On October 11, 1999, the Romanian newspaper "Cotidianul" published the statement of Mr. Adrian Nastase under the title "Romania was and will be delayed to be accepted in NATO, because one takes in consideration the explosive situation in Transylvania".
Mr. Adrian Nastase is a prominent political figure, Prime Vice President of the political party PDSR (acronym for Romanian Socialist Democratic Party); he was State Secretary and he hopes also to come back to power after next elections.
This statement was based on the so called " Huntington Plan ", as he mentioned, according to what Romania is supposed to be under Russian sphere of influence, while Transylvania is supposed to be se[parated from Romania in order to recognuze its autonomoy, or to be federalized.
We are not in the position to discuss the Huntington Plan, but we want to make the remark that this plan demonstrate a totally lack of knowledge about Romania's history and realities.
In the same time we allow us to draw your special attention at the consequences in different areas of the Huntington Plan implementation.
The attached "Very short collection of various topics for studies and documentation regarding Romania" could be very useful to You to better understand this topic.
We want to emphasize that Transylvania was reunited to Motherland Kingdom of Romania due to itsoverwhelming majority of Romanians in Transylvania (70.6%), who voted for the reunification and that also the Germans of Trasylvania (6.1%), voted for this reunion.
We also want to emphasize that between 1916-1918, during WW I, 800.000 (eight hundred thousand) Romanian soldiers died for the realization of this reunification and many Romanians from Transylvania enrolled as volunteers in the Romanian army. The battles from Marasti, Marasesti and Oituz were decisive battles for the victory of the Allies in the WW I, when the German army, under the command of the very famous General von Mackensen, as well as the Austro-Hungarian armies were crashed by the Romanian Army and these battles are still much alive in the memory of the Romanian people and they can not be wiped out from the history.
As a consequence, we want to inform You that we strongly protest the Huntington Plan and we also can not agree with the remarks of G-ral Wesley R. Clark made in Buda-Pest on June 21, 1999, with respect to the Versailles Treaties, as far as it concerns Romania. These remarks are trying to put in question the sacro-sankt principle of self-determination of the nations, which is the basis of all modern social and political ideologies whose final expression is the democracy .
Further, it seems that G-ral W. Clark does not know that according to Helsinki Final Act, signed on August 1, 1975, and renewed on August 1 1985, on the occasion of its tenth anniversary of this International Agreement, modifications of the frontiers can not be done without the consent of the countries involved.
What concerns Romania, the political stability in thiscountry is not affected by the Hungarian minority as a whole, but by the small fraction within the UDMR, the chauvinistic Horthyst extremists, who are inciting the rest of Hungarian people against Romanians, in order to discredit the country and to slowdown its development toward democracy.
That extremist wing of UDMR (acronym for "Democratic Union of the Hungarians in Romania), is continuing its criminal activity over decades, starting from WW II up to present time. We mention just a few examples:
- The expulsion in 1991 of around 4.000 Romanians from the counties of Covasna and Harghita as ethnic cleansing (See, please, the attached Report of the Parliamentary Commission).
- The prohibition to open an Orphelinate in the city of Odorhei, run by Romanian Greek-Catholic nuns, prohibition that generated an international protest (See, please, the attached statement of Mr. Cyrill, a Switzerland citizen and Director of the Humanitarian Organization " Basel Hilft" , who was insulted and chased away by those chauvinistic Horthyst Hungarians .
- The attempt to install a Memorial Plaque in the city of Dej in memory of Daday Lorand who, under the pseudonym of Dgcs_ Csaba, by his book " Nincs kegyelem" , (No mercy), printed in 1939 sponsored by Horthy's regime, during the WW II had incited the Hungarians against the Romanians. (See, please, the attached excerpts from Dgcs_ Csaba's Book.
The American historian Milton Lehrer in his book "Transylvania, History and Reality ", Bartleby Press, 1986, page 211, chapter " The Champions of Civilization ", about Dgcs_ Csaba's book, writes:
"In the year 889 A.D. the chronicler Regino wrote these words about the Magyar race, "Gens Hungarorum ferocissima et omni belua crudelior... vivunt non hominum sed beluarum more" (The Hungarian people are a more ferocious and cruel race than any wild beast. They do not live like human beings but like wild beasts."
" After this the chronicler tells us that the Hungarian "eat rawmeat and drink blood, and the hearts of their prisoners they eat as medicine." Then he adds: "Nulla miseratione flectuntur nullis pietatis visceribus commoventur" (They do not know what pity means and they have no sentiment of piety).
And further, as an illustration how the Hungarian were regarded by other people, let us quote what a Hungarian scholar - which can not be accused of being anti-Hungarian - had to say on this point in " Hungarian Quarterly" :
"The Hungarian conquerors immediately after their rule had been established in their new country, instead of settling down peacefully, embarked on a series of pillaging raids in the neighboring countries, which made their name both feared and hated all over western Europe." The people in the countries which were "visited" by the pillaging Hungarians added another line to their Sunday prayers: "De sagittis Hungarorum libera nos Domine", (God protect us from the arrows of the Hungarians).
When a people appears on the European continent under such circumstances, we think it is at the very least a trifle risky to speak today about its "civilizing" missionin central Europe.
That Regino's chronicle refer to the Hungarians who lived over a thousand years ago is a fact that can not be challenged. These event would have been buried a long time ago, and the characterization critical to the Hungarians which appear in medieval chronicles would have been forgotten, if the Hungarian themselves had not again given them currency in more recent historical times.
In 1939, that is 1,050 years after the Magyar tribes had settled on the Pannonian plain, a Hungarian writer, Dgcs_ Csaba, wrote this characterization in Budapest. "The Hungarian nation is the most glorious achievement of the dominant Mongolian race, which has known only victories. In our veins there flows the blood of Attila, Arpad and Genghis Khan."
In his violently nationalistic work " Nincs kegyelem ", (No mercy), which was published in Budapest in 1939, he wipes the slate clean of the thousand year of civilization and culture from the era of Hungarian invasion, singing a prayen of praise to the primitive and barbarian qualities of his ancestors. In the chapter entitled "Levent's Mission" , Csaba demonstrates that the goal of the Hungarian youth organization, known as the "Levents ", was the extermination of the Romanians in Hungary at any price, - by assassination, by poison, by fire or other means.
We quote verbatim from Levent's Mission: "The Magyar Levent, Torday, is speaking to his sweetheart, Piroska:
"I am going to kill any Wallachian I meet. I will kill every one of them. I shall be ruthless. I'll set Romanian villages on fire at night. I will put the entire population to the sword. I'll poison all the springs, and I'll kill even the children in their cradles. I'll destroy this miserable thieving race in the bud. i'll have mercy on no one - neither the children in their cradles, nor the mother giving birth to a baby. I'll kill every Wallachian and then there will be one nationality left in Transylvania, the Magyar nationality, my nation, my blood... I'll be merciless!".
And Milton Lehrer goes on:
"After reading this pathological confession of faith of the young Levent Torday, - Csaba is afterall a 20th century writer - I confess to being profoundly perplex, Indeed,
it is dumbfounding that the Magyar government, which patronized the Levent movement
as a legally instituted organization for the paramilitary training of Hungarian youth,
should encourage and even condone language inciting to assassinations and bestialities
and to the most odious cruelties.
The total extermination of the Romanians in Transylvania, so that it could finally
become Magyar ! Why not the extermination of all other nations on the continent so
that the whole of Europe could become Magyar?"
We want to remind you that, after the conclusion of WW II many countries have apologized for the crimes and Human Rights abuses they committed during WW II, but Hungary to Romania for the crimes and atrocities committed against the Romanianpeople. (See, please, the attached paper)
We consider that the start of a new peaceful era in the relations between our two nations, as well as to the benefit of the Easter European peace process, could be only when the Hungarian government would recognize the crimes committed and would apologize for that crimes, for the mass murder, (the villages of Ip, Traznea and Sarmas), for the destruction of 37 Romanian Orthodox and Greek Catholic churches, for the forcefully expulsion of over 500.000 Romanians from Northern Transylvania, etc, etc. they made during WW II and after, not speaking about other similar crimes committed against the Romanians during their long history.
The official recognize and apology by the Hungarian government of all criminal activities committed by Hungarians against the Romanian people and the radical elimination of that extremist, trouble maker Horthyst wing of UDMR from the political life in Romania, could constitute a good start for better relations between our two nations, a start which eventually could be mediated and brought on the right track with the help of USA diplomacy.
Conclusions:
UDMR is the only political party on ethnic basis in the civilized world. There is neither black political party, nor latino political party, etc. in USA, there is no Arab party in France (6.000.000 Arabs), not Turkish party in Germany (3.000.000 Turks) and so on. Therefore we want to make the remark that the understanding among different political parties in a country cannot be done by parties based on ethnic criterium, a criterium doomed to separate the people, instead of unifying them.
As it concerns the Huntington Plan, we consider it as completely wrong, lacking even the elementary knowledge of Romanian history and its basic realities.
In 1910 the Swiss geographer Raymnd Netzhammer published a "Future map of Romania" with the following motivation:
"The orographic unity of the Romanian territory is so strong and natural that even
before WW I, the writer of these lines stated that Bessarabia (invaded and annexed by
the Russians in 1812), Bukowina (annexed by Austria in 1774), and Trasylvania
(incorporated into Austro-Hungarian Empire), belong of necessity to Romania's map,
because they belong strictly to the Romanian state not only from the point of view of
the geographical character, but also from the point of view of their ethnographical,
historical and cultural essence."
"The map of Romania that hung on Schoolroom walls after WW I resembled
indeed a work of art; the pale yellow gleam of the high plateau, girdled by the dark
frame of the mountains covered with forests, in their turn surrounded by the growing
lightness of the festoons of hills and hillocks that gradually loose height, and then by
a fresh color gamut ranging from the light green of the peri-Carpathians region to the
deep green tones of the Danube Delta, next to the brilliant blue of the sea. The
symmetry of form is emphasized by the harmony of color."
"It may be rightly concluded that
"Transylvania is the core of an orographic unity
whose parts are organically intertwined
".
"The stronghold of the Carpathians rises between the Russian steppe and theHungarian plain as a distinct, individual entity, as a
"separate physical-geographic
unity"
, as the Hungarian geographer Cholnoky Jen_ himself admitted as early as in the
year 1915."
The American writer Milton Lehrer, writing his book entitled
"Transylvania,
History and Reality"
, on page 304 says: "In a Europe which had been governed by the
Nazi Fascist new order, the righteous Romanian cause had been trampled underfoot
by establishing an artificial frontier, dividing Romanian who were citizens of the same
country. But in the new world, whose principle have now sunk deep roots in Europe, the
righteous Romanian cause has triumphed again. Transylvania was acknowledged as
belonging to the Romanian nation, based on the sacred principle of ethnic unity."
"The attitude of the United Nations in the Transylvanian question should be
emphasized, because it represented one of the first occasion when the ideological
principles for which millions of Romanians, Americans and British have given their lives
in the war were put in the practice."
"Having been born on the territory of free America, I derive deep satisfaction and
a justifiable pride from the fact that my native country warmly embraces the cause of
Romanian Trasylvania as part of the larger cause of liberty."
And on the page 301 of the same book Milton Lehrer says:
"On the day, when the despotic regime of Budapest is replaced by a sincere and democratic regime, nothing will stand in the way of cooperation between the two European peoples, Romanians and Hungarians. But the condition sine qua non for such a cooperation is the unity of Transylvania within the natural frontiers of Romanianism." Reading the attached letters we received from His Holiness Pope John Paul II, from The Right Honorable Sir Leon Brittan, OC, Vice President of the European Commission, from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, London, and many others, one could notice the importance they gave to the violations of the Human Rights by the Hungarians in Transylvania.
Reading the attached report of the Romanian Parliamentary Commission about the expulsion of 4.000 (four thousands) Romanians from the counties of Harghita and Covasna, one could notice the incredible Human Rights Violations done by the Hungarians in 1991.
Reading the attached statement of Mr. Cyrill B., Switzerland citizen and ...... one could notice the very implementation of Dgcs_ Csaba's doctrine as well as the strong ethnic discrimination against the Romanians in 1995 after, and up to this day. It is incredible, but not less a reality.
Reading the commentary written by Dr. Viorel Roman, Professor at the University of Bremen, Germany, about the attempt to install a Monument in Arad, Romania, in order to honor the Hungarian Generals who wiped out 230 (two hundred thirty) Romanian villages and killed about 40.000 Romanian civilians, one could notice the unrefrained audacity of the Horthyst extremists to honor even today the killers of those 40.000 Romanian civilians in Romania, on Romanian soil.
