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OBSTACLES


No Minority Complaints in Rumania ­

State Department Says

July, 1980
IN A SPECIAL REPORT TO CONGRESS, THE STATE DEPARTMENT STATED RECENTLY THAT IT HAS NO KNOWLEDGE OF ANY
COMPLAINTS CONCERNING THE TREATMENT OF MINORITIES BY
THE RUMANIAN GOVERNMENT. FURTHERMORE, THE REPORT
POINTS OUT THAT CEAUSESCU'S NATIONAL­COMMUNIST
RUMANIA IS ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT ALLIES,
ECONOMICALLY AS WELL A POLITICALLY
IT IS A STRANGE COINCIDENCE THAT HARDLY TWO YEARS AGO ALMOST THE SAME WORDS WERE USED BY STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS WHILE REPORTING ON THE SITUATION IN IRAN.


"Rumanians of Hungarian Descent"

or "Hungarian Speaking Rumanians"

are False and Deceiving Terms

October, 1983
The Transylvanian Quarterly
There was a time, not so long ago, when the gentlemen in our State Department, entrusted with representing American interests in Rumania, either did not know or refused to recognize the fact that there are a large number of Hungarians forced to live in that country from the day Transylvania has been occupied by the Rumanian army in 1918. The Rumanian census claims only 1.8 million Hungarians in Transylvania, while scholastic research indicates there are about three million Hungarians today spread over the entire country known as Rumania.
As the Ceausescu government began to dismantle the many century old Hungarian cultural institutions in Transylvania by rumanianizing the schools, confiscating libraries, church archives, museums destroying historical markers, cemeteries, old churches, etc., abolishing the Hungarian language from public life, ordering the compulsory surrender of every Hungarian book, printed matter, private letter, picture in private possession under the penalty of three years in prison, and destroying the confiscated material, thus waging an ever­increasing war against the ethnic identity and historic past of the Hungarian population, the international reaction to these, and other, even more barbaric events, forced our Department of State to recognize the cumbersome fact that there are Hungarians in this unfortunate province, whose national and cultural rights were guaranteed in two separate peace treaties, signed by the representatives of the Rumanian government.
However, in order to minimize the problem in the face of American public opinion, some State Department officials coined the terms "Rumanians of Hungarian descent" and "Hungarian speaking Rumanians" in order to put the existing situation into "proper perspective". Since here in America we are used to talking about "Spanish speaking Americans" or "Americans of such and such descent", who are all good Americans, those who don't know the difference may easily fall into the trap of the State Department's terminology, and become critical of those noisy "Rumanians of Hungarian descent" or "Hungarian speaking
Rumanians" who refuse to assimilate into the Rumanian nation.
For some it may be difficult to understand at first, but the fact is that the original and proper meaning of the word "nation" is not the population of a certain geographical and administrative unit, but, as the New World Dictionary says: "a historically developed community of people with a distinctive culture and language in common. Dictionaries of pre­World War I. edition even insist on "common origin or blood­line".
The Hungarians of Transylvania, whose forefathers settled there over one­thousand years ago, created, established, and defended the Hungarian homeland for many centuries, are definitely an integral part of the Hungarian nation, sharing the same history, the same culture and the same language. They can not be penalized for the misfortune which fell upon them when as the result of a war they did not start, they found themselves suddenly taken over by a neighboring country and thrown into minority status.
The terms ­ 'Rumanians of Hungarian descent" or "Hungarian speaking Rumanians are just as false as it would be to call the entire present­day population of the State of Florida "Cubans of American descent" or "English speaking Cubans" in the event that one day Florida should be annexed by Cuba on the basis of a small margin of Spanish speaking majority ­descendants of today's Cuban refugees in that State.
The Rumanians ­ in spite of their falsified history ­ entered the Eastern part of the Hungarian Kingdom, known as Transylvania, as refugees and migrant workers mostly during the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries. The simple fact that they were more prolific than their hosts did not give neighboring Rumania the right to claim part of the Hungarian homeland with a large and well established Hungarian population, just as Cuba would not have the right to claim Florida.
There can be no doubt about it that the Transylvanian Hungarians are part of the Hungarian culture­circle and part of the Hungarian nation. The brutal efforts of the Rumanian government to deprive them of their Hungarian heritage and Hungarian identity by exposing three million human beings to the most barbaric discrimination and humiliation the world has ever known, is an outright crime
against humanity.
Hungarians of Transylvania:
Not Ethnic Minority but MINORITY NATION!

