people of Belarus should know that, throughout their struggle, the democratic peoples of the world stand beside you. To the brave activists who have joined us today, I say that your cause is noble. We admire your courage and your inner strength, and we will not forget you. One day your country will reassume its proud place as a free and democratic nation.