The attached letter we wrote about, along with many other letters we received, demonstrate the horrifying dimensions of mass killings, tortures, expulsions, etc.,committed by those extremist Horthysts against the Romanian population, can not and must not be forgotten, as the great American philosopher George Santayana said: "Those who can not remember the past, are condemned to repeat it", and this is the case with the extremist Horthysts in Romania.
Stimate domnule Redactor,
Alaturat va trimitem scrisoarea din 10 August 1998 catre Presedintele EmilConstantinescu, privind refuzul primarului din comuna Varghis, judetul Covasna, de a da aprobare pentru ridicarea unei cruci pe locul unde a fost biserica ortodoxa romana, daramata de horthisti In 1940.
Cazul crucii de la Varghis nu este cazul unui oarecare primar de comuna rurala care interzice, fara nici o motivare, ridicarea unei cruci conform traditiei crestine. Acest caz este doar o veriga In lungul lant al insultelor si actelor comise Impotriva poporului roman de catre o fractiune horthista care intra In compunerea UDMR-ului.
Acest refuz dovedeste ca doctrina horthista a lui Dgcs_ Csaba prin cartea sa "Fara mila" exista, ca ea este prezenta in mintea si'n sufletul anumitor elemente din componenta UDMR-ului. Ca ea nu a Incetat niciodata de a exista. Ea declara ca "voi omorI pe orice roman care Imi va iesi In cale.... etc." si a fost pusa In aplicare In 1940, Incepand cu primele zile ale ocuparii Transilvaniei de Nord, teritoriu care la acea vreme nu era sub stare de razboi. Cartea lui Dgcs_ Csaba a servit ca manual de instruire a trupelor de ocupatie si a avut ca rezultat genocidul Impotriva poporului roman, cand peste sase mii de romani au fost executati, In paralel cu evacuarea fortata a cca 500.000 de romani din teritoriul ocupat (vezi Raportul Comisiei Parlamentare de audiere a persoanelor care dupa 22 Decembrie 1989 au fost obligate sa paraseaca locul de munca si domiciliul din judetele Covasna si Harghita).
Dar aceasta doctrina este mentinuta In continuare In vigoare. Dovada ne-o da organizatia " Hungarian Freedom Fighter Federatiion" care In 1983, In propriul organ oficial se adreseaza membrilor sai, spunand: "sa pronuntam ca pe o rugaciune de Incurajare, ca pe un juramant de credinta cuvintele lui Dgcs_ Csaba: "voi omorI pe fiecare roman care-mi va iesi In cale...." (Let us utter like a prayer of encouragement, like an oath of faith, Dgcs_ Csaba's words: "I shall kill each Romanian crossing my way...."
Continuarea acestei doctrine este asigurata pana In prezent de ramura extremista a UDMR-ului, care este un partid format pe baza etnica, ca atare cuprinde toate orientarile politice ale unei grupe etnice, inclusiv extremisti, care la ora actuala dau chiar tonul In UDMR..
In cadrul UDMR, aripa extremista continua aplicarea doctrinei lor horthiste fara a fi stingherita nici macar de autoritatile romane. Iata cateva exemple:
1. Mihaila Cofariu, roman, victima a luptei de strada din Martie 1990 la Targu Mures, pe care propaganda horthista l-a prezentat la Televiziune drept ungur batut de romani.
2. Operatia de curatire etnica In judetele Harghita si Covasna In 1990, prin evacuarea fortata a cca 4.000 de romani, In continuarea alungarii sutelor de mii de romani din Transilvania de Nord In timpul ocupatiei horthiste.
3. Incercarile de desinformare si de defaimare a Romaniei de catre Laszlo T_kes cu prilejul unei conferinte de presa In Austria, In care Intre altele a cerut autonomie pentru Transilvania In care, sustine T_kes, ar trai 3.500.000 de maghiari.
De asemenea, Incercari de defaimare facute de catre Episcopul de Cluj-Napoca Calha Kalman cu prilejul vizitei sale In Australia In 1997 In scop de propaganda pentru autonomia Transilvaniei.
4. Izgonirea Maicutelor romance greco-catolice din Odorhei, cu Intreg scandalul international declansat de aceasta actiune.
5. Incercarea instalarii unei placi comemorative la Dej In cinstirea lui Daday Lorand, alias Dgcs_ Csaba, autorul cartii " Fara mila". Cartea aceasta este atat de incriminatorie pentru maghiari Incat dupa razboi statul maghiar a negat existenta ei, dupa ce a retras-o din circulatie si din biblioteci. Aceasta carte a disparut si din biblioteca Universitatii din Cluj, dar se afla totusi pe undeva, si noi anexam In copie cateva pagini.
Mentionam de asemenea ca scriitorul si ziaristul secui Gyorgy Ferencz, Ingrozit de comportarea horthistilor, a fugit din Cluj, scriind cartea "The Golgota of Transylvania", unde Incrimineaza purtarea lor si declara ca se simte rusinat de a se fi nascut maghiar.
Gyorgy Ferencz a fost condamnat la moarte (In contumacie) In Ungaria, ceea ce ne scuteste de alte comentarii asupra caracterului regimului horthist.
6. Refuzul de aprobare pentru ridicarea unei crucii la Varghis si Inca multe altele pe care nu le mai mentionam.
Numai din enumerarea acestor cateva cazuri se poate vedea rolul nefast pe care Il joaca aripa extremista a UDMR-ului In cadrul Coalitiei guvernamentale din Romania.
Aceasta aripa se face vinovata de atatea stagnari In democratizarea Romaniei, iar guvernul roman se face vinovat de apatie politica In raport cu gravele prejudicii ce se aduc pe plan intern si international prin lipsa unor masuri corespunzatoare.
Conducatorii Romaniei de azi trebue sa Inteleaga ca nu pot accepta o coalitie cu un UDMR In care exista o fractiune horthista, pentruca asta Inseamna a le accepta si idealul. Trebue sa ceara conducerii UDMR-ului sa-si asaneze compozitia. Ungurii cinstiti trebue sa accepte sa se desprinda de extremisti, de partasi horthisti, pe care de altfel numeric Ii credem destul de restransi.
30 August 1998
Cu deosebita stima
George Duma, Ph.D. Traian Golea
President President
Rom. American National Congress Rom. Association of South Florida
1730 3rd Ave., Apt. # 1202 901 NE 14th Ave., Apt. # 601
San Diego, CA. 92101, U.S.A . Hallandale, FL 33009, U.S.A.
10 August 1998
Domnului Emil Constantinescu
Presedinte al Romaniei
Palatul Cotroceni
Bucuresti
Stimate Domnule Presedinte,
Prin prezenta protestam cu vehementa Impotriva refuzului primarului din comuna Varghis, jud. Covasna, dl Farkas Sandor, de a aproba ridicarea uneui cruci pe locul unde a fost Biserica Ortodoxa Romana din numita comuna si care a fost complet daramata de catre horthisti In 1940, iar preotul Ioan Popa a fost alungat peste hotare.
Refuzul Primarului Farkas Sandor reprezinta continuarea peste decade si pana In zilele noastre a atitudinii fascisto-hortiste exprimata de Dgcs_ Csaba In cartea sa "Nincs Kegyelem", (Fara mila), tiparita In 1939, prin care a incitat poporul maghiar la genocid Impotriva poporului roman, precum si prin Indemnul prin care se repeta acelas ideal criminal In anul 1984 de catre Federatia Luptatorilor Maghiari pentru Libertate, (Hungarian Freedom Fighters Federation). Acest refuz este de asemenea o sfidare atat a populatiei romane cat si a actualeri coalitii guvernamentale cu UDNMR.
Anexam la prezenta scrisoarea noastra din 1 August 1998, fotografia ruinelor numitei biserici din comuna Varghis, precum si scrisoarea de refuz a numitului primar.
Prin posta separata va trimitem o serie de fotografii-documwente, care arata ruinele a numeroase biserici romanesti, ortodoxe si greco-catolice, complet daramate de horthisti si care nu au mai putut fi reconstruite nici sub domnia regimului anti=crestin al comunistilor si nici din 1990 Incoace din cauza obrazniciei fara masura a ungurilor, cat si marei lor influente politice In treburile Romaniei.
Cu deosebita stima
George Duma, Ph.D. Traian Golea
President President
Rom. American National Congress Rom. Association of South Florida
1730 3rd Ave., Apt. # 1202 901 NE 14th Ave., Apt. # 601
San Diego, CA. 92101, U.S.A . Hallandale, FL 33009, U.S.A.
10 August 1998
Domnului Emil Constantinescu
Presedinte al Romaniei
Palatul Cotroceni
Bucuresti
Stimate Domnule Presedinte,
Cu onoare Va prezentam protestul nostru vehement adresat Domniei Voastre ca instanta superioara administrativa a Statului Roman, Impotriva refuzului primarului din comuna Varghis, jud. Covasna, dl Farkas Sandor, de a aproba ridicarea uneui cruci pe locul unde a fost Biserica Ortodoxa Romana din respectiva comuna si care a fost complet daramata de catre horthisti In 1940, iar preotul Ioan Popa a fost alungat peste hotare.
Refuzul Primarului Farkas Sandor reprezinta continuarea peste decade si pana In zilele noastre a atitudinii fascisto-hortiste de neconceput, exprimata de Dgcs_ Csaba In cartea sa "Nincs Kegyelem", (Fara mila), publicata In 1939, prin care s'a incitat poporul maghiar la genocid Impotriva poporului roman, si care Indemn criminal a fost reInviat In 1984 de catre Federatia Luptatorilor Maghiari pentru Libertate, (Hungarian Freedom Fighters Federation). Acest refuz al primarului din Varghis este si o sfidare atat a Romanilor In general, cat si a actualei coalitii guvernamentale din care UDMR-ul face parte. Anexam la prezenta
- Scrisoarea noastra din 1 August 1998,
- Fotografia ruinelor numitei biserici din comuna Varghis,
- precum si scrisoarea de refuz a numitului primar.
Prin posta separata va trimitem o serie de fotografii-documwente, care arata ruinele a numeroase biserici romanesti, ortodoxe si greco-catolice, complet daramate de horthisti si care nu au mai putut fi reconstruite nici sub domnia regimului anti-crestin, anti-roman al comunistilor si nici din 1990 Incoace din cauza adversitatii fara masura a ungurilor, cat si marei lor influente politice In treburile Romaniei.
Pe langa suferintele si umilintele Inghitite de romanii din aceste regiuni, mai este si o problema de demnitate omeneasca si nationala, care ne obliga sa cerem Presedintelui Romaniei sa apere interesele poporului roman.
Cu deosebita stima
George Duma, Ph.D. Traian Golea
President President
Rom. American National Congress Rom. Association of South Florida
1730 3rd Ave., Apt. # 1202 901 NE 14th Ave., Apt. # 601
San Diego, CA. 92101, U.S.A . Hallandale, FL 33009, U.S.A.
ROMANIAN ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH FLORIDA.
17 August 1998
Catre
Doamna Consilier de Stat Minodora ILIE,
Guvernul Romaniei
Bucuresti
Mult stimata Doamna Minodora ILIE,
Prin prezenta confirmam primirea scrisorii D-Voastre Nr. 5/2473 referitor la situatia semnalata In comuna Varghis, judetul Covasna, pentru care tinem sa va multumim.
Totodata va rugam sa ne transmiteti rezultatele anchetei facute de catre Prefectura judetului Covasna si de catre Consiliul judetean, pentru a comunica aceste rezultate forurilor carora le-am sesizat cazul.
Ne permitem sa va anexam fotografia ruinelor bisericii din Varghis pe locul careia s'a solicitat ridicarea unei cruci, fapt refuzat de primar, dl Farkas Sandor.
Cu deosebita stima
George Duma, Ph.D. Traian Golea
President President
Rom. American National Congress Rom. Association of South Florida
1730 3rd Ave., Apt. # 1202 901 NE 14th Ave., Apt. # 601
San Diego, CA. 92101, U.S.A. Hallandale, FL 33009, U.S.A.
August 1, 1998
Dear Sir,
We would like to bring to your attention an incident that flagrantly violates the rights of the Romanian people.
In the village of Varghis, county of Covasna, existed a Romanian Orthodox Church that in 1940, immediately after the cessation of Northern Transylvania, together with 16 other Romanian churches from Northern Transylvania, was erased from the face of the earth, and its priest, Ioan Popa, together with a group of 142 Orthodox and Greek Catholic priests were expelled over the borders into Southern Transylvania that remained under Romanian administration. At the present time Ioan Popa is retired and lives in Tarnaveni, county of Mures. The above information was confirmed by him and his family; all documents were given as testimony at the Mitropolia from Sibiu and were published by Ioan Ciolan, the publishing house "Europe" from Rome, Italy, under the title " The Last Hungarian Persecution" , and partly reprinted in " S.O.S. Transylvania " by Traian Golea, in "Romanian Historical Studies", USA, 1993 (see attached the picture of the church and of the priest Ioan Popa).