The definition of "ethnic minority" identifies a group of people who migrated into the country of another nation in search of food, shelter or religious freedom and for one reason or another failed to assimilate. Therefore the Vlachs, later called Rumanians, who entered the Hungarian Kingdom during the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries as migrant workers and sheepherders, and failed to assimilate, lived and prospered as an ethnic minority within the Hungarian borders.
On the other hand, the term "minority nation" refers to a group of people who lived in their own country for a long period of time as part of the majority nation, without ever changing location, but were torn off geographically from the rest of their homeland through a major political tragedy, usually as a result of war, and occupied by another neighboring nation.
When Translvania was torn from the Hungarian motherland as a result of World War I and World War II, the Hungarians who were established on that land for ten centuries became a minority nation within Rumania. Politically they had to yield to the majority rule of the Rumanians. Nevertheless, the peace treaties guaranteed them the right to the unrestricted use of their own language, to the free development of their own culture through their own established cultural institutions, and their right to self­administration within their cities, towns, and villages.
Today, the National­Communist Government of Rumania not only refuses to recognize these rights, but is embarked on a course of TOTAL ANNIHILATION of the almost three­million strong Hungarian MINORITY NATION within its borders, by the use of terror and extreme brutality
We ask the nations of this world to express their solidarity with the Hungarians in Transylvania by boycotting and "picketing" the Socialist Republic of Rumania until this problem is solved according to the rules of civilized societies.
Why the Discrimination Against
the Hungarians of Transylvania

