The Eighth Tribe, 1977 (4. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1977-02-01 / 2. szám
Page 4 THE EIGHTH TRIBE February, 1977 An Appeal TO THE HONORABLE JIMMY CARTER TO DEMONSTRATE A CONCERN OVER HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS AGAINST THE 2.5 MILLION HUNGARIANS IN RUMANIA Your eloquent statements on the importance of morality in foreign policy have instilled a new hope in the approximately one million Hungarian-American8 throughout the United States. We wholeheartedly agree with your position that this nation “can not look away when a government tortures people, or jails them for their beliefs or denies minorities fair treatment.” (Speech to National Convention of B’nai B’rith, September 8, 1976). All too often over the past years our leaders have, as you said, “rationalized that there is little room for morality in foreign affairs” and have placed a higher value on commercial and political considerations. In contrast to this trend, you have not only expressed the need for our country to restore a healthy respect for fundamental human rights, but you have pointed out the means, United States trade policy, for achieving that end. We applaud the position which you summed up in the following manner: “If other nations want our friendship and support, they must understand that we want to see basic human rights respected, and this includes the rights of Hungarians wherever they may be.” (Cablegram to Hungarian organizations, October 23, 1976). Our purpose now is to call your attention to a concrete and specific opportunity for implementing the ideals you have espoused. Rumania is one country which, by any definition of the phrase, “denies minorities fair treatment.” The dictator of that country, Nicolai Ceausescu, is currently waging a systematic and increasingly aggressive campaign of forceful assimilation against the 2.5 million native Hungarian inhabitants of Rumania. The principal elements of this brazen assault consist of falsification of population statistics; gross discrimination in the field of education; dissolution of compact minority communities and dispersion of ethnic professionals; curtailment of cultural opportunities for minorities; refusal to permit bilingualism; falsification of history; confiscation of ethnic church archives; obstruction of contracts with relatives abroad; and persecution of minority religious institutions. Each of these abusive measures is fully documented in the material attached to this memorandum. As President of the United States, you will have several means at your disposal to exert pressure on the Rumanian Government to reverse this policy of oppression. Your Administration will, as a matter of course, be making contacts with representatives of the Rumanian Government. We appeal to you, and those representing you, to use the opportunity offered by such meetings to express a serious concern for the fate of the Hungarian minority in Rumania. The Ford administration, through its State Department, has failed to treat this question with any degree of objectivity. We urge you to direct a thorough and unbiased investigation and to institute a dialogue with the appropriate representatives of the Rumanian Government. Finally, we call upon you to inform the Rumanian Government that you will not recommend extension of Most Favored Nation status until that Government has implemented concrete measures to ameliorate the situation of the Hungarian minority. We are certain that your firm stand on basic moral principles will restore the prestige of this nation, and we pray that God give you the strength, the wisdom and the clear sight needed to fulfill this great mission. HUNGARIAN-AMERICANS IN DEFENSE OF HUMAN RIGHTS ☆ ☆ January 10, 1977 To Joseph M. Ertavy I appreciate very much your coming to Plains yesterday to demonstrate your concern over human rights violations against Hungarians living in Rumania. As you know, I am committed to doing whatever I can to assure basic human rights are honored here at home and around the world. I have read your appeal and have forwarded it to Cyrus Vance so that he, too, might know of your concern as we prepare for our Administration. Thank you again for your thoughtfulness. I am sorry I did not have the opportunity to visit with you personally but assure you that I shall give full study to the matters you specifically call to my attention. Sincerely, Jimmy Carter Dr. Joseph M. Ertavy Hungarian Cultural Foundation, Inc. P.O. Box 364 Stone Mountain, Georgia 30083