On the land of the former church there is a school, and the local Orthodox Romanians decided to erect a cross in memory of the demolished church. The mayor of the village of Varghis, Farkas Sandor, without any justification, refused to issue a permit for the placement of a cross (see attached the letter number 292, from June 3, 1997, recently received).
After the period of 1989 the Hungarians built a number of monuments, mainly in the counties of Harghita and Covasna, (see the book " Monuments Non Grata", by Dr. Petre Turlea, published by "Bravo Press", Romania, 1996, page 11). The majority of these monuments are dedicated to the memory of personalities that fought against Romanians, and some of them to honor the so called heroes that later were proven to be assassins. These monuments were erected under the excessive tolerance of the previous Romanian governments.
We consider it our duty to bring the above mentioned incident to the attention of the present government of Romania, namely that the mayor of the village Varghis refused to give the permit for the erection of a cross on the land of the former Romanian Orthodox Church that was demolished by the Horthist Hungarian administration. The Romanians from all over, those from the fatherland and those from diaspora, protest against these chauvinistic anti-Romanian attitudes of the mayor from Varghis and demand to respect the rights of the Romanian population from the district of Harghita and Covasna. At the same time we request that the present Romanian government intervene to void the decision of the mayor from Varghis, that forbids the elementary right of the Romanians to erect the cross that is the basis of this ethnic conflict.
To better understand the motives and especially the spirit of the attitudes of the Hungarians from Transylvania, we would remember their behavior beginning with World War II. During the Horthist regime, the Hungarians from Transylvania were registered en masse in the Horthist organization "Madosz" , that formed the base of the Hungarian administration in the period of occupation of Northern Transylvania, 1940-1945. In 1945, when Northern Transylvania was returned to Romania, the entire fascist-horthist organization " Madosz" joined in its entirety the communist party. In " The History of the Romanian Communist Party" , Hoover Institution Press, California, 1979, the American historian Robert King, on page 68 states that "The Romanian Communist Party worked in Transylvania through the Popular Hungarian Union (Madosz), who in 1945 had 250,000 members." This Hungarian Union delivered to the communist government 80%8 of the apparatus of terror of the communists in Transylvania, whose victims was the Romanian population.
For a more complete documentation we add: From the archives of the city of Cluj, Octavian Capatina documents in " The Towns of Transylvania" the following ethnic distribution of the members of the "Romanian Communist Party". For the region of Cluj, according to the statistics from 1956, 20.4%8 were Hungarians. The Romanian Communist Party had 288 Romanians, 2490 Hungarians, 195 Jews, and 8 Germans. In other words, while the Romanians represented 80%8 of the population, they numbered only 20%8 in the Romanian Communist Party. During the time when in Romania the Romanian anti-communists were hunted and murdered, the chauvinist Hungarian Horthists from Transilvania continued, as membersof the Communist Party the role as executioners of the Romanians. As Robert King states on page 132, "It was the Soviet strategy to use foreign ethnic groups to achieve control over Romania." On page 38, the same Robert King affirms: "The Romanians refused membership in the Romanian Communist Party which showed a clear preference for the separatist minorities."
The affirmation of Gaspar Tamas, the son of a rabbi from Cluj, Transylvania and, according to his own statements, educated in strict marxist spirit, later a representative in the Parliament of Budapest after 1945, (see "Towns of Transylvania ") confirms our theory: "Today one underlines the weakness of the Romanian Communist Party in 1945, but one forgets the adhesion to the Romanian Communist Party in Transykvania, of the Hungarian Popular Union, (Madosz), whuch numbered 600.000 members. The Hungarian communists from Transylvania played a decisive role in the implementation of communism in Romania." In other words, the entire Hungarian Union from Transylvania that, according to Robert King numbered 250,000 members, and according to Gaspar Tamas, numbered 600.000 members, switched in a block, first from the fascism of Horthy to the communism of Ana Pauker and Vasile Luca, and later, in 1989, switched again in a block from the Ceausescu's communist regime to the Democratic Convention that governs today Romania. The Hungarian extorsions against previous governments switched today to the Democratic Convention without changing anything except the cloak. To be precise, the Democratic Convention, in order to remain in power, tolerates the extortions of the UDMR, sacrificing Romanian interests.
What does the Romanian government do about all the sufferings and injustices accumulated on the back of the Romanians for so many decades that, finally, after 50 years we have a government elected by us that should at least demand from the Hungarian government:
- Compensation for the 16 demolished churches during the Horthist occupation.
- Compensation and restitution for the descendants of those over 6.000 Romanians killed, as they did in Ip, Traznea, Sarmas, etc.
- Compensation and restitution for those over 500.000 Romanians who were beaten and expelled by the Horthy regime during the Horthist occupation of Northern Transylvania in the period 1940-1945, and for their properties left behind.
- The same for those over 4.000 Romanians forcefully evacuated from their homes and properties after 1990 from the counties of Harghita and Covasna, who do not have even the right to erect symbols that they once lived there as Romanians, as an illustration of which is the refusal to erect a cross in Varghis on the place of the demolished Romanian church.
Not to demand reparations, restitutions and compensations and not even to ask for forgiveness by the present Romanian government from the Hungarian government for the atrocities committed by the chauvinistic racist Hungarians means that we accept the " Dictate of Vienna " and the following holocaust against the Romanians in Northern Transylvania.
Sincerely, yours
George Duma, Ph.D. Traian Golea
President President
Rom. American National Congress Rom. Association of South Florida
1730 3rd Ave., Apt. # 1202 901 NE 14th Ave., Apt. # 601
San Diego, CA. 92101, U.S.A. Hallandale, FL 33009, U.S.A.
Laszlo T_kes, honorary president of the UDMR (Democratic Union of the Hungarians in Romania, DUMR), asked in a press conference in Austria for a autonomous government for the 3.5 million Hungarians living in Romania.
The Senator Marko Bela, active president of the UDMR, said that "probably this information is erroneous , or even false" and that according to their estimate, the number of the Hungarians living in Romania would be approximately 2 million, while the last official census gives approximately 1.6 million ethnic Hungarians.
Question: Could you agree with such a criminal horthyst ideology revived in 1983 by the " Hungarian Freedom Fighters Federation" and applied since 1990 in Covasna and Harghita?
(Transcript of the original):
Dear fellow countrymen,
Now when our Transylvanian brothers live under the cruel Romanian oppression, could we just do nothing about it? Although we are scattered in the world and obliged to keep quiet, we must act for our children, our old once, our mothers and parents in Transylvania.
What dearer ideal could be for a Magyar by the end of this century but the struggle for the Magyar motherland? Let us not be dragged in the might of oblivion and apathy; let we hasten the time when our motherland will be within its sacred boundaries again. Let us ceaselessly get ready for that moment. Let we utter like a prayer of encouragement, like an oath of faith, Dgcs_ Csaba's words: " I will kill each Romanian crossing my way! I shall exterminate one and all without mercy! At night I shall set Romanian villages on fire! I shall rip the whole population with my sword! I shall poison the wells. I shall strangle the babies... I shall be merciless! Towards all! I shall have no pity for children or pregnant mothers either! Revenge ! Without pity, dire revenge!"
This is our ideal of fight. It is only by unity that we can emerge victorious. We must bear Transylvania in our blood and never forget it even in our sleep. Let us stir confidence and hopes in our brothers in Transylvania and struggle! Like a good Magyar! Like a real Magyar!
A German map, showing the two
counties, Harghita and Covasna,
where the Hungarians (the Szeklers)
are in majority. In the middle of
Transylvania, at the elbow of the
Carpathians, they are the smallest
counties in Romania.
Statistical data for the counties Harghita and Covasna
:
In Covasna 232,592, representing 75.2%8 Hungarians and 23.4 Romanians.
In the whole Romania there are 21,972,000 inhabitants, of which 20,352,000 are Romanians, representing 89,4%8, and 1.620.000 Hungarians, representing 7,1 %8.
July 15, 1998
Dear Congressman,
Due to permanent hostile Hungarian propaganda of a small fraction of the Hungarian Minority of Romania, which is trying to discredit and destabilize Romania on her way toward democracy, actions which compels us to reveal a few aspects and documents concerning the conflictive relations between the two nations.
Enclosed you will find, for your information, the following 12 attachments:
Attachment 1 . A Report on the violation of Human Rights of the Romanian community from the village of Varghis, county of Covasna.
Attachment 2 . The refusal of the Mayor of Varghis, county of Covasna, to the Romanian community of Varghis to erect a Memorial Cross on the place where was the Romanian Orthodox Church demolished by the Hungarian Horthist regime in 1940.
Attachment 3 . A short history of Transylvania as historical background.
Attachment 4 . Excerpts from a Report of the Romanian Parliament's Hearings Commission for the events occurred in the counties Harghita and Covasna in the years 1990-1991.
Attachment 5 . Oliver Lustig's booklet which documents the Hungarian holocaust against the Jews and Romanians in Northern Transylvania in the period of horthist occupation 1940-1945.
Attachment 6 . The "Losses of Hungarian Jewry" in 1940-1945, issued by the "World Jewish Congress, Hungarian Section".
Attachment 7 . A German map showing the 2 counties in Romania, Harghita and Covasma, where the Hungarians are in majority.
Attachment 8 . "Preliminary data of the latest official Census in Romania" in 1992.
Attachment 9 . Excerpts from Dgcs_ Csaba's book, printed in 1939, which incites the Hungarians to murder Romanians.
Attachment 10 . Dgcs_ Csaba revived in 1983 by the " Hungarian Freedom Fighters " organization.
Attachment 11 . Laszlo T_kes, the honorary president of the Hungarian ethnic political organization in Romania, UDMR, claiming Autonomy for Transylvania, asserts that in Romania are 3.5 mil. Hungarians, while the active president of the UDMR, Marko Bela, considers that there are only 2 mil. Hungarians in Romania. The official Census of Romania gives 1.62 mil. Hungarians.
Attachment 12 . The case of Mihail Cofariu, the Romanian who was illtreated in his own country and then expelled.
Attachment 13 . A set of 12 photographs demonstrating the Hungarian atrocities against the Romanians in Transylvania.
Examining the above documents which represent a few proves of the acts of the Hungarian extremist against the Romanians in Romania, we are asking you, as a member of the Foreign Relations Committee of the American Congress, for your consideration. Especially we want to draw your attention to the excerpts from the book "Nincs Kegyelem", (No mercy), written by Dgcs_ Csaba and published in Budapest, Hungary in 1939, a book which incites the Hungarians to murder the Romanians, as well as to the text which in 1983 the "Hungarian Freedom Fighters" organization revives the spirit of Dgcs_ Csaba, inciting again the Hungarians to murder the Romanians .
Concluding this letter, we want to emphasize that:
I. During WW I Romania took the arms along with the Allied Powers againstAustro-Hungary, because of overwhelming majority of the Romanians in Transylvania, 77%8, who wanted to be reunited with the Romanian Kingdom. The victory was sanctioned by the Peace Treaty of Trianon (1920) signed by USA, Great Britain, France, etc, and also by Hungary . The Human capital Romania engaged in WW I was about 800.000.
II. During WW II King Michael of Romania made the turning point of hostilities against the Nazis and Horthysts along with the Allied Forces. It is evaluated that this turning of the hostilities resulted in a shortening of the war with at least six months. The human capital Romania engaged in the war against the Nazis and Horthists was 538.536. The casualties were 21.031 dead, 90.344 wounded, 58.443 missing, resulting in total losses of 169.822. The statements made in British Parliament in January 1945 places Romania as the fourth Allied Army, after Soviet Union, United States and Great Britain, meanwhile Czechoslovakia and Poland were occupied lands, while Hungary fought along with the Nazis until the end of the war.
The Peace Treaty of Paris after WW II was signed in 1947 by USA, Great Britain, France and other countries, including Hungary, and it sanctioned again the reunion of Transylvania with the Romanian Kingdom. Due to the contribution Romania brought to the victory of the Allied Forces in WW II, King Michael of Romania was officially invited to Normandy in 1995 for the celebration of 50 years of the victory, while during this year, 1998, for the same reason King Michael was proposed for the Peace Nobel Price in Oslo-Norway.
All these historical facts shown above demonstrate that Transykvania undoubtedly belong to Romania and the Romanians cannot afford to stay crossed hands in face of the hostile Hungarian propaganda.
July 15, 1998
Sincerely, yours
George Duma, Ph.D. Traian Golea
President President
Rom. American National Congress Rom. Association of South Florida
1730 3rd Ave., Apt. # 1202 901 NE 14th Ave., Apt. # 601
San Diego, CA. 92101, U.S.A. Hallandale, FL 33009, U.S.A.
