Uladzimir Tseliapun, Mazyr activist of the Human Rights Center “Viasna”, has been awarded the Ukrainian order “Chernobyl Cross: Courage, Honour, Humanity” for his contribution to the removal of the consequences of the 26 April 1986 Chernobyl disaster on the site of the event.
On 5 May a police officer visited the apartment of the member of the organizing committee of the civil initiative Astravets nuclear power station is a crime Ivan Kruk to interrogate the latter concerning distribution of the informational materials dedicated to the 23rd anniversary of Chernobyl accident and the official plans of constructing a nuclear power station in Astravets.
The organizing committee of the action filed an application to the Minsk city executive committee on 2 April. According to RFE/RL, the committee consists of leaders of the Belarusian Popular Front party Liavon Barshcheuski, Vintsuk Viachorka and Viktar Ivashkevich, head of the United Civil Party Anatol Liabedzka, and chairman of the Party of Communists of Belarus Siarhei Kaliakin.
Construction of the new nuclear power plant in Astravets district presents a threat not only to Astravets district, but to Minsk as well. The matter is that the winds that blow from the North-East cover the capital of Belarus. That’s why the anti-nuclear campaign must not be lead solely by citizens of Astravets, but must be supported all over Belarus.
According to Mikola Ulasevich, leader of the public campaign ‘Astravets nuclear power plant is a crime’, there has appeared the first issue of the Astravetski vesnik newspaper. The newspaper is not registered and will be issued in 299 copies, which is not forbidden by the law. The first issue covers the possible construction of a nuclear power plant outside the town of Astravets, Hrodna region. The activists claim that a nuclear power plant should not be constructed in the earthquake-prone area of Belarus. Besides they stress that the construction of a nuclear power plant in the post-Chernobyl Belarus is a crime, which will eventually result in another irreparable global disaster.
The new law on social security for Chernobyl disaster fighters appears to be a mere compilation of previous legislative acts. On 14 January president Lukashenka approved the law ‘On the social protection of the Chernobyl disaster victims and other nuclear accidents’. The act is ‘to secure adequate level of social protection for the Chernobyl disaster victims’. However, the ‘adequate level’ lacks free public transport travel and other benefits lifted by the president’s decree in late 2007.
The organizing committee of the civil initiative against construction of a new power plant has been established by seven citizens with a teacher of geography Mikalai Ulasevich at the head. The committee has issued a note of protest against the plans of the Belarusian officials to construct a new power-plant on the territory of Narach-Vileika natural reserve. They believe that as a result this place can become another ‘Chernobyl hole’ on the map of Europe.
The judge of Chyhunachny district court of Vitsebsk Uladzislau Shykarou ruled to fine the activist of the Conservative-Christian Party Belarusian People’s Front Siarhei Kavalenka under part 3 of Article 23.34 of the Administrative Code (violation of the rules for organizing and holding mass actions) for participation in a peaceful mass action on 26 April, dedicated to an anniversary of Chernobyl accident.
On April 21st Frunzenski district police seized 30,000 leaflets for the Chernobyl March, permitted by the authorities.
Activists of the Movement for Freedom were detained for stickers which invited citizens to join the march. Frunzenski district police drew up report about seizure of the printed materials despite the fact that the action was permitted by the authorities. According to the police, the stickers were seized for checking the publisher of the materials.
 |
|
 |