Hungarian American Coalition News, 1999 (8. évfolyam, 1-3. szám)
1999 / 3. szám
SENATE REPORT RELATING TO THE SERBIAN DEMOCRATIZATION ACT On July 28, 1999 the Senate Foreign Relations Committee issued Senate Report No. 106-139 to the S. 720, the Serbia Democratization Act of 1999, the relevant section reads as follows: Title V—Miscellaneous Provisions Sec. 502 Sense of Congress with respect to ethnic Hungarians in Vojvodina Given Milosevic's pattern of fomenting ethnic conflict to maintain his personal power, the Committee is greatly concerned about the well-being of the ethnic Hungarian population in the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina. This population has been subject to restrictions of freedom similar to those endured by the ethnic Albanians in Kosovo, and more recently has suffered harassment, intimidation, and direct threats from the government. Milosevic's vulnerability at this time may lead him to embark on an armed attack against the Vojvodina Hungarians to divert attention from protests against his government and to further consolidate his power. The legislation urges the President to condemn publicly Belgrade's intimidation and harassment of the ethnic Hungarians in Vojvodina and encourages the Administration to monitor closely the situation in that province.In calling upon U.S. allies to pay substantial attention to establishing guarantees for the ethnic Hungarians and other minorities in Vojvodina and to consult with elected leaders in the province about self-administration, the Committee notes that it expects any discussions about the status of Vojvodina to take into consideration the wishes of the whole population of the province. Ethnic Hungarians and other minorities in Vojvodina must have the ability to participate in all discussions about local governance. The Committee notes, in accordance with the Helsinki Final Act, that the Committee does not endorse the secession of Vojvodina from Yugoslavia. The Committee expects that the establishment of a functioning democratic system of government in Belgrade will also benefit ethnic minorities in Vojvoaina. AMERICAN ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORT RESTORATION OF VOJVODINA'S AUTONOMY On the initiative of the American Hungarian Federation of Metropolitan Washington, DC, an organizational member of the Hungarian American Coalition, a letter was sent to President Clinton on July 26, 1999 on the eve of the Sarajevo Conference on European Security concerning Yugoslavia. The letter was sent on behalf of the Federation and seven major ethnic, religious and veteran organizations. The additional organizations included: the American Jewish Committee, the American Latvian Association, the Estonian American National Council, the Lithuanian American Council, the Polish American Congress, and the Polish Legion of American Veterans, U.S.A, and the Committee for Danubian Research. The letter expressed the belief that the United States "will advance its foreign policy interests and forestall future military interventions in the Balkans if it lays the foundation for a durable peace." It noted that the "cornerstone for long-lasting security is a comprehensive arrangement that embraces the rights of not only the Kosovar Albanians but of all minorities...including the minorities of Vojvodina." The lesson of Bosnia and Kosovo is that "discrimination and intolerance toward ethnic and religious minorities must be stopped in their incipiency before they escalate into human suffering and bloodshed." The letter then stated that a "prerequisite to democracy and stability in Yugoslavia is the restoration of Vojvodina's full autonomy...as well as the regional and cultural autonomy of the various ethnic groups of the province." It concluded by urging the President to support a "comprehensive settlement" that "will preclude other acts of ethnic cleansing" and promote "regional stability" and advance the "geopolitical interests of the United States." Frank Koszorús, Jr. Washington, D.C. 6 • Hungarian American Coalition News • Special VOJVODINA ISSUE • October 1999