In order to better understand the situation, please allow us to make just a short consideration about the history of Transylvania and on the demographic situation of this territory.
1. According to the last Census, 1992, Romania's population comprises 22.760.449 inhabitants. The Romanians represent 89.4%8 of the population and the Hungarians 7.1%8 (see Attachment). In Transylvania, the Romanians represent over 77%8 of the population, and the Hungarians represent less than 23%8.
2. The Romanians have been living in this territory since pre-history. It is safe to say that Transylvania is the cradle of the Romanian nation.
3. Transylvania was reunited with the motherland, the Romanian Kingdom after the collapse of the obsolete Austro-Hungarian Empire (at the end of the WWI), due to the overwhelming majority of the Romanian population who voted at the Great National Assembly of Alba Iulia on December 1, 1918 to be reunited to the Motherland Romania.
4. The reunion of Transylvania with Motherland Romania, based on the right of self determination, and was sanctioned by two International Treaties in 20 Century , i.e. Peace Treaty of Trianon after WWI, in 1920, and Peace Treaty of Paris after WWII, in 1947. Both treaties were signed by U.S.A., Great Britain, France, etc.
5. Hungary itself, after the battle of Mohacs (1526), has totally disappeared as a country from the map of Europe and became partly a Turkish province (Pashalick), with the capital in Budapest, and the rest was engulfed in the Austrian Empire.
6. During that period of time, when Hungary was a Turkish Province (Pashalick), Transylvania had preserved its status of an Autonomous Principality under Turkish suzerainty.
7. After 1690, when the Turks were defeated by the Austrians, entire Hungary became part of Austrian Empire, while Transylvania continued to preserve its status of Autonomous Principality under Austrian suzerainty, with a Governor nominated by the Emperor of Austria.
8. Only in 1867, that is, after an absence of 341 (three hundred and forty one) years succeeded Hungary to reappear on the map of Europe, although under the name of Austro-Hungary. (what is, still part of the Austrian Empire), when Transylvania was forcible annexed to Austro-Hungary under Hungarian administration.
9. This annexation lasted just 51 years, from 1867 to 1918, when the Romanian majority in Transylvania voted for the reunion to the Motherland Romanian Kingdom.
If you are interested in this topic, we could provide you more details and refer you to many books.
After the revolution of 1989 and the fall of the communist regime, the Hungarians in Romania are represented in the Romanian Parliament by the UDMR (Democratic Union of the
Magyars <Hungarians> in Romania), and are also taking part in the government coalition. But the UDMR (HUDR) is a ethnic Union, which means, an organization of all and only Hungarians, and consequently it comprises all possible political orientations, many of them, even racists. Ever since 1945, when the communists took over Romania, the Hungarian community of Transylvania, organized in an ethnic Popular Union of the Hungarians, was part of the communist oppressive regime,the Hungarians of Transylvania delivered 80%8 of the governing communist apparatus (see "History of the Romanian Communist Party", by Robert King, Hoover Institute, California, 1979, page 38). After the revolution of 1989, the communist Popular Union of the Hungarians only changed its official name and became the "Democratic Union of the Hungarians in Romania " and entered, with all that heterogenous political orientation, (even a racist wing, as represented by Bishop Laszlo T_kes, Verestoy Atila, a.o.) the Democratic Coalition which rules Romania today.
It is the racist wing of the UDMR which is asking for the autonomy or federalization of Transylvania, and in order to pursue this goal they are using all possible means, trying to discredit Romania (please see as an example the Attachment 2 and 3).
To Minority Rights Group International
379 Brixton Rd.
London SW9 7DE, England
The desperate case of Ilie Ilascu , the Romanian patriot who was sentenced to death for political reasons in the so-called Autonomous Dniester Republic, is known all over the world.
Ilie Ilascu is being held in prison since July 1992 and his health condition is steadily deteriorating.
Countless demonstrations took place and countless interventions were made on his behalf by important institutions and public persons.
To cite just a few:
1. Many street demonstrations took place in Romania, in front of the Russian Embassy in Bucharest, demanding freedom for Ilie Ilascu.
2. In 1993 and 1994, the World Union of Free Romanians, President Mr. Ion Ratiu, protested vehemently against the death sentence for Ilie Ilascu.
Similar vehement protests came from the World Association Pro Bessarabia and Bucovina, President Mr. Nicolas Lupan (France), and from the Union and League Association (USA), represented by Mr. Nicolae Dima.
3. A letter was sent to President Bill Clinton in June 1994, asking him to intervene on behalf of Ilie Ilascu.
4. In December 1994, The World Association Pro Bessarabia and Bucovina, President Nicolas Lupan, brought before the European Parliament in Strassbourg (France) a petition on behalf of Ilie Ilascu. This petition, signed by over 5,000 personalities, asks that the European Award of Human Rights be given to this Romanian patriot.
Mr. Nicolas Lupan, a veteran in the struggle for Bessarabia and Bucovina, those two Romanian provinces which were occupied by the USSR in virtue of the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact, has been involved from the very beginning on behalf of Ilie Ilascu.
5. In May 1995, Congressman Martin H. Hocke of Ohio presented to Congress the Ilie Ilascu case, entered in the Congressional Record of May 12, 1995.
6. In the same month Amnesty International asked that the file of the Political Detainees of Tiraspol, meaning Ilie Ilascu and his three coprisoners, be reopened.
7. In August 1995, The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe invited IIie Ilascu officially to visit this Commission and the US Congress.
Copies of the letter of invitation were sent to the Secretary of State, to the US Embassy
in Chisinau (Moldova Republic), and to the Embassy of Moldova in Washington, D.C.
8. In September 1995, The Romanian Church of the Holy Cross in Washington, D.C. received Ilie Ilascu as an honorary member of that church.
9. In October 1995, The Romanian Union and League, USA, represented by Mr. Nicolae Dima, professor at James Madison University, Virginia, initiated a new campaign on behalf of
Ilie Ilascu. Mr. Nicolae Dima is also a veteran in the struggle for the reunification of the Romanian provinces of Bessarabia and Bucovina with Romania.
Following this campaign, the Avram Iancu society of New York and the Romanian-American Foundation of New Jersey invited several Romanian personalities from the MoldovaRepublic to visit the USA and plead Ilie Ilascu's case in Washington, D.C. and in New York.
10. In November 1995, a letter from the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe was addressed to Petru Luchinski, speaker of Parliament (currently President of the Moldova Republic) regarding the case of Ilie Ilascu.
11. In February 1996, another letter was sent to President Bill Clinton regarding this matter.
12. In January 1997, a letter was sent to the Secretary of State, Mrs. Madeleine Albright, on this topic.
Despite all these interventions, the so-called Autonomous Dniester Republic is disregarding the whole civilized world by keeping Ilie Ilascu in prison.
The case of Ilie Ilascu is not only the case of a man sentenced to death for his political views; it puts on trial the conscience of the whole world, and puts to the test the principle of human rights.
This case also puts to the test the Helsinki Final Act, which establishes a framework for basic human rights.
In view of the above considerations, we ask you again to intercede on behalf of Ilie Ilascu. You cannot let Ilie Ilascu die in prison.
Along with Ilie Ilascu there are three more Romanian patriots in jail for the same political reasons, sentenced to various prison terms. Their names are: Alexandru Lesco, Tudor Petrov-Popa , and Andrei Ivantoc .
Sincerely, yours
George Duma, Ph.D. Traian Golea
President President
Romanian American National Congress Romanian Association of South Florida
and and
Representative for California of the Research and Documents, R.A.N.C.
World Association Pro Bessarabia and Bucovina
1730 3rd Ave., Apt. # 1202 901 NE 14th Ave., Apt. # 601
San Diego, CA. 92101, U.S.A. Hallandale, FL 33009, U.S.A.
To The Carter Center
Human Rights Program
One Coppenhill - 453 Freedom Parkway
Atlanta, Georgia, 30307
Thanking you for your letter dated Feb. 13,'98. (received Feb. 28,'98) we are pleased to give you some more information and details, as required, regarding the events in Odorhei which are a sourse of troubling situation in Romania.
In order to better understand the situation, please allow us to make just a short consideration about the history of Transylvania and about the demographic situation of this Romanian province.
1. According to the last Census from 1992, the total amount of Romania's population is 22.760.449 inhabitants. The Romanians represent 89.4%8 of the population and the Hungarians 7.1%8 (see Attachment 1). Only in Transylvania, the Romanians represent over 77%8 of the population, and the Hungarians represent less than 23%8.
2. The Romanians were living in this territory sinvce ptre-history. It is safe to say that Transylvania is the cradle of the Romanian nation.
3. Transylvania was reunited with the motherland Romanian Kingdom after the colapse of the obsolete Austro-Hungarian Empire (at the end of the WWI), due to the overwhelming majority of the Romanian population who voted at the Great National Assembly of Alba Iulia on December 1, 1918 to be reunited to the Motherland.
4. The reunion of Transylvania with Motherland Romania, based on the right of self determination, was sanctioned by two International Treaties in 20 Century , i.e. Peace Treaty of Trianon after WWI, in 1920, and Peace Treaty of Paris after WWII, in 1947. Both treaties were signed by U.S.A., Great Britain, France, etc.
5. Hungary itself, after the battle of Mohacs (1526), has totally disapeared as a country from the map of Europe and became partly a Turkish province (Pashalick), with the capital in Budapest, and partly was under Austrian administration.
6. During that period of time, when Hjhngary was a Turkish Province (Pashalick), Transylvania was an Autonomous Principality under Turkish suzerainty.
7. After the Turks were defeated by the Austrians in 1690 and the Turks were pushed out of the territory of Hungary, this country became part of Austria, under Austrian Administration, while Transylvania, always a autonomous Principaly, went under Austrian suzerainty, with a Governor nominated by the Emperor of Austria.
8. When in 1867 Hungary reapeared on the map of Europe under the name of Austro-Hungary, after an absence of 341 (three hundred and forty one) years, Transylvania was forcible annexed to Hungary.
9. This annexation lasted just 51 years, from 1867 to 1918, when the Romanian majority in Transylvania voted for the reunion to the Motherland Romanian Kingdom.
If you are interested in this topic, we could provide you more details and refer you to many books.
After the revolution of 1989 and the fall of the communist regime, the Hungarians in Romania are represented in the Romanian Parliament by the UDMR (Democratic Union of the Magyars <Hungarians> in Romania), and since November 1996 elections they are also part ofthe government coalition. But the UDMR (HUDR) is a ethnic Union, which means, an organization of all and only Hungarians, and consequently it comprises all possible political orientations, many of them, even racists; even since 1945, when the communists took over Romania, the Hungarian community of Transylvania, organized in an ethnic Popular Union of the Hungarians, were part of the communist rule in Romania. Because of their massive adherence with their organization to the communism, they formed 80%8 of the communist rulling class in Transylvania (see "History of the Romanian Communist Party", by Robert King, Hoover Inastitute, California, 1979, pag. 38). After the revolution of 1989, the communist Popular Union of the Hungarians just changed its name and became the "Democratic Union of the Hungarians in Romania " and entered, with all that heterogenous political orientation, (even a racist wing, as Bishop Laszlo T_kes, Verestoy Atila, a.o.) the Democratic Coalition which rules Romania today.
It is the racist wing of the UDMR which is asking for the autonomy or federalization of Transylvania, and in order to pursue this goal they are using all possible means, trying to discredit Romania (please see as an example the Attachment 2 and 3).
To Human Rights Organizations October 1997
During WW II King Michael of Romania made on August 23, 1944 the turning of the hostilities against Germany with the Allied Forces and it is appreciated that this turning resulted in a shortening of the war with at least six months.
While the human capital Romania engaged in the war against German forces was 538,536, and resulted in 21,031 deads, 90,344 wounded, 58,443 missing, total losses 169,822, the same day of the turning of the hostilities, the troops who were along ther battle field on East front were disarmed by USSR (the new Ally), and taken prisoners.
At the City of Balti (pronounce Baltsi), now Moldova Republic, there were around 50,000 troops, among them around 40,000 Romanians, 5,000 Germans, 2,000 Hungarians and also 3,000 Czech and Poles.
A very few of these prisoners managed to escape and they made known their fate only after the dissolution of the USSR, in 1989.
Informations about what happened to these 50,000 prisoners were published by the weekly newspaper "The Northern Courier" from Balti also after the dissolution of USSR.
In this way people learned how all 50,000 prisoners were killed by the KGB (Russian Secret Police) and the Soviet army. They were shot to death and thrown in the Marsh ditches of the river Raut (pronounce Rauts), near the City of Balti.
