1988. október (246-270. szám) / HU_BFL_XIV_47_2
©«£ Editor: György Krassó * 24/D Little Russell Street * London, WC1A 2HN * Tel. 01-430 2126 (írom abroad 441-430 2126) 270/1988 (E) 30th October, 1988 Tér Thousand Peop~lc Protest in Budapest in Pefence of the ranube Today in Budapest two great actions proved that the bittér struggle surrounding the construction of the Bos-Nagymaros dam has nőt been solved by the Pariiámentary vote. Indeed as the title of the leaflet announcing the protest puts it "It has just begun". Today on "Environmentalist Day" protests took piacé in front of Hungárián Embassies in all the great cities of the world. In Hungary the 16 member groups of the Nagymaros Committee and 20 other independent organisations invited people to take part in a meeting beginning at 2 pm and in an evening torchlight march, both of which demand a referendum. This afternoon at 2 pm, despite the cold, more than two thousand assembled at the Danube entrance to the Technical University. On the gate there was a huge banner announcing: "Democracy without the Dam!". Those gathered raised banners saying "Let’s Stem the Dyke", "Multi-Party System", "Submerge the Dam" and other similar slogans. The police appeared in great force bút did nőt interfere with the events. Pál Lovas greeted those present on behalf of the Bajcsy-Zsilinszky Friendship Society. The Eötvös Loránd University*s ecological group, the Scientific Workers Democratic Union, the Young Democrats Alliance, the Danube Circle, the Hungárián Democratic Fórum, the Network fór Free Initiatives and the Group Demanding Referendum were all represented. A great number of those present signed a letter to the Presidential Council of the Hungárián Republic in which they demanded a referendum. At 6 pm about 5000 arrived at the meeting on the Margit Island. They flew flags and banners. László Szekeres spoke on behalf of the Danube Circle and then greetings from the Hungárián Academy of Sciences were read.out. József Dinnyés sang two songs about the Danube and Tamás Molnár a member of the independent art group INC0NNU read out a greetings telegramme from the Solidarity organisation in Warsaw which was greeted by the audience with the cry "Solidarity! Solidarity!". At about 6.45 pm the torchlight march moved off with.a Hungárián flag bearing the Kossuth arms at its head. It had to abandon the original route and turn towards Buda instead of Pest. The number of protesters increased to around ten thousand bút at the Bem Erabankment the police prevented others from joining by closing off the route. The marchers went across Chain Bridge towards the Hungárián Academy of Science’s Headquarters bút when they got to the Pest side the police, who had accompanied them throughout, separated the cár equipped with loud hailers off from the march. In front of the Academy an improvised guard of honour was formed and a delegation delivered a letter in which they thanked Hungárián scientists fór their brave stand and said that the report by the Academy*s ad hoc committee, which was disregarded by both the governr ment and Parliament, should be elevated to the status of a Presidential decision. The protest finished at the Petőfi statue where the national song was recited in unison and slogans such as "Damn the Party, Damn the Dam!" and other lampoons were chanted. The Hungárián Democratic Fórum*s letter demanding a referendum and new elections was read out once more. It was announced that on November 4th about twenty people would begin a hunger strike in the Jurta Theatre. The organisers finished the day with an international press conference at 9 pm where they declared that they would nőt renounce their struggle. I ihhotiitSubscribers can use or quote the Hungárián October newsletters in totál or in detail as long as the source is acknowledged.
