INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cablegate: Estonia: Ambassador Meets Belarus Pro-Democracy

Published: Tue 18 Sep 2007 10:11 AM
VZCZCXRO0258
RR RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV
DE RUEHTL #0617/01 2611011
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 181011Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY TALLINN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0188
INFO RUEHSK/AMEMBASSY MINSK 0231
RUEHSW/AMEMBASSY BERN 0028
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0146
RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM 2612
RUEHWR/AMEMBASSY WARSAW 0848
RUEHKV/AMEMBASSY KYIV 0015
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TALLINN 000617
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREL WW BO EN
SUBJECT: ESTONIA: AMBASSADOR MEETS BELARUS PRO-DEMOCRACY
DISSIDENTS
REF: A) STATE 108924 B) STATE 88465
1. (SBU/NF) Summary. On August 28, the Ambassador met
with Belarusian pro-democracy activists living in exile
in Estonia. Two of the activists represent "Third Way,"
a pan-European, pro-democracy group which produces pro-
democracy materials for use in Belarus. The Ambassador
committed to disseminate the contact details of Third
Way activists to U.S. embassies in countries where they
operate. This cable responds to action requests in
Reftels A and B. End Summary.
2. (SBU/NF) The Ambassador met with three Belarusian
dissidents -- Aleksandr Kozhura, Pavel Marouzau, and
Andrei Abozau -- on August 28 to support pro-democracy
activists residing in Estonia. Kozhura is a former
Belarusian university student who had to leave the
country because of his public support for demonstrations
against President Alexander Lukashenko during Belarus'
2006 elections. Marouzau and Abozau are active members
of a Belarusian pro-reform and pro-democracy internet
community called "Third Way." Marouzau and Abozau left
Belarus in 2006 to avoid arrest by Belarusian police
after publication of their satirical animation programs
about Lukashenko.
3. (SBU/NF) All three Belarusians thanked the Ambassador
for meeting with them and giving them the opportunity to
describe the political and economic deterioration of
Belarus under Lukashenko. All three also expressed
their gratitude to the Government of Estonia (GOE) for
allowing them to stay in Estonia while their asylum
cases are being heard. Kozhura said he is one of ten
Belarusians given a full scholarship to study at Tartu
University, Estonia's premier institute of higher
education, after they were forced to leave Belarus for
their political activities.
4. (SBU/NF) Marouzau told the Ambassador that he and
Abozau have continued their pro-democracy activities in
Third Way from Estonia. Abozau explained that Third Way
creates and distributes anti-Lukashenko animated film
strips, pro-democracy posters, and literature via the
internet and smuggles DVDs into Belarus. Third Way
provides Belarusian pro-democracy activists, exiles and
those still in the country, an online forum to share
information and coordinate their efforts. According to
Abozau, Estonia's advanced IT environment has made it
easier for him and Marouzau to continue their work
remotely. Third Way has received support from the U.S.
Embassy in Minsk, the Government of Germany, the
European Union, and the Soros Foundation.
5. (SBU/NF) The Ambassador thanked the Belarusians for
their commitment to promoting democracy in their
homeland, even at great personal sacrifice and risk.
Although Post did not pledge any financial support, the
Ambassador said he would share information about Third
Way with U.S. embassies in countries where Third Way
members are in exile and/or operate.
6. (SBU/NF) The following is a list of Third Way members
in exile in Europe who remain active pro-democracy
activists:
Jeanna Yamaykiina (Austria)
Email: keytopetra@tmail.com
Stsiapan Svidzerski (Poland)
Tel: +48 886 099 812
Email: svidzerski@rambler.ru
Mirko Sennewald (Germany)
Tel: +49 177 802 7595
Email: sennewald@kulturaktiv.org
Siarzhuk Siamionau (Ukraine)
Tel: +38 067 478 03 26
Email: limony@tmail.com
Uri Kozhuro (Sweden)
Tel: +46 734 434 149
Email: koyurygen1@yahoo.com
TALLINN 00000617 002 OF 002
Mikhail Glyukov (Switzerland)
Tel: +41 787 197 827
Email: glmishel@narod.ru
PHILLIPS
View as: DESKTOP | MOBILE © Scoop Media