1988. július (161-183. szám) / HU_BFL_XIV_47_2

f-j «H®NSARtAIS OCTOBER}? _J

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Editor: György Krassó * 24/D Little Russell Street * London. WC1A 2HN • Tel. 01-430 2126 (írom abroad 441-430 2126)

182/1988 (E) 29th July, 1988 \

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Declarations About the Hunger Strike

"The end of the hunger strike" writes the Magyar Nemzet ("Hungárián Nation") in its article about the end of the protest action against the despotic limitation of the right to travel in its Thursday July 28th issue. It published a short statement by Dr Gyula Erdei, one of the participants. The papers leading article covered the pro- í

test which had ended the day before and criticised the tone of the Kossuth Rádió broadcast "16S hours". The uriter of the article expressed his disapproval at the hunger strike method bút said that such a means of politlcal demand must be accepted while there are no adequate forums fór a deraocratic expression of opinion.

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The hunger strikers sent their closing declaration to the Hungárián press bút had to publicise it themselves as it was nőt published. Today, Friday, the hunger strikers released their declaration "Expression of Thanks" which was signed on behalf of all the participants by Ferenc Kőszeg and Róbert Pálinkás. It begins "We, the participants in the hunger strike July 19th-27th 1988, express our thanks to all those who followed our protest action with sympathy. Their solidarity eased the physical difficulties we encountered, their interest strengthened our resolve and helped make our protest effective." It continues, "Several Hungárián and international humán rights groups and social organisations joined our protest, including the Network fór Free Initiatives, the Czechoslovakian Charter 77 group, the Polish Solidarity Union, the Co-ordinated Committee of North-American Hungárián organisations, the international Helsinki Alliance, the New York based Helsinki Watch and the New York "Committee to Protect Joumalists", the "Campaign fór Peace and Democracy East and West", the Hungárián Humán Rights Group in Vienna and the Dutch pacifist Socialist Party."

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"The Hungárián public was supplied with continual information by foreign Hungárián language rádió broadcasts. We express our thanks to Vera Bognár (Voice of America),

László Kasza (Rádió Free Europe), György Krassó and István Siklós (BBC). We would alsó like to express our thanks to the editors of Magyar Nemzet."

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The July 28th declaration then offers thanks fór the work and reports of the big j

international news agencies, West European joumalists and Hungárián joumalists jj

living in America. It alsó thanks the diplomats in Budapest who visited them person- ally, including officials from the United States Embassy and the Ambassador of Holland.

"Finally we would like to point out to every sympathiser that despite somé success this case still remains unsolved. The right to travel abroad and generally to exercise freedom rights is still controlled by the police. A guarantee that the govemment will keep its promise, the hope that it vili make further concessions will only occur if more and more citizens sacrifice something fór their rights and if their endeavours récéivé solidarity and support from society."

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