The Eighth Hungarian Tribe, 1984 (11. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1984-03-01 / 3. szám
The Transylvanian Editors: A. Wass de Czege and István Zolcsák Assistant Editor: Mrs. Anne Fay Atzél Washington Representative: Mrs. Ilona Boissenin Editorial Office: American Hungarian Literary Guild Rt. 1, Box 59 — Astor, Florida 32002 APPEAL OF THE NEW RESISTANCE MOVEMENT IN TRANSYLVANIA TWF, December 12, 1983: The following appeal was received from Transylvania, addressed to the leaders of the world: “The democratic resistance movement in Rumania, called NEPSZABADSAG/ Freedom for the People/, organized by Hungarian, German, Jewish, Ukrainian, Armenian, Greek, Gypsy, Serbian, Croatian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Slovakian and Turkish nationalities, composing 59% of the total population, with the co-operation of many clear thinking Rumanians, came to the decision to ask the United Nations, the governments of the United States, the United Kingdom, France, the Soviet Union, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Austria, Finland, Denmark, The Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Greece, the Vatican and all religious and civic organizations in this world — To exercise influence upon the government of the Socialist Republic of Rumania in the name of humanism, causing this government to change its policy toward the national minorities native to this country. We accuse the Ceausescu Government of attempting by brutal force to liquidate the cultural heritage of all the native nationalities in this country and to eliminate every citizen who is not of Rumanian blood. Therefore we ask the above mentioned governments to send into Rumania a mixed and unbiased commission in order to assess the situation concerning the March, 1984 forced Rumanization, Cultural Religious and National Discrimination and the Destruction of our Cultural and National Identity. Since the Rumanian Government does not comply with international agreements, we urge those governments which have treaties or any kind of contracts with this government to reexamine all covenants made with the Ceausescu Regime. It is not so much the hunger and poverty due to the economic policies of this dictatorship which is the most unbearable to us, but the brutal treatment and the daily abasement and humiliation to which we are exposed as inferior human beings. It is indeed a disgrace that in the last quarter of the twentieth century we are forced to turn with our scream for help to the world, but our situation has become so intolerable and beyond endurance that our only recourse left is the conscience of the human race. It is not our aim to commit terrorist acts. All we want is to be able to live as it is becoming to a human being. In order to protect our lives and the lives of our families from the vengeance of this terror regime under which we are forced to live we sign as — The Leadership of the Democratic Resistance Movement in Rumania called NEPSZABADSAG — Freedom for the People!” In support of this appeal the NEPSZABADSAG submitted two weeks later to the same governments a “factual and documented proof” of their distress. The following is a condensed version of those factors: “Due to the extreme cruelties used by the Rumanian authorities against dissenters, we cannot name the sources of our statistics, because it would endanger the lives of many people, including many of our Rumanian friends, and their families. Nevertheless, our facts are correct, and can be counter-checked by any international commission seriously embarked on the purpose of finding out the truth.” “In 1982, according to the secret files of the SECUR1ATATE 1343 Hungarians died or disappeared while in police custody. During the first five months of 1983 in Transylvania alone 31,816 arrests took place for political reasons.” “Whenever the Western Press brings the name of someone who was tortured to death by the Rumanian police, within a few days every member of his family is arrested here, tortured and dies of‘accidental’ death or commits suicide.” “We realize that all this seems unbelievable to those who live in a decent land. But this country is different. What makes it different? The very fact that 197,813 members of the former IRON GUARD are today the back-bone of Rumania’s Communist Party, and therefore the party is dominated by radical ultra-nationalist elements. ” “Besides the open brutality against all those who use their mother tongue in public places, the forced Rumanization pursued by this government is aimed at the total destruction of our ancient Hungarian culture, which is the native culture of T ransylvania. During the last ten years more than eleven million books in the Hungarian language, confiscated from Libraries, Schools and private homes were burned and 426 Cultural Monuments destroyed. ” ‘‘Though according to our records the number of Hungarians in this country is still near three million, most of the Hungarian Schools are closed down or taken over and the use of the Hungarian language is strictly forbidden on the school grounds. ” “Those who officially represent today the national minorities are nominated to this post and paid by the Ceausescu government. They are carefully selected persons and the only ones authorized to speak in the name of the minorities. Some of them are even sent abroad to tell of the wondertul life under the Ceausescu regime. Whenever a delegation arrives from any foreign country with the purpose to examine complaints concerning the treatment of minorities, these are the so-called ‘leaders’ of those minorities who are eager to reassure the visitors that everything is well.” Page 17
