The Hungarian Student, 1957 (1. évfolyam, 2-8. szám)
1957 / 5-6. szám
6 The Hungarian Student AHSUS' ANSWER TO THE ARTICLE "THE UN IS MY BEAT" T he ESTABLISHMENT of a UN police force would be an excellent means of promoting international security. It is certain that events would have been shaped differently at the time of the Hungarian tragedy if the UN had had at its disposal such an armed force. What is even more important, each member of the UN should recognize the result of the aggression. The annihilation of the intellectuals and of the youth is going on methodically in Hungary. Of sixty-five thousand university students, about seven thousand were compelled to flee, since they fought for the most cherished ideas of humanity; for the independence of their country, for individual liberty and for the restoration of the autonomy of their universities. Twenty thousand university students have been imprisoned or deported to the Siberian provinces of the Soviet Union and to Red China. Now, eighty-five thousand additional deportations have been ordered. This menace is a warning not only for the nations of Eastern Europe, but for all nations of the world as well. If no rigorous measures are taken in order to thwart aggression, the same bondage will be the lot of all free nations. First of all we must emphasize that a decisive, prompt intervention by the UN in the Hungarian situation need not have led to war. We do not believe that those who protested against intervention on this ground were justified, since the Hungarian people expected from the UN not military aid but first of all moral support, and later diplomatic and economic measures. On October 23, we trusted that events would remain the internal affair of Hungary. On October 25, when the people demonstrating unarmed in front of the Parliament were attacked with machine guns, the masses scattered in all directions and gathered again in front of the American Embassy. They did not ask arms, but the prompt establishment of an impartial UN committee, in order to have them witnesses of the rightfulness and purity of our struggle. On October 26 armed fighters of the Revolution seized the highway between Budapest and Vienna over all its length, in order to facilitate the arrival of a UN committee. On November 2, Prime Minister Imre Nagy urged UN acknowledgement and a guarantee the neutrality of Hungary. At that time the Soviet forces were expelled from Budapest, all war operations ceased, and the Soviet Union began to negotiate officially. The situation seemed to be favorable for successful UN initiative, but not a single official statement acknowledging or confirming the neutrality of Hungary was made. On November 4, the Prime Minister addressed a radio proclamation to the member states of the UN requesting them to prevent aggression, but nothing except resolutions resulted. Most of our students fought with arms for liberty. We trusted that UN resolutions would be carried out. We were anxious to continue our demonstrations even if it cost our lives so that the UN committee headed by the Secretary General which was expected in Budapest should see the true state of affairs and so that the triumphant invaders could not point out the smoking ruins and talk about simple mutiny and Fascist activity. It is a melancholy fact that world opinion was satisfied with throwing some flowers on the graves of our fighters who gave their lives for our liberty. The people of the world supported the refugees, but the UN failed to do anything for the freedom of our country. This failure cost the lives of many Hungarians. It is also posible that the final eradication of a whole people is now being discussed in Moscow. The free nations do not act only on behalf of our compatriots if they succeed in preventing murder and deportation. They may save their own future generations by doing so. Student Deputation to Asia ^^JoT LONG AFTER its organization, the Union of Free Hungarian Students sent a deputation to the Far East in order to inform our colleagues in those distant countries about the events of last fall in Hungary. The deputation made a tour of India, Thailand, Burma, Ceylon, Pakistan, Indonesia, Japan, Hong-Kong and Afghanistan. Their presence made a deep impression on all those countries. Communist papers attacked the Hungarians at the beginning, and headlines such as “The Hungarian revolutionaries wish to subvert Asia” were seen. The deputation compelled the Communists to state their case in press debates and in the student associations. Our colleagues refuted the lies of Communist propaganda against the Hungarian revolution. At the close of the debates several Communists acknowledged: “Maybe we are wrong.” Quite recently the students at the largest Japanese university left the student association which favors the Communists. They drafted a scheme jointly with other universities to organize a new National Student Association. Other student organizations are backing the Hungarian revolution and condemn Soviet interference and colonialism in Hungary. The Student Council Association of the Philippine Islands (SCAP) and the UFHS affirm in their joint declaration: “The SCAP invites all the national organizations of students to protest against tortures, imprisonments and executions of the Hungarian students by the present terroristic regime, to demand the liberty of all universities, the withdrawal of Soviet troops and free elections in Hungary.” The International Union of Students (IUS) with headquarters at Prague, and the Perserikatan Perhimpunan Mahasiswa Indonesia (P.P.M.I.) published a joint proclamation with the delegation of the UFHS. The IUS management in Indonesia (hitherto under Communist leadership) pledged its adherence to the Hungarian revolution and it will address a proclamation to that effect to the I.U.S. The Hungarian students are expected to return from the Far East in October. Meanwhile, another deputation will visit the student associations of Africa to discuss the events in Hungary with our colleagues there. Please notify the Editor-in-Chief of all changes of address immediately.