October; 1981
The Transylvanian Quarterly
Scanning the membership list of the United Nations we will notice that there are 81 nations represented in this organization whose population is less than 3 million each, with Israel 2,781,000 and Albania 2,168,000 in the lead. Of these 31 independent nations, 27 have a population less than 1 million and some of them even below 100,000. All these nations enjoy full representation in the U.N. and are recognized as sovereign nations endowed with certain in­alienable national rights, while at the same time
THE 3,000,000 HUNGARIANS OF TRANSYLVANIA ARE LEFT IN LIMBO WITHOUT ANY NATIONAL RIGHTS, NOT EVEN THE RIGHT TO THEIR OWN CULTURE. THEIR SLOW BUT STEADY EXTERMINATION BY THE NATIONAL­SOCIALIST (NAZI) GOVERNMENT OF RUMANIA IS SILENTLY TOLERATED BY THE REST OF THE WORLD AS A PROCESS OF "PROGRESSIVE ASSIMILATION"
If we examine the basic qualifications of "recognized nationhood" in search of some outstanding difference which could justify the rejection of the Transylvanian Hungarians compared to the Albanians, Israelis or the Republic of Nauru (population 7,000), we find none whatsoever.
The Albanians, the Israelis and the Naurus have their roots deep in the history of the land they inhabit, as do the Transylvanian Hungarians. During the centuries, foreign elements migrated into Israel, forming majority groups in some geographical locations. The same happened in Transylvania with the difference that, while the world powers recognized the rights of the Israelis to their homeland and aided them in removing the Palestinian Arabs, the Transylvanian Hungarians were denied their rights to their ancient homeland and their national identity by forcing them under subjugation of the intruding Rumanians. During the last few centuries, Albania, Israel and Nauru were overrun many times by neighboring powers and kept under foreign occupation. So was Transylvania. Nevertheless, the deeply rooted culture and national consciousness survived all afflictions, trials and tribulations and was awarded in our days with well deserved independence by a more enlightened world; with the exception of Transylvania. Why? There is but one answer to this question:
THROUGH CLEVER PROPAGANDA ­MANIPULATIONS DURING THE PREWORLD WAR I DECADES, THE NATIONAL, HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL IDENTITY OF THE ENTIRE CARPATHIAN BASIN WAS SO OBSCURED, BECLOUDED AND CONCEALED BY CERTAIN POLITICAL
FORCES AIMING TO DIVIDE UP AMONG THEMSELVES THIS UNDOUBTEDLY RICHEST PART OF CENTRAL EUROPE, THAT IN THE CONFUSION OF THE WAR, THE PEACEMAKERS WERE UNABLE TO
RECOGNIZE THE TRUTH AND THUS 5,000,000 HUNGARIANS WERE THROWN TO THE WOLVES AS PART OF THE SPOILS.
Since 1919, by relentless falsification of history, by the removal and obliteration of all national monuments, landmarks, cultural achievements, by the total annihilation of the past, the intruders were working unceasingly to influence public opinion in order that these spoils may be kept by them forever.
During the last sixty years more than 3,000,000 Rumanians were moved into Hungarian­Transylvania in an attempt to change the balance of the population. All geographical locations were renamed to wipe the Hungarian idenity off the face of the land. Anyone trying today to travel across Transylvania with an old travel guide or journey record in his hand, be it English, French or German, will not be able to find one single town, village, river or mountain named in that book.
However, we can prove with indisputable evidence the historical and cultural rights of the Transylvanian Hungarians to nationhood on the land of their heritage, and we shall do so just as unceasingly and relentlessly as the enemies of the truth have done their work of falsification. We firmly believe that it is the law of God that evil cannot prevail for long over good and injustice cannot permanently suppress justice.
THE TRANSYLVANIAN HUNGARIAN NATION HAS JUST AS MUCH RIGHT TO BE RECOGNIZED BY THE WORLD AS AN INDEPENDENT NATION AS HAS ANY OTHER. THE BRUTAL ACTIONS OF THE RUMANIAN GOVERNMENT IN TRYING TO SQUELCH EVERY MANIFESTATION OF HUNGARIAN NATIONAL CONSCIOUSNESS IN TRANSYLVANIA MUST BE REGARDED AS GENOCIDE!


Who is Keeping Dictator Ceausescu in Power?

It is a fact that today's Rumania is the richest country in Europe where natural resources and the fertility of its soil are concerned. It is also a fact that among all the European countries Rumania offers the lowest standard of living to its multi­national population. In spite of the fertile soil, the people in Ceausescu's Rumania have not enough to eat. This is a fact reported many times in these last years by several newspapers all over the world.
The reason for the failure is simple: the brutal police regime of Ceausescu and his extravagant self­adulation did not gain the cooperation of the workers. However, in spite of all this, his regime still stands and gains momentum in his ultimate goal: to exterminate all the ethnic minorities of the country, all five million of them. What keeps him in the saddle? Outside aid given to him by large American, German and probably other companies.
The Preferred Nation status to Rumania is being granted year after year due to the pressure of large American companies who aim to profit on the sweat of oppressed Rumanian workers by dealing with their oppressor. Instead of using their influence to gain some concessions for the benefit of the suffering people of that country, they close their eyes to all the abuses and are interested only in the profits that they may acquire on cheap goods made by slave labor.
It seems the terror­regime of Ceausescu is being supported by the following American companies:

1. UOP INC. "a multinational corporation engaged in energy technologies, construction and engineering services and manufacture of products on a worldwide basis" according to the corporation's vice president Mr. H. K. Baboyian. Average yearly trade with Rumania: 1.4 billion.
2. Island Creek Corporation.
3. NACA ­ National Agricultural Chemicals Association. Chairman: G. Gellert.
4. Atlanta Corporation. Imports food products from Rumania. Average yearly trade: 29 million. Chairman: George G. Gellert.
5. Chilewich Corporation. Yearly business with Rumania 29 million.
6. Control Data Corporation.
7. National Foreign Trade Council, president Richard W. Roberts. Average yearly trade with Rumania 722 million.
It is easy to understand that the cheap slave­labor offered by a totalitarian regime can be tempting to any profit making enterprise even if the offer comes from a government openly embarked in the destruction of the free enterprise system. However, the least these corporations could do in order to prove some good intentions on their part would be to use their influence for the benefit of those oppressed.
Until now there is no sign of any effort in this direction. On the contrary: these companies are trying their best year after year to perpetuate the Ceausescu­regime to the detriment of millions of oppressed minorities, who provide in their misery the cheapest possible labor.
Who is to Blame?

Obstacles are inevitable. They are part of human existence we have to face day by day, individually as well as collectively. As Sir Winston Churchill said: "Obstacles exist for one purpose only; to be overcome!"
Whenever an obstacle seems to resist the efforts of an individual, a group or a nation engaged in the pursuit of clearing the way toward a better future ­ a pursuit which is morally and legally justified ­ the causes for failure are usuallv found in human attitudes, mental and spiritual weaknesses.
In the case of the Transylvanian Hungarians1 the reasons for not obtaining the justifiably expected results are obvious:
1. Lack of knowledge. Neither the people nor the government of the United States, including the State Department are properly informed about the history, the culture, the demography and the economical problems of East­Central Europe in general and the Carpathian Basin in particular. Therefore they became the victims of Rumanian propaganda, which floods the world today with falsified history, with false statistics and a deceiving camouflage of double­talk. Where Transylvania is concerned, the Rumanians are masters in falsifications as well as in referring again and again to the letter of their constitution as proof of their civilized treatment of the minorities. At the same time, within the borders of the Ceausescu Empire, nobody pays any attention either to the constitution or any of the international agreements the government of Rumania so sanctimoniously subscribed to.
2. Greed. Several large American corporations, though capitalistic in principle, are eager in practice to deal with communist governments, no matter how terroristic they may be in regard to the treatment of their subjects, in order to reap the financial benefits resulting from the cheap slave­labor that these governments can provide. The lobbyists of such corporations are able to convince the State Department and members of the Congress, that certain fictitious "national interests" in the fields of economy and foreign policy supersede all other considerations, especially those for human rights and oppressed minorities.
3. The subconscious sympathy toward socialism, is an old and tragic weakness of the American intellect, still entrenched into the fiber of the American Press and certain echelons of the Department of State. Due to this secret weakness for the Marxist doctrine, the attitude of a great majority of the American media is always an inconspicuous leniency toward atrocities committed by communists, while acts of non­communists against communists receive front page rebuke. Due to this unfortunate attitude, the ethnocide in Transylvania, the brutal treatment of the Hungarian population by the Rumanian government, the murder of clergymen, educators and other Hungarian intellectuals, is submerged in silence.
4. Finally: the attitude of the Hungarian Americans themselves. As in the past, so today, the great majority of Hungarians simply do not see the importance of making their history, their culture and their problems known to other nations, published in other languages but their own. In spite of the fact that due to this fault Hungary was dismembered after World War I, they still don't believe in making any efforts, financial and otherwise, to consistently inform the rest of the world about the Hungarian past and the Hungarian present. The Hungarian Americans, numbering more than one million and the Hungarians scattered through the rest of the free world are poorly organized, and forty years after the tragedies of World War II they still don't have a single representative, first class publication in the English language that could be used as a trumpet to blow into the world the truth nobody else seems to know about.
It is an old and wise saying: those who are not willing to work for their future, do not deserve a future.
If the Hungarians in the free world would wake up, put their talents and energies together and instead of just complaining to each other, would start doing something for their brethren in Transylvania and Czechoslovakia, the tide would turn. The world would become aware of the deplorable situation and ways would be found to bring justice, freedom and well being to those oppressed.
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