During the years 1991-1992, after the USSR dissolution, searches took place in these marches, where unaccountable skeletons and bones were found.
Romanian people of the surroundings decided to make a pyramid of these bones and on the top of it to put a triptych (troita).
The Triptych was sanctified on May 7, 1992 by the Romanian Bishop Petru of Balti, in the presence of thousands of people, while the Diacon Nicodim Schiopu proposed to build there a church or a monastery with the name "The Church of the Bones" .
The Bishop Petru nominated as parish priest of this " Church of the Bones " the Priest Valerian Cernei. But all of a sudden things took a bad turn. The Bishop Petru of Balti was attacked and beaten by unknown people just inside the Bishopric Palace, and similar attacks were perpetrated also at two other monasteries in Balti county.
Due to this situation, at the present time the " Church of the Bones" is just an architectural project, and its construction can not be realized because of lack of support by the authorities.
These informations were transmitted from Balti, (Republic of Moldova), via the Romanian monks from Saint Mount of Athos (Greece) and published by the Romanian Newspaper "Curierul Romanesc" from Bucharest in its August 1996 issue.
These monstruous holocaust against the Romanian soldiers, killed as shown above, along with Germans, Hungarians, Czechs and Poles soldiers, cannot be forgotten.
It is possible that some of these unearthed soldiers be identified according to different insignia or other signs, especially if one could find out the military units they belonged to.
If possible, even after 50 years, the families and the descendents of the disappeared soldiers during this terrible Holocaust have the right to learn about the real fate of their beloved.
The above mentioned mass killings constitute a ultra brutal crime against Humanity, a specific case regarding Human Rights violations and also a ultra grave violation against theGeneva Convention from 1864 regarding the RIgime of Prisoners of War, and just like in Katyn case, searches must be done and find out the truth.
We want to remind you that in the last years, 50 years after the conclusion of the war, different countries appologized for their violations of Human Rights during WW II and agreed to pay compensations.
As a consequence, we submit this case to the H uman Rights Organizations asking them to take the right steps, to make the needed searches in order to determine the truth about these common graves and why the government of Moldova did not continue the due researches.
On the other hand we think, there is a moral and humanitarian obligation for the United Nations and their international organizations to help the Bishopric of Balti to build the "Church of the Bones"
Sincerely, yours
George Duma, Ph. D. Traian Golea
President President
Rom. Am. National Congress Rom. Assoc. of South Florida
and and
Representative for California of the Research and Documents R.A.N.C.
World Assoc. "Pro Bessarabia and Bucovina". 901 NE 14th Ave., Apt. # 601
1730 3rd Ave., Apt. # 1202 Hallandale, FL 33009, U.S.A.
San Diego, CA . 92101, U.S.A.
The desperate case of Ilie Ilascu , the Romanian patriot who was sentenced to death for political reasons in the so called Autonomous Dniester Republic , is known all over the world.
Ilie Ilascu is being held in prison since July 1992 and his health condition is getting worse and worse.
In order to be freed, innumerable manifestations took place and innumerable interventions were made on his behalf by Hi gh Institutions and High Personalities.
Among these we would mention:
1. In Romania took place many manifestations on the streets and in front of the Russian Embassy in Bucharest, asking for the liberation of Ilie Ilascu.
2. 1993-1994 - "World Union of Free Romanians", President Mr. Ion Ratiu, made a vehement protest against the sentence to death of Ilie Ilascu .
The same vehement protests were done by the World Association "Pro Bessarabia and Bucovina", President Mr. Nicolas Lupan (France), and by the "Union and League Association" (USA), represented by Mr. Nicolas Dima.
3. June 1994 - Letter sent to President Bill Clinton, demanding to intervene on behalf of Ilie Ilascu.
4. Decembrie 1994 - The World Association "Pro Bessarabia and Bucovina", President Nicolas Lupan, presented in Strassbourg, France, the file of Ilie Ilascu . This file has over 5.000 signatures, asking the European Award of Human Rights to be given to this Romanian patriot.
Mr. Nicolas Lupan is a very old fighter for Bessarabia and Bucovina , these two Romanian territories which were taken by the Russia (USSR), following the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pakt and he started from the very beginning the interventions on behalf of Ilie Ilascu.
5. May 1995. Congressman Martin H. Hocke, Ohio, presented in front of the Congress the Ilie Ilascu Case (Congressional Record May 12, 1995.
6. May 1995. Amnesty International asked to be reopened the File of the Political Detainees from Tiraspol.
7. August 1995. The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe sent an Official Invitation to IIie Ilascu to visit this Commission and thee U.S. Congress.
Copies of this Invitation were sent to the Secretary of State, to the U.S. Embassy in Chisinau, Republic Moldova, and to the Embassy of Moldova in Washington D.C.
8. September 1995. The Romanian Church of Holy Cross in Washingtoin D.C. declared Ilie Ilascu as a Honorary Member of this Church.
9. October 1995. The Romanian Association "Union and League", U.S.A., represented by Mr. Nicolas Dima, professor at James Madison University , Virginia, initiated a new campaign on behalf of Ilie Ilascu. Mr. Nicolas Dima is also a very old fighter for the reunion of the Romanian territories of Bessarabia and Bucovina with Romania.
Following this campaign, the Avram Iancu society of New York and the "Romanian-American Foundation" in New Jersey invited to the U.S.A. several Romanian personalities from Moldova Republic, in order to present Ilie Ilascu case in Washington D.C. and in New York.
10. November 1995. Letter from the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe addressed to Petru Luchinschi, speaker of the Parliament (at the present time President of the Rep. of Moldova) regarding the case of Ilie Ilascu.
11. Februar 1996. New letter sent to President Bill Clinton.
12. January 1997. Letter sent to the Secretary of State, Mrs. Madeleine Albright.
Despite all these interventions, the so called Autonomous Dniester Republic is snubbingthe whole civilized world by keeping Ilie Ilascu in prison.
Ilie Ilascu 's imprisonment is not only the case of a man sentenced to death for political reasons, but at the same time is the case of the whole world , and a shame for the Human Rights Principles.
It is also a case of the Helsinki Final Act , which establishes a framework to deal with the basic human rights.
Taking in consideration all above mentioned, we renew our previous interventions on behalkf of Ilie Ilascu, and we believe that you can not let Ilie Ilascu die in prison.
Along with Ilie Ilascu there are three more Romanian patriots in jail because of the same political reasons, and sentenced to different years. Their names are: Alexandru Lesco, Tudor Petrov-Popa , and Andrei Ivantoc .
Sincerely, yours
George Duma, Ph. D. Traian Golea
President President
Rom. Am. National Congress Rom. Assoc. of South Florida
and and
Representative for California of the Research and Documents R.A.N.C.
World Assoc. "Pro Bessarabia and Bucovina". 901 NE 14th Ave., Apt. # 601
1730 3rd Ave., Apt. # 1202 Hallandale, FL 33009, U.S.A.
San Diego, CA . 92101, U.S.A.
8. September 1995. The Romanian Church of Holy Cross in Washingtoin D.C. declared Ilie Ilascu as a Honorary Member of this Church.
9. October 1995. The Romanian Association "Union and League", U.S.A., represented by Mr. Nicolas Dima, professor at James Madison University , Virginia, initiated a new campaign on behalf of Ilie Ilascu. Mr. Nicolas Dima is also a very old fighter for the reunion of the Romanian territories of Bessarabia and Bucovina with Romania.
Following this campaign, the Avram Iancu society of New York and the "Romanian-American Foundation" in New Jersey invited to the U.S.A. several Romanian personalities from Moldova Republic, in order to present Ilie Ilascu case in Washington D.C. and in New York.
10. November 1995. Letter from the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe addressed to Petru Luchinschi, speaker of the Parliament (at the present time President of the Rep. of Moldova) regarding the case of Ilie Ilascu.
11. Februar 1996. New letter sent to President Bill Clinton.
12. January 1997. Letter sent to the Secretary of State, Mrs. Madeleine Albright.
Despite all these interventions, the so called Autonomous Dniester Republic is snubbing the whole civilized world by keeping Ilie Ilascu in prison.
Ilie Ilascu 's imprisonment is not only the case of a man sentenced to death for political reasons, but at the same time is the case of the whole world , and a shame for the Human Rights Principles.
It is also a case of the Helsinki Final Act , which establishes a framework to deal with the basic human rights.
Taking in consideration all above mentioned, we renew our previous interventions on behalkf of Ilie Ilascu, and we believe that you can not let Ilie Ilascu die in prison.
Along with Ilie Ilascu there are three more Romanian patriots in jail because of the same political reasons, and sentenced to different years. Their names are: Alexandru Lesco, Tudor Petrov-Popa , and Andrei Ivantoc .
Sincerely, yours
George Duma, Ph. D. Traian Golea
President President
Rom. Am. National Congress Rom. Assoc. of South Florida
and and
Representative for California of the Research and Documents R.A.N.C.
World Assoc. "Pro Bessarabia and Bucovina". 901 NE 14th Ave., Apt. # 601
1730 3rd Ave., Apt. # 1202 Hallandale, FL 33009, U.S.A.
San Diego, CA . 92101, U.S.A.
ROMANIAN AMERICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS
ROMANIAN ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH FLORIDA
THE WORLD ASSOCIATION "PRO BESSARABIA AND BUCOVINA"
20 Octombrie 1997
Stimate domnule Ion Dodu Balan.
Am cetit nu numai cu interes, dar si cu multa amaraciune, Intregul adevar scris de Dvs In legatura cu Ilie Ilascu si cei trei Intemnitati Impreuna cu el, articol publicat In ziarul Natiunea din 3-9 Oct. crt si In care va referiti si la interventia noastra trimisa la 28 Iulie crt. Presedintelui Emil Constantinescu pentru a rezolva acest caz.
Alaturat anexam o copie dupa scrisoareea noastra din 23 August 1997 trimisa, cu acelas amar, la o serie de adrese In continuarea scrisorii adresata Presedintelui Romaniei.
Cazul Ilie Ilascu constitue o rusine pentru omenire prin nerespectarea Drepturilor Omului enuntate prin Actul Final de la Helsinki din 1 August 1975 si reInnoite zece ani mai tarziu, la comemorarea a zece ani, prin Actul Final de la Helsinki din 1 August 1985.
Ilie Ilascu este al nostru al tuturor Romanilor si poporul roman are dreptul sa stie ce s'a Intreprins de catre reprezentantii sai pentru a determina eliberarea sa din Iunie 1992, de cand a fost arestat si pana In prezent.
A facut Presedintele Romaniei cunoscuta situatia lui Ilie Ilascu diferitelor guverne, cerand sa fie sprijinit In aceasta problema?
A transmis Ministerul de Externe instructiuni catre Ambasadele romane din diferitele tari ca sa faca cunoscuta situatia deplorabila In care se afla cei In cauza?
Au comunicat Ambasadele noastre presei din tarile respective situatia lui Ilie Ilascu pentru a face cunoscuta astfel In Intreaga lume Incalcarea flagranta a Drepturilor Omului de catre auto-Intitulata Republica Autonoma Transnistria, pentru a se determina astfel formarea unui curent de opinie In favoarea eliberarii lor, mai ales ca se stie cine sta In spatele acestei asa numite Republici Autonome, republica care nu este recunoscuta pana In prezent de nici un alt stat?
Si daca eventual au fost date astfel de instructiuni de catre Ministerul de Externe Atasatilor de Presa, au fost aceste instructiuni comunicate Presei straine?
A facut cunoscut Presedintele tarii si Ministerul de Externe situatia lui Ilie Ilascu la Comisia Europeana a Drepturilor Omului de la Strassbourg sau din alte tari privind nerespectarea Drepturilor Omului In acest caz?
In ce masura presa romana a sustinut In tara lupta pentru eliberarea lui Ilie Ilascu ca sa determine formarea unui curent de opinie care sa impuna eliberarea sa?
Din cate cunoastem, Presa romana a publicat doar sporadic unele articole care au sunat 1996, dar trimisa In continare dupa 1 Iulie 1996.
Palatul Cotroceni
76238 Bucuresti, Romania, Europe
Stimate domnule Olteanu,
Va trimit "Revisionist Hungary" de S. Fenyes par avion si cu posta normala v'am trimis cateva seturi din colectia de carti publicate de mine In legatura cu Transilvania. Setul cuprinde urmatoarele carti:
1. Revisionist Hungary, de S. Fenyes
2. Hungary's Struggle to Annihilate its National Minorities, de Zenobius Paclisanu,
3. What is Transylvania, de Prof. S. Mehedinti,
4. Romanian Continuity in Roman Dacia, de Virgiliu Stefanescu-Draganesti,
5. Rumania, de Romulus Seisanu
6. Transylvania and Hungarian Revisionism, de Traian Golea.
Daca Dvs aveti nevoie de mai multe carti, bucuros va trimit pana la 50 de seturi.
