Calvin Synod Herald, 1977 (77. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1977-03-01 / 3-4. szám
8 CALVIN SYNOD HERALD “CHRR” for Hungarians in Rumania During the past few years, the Rumanian Government has intensified its campaign to forcefully assimilate the 2.5 million Hungarians living in Rumania. Hungarians have inhabited Transylvania (Erdély) for over one thousand years, with that area being made a part of Rumania only at the end of World War I. Today, through discriminatory and increasingly aggressive measures, Rumania’s President Nicolae Ceausescu is rapidly approaching his apparent aim — the cultural elimination of Rumania’s Hungarian and other national minorities. In the United States there have been numerous Hungarian organizations in existence which have dealt with the history, literature and culture of Transylvania. Until recently, however, no organization has existed to effectively bring the plight of the Hungarian minority in Rumania to the attention of either the Congress or the American public. Fortunately, there is now a group of young Hungarian-Americans, formed in February 1976 under the name of Committee for Human Rights in Rumania (CHRR), actively working to fill this void. Although the majority of its leaders were neither born nor raised on Hungarian soil, they feel a deep obligation to help ensure the cultural survival of their brethren in Rumania. As United States citizens educated in American institutions, they have the resources to intelligibly convey the plight of the Hungarian minority to the Administration, Congress and the American public. As one of their leaders put it recently: “We play the game on an American field, according to American rules.’’ The Committee’s first effort was to mobilize several thousand Hungarians to participate in a protest demonstration on May 8, 1976 in New York before the Rumanian Permanent Mission to the United Nations. With the success of these initial endeavors, the Committee turned its attention toward Congress. The United States can exercise the strongest leverage on Rumania through its trade policy. Rumania was granted Most-Favored- Nation treatment in 1975 upon the condition that it comply with certain human rights requirements whose observance would be reviewed annually. To urge a thorough review by Congress, the Committee sponsored a demonstration on June 16 on the steps of the Capitol building in Washington, D.C. Simultaneously, groups of Hungarians from a total of 17 states were organized to meet with their Senators and Congressmen and ask them to oppose the continuation of Rumania’s favorable trade status until that country reverses its policy of minority oppression. During the summer and fall months, as a result of these and other wideranging endeavors, scores of Senators and Congressmen publicly declared their mounting displeasure with Rumania’s abusive treatment of its Hungarian minority. Numerous Congressional resolutions, sponsored in one case by 49 representatives and by 30 in another, as well as the many statements which appeared in the Congressional Record during this period, serve as concrete evidence of the support which Hungarian-Americans can generate if their wishes are expressed in a well-presented, broad-based and unified manner. On January 9, 1977, with the coming of the new Administration, Hungarian-Americans from the southern Youth in South Norwalk After the third Lenten Family Night Dinner the Senior Youth Fellowship will present a drama “Pontius Pilate, The Unconcerned Man,’’ in the Lenten Season, Wednesday, March 9, at 7:20 p.m. in Dokus Hall. The same Youth Fellowship will serve at the Lenten Family Night Dinner on Wednesday, March 30, at 6:30 p.m. in Dokus Hall. — After the 5th Lenten Family Night Dinner the newly organized Intermediate Youth Fellowship will also present a drama “Dismas’’ (Calvary’s Unrepentent Outlaw), on Wednesday, March 23, at 7:20 p.m. in Dokus Hall. — The Junior Youth Fellowship had a Bake Sale on Sunday, February 13 in the Church basement. — Members of these 3 youth groups also sing in the Intermediate Choir and the Cherub Choir of the Church. — We expect to meet the youth groups of the Eastern Classis at the Palm Sunday Conference on Sunday, April 3 a the South Norwalk Hungarian Reformed Church, where registration will start at 2:30 p.m. Congregations are encouraged to send in news to be reviewed in CSH. states organized a demonstration in Plains, Georgia to call Jimmy Carter’s attention to the plight of the 2.5 million Hungarians in Rumania. The Committee for Human Rights in Rumania was invited to participate and to prepare the official memorandum detailing the grievances and recommended courses of action, to be presented to then President-elect Carter. Carter personally responded to this memorandum in a letter stating his intention to “give full study to the matters you specifically call to my attention.” The CHRR believes that only through the active participation and support of Hungarian-Americans and their friends throughout the United States can the movement for the human rights of Hungarians in Rumania be successful. The first crucial measure in this regard is to obtain and study the most current and accurate information on the issue. To help fulfill this need, CHRR has prepared a series of five booklets which can be ordered (at prices ranging from $1.50 to $4.00) by writing to the address indicated below. Second, it is important that Hungarian-Americans be alert to any news articles, books or other literature containing false information on the situation of Hungarians in Rumania. Letters should be sent to the appropriate source at once, requesting prompt correction of information. Along the same lines, the Committee would be very grateful if any new information specifically documenting the Rumanian Government’s treatment of its Hungarian minority were brought to the Committee’s attention. Such information can be extremely valuable in the continuing work of the CHRR to prepare material for presentation before Congressional committees and other public forums. Third, depending upon the outcome of current efforts to gain the support of the Administration, it is likely that the Committee will solicit massive participation in letter-writing campaigns, demonstration or other forms of public expression. In such cases, a prompt and effective response is extremely critical. Of particular necessity in the meantime, is that every Hungarian-American learn the names of his two Senators and one Congressman. Send requests for materials, other communications, and financial help, if you wish to do so, to: CHRR. P.O. Box “J,” Grade Station, New York, N.Y. 10028.
