Hungarian American Coalition News, 1992 (1. évfolyam, 2. szám)
1992 / 2. szám
Sweeping Congressional Victory for Human Rights in Rumania Report by the Hungarian Human Rights Foundation Hungarian minority in Rumania, namely Tom Lantos (D-CA), Chet Atkins (D-MA) and Chris Smith (R-NJ). In their letters, they urged colleagues to postpone the vote because of the disastrous timing — the vote was scheduled five days before the Rumanian national elections. By voting to grant MFN at that particular time, the Congress would have singled out the Iliescu leadership for this special reward. Boosted by the windfall benefit of a U.S. seal of approval, President Iliescu, his leadership and party would have also gained an ill-deserved, unfair campaign advantage. To make the case stronger, HHRF offered its help by translating a letter from the RMDSz, addressed to the U.S. Congress, in which it opposed the granting of MFN to Rumania, and warned that such a premature action by the U.S. Congress would undermine Rumania’s fragile democratic opposition. The floor debate took place on the afternoon of September 22nd. Congressman Tom Lantos led the fight against granting MFN. Congressman Lantos criticized not only the proposal’s poor timing, but pointed out the substantive problem with granting MFN to Rumania: “The issue goes way beyond timing...There is a persistent pattern of human rights violations involving all nationalities in Rumania... Rumania is not a democracy. Rumania does not respect human rights...It does not provide for the degree of cultural autonomy that we take for granted in any civilized society.” In the course of the debate, Lantos and his supporters succeeded in postponing the vote until September 23. Later, die vote was set for the 30th. Congressmen Lantos and Atkins used the short reprieve to distribute a letter calling upon Congress to make the granting of MFN conditional — not only upon free and fair elections, but also on improvements in key areas of human rights. This last letter, combined with a flood of constituent phone calls, urging the Representatives to vote against the legislation, had the desired impact: the House voted against H.J.Res.512. András Süttf, center, during his recent visit to Washington. With him are Imre Bertalan, left, and Frank Koszorús, Jr. On September 30, the U.S. House of Representatives defeated a bill which would have extended Most Favored Nation (MFN) status to the Rumanian government, headed by neo-communist President Ion Iliescu. In a strong show of support for human rights and the long-suffering 2.5 million-strong Hungarian minority, the House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly (238-88) against extending this powerful recognition to the Rumanian regime The bill which would have extended MFN (H J.Res.512) was introduced with the support of the Bush Administration and State Department. For it to pass, both houses would have had to approve it with a two-thirds majority vote. However, the House defeat made it unnecessary for the Senate to take up the measure. The proposal has been effectively killed until (or if) a similar bill is reintroduced under the Clinton Administration in the 103rd Congress, commencing January 1993. The Bush Administration renewed its push despite apparent misgivings by Acting Secretary of State Lawrence Eagleburger, and the State Department ended by fighting hard for the ill-timed and badly conceived proposal. The President’s June 22nd message to the Congress—which accompanied the official MFN request and which could have served as an effective method of at least expressing concern over Rumania’s human rights abuses and continuing mistreatment of the Hungarian minority — had nothing but good words for the Iliescu government. On July 23, the Trade Subcommittee voted unanimously to report favorably the Bush Administration’s June 22 recommendation to grant Rumania Most-Favored Nation status, immediately and without conditions. This hasty action was taken despite a letter signed by 19 Members asking for more time and greater attention to the Rumanian government’s human rights abuses. A mere six days later, this decision was overturned by the Ways and Means Committee, whose approval was needed in order to present the Resolution for Congressional mark-up. The Committee’s decision to delay the vote on H J.Res.512 until after the outcome of Rumania’s national elections came after serious pressure from members of Congress who support democracy and real change in Eastern Europe. On September 22, contrary to the explicit agreement by the Ways and Means Committee, the bill was placed on the suspension calendar. Immediately a series of “Dear Colleaugues” were sent out by the three most outstanding supporters of the András Sütő' in the U JS. András Süt#, the well-known Hungarian writer from Marosvásárhely (Tirgu Mures), Rumania, and his wife, Eva, spent a month in the U.S. at the invitation of the Hungarian Communion of Friends’ Itt Ott conference. Several Coalition members helped arrange his programs and had the occasion to hear his inspiring speeches at Lake Hope, Cleveland and Washington, D.C. His topic, “Fate and Literature,” stressed the special role and significance of Hungarian minority literature in the survival of Hungarian culture and identity in Rumania. In an interview with the Hungarian newspaper, “Vasárnapi Hírek,” András Sütó'commended the Hungarian Communion of Friends for its long years of support for the developing political opposition in Hungary. In addition, he enthusiastically endorsed the creation and goals of the Coalition, particularly our efforts to build a wide base of support, and to focus and coordinate our members’ activities. 4 • Hungarian-American Coalition News • Winter 1992