Tare bucuros de colaborare, va doresc mult bine, noroc si sanatate si-un
Doamne ajuta!
20 Oct. 1997 Cu deosebita stima
As an ethnic organized union, among them are all politicalorientation, including an extremist wing with racist preferences, (like Bishop LAszlo To_kes, Verestoy Atila, and others).
This wing is asking for the autonomy or federalization of Transylvania and in order to pursue this goal, they are using all possible means, trying to discredit Romania (please see as an example the Attachment 2 and 3).
They made trouble in the County of Mures in 1990 and they went so far also, that in 1990 they made ethnic cleansing operation in the counties of Harghita and Covasna after the fall of communism.
They threatened and pressured as many Romanian people they could and managed in this way to make a kind of ethnic cleansing, because around 4.000 (four thousand) Romanians left this counties. Romanian people of different professions (Teachers, Engineers, Priests, Workers, Artists, etc.) were threatened and had to leave these counties.
If you need, we can provide you the lists with the names, their profession and the reason for leaving of these unfortunate people who had to leave their homes and their jobs.
Romanian schools were closed in different parts of these counties and in this way the Romanian pupils had to go to different Hungarian schools in order to be magyarized.
The same they did in Odorhei in 1997, the case regarding the Romanian Greek-Catholic nuns, as reported.
Anyway, the actions of these extremists and nazi-horthyst orientation people is totally unaccepotable and this is also against the Helsinki Final Act.
This extremists Hungarians living in Romania look like to be a fascist-hothyst faction, who are trying to revive the horthyst mentality.
They went so far now a day, that they wanted to install aMemorial Plaque to honor the late Daday Lorand, who under the pseudonime of Dgcs_ Csaba wrote the book "No Mercy", published in Budapest, Hungary, in 1939 with the Horthy's approval. This book was used as a textbook by all para-military Hungarian organizations that accompanied the Hungarian Army when they occupied Northern Transylvania in 1940, and by the entire Hungarian troops and incited to such a genocide that of late the Hungarian authorities have decided to deny its very existence (see Attachment 4).
aking in consideration this very short reference of the situation and the very serious Human Rights Violations, answering your two questions of your letter, we want to inform you as follows:
First: About the update of the progress regarding the Odorhei case, we want to inform you that this case was brought to the attention of the Association of Human Rights in Romania - Helsinki Committee - and the conclusions (Oct. 1997) were shortly as follows:
1. The nuns had to go out of the building, which was supposed to become an orphanage; they were taken out of the building by force.
2. The local authorities manifested against the right of the Immaculate Heart Congregation nuns.
The local authorities contested the universal right confirmed by the Constitution of Romania, the right of every person to live on the antire territory of the Country, wherever they want, no matter the ethnic, religious and national composition of a locality.
3. The local authorities' behavior was very abusive.
The racist attitude and actions of these Hungarian racists in Odorhei managed for a while to chase the nuns, but finally theywere obliged to "accept" these nuns in their city and after one year of trouble and waste of time, the nuns are repairing at the present time the building, in order to open the orphanage, which was due to be open in September 1997.
Otherwise, the Mayor of Odorhei, Mr. Szasz Jen_, and councilman Bardoczi, who incited the population against the nuns and against Mr. Cyrill Burgel himself, are still in charge.
Second: Taking in consideration the above mentioned, we think that the Carter Center could have a very important rolle in helping the Romanian people as follows:
1. To analyse the situation in the counties of Harghita, Covasna and Mures and conclude if there is the necessity that these counties be monitorized, in order to prevent new abuses against the Romanian population.
2. At the same time, we want to emphasize thast the 4.000 Romanians who had to leave the counties of Harghita and Covasna, following the pressures done by the extremists-racists-Hungarians, never returned back and in this way the racists managed to accomplish their goal regarding the "ethnic cleansing operation".
3. We are asking your help to make sure that the Romanian Greek-Catholic nuns will not be pressured again later to leave the orphanage.
4. We are asking also the international recognition of the nazi-horthyst actions made by the extremist components of UDMR (HUDR) for ethnic cleansing, contrary to Helsinki Final Act.
According to Helsinki Final Act people are free to live in their country wherever they want and they must not be submitted to ethnic cleansing operations.
5. We are asking also the whole civilized world to blamethese extremists trouble makers.
We believe in the spirit of Justice of Carter Center and that's why we are trying to make public the above mentioned.
These troublemakers want to torpedo the accord of UDMR (HUDR) with the Romanian Government, to destabilize the political situation and to declare the autonomy of Transylvania, contrary to the Helsinki Final Act.
Sincerely, yours
George Duma, Ph.D. Traian Golea
President President
Romanian American National Congress Romanian Association of South Florida
and and
Representative for California of the Research and Documents, R.A.N.C.
World Association Pro Bessarabia and Bucovina
1730 3rd Ave., Apt. # 1202 901 NE 14th Ave., Apt. # 601
San Diego, CA. 92101, U.S.A. Hallandale, FL 33009, U.S.A.
July 15, 1998
Dear Sir,
Due to permanent hostile Hungarian propaganda of a small fraction of theHungarian Minority of Romania, which is trying to discredit and destabilize Romania and her way toward democracy, actions which compels us to reveal a few aspects and documents concerning the relations between the two nations.
Enclosed you will find, for your information (benefit), the following:
Attachment 1: A German map, showing the 2 Szeklers Counties in Romania.
" 2: The last Romania's Census - 1992.
" 3: Excerpts from Dgcs_ Csaba's Book.
" 4: Dgcs_ Csaba revived - 1983, in "A perverse and criminal ideal" - published in "Hungarian Freedom Fighters"' official publication.
" 5: Laszlo T_kes
" 6: Mihaila Cofariu
" 7: Oliver Lustig's booklet, showing the Hungarian Holocaust against the Jews and Romanians.
" 8: A short presentation of the History of Transylvania.
Taking in consideration the attached documents representing just a few proves of the Hungarian extremist acts against Romanians in Romania, we are asking for yours arbitration and even intervention, in order to stop the inter-ethnic conflict.
The Romanian people need peace to recover from the most repressive communist regime in Europe.
Some Hungarian voices went even so far as to ask for autonomy or independence of these two counties, which of course is inconceivable, due to the big majority of Romanians i.e. 89%8 of total population.
According to "Helsinki Act" signed on August 1, 1975, and renewed on August 11, 1985, the frontiers of the States in Europe cannot be changed.
We are drawing your special attention to read, please, the attached excerpts from the book written by Dgcs_ Csaba and published in Budapest, Hungary, in 1939, under the title "Nincs Kegyelem", (No mercy), as well as the excerpts from the instructions published in 1983 by the Hungarian Freedom Fighters, referring to the same book and inciting against the Romanian people.
As a conclusion, we want to emphasize as follows:
I. During WW I Romania took the arms along with the Allied Powers against the Austro-Hungary, because of overwhelming majority of the Romanians in Transylvania who wanted to be reunited with the Romanian Kingdom and this was sanctioned by the Peace Treaty of Trianon (1920), signed by USA, Great Britain, France, etc, and also by Hungary .
The Human capital Romania engaged in WW I in order to reunite Transylvania, was about 800.000.
II. During WW II King Michael of Romania made the turning point of hostilities against the Nazis and Horthysts along with the Allied Forces. It is appreciated that this turning of the hostilities resulted in a shortening of the war with at least six months. The human capital Romania engaged in the war against the Nazis and the Horthysts was 538.536. The casualties were 21.031 dead, 90.344 wounded, 58.443 missing, resulting in total losses of 169.822.
The statements made in British Parliament in January 1945 places Romania as the fourth Allied Army, after Soviet Union, United States and Great Britain, meanwhileCzechoslovakia and Poland were occupied lands, while Hungary fought along with the Nazis until the end of the war.
The Peace Treaty of Paris after WW II was signed in 1947 by USA, Great Britain, France and other countries, included Hungary, and sanctioned again the reunion of Transylvania with the Romanian Kingdom. Due to the contribution Romania brought to the victory of the Allied Forces in WW II, King Michael of Romania was officially invited to Normandy in 1995 for the celebration of 50 years of the victory, while during this year, 1998, for the same reason King Michael was proposed for the Peace Nobel Price in Oslo-Norway.
All these historical facts shown above justifies the Romanian losses during both World Wars and demonstrates that Romania cannot afford to stay crossed hands looking at the hostile Hungarian propaganda.
Sincerely, yours
George Duma, Ph.D. Traian Golea
President President
Rom. American National Congress Rom. Association of South Florida
1730 3rd Ave., Apt. # 1202 901 NE 14th Ave., Apt. # 601
San Diego, CA. 92101, U.S.A. Hallandale, FL 33009, U.S.A.
In order to better understand the situation, please allow us to make just a short consideration about the history of Transylvania and on the demographic situation of this territory.
1. According to the last Census, 1992, Romania's population comprises 22.760.449 inhabitants. The Romanians represent 89.4%8 of the population and the Hungarians 7.1%8 (seeAttachment). In Transylvania, the Romanians represent over 77%8 of the population, and the Hungarians represent less than 23%8.
2. The Romanians have been living in this territory since ptre-history. It is safe to say that Transylvania is the cradle of the Romanian nation.
3. Transylvania was reunited with the motherland, the Romanian Kingdom after the colapse of the obsolete Austro-Hungarian Empire (at the end of the WWI), due to the overwhelming majority of the Romanian population who voted at the Great National Assembly of Alba Iulia on December 1, 1918 to be reunited to the Motherland Romania.
4. The reunion of Transylvania with Motherland Romania, based on the right of self determination, and was sanctioned by two International Treaties in 20 Century , i.e. Peace Treaty of Trianon after WWI, in 1920, and Peace Treaty of Paris after WWII, in 1947. Both treaties were signed by U.S.A., Great Britain, France, etc.
5. Hungary itself, after the battle of Mohacs (1526), has totally disapeared as a country from the map of Europe and became partly a Turkish province (Pashalick), with the capital in Budapest, and the rest was engulfed in the Austrian Empire.
6. During that period of time, when Hungary was a Turkish Province (Pashalick), Transylvania had preserved its status of an Autonomous Principality under Turkish suzerainty.
7. After 1690, when the Turks were defeated by the Austrians, entire Hungary became part of Austrian Enmpire, while Transylvania continued to preserve its status of Autonomous Principaly under Austrian suzerainty, with a Governor nominated by the Emperor of Austria.
8. Only in 1867, that is, after an absence of 341 (three hundred and forty one) years succeded Hungary to reapear on the map of Europe, although under the name of Austro=Hungary. (what is, still part of the Austrian Empire), when Transylvania was forcible annexed to Austro-Hungary under Hungarian administration.
9. This annexation lasted just 51 years, from 1867 to 1918, when the Romanian majority in Transylvania voted for the reunion to the Motherland Romanian Kingdom.
If you are interested in this topic, we could provide you more details and refer you to many books.
After the revolution of 1989 and the fall of the communist regime, the Hungarians in Romania are represented in the Romanian Parliament by the UDMR (Democratic Union of the
Magyars <Hungarians> in Romania), and are also taking part in the government coalition. But the UDMR (HUDR) is a ethnic Union, which means, an organization of all and only Hungarians, and consequently it comprises all possible political orientations, many of them, even racists. Ever since 1945, when the communists took over Romania, the Hungarian community of Transylvania, organized in an ethnic Popular Union of the Hungarians, was part of the communist oppressive regime,the Hungarians of Transylvanuia delivered 80%8 of the goiverning communist apparatues (see "History of the Romanian Communist Party", by Robert King, Hoover Inastitute, California, 1979, pag. 38). After the revolution of 1989, the communist Popular Union of the Hungarians only changed its official name and became the "Democratic Union of the Hungarians in Romania " and entered, with all that heterogenous political orientation, (even a racist wing, as represented by Bishop Laszlo T_kes, Verestoy Atila, a.o.) the Democratic Coalition which rules Romania today.
It is the racist wing of the UDMR which is asking for the autonomy or federalization ofTransylvania, and in order to pursue this goal they are using all possible means, trying to discredit Romania (please see as an example the Attachment 2 and 3).
To Minority Rights Group International
379 Brixton Rd.
London SW9 7DE, England
The desperate case of Ilie Ilascu , the Romanian patriot who was sentenced to death for political reasons in the so-called Autonomous Dniester Republic, is known all over the world.
Ilie Ilascu is being held in prison since July 1992 and his health condition is steadily deteriorating.
Countless demonstrations took place and countless interventions were made on his behalf by important institutions and public persons.
