Itt-Ott, 1991 (24. évfolyam, 1-2/118. szám)

1991 / 1-2. (118.) szám

project to aid Romanian Medical Schools through the Romanian Ministry of Health has not fully materialized, but the Service Committee is working with the World Health Organization and the National Center for Disease Control on AIDS surveillance, education and treatment. As many of you are aware, AIDS among Romanian children is a critical and increasing crisis.

At the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office I follow human rights developments, including especially the UN Commission on Human Rights. The Commission, during the past 45 years, has grown from a small drafting group to an active 43-member body which works in a number of ways on the complete range of human rights violations which plague the world. When a situation in any country requires special attention because of the scope and/or severity of human rights violations, a Special Rapporteur can be appointed by the Commission.

In 1989, the UN Commission on Human Rights, moved by the seriously deteriorated human rights situation in Romania, expressed its “concern at the allegations of serious violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms in Romania.” (1) and noted particularly that “the policy of rural systematization would, if implemented, lead to further violations of the human rights... of Romania’s national minorities.”(2)

The Romanian Government, having ratified the International Covenants on Civil and Political Rights, and Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and several other international human rights instruments, and being bound by its own Constitution, was obliged to allow equal rights, nondiscrimination, use of mother tongue by co-inhabiting nationalities, equality between sexes, universal participation in public affairs, freedom of association and expression, freedom of conscience, and privacy of home and correspondence. The Romanian Government, however, far from living up to these undertakings, was violating many rights which should have been enjoyed by its citizens. The situation was brought to the attention of the 1989 meeting of the UN Commission on Human Rights.

The UN Commission on Human Rights, in March 1989, appointed Mr. Joseph Voyame “Special Rapporteur with a mandate to examine the human rights situation in Romania.” (3) This appointment was warmly welcomed by the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office. The appointment reflected the dramatic warming of relations between Eastern and Western Europe. Sweden, a member of the UN Human Rights Commission, acted for non-member Hungary in proposing the appointment of the Special Rapporteur. This proposal was welcomed by most Commission members, and was not opposed by the USSR and other communist countries, which, in recent years would certainly have stood staunchly by Romania.

Mr. Voyame, in a letter sent on 15 June 1989 to the Romanian Ministry for Foreign Affairs, requested the co-operation of the Romanian Government. The Government, responding on 30 June 1989, declared the Human Rights Commission Resolution (1989/75) “null and void” and refused any assistance in its implementation. (4)

The Special Rapporteur then used all possible resources in carrying out his mandate, including the following:

“Facts and data on the socio-economic development of Romania and the guarantee of basic human rights and freedoms” (submitted by the Romanian Government to the UN Secretary-General on April 14, 1 989) (5)

Data on Romania concerning socio-economic development, the process of development and modernization of rural communities, the guarantee of the fundamental freedoms and rights of all Romanian citizens” (submitted to the European Parliament, 8 September 1989) (6)

Two reports submitted by Romania to the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (7)

Reports submitted by Romania to the Economic and Social Council and Human Rights Committee (8)

Information from a UNESCO fact-finding mission to Romania (18-24 April 1989) (9~

Comments from the International Labour Organisation (10)

Testimonies from numerous individuals (11) Information supplied by non-governmental organizations (12)

From 24 to 29 September 1989 Mr. Voyame was in Hungary, where there were reportedly more than

20,000 Romanians who had crossed the border during the past 2 years. He gathered a substantial amount of up-to-date information during this visit. (13)

On 30 October, 1989, the Special Rapporteur informed the Romanian Government of his findings, and brought 136 cases of human rights abuses and 67 requests for family reunification to their attention. On 14 November, the Government reiterated its position that the Human Rights Commission resolution was “null and void.”(14)

On 11 December, 1989, the Special Rapporteur sent the Romanian Government updated versions of the lists of human rights abuse cases and family reunification requests. No reply was received. These lists, including details about each case, and other information, were transmitted to the UN Economic and Social Council. (15)

The report noted that Romania, “a socialist economy based on socialist ownership of the means of production” (Constitution of Romania, Article 5) had been primarily agricultural in 1948 when its “nationalization of industrial and financial institutions and the collectivization of agriculturebegan.” (16) Since then, the country has industrialized. In 1989 the industrial sector accounted for more than 60% of its national income. (17)

In his report, the Special Rapporteur states: “In order to achieve accelerated industrialization objectives, in October 1967 the Central Committee of the Romanian Communist Party adopted ‘principles for the improvement of the territorial-administrative organization 24. évf. (1991), 1-2. (118.) szám 39