To cite just a few:
1. Many street demonstrations took place in Romania, in front of the Russian Embassy in Bucharest, demanding freedom for Ilie Ilascu.
2. In 1993 and 1994, the World Union of Free Romanians, President Mr. Ion Ratiu, protested vehemently against the death sentence for Ilie Ilascu.
Similar vehement protests came from the World Association Pro Bessarabia and Bucovina, President Mr. Nicolas Lupan (France), and from the Union and League Association (USA), represented by Mr. Nicolae Dima.
3. A letter was sent to President Bill Clinton in June 1994, asking him to intervene on behalf of Ilie Ilascu.
4. In December 1994, The World Association Pro Bessarabia and Bucovina, President Nicolas Lupan, brought before the European Parliament in Strassbourg (France) a petition on behalf of Ilie Ilascu. This petition, signed by over 5,000 personalities, asks that the European Award of Human Rights be given to this Romanian patriot.
Mr. Nicolas Lupan, a veteran in the struggle for Bessarabia and Bucovina, those two Romanian provinces which were occupied by the USSR in virtue of the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact, has been involved from the very beginning on behalf of Ilie Ilascu.
5. In May 1995, Congressman Martin H. Hocke of Ohio presented to Congress the IlieIlascu case, entered in the Congressional Record of May 12, 1995.
6. In the same month Amnesty International asked that the file of the Political Detainees of Tiraspol, meaning Ilie Ilascu and his three coprisoners, be reopened.
7. In August 1995, The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe invited IIie Ilascu officially to visit this Commission and the US Congress.
Copies of the letter of invitation were sent to the Secretary of State, to the US Embassy
in Chisinau (Moldova Republic), and to the Embassy of Moldova in Washington, D.C.
8. In September 1995, The Romanian Church of the Holy Cross in Washington, D.C. received Ilie Ilascu as an honorary member of that church.
9. In October 1995, The Romanian Union and League, USA, represented by Mr. Nicolae Dima, professor at James Madison University, Virginia, initiated a new campaign on behalf of
Ilie Ilascu. Mr. Nicolae Dima is also a veteran in the struggle for the reunification of the Romanian provinces of Bessarabia and Bucovina with Romania.
Following this campaign, the Avram Iancu society of New York and the Romanian-American Foundation of New Jersey invited several Romanian personalities from the Moldova Republic to visit the USA and plead Ilie Ilascu's case in Washington, D.C. and in New York.
10. In November 1995, a letter from the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe was addressed to Petru Luchinski, speaker of Parliament (currently President of the Moldova Republic) regarding the case of Ilie Ilascu.
11. In February 1996, another letter was sent to President Bill Clinton regarding this matter.
12. In January 1997, a letter was sent to the Secretary of State, Mrs. Madeleine Albright, on this topic.
Despite all these interventions, the so-called Autonomous Dniester Republic is disregarding the whole civilized world by keeping Ilie Ilascu in prison.
The case of Ilie Ilascu is not only the case of a man sentenced to death for his political views; it puts on trial the conscience of the whole world, and puts to the test the principle of human rights.
This case also puts to the test the Helsinki Final Act, which establishes a framework for basic human rights.
In view of the above considerations, we ask you again to intercede on behalf of Ilie Ilascu. You cannot let Ilie Ilascu die in prison.
Along with Ilie Ilascu there are three more Romanian patriots in jail for the same political reasons, sentenced to various prison terms. Their names are: Alexandru Lesco, Tudor Petrov-Popa , and Andrei Ivantoc .
Sincerely, yours
George Duma, Ph.D. Traian Golea
President President
Romanian American National Congress Romanian Association of South Florida
and and
Representative for California of the Research and Documents, R.A.N.C.
World Association Pro Bessarabia and Bucovina
1730 3rd Ave., Apt. # 1202 901 NE 14th Ave., Apt. # 601
San Diego, CA. 92101, U.S.A. Hallandale, FL 33009, U.S.A.
To The Carter Center
Human Rights Program
One Coppenhill - 453 Freedom Parkway
Atlanta, Georgia, 30307
Thanking you for your letter dated Feb. 13,'98. (received Feb. 28,'98) we are pleased to give you some more information and details, as required, regarding the events in Odorhei which are a sourse of troubling situation in Romania.
In order to better understand the situation, please allow us to make just a short consideration about the history of Transylvania and about the demographic situation of this Romanian province.
1. According to the last Census from 1992, the total amount of Romania's population is 22.760.449 inhabitants. The Romanians represent 89.4%8 of the population and the Hungarians 7.1%8 (see Attachment 1). Only in Transylvania, the Romanians represent over 77%8 of the population, and the Hungarians represent less than 23%8.
2. The Romanians were living in this territory sinvce ptre-history. It is safe to say that Transylvania is the cradle of the Romanian nation.
3. Transylvania was reunited with the motherland Romanian Kingdom after the colapse of the obsolete Austro-Hungarian Empire (at the end of the WWI), due to the overwhelming majority of the Romanian population who voted at the Great National Assembly of Alba Iulia on December 1, 1918 to be reunited to the Motherland.
4. The reunion of Transylvania with Motherland Romania, based on the right of self determination, was sanctioned by two International Treaties in 20 Century , i.e. Peace Treaty of Trianon after WWI, in 1920, and Peace Treaty of Paris after WWII, in 1947. Both treaties were signed by U.S.A., Great Britain, France, etc.
5. Hungary itself, after the battle of Mohacs (1526), has totally disapeared as a country from the map of Europe and became partly a Turkish province (Pashalick), with the capital in Budapest, and partly was under Austrian administration.
6. During that period of time, when Hjhngary was a Turkish Province (Pashalick), Transylvania was an Autonomous Principality under Turkish suzerainty.
7. After the Turks were defeated by the Austrians in 1690 and the Turks were pushed out of the territory of Hungary, this country became part of Austria, under Austrian Administration, while Transylvania, always a autonomous Principaly, went under Austrian suzerainty, with a Governor nominated by the Emperor of Austria.
8. When in 1867 Hungary reapeared on the map of Europe under the name of Austro-Hungary, after an absence of 341 (three hundred and forty one) years, Transylvania was forcible annexed to Hungary.
9. This annexation lasted just 51 years, from 1867 to 1918, when the Romanian majority in Transylvania voted for the reunion to the Motherland Romanian Kingdom.
If you are interested in this topic, we could provide you more details and refer you to many books.
After the revolution of 1989 and the fall of the communist regime, the Hungarians in Romania are represented in the Romanian Parliament by the UDMR (Democratic Union of the Magyars <Hungarians> in Romania), and since November 1996 elections they are also part of the government coalition. But the UDMR (HUDR) is a ethnic Union, which means, an organization of all and only Hungarians, and consequently it comprises all possible political orientations, many of them, even racists; even since 1945, when the communists took over Romania, the Hungarian community of Transylvania, organized in an ethnic Popular Union of the Hungarians, were part of the communist rule in Romania. Because of their massive adherence with their organization to the communism, they formed 80%8 of the communist rulling class in Transylvania (see "History of the Romanian Communist Party", by Robert King, Hoover Inastitute, California, 1979, pag. 38). After the revolution of 1989, the communist Popular Union of the Hungarians just changed its name and became the "Democratic Union of the Hungarians in Romania " and entered, with all that heterogenous political orientation, (even a racist wing, as Bishop Laszlo T_kes, Verestoy Atila, a.o.) the Democratic Coalition which rules Romania today.
It is the racist wing of the UDMR which is asking for the autonomy or federalization of Transylvania, and in order to pursue this goal they are using all possible means, trying to discredit Romania (please see as an example the Attachment 2 and 3).
To Human Rights Organizations October 1997
During WW II King Michael of Romania made on August 23, 1944 the turning of the hostilities against Germany with the Allied Forces and it is appreciated that this turning resulted in a shortening of the war with at least six months.
While the human capital Romania engaged in the war against German forces was 538,536, and resulted in 21,031 deads, 90,344 wounded, 58,443 missing, total losses 169,822, the same day of the turning of the hostilities, the troops who were along ther battle field on East front were disarmed by USSR (the new Ally), and taken prisoners.
At the City of Balti (pronounce Baltsi), now Moldova Republic, there were around 50,000 troops, among them around 40,000 Romanians, 5,000 Germans, 2,000 Hungarians and also 3,000 Czech and Poles.
A very few of these prisoners managed to escape and they made known their fate only after the dissolution of the USSR, in 1989.
Informations about what happened to these 50,000 prisoners were published by the weekly newspaper "The Northern Courier" from Balti also after the dissolution of USSR.
In this way people learned how all 50,000 prisoners were killed by the KGB (Russian Secret Police) and the Soviet army. They were shot to death and thrown in the Marsh ditches of the river Raut (pronounce Rauts), near the City of Balti.
During the years 1991-1992, after the USSR dissolution, searches took place in these marches, where unaccountable skeletons and bones were found.
Romanian people of the surroundings decided to make a pyramid of these bones and on the top of it to put a triptych (troita).
The Triptych was sanctified on May 7, 1992 by the Romanian Bishop Petru of Balti, in the presence of thousands of people, while the Diacon Nicodim Schiopu proposed to build there a church or a monastery with the name "The Church of the Bones" .
The Bishop Petru nominated as parish priest of this " Church of the Bones " the Priest Valerian Cernei. But all of a sudden things took a bad turn. The Bishop Petru of Balti was attacked and beaten by unknown people just inside the Bishopric Palace, and similar attacks were perpetrated also at two other monasteries in Balti county.
Due to this situation, at the present time the " Church of the Bones" is just an architectural project, and its construction can not be realized because of lack of support by the authorities.
These informations were transmitted from Balti, (Republic of Moldova), via the Romanian monks from Saint Mount of Athos (Greece) and published by the Romanian Newspaper "Curierul Romanesc" from Bucharest in its August 1996 issue.
These monstruous holocaust against the Romanian soldiers, killed as shown above, along with Germans, Hungarians, Czechs and Poles soldiers, cannot be forgotten.
It is possible that some of these unearthed soldiers be identified according to different insignia or other signs, especially if one could find out the military units they belonged to.
If possible, even after 50 years, the families and the descendents of the disappeared soldiers during this terrible Holocaust have the right to learn about the real fate of their beloved.
The above mentioned mass killings constitute a ultra brutal crime against Humanity, aspecific case regarding Human Rights violations and also a ultra grave violation against the Geneva Convention from 1864 regarding the RIgime of Prisoners of War, and just like in Katyn case, searches must be done and find out the truth.
We want to remind you that in the last years, 50 years after the conclusion of the war, different countries appologized for their violations of Human Rights during WW II and agreed to pay compensations.
As a consequence, we submit this case to the H uman Rights Organizations asking them to take the right steps, to make the needed searches in order to determine the truth about these common graves and why the government of Moldova did not continue the due researches.
On the other hand we think, there is a moral and humanitarian obligation for the United Nations and their international organizations to help the Bishopric of Balti to build the "Church of the Bones"
Sincerely, yours
George Duma, Ph. D. Traian Golea
President President
Rom. Am. National Congress Rom. Assoc. of South Florida
and and
Representative for California of the Research and Documents R.A.N.C.
World Assoc. "Pro Bessarabia and Bucovina". 901 NE 14th Ave., Apt. # 601
1730 3rd Ave., Apt. # 1202 Hallandale, FL 33009, U.S.A.
San Diego, CA . 92101, U.S.A.
The desperate case of Ilie Ilascu , the Romanian patriot who was sentenced to death for political reasons in the so called Autonomous Dniester Republic , is known all over the world.
Ilie Ilascu is being held in prison since July 1992 and his health condition is getting worse and worse.
In order to be freed, innumerable manifestations took place and innumerable interventions were made on his behalf by Hi gh Institutions and High Personalities.
Among these we would mention:
1. In Romania took place many manifestations on the streets and in front of the Russian Embassy in Bucharest, asking for the liberation of Ilie Ilascu.
2. 1993-1994 - "World Union of Free Romanians", President Mr. Ion Ratiu, made a vehement protest against the sentence to death of Ilie Ilascu .
The same vehement protests were done by the World Association "Pro Bessarabia and Bucovina", President Mr. Nicolas Lupan (France), and by the "Union and League Association" (USA), represented by Mr. Nicolas Dima.
3. June 1994 - Letter sent to President Bill Clinton, demanding to intervene on behalf of Ilie Ilascu.
4. Decembrie 1994 - The World Association "Pro Bessarabia and Bucovina", President Nicolas Lupan, presented in Strassbourg, France, the file of Ilie Ilascu . This file has over 5.000 signatures, asking the European Award of Human Rights to be given to this Romanian patriot.
Mr. Nicolas Lupan is a very old fighter for Bessarabia and Bucovina , these two Romanian territories which were taken by the Russia (USSR), following the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pakt and he started from the very beginning the interventions on behalf of Ilie Ilascu.
5. May 1995. Congressman Martin H. Hocke, Ohio, presented in front of the Congress the Ilie Ilascu Case (Congressional Record May 12, 1995.
6. May 1995. Amnesty International asked to be reopened the File of the Political Detainees from Tiraspol.
7. August 1995. The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe sent an Official Invitation to IIie Ilascu to visit this Commission and thee U.S. Congress.
Copies of this Invitation were sent to the Secretary of State, to the U.S. Embassy in Chisinau, Republic Moldova, and to the Embassy of Moldova in Washington D.C.
8. September 1995. The Romanian Church of Holy Cross in Washingtoin D.C. declared Ilie Ilascu as a Honorary Member of this Church.
9. October 1995. The Romanian Association "Union and League", U.S.A., represented by Mr. Nicolas Dima, professor at James Madison University , Virginia, initiated a new campaign on behalf of Ilie Ilascu. Mr. Nicolas Dima is also a very old fighter for the reunion of the Romanian territories of Bessarabia and Bucovina with Romania.
Following this campaign, the Avram Iancu society of New York and the "Romanian-American Foundation" in New Jersey invited to the U.S.A. several Romanian personalities from Moldova Republic, in order to present Ilie Ilascu case in Washington D.C. and in New York.
10. November 1995. Letter from the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe addressed to Petru Luchinschi, speaker of the Parliament (at the present time President of the Rep. of Moldova) regarding the case of Ilie Ilascu.
11. Februar 1996. New letter sent to President Bill Clinton.
12. January 1997. Letter sent to the Secretary of State, Mrs. Madeleine Albright.
Despite all these interventions, the so called Autonomous Dniester Republic is snubbingthe whole civilized world by keeping Ilie Ilascu in prison.
Ilie Ilascu 's imprisonment is not only the case of a man sentenced to death for political reasons, but at the same time is the case of the whole world , and a shame for the Human Rights Principles.
It is also a case of the Helsinki Final Act , which establishes a framework to deal with the basic human rights.
Taking in consideration all above mentioned, we renew our previous interventions on behalkf of Ilie Ilascu, and we believe that you can not let Ilie Ilascu die in prison.
Along with Ilie Ilascu there are three more Romanian patriots in jail because of the same political reasons, and sentenced to different years. Their names are: Alexandru Lesco, Tudor Petrov-Popa , and Andrei Ivantoc .
Sincerely, yours
George Duma, Ph. D. Traian Golea
President President
Rom. Am. National Congress Rom. Assoc. of South Florida
and and
Representative for California of the Research and Documents R.A.N.C.
World Assoc. "Pro Bessarabia and Bucovina". 901 NE 14th Ave., Apt. # 601
1730 3rd Ave., Apt. # 1202 Hallandale, FL 33009, U.S.A.
San Diego, CA . 92101, U.S.A.
8. September 1995. The Romanian Church of Holy Cross in Washingtoin D.C. declared Ilie Ilascu as a Honorary Member of this Church.
9. October 1995. The Romanian Association "Union and League", U.S.A., represented by Mr. Nicolas Dima, professor at James Madison University , Virginia, initiated a new campaign on behalf of Ilie Ilascu. Mr. Nicolas Dima is also a very old fighter for the reunion of the Romanian territories of Bessarabia and Bucovina with Romania.
Following this campaign, the Avram Iancu society of New York and the "Romanian-American Foundation" in New Jersey invited to the U.S.A. several Romanian personalities from Moldova Republic, in order to present Ilie Ilascu case in Washington D.C. and in New York.
10. November 1995. Letter from the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe addressed to Petru Luchinschi, speaker of the Parliament (at the present time President of the Rep. of Moldova) regarding the case of Ilie Ilascu.
11. Februar 1996. New letter sent to President Bill Clinton.
12. January 1997. Letter sent to the Secretary of State, Mrs. Madeleine Albright.
Despite all these interventions, the so called Autonomous Dniester Republic is snubbing the whole civilized world by keeping Ilie Ilascu in prison.
Ilie Ilascu 's imprisonment is not only the case of a man sentenced to death for political reasons, but at the same time is the case of the whole world , and a shame for the Human Rights Principles.
It is also a case of the Helsinki Final Act , which establishes a framework to deal with the basic human rights.
Taking in consideration all above mentioned, we renew our previous interventions on behalkf of Ilie Ilascu, and we believe that you can not let Ilie Ilascu die in prison.
Along with Ilie Ilascu there are three more Romanian patriots in jail because of the same political reasons, and sentenced to different years. Their names are: Alexandru Lesco, Tudor Petrov-Popa , and Andrei Ivantoc .
Sincerely, yours
George Duma, Ph. D. Traian Golea
President President
Rom. Am. National Congress Rom. Assoc. of South Florida
and and
Representative for California of the Research and Documents R.A.N.C.
World Assoc. "Pro Bessarabia and Bucovina". 901 NE 14th Ave., Apt. # 601
1730 3rd Ave., Apt. # 1202 Hallandale, FL 33009, U.S.A.
San Diego, CA . 92101, U.S.A.
ROMANIAN AMERICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS
ROMANIAN ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH FLORIDA
THE WORLD ASSOCIATION "PRO BESSARABIA AND BUCOVINA"
20 Octombrie 1997
Stimate domnule Ion Dodu Balan.
Am cetit nu numai cu interes, dar si cu multa amaraciune, Intregul adevar scris de Dvs In legatura cu Ilie Ilascu si cei trei Intemnitati Impreuna cu el, articol publicat In ziarul Natiunea din 3-9 Oct. crt si In care va referiti si la interventia noastra trimisa la 28 Iulie crt. Presedintelui Emil Constantinescu pentru a rezolva acest caz.
Alaturat anexam o copie dupa scrisoareea noastra din 23 August 1997 trimisa, cu acelas amar, la o serie de adrese In continuarea scrisorii adresata Presedintelui Romaniei.
Cazul Ilie Ilascu constitue o rusine pentru omenire prin nerespectarea Drepturilor Omului enuntate prin Actul Final de la Helsinki din 1 August 1975 si reInnoite zece ani mai tarziu, la comemorarea a zece ani, prin Actul Final de la Helsinki din 1 August 1985.
Ilie Ilascu este al nostru al tuturor Romanilor si poporul roman are dreptul sa stie ce s'a Intreprins de catre reprezentantii sai pentru a determina eliberarea sa din Iunie 1992, de cand a fost arestat si pana In prezent.
A facut Presedintele Romaniei cunoscuta situatia lui Ilie Ilascu diferitelor guverne, cerand sa fie sprijinit In aceasta problema?
A transmis Ministerul de Externe instructiuni catre Ambasadele romane din diferitele tari ca sa faca cunoscuta situatia deplorabila In care se afla cei In cauza?
Au comunicat Ambasadele noastre presei din tarile respective situatia lui Ilie Ilascu pentru a face cunoscuta astfel In Intreaga lume Incalcarea flagranta a Drepturilor Omului de catre auto-Intitulata Republica Autonoma Transnistria, pentru a se determina astfel formarea unui curent de opinie In favoarea eliberarii lor, mai ales ca se stie cine sta In spatele acestei asa numite Republici Autonome, republica care nu este recunoscuta pana In prezent de nici un alt stat?
Si daca eventual au fost date astfel de instructiuni de catre Ministerul de Externe Atasatilor de Presa, au fost aceste instructiuni comunicate Presei straine?
A facut cunoscut Presedintele tarii si Ministerul de Externe situatia lui Ilie Ilascu la Comisia Europeana a Drepturilor Omului de la Strassbourg sau din alte tari privind nerespectarea Drepturilor Omului In acest caz?
In ce masura presa romana a sustinut In tara lupta pentru eliberarea lui Ilie Ilascu ca sa determine formarea unui curent de opinie care sa impuna eliberarea sa?
Din cate cunoastem, Presa romana a publicat doar sporadic unele articole care au sunat mai de graba ca o vaicareala Intre noi Romanii.
Spre cinstrea lor, Dnii Nicolae Lupan din Franta si Nicolae Dima din SUA, precum si ziarul Romanul Liber , In special In perioada cat a fost editat la Londra, au dus o lupta continua pentru Ilie Ilascu, dar aceasta actiune a lor, fara sprijinul guvernului si a presei din tara, nu poate realiza eliberarea ravnita. Se stie doar foarte bine ca o eliberare a lui Ilie Ilascu nu se poate obtine decat printr'o actiune concertata si sustinuta a Presedintelui Romaniei si a Ministerului de Externe la cel mai Inalt nivel In Intreaga lume.
Premiul de consolare a Romaniei pentru neacceptarea ei In NATO, acordat de Presedintele Clinton prin vizita sa la Bucuresti, la cererea Presedintelui Romaniei ar fi putut fi admirabilIncoronat cu luarea din partea acestuia a unui angajament luat In fata poporului roman de a actiona pentru eliberarea lui ILie Ilascu . S'a profitat de aceasta ocazie?
Sugeram ca Intreaga presa romana, indiferent de nuanta politica, sa dedice o anume zi din an - poate chiar mai multe - In cinstea lui Ilie Ilascu si a celorlalti tovarasi ai sai de Inchisoare, pentru a atrage atentia Intregii lumi civilizate asupra detentiei lor nedrepte prin violarea celor mai elementare principii ale Drepturilor Omului, dreptul la opinie politica.
Domnule Ion Dodu Balan,
Dumneavoastra aveti aceasta calitate de a lua initiativa pentru declararea unei zile Inchinata jertfei lui Ilie Ilascu, pentru a fi mentinut astfel viu In inima tuturor Romanilor sacrificiul enorm facut de el, cat si pentru a spala astfel, macar In parte, rusinea celor care ar fi trebuit sa se ocupe si preocupe mai mult de martirajul sau, si n'au facut-o.
Va rugam raspunsul Dvs.
George Duma, Ph. D. Traian Golea
Presedinte Presedinte
Rom. Am. National Congress Rom. Assoc. of South Florida
si si
Representative for California of the Research and Documents R.A.N.C.
World Assoc. "Pro Bessarabia and Bucovina". 901 NE 14th Ave., Apt. # 601
1730 3rd Ave., Apt. # 1202 Hallandale, FL 33009, U.S.A.
San Diego, CA . 92101, U.S.A.
They went so far now a day, that they wanted to install a Memorial Plaque to honor the late Daday Lorand, who under the pseudonime of Dgcs_ Csaba wrote the book "No Mercy", published in Budapest, Hungary, in 1939 with the Horthy's approval. This book was used as a textbook by all para-military Hungarian organizations that accompanied the Hungarian Army when they occupied Northern Transylvania in 1940, and by the entire Hungarian troops and incited to such a genocide that of late the Hungarian authorities have decided to deny its very existence (see Attachment 4).
aking in consideration this very short reference of the situation and the very serious Human Rights Violations, answering your two questions of your letter, we want to inform you as follows:
First: About the update of the progress regarding the Odorhei case, we want to inform you that this case was brought to the attention of the Association of Human Rights in Romania - Helsinki Committee - and theconclusions (Oct. 1997) were shortly as follows:
1. The nuns had to go out of the building, which was supposed to become an orphanage; they were taken out of the building against their will.
2. The local authorities manifested against the right of the Immaculate Heart Congregation nuns.
The local authorities contested the universal right confirmed by the Constitution of Romania, the right of every person to live on the antire territory of the Country, wherever they want, no matter the ethnic, religious and national composition of a locality.
3. The local authorities' behavior was abusive.
The racist attitude and actions of these Hungarian racists in Odorhei managed for a while to chase the nuns, but finally they were obliged to "accept" these nuns in their city and after one year of trouble and waste of time, the nuns are repairing at the present time the building, in order to open the orphanage, which was due to be open in September 1997.
Otherwise, the Mayor of Odorhei, Mr. Szasz Jen_, and councilman Bardoczi, who incited the population against the nuns and against Mr. Cyrill Burgel himself, are still in charge.
Second: Taking in consideration the above mentioned, we think that the Carter Center could have a very important rolle in helping the Romanian people as follows:
1. To analyse the situation in the counties of Harghita, Covasna and Mures and conclude if there is the necessity that these counties be monitorized, in order to prevent new abuses against the Romanian population.
2. At the same time, we want to emphasize thast the 4.000 Romanians who had to leave the counties of Harghita and Covasna, following the pressures done by the extremists-racists-Hungarians never returned back and in this way the racists managed to accomplish their goal regarding the "ethnic cleansing operation".
3. We are asking your help to make sure that the Romanian Greek-Catholic nuns will not be pressured again later to leave the orphanage.
4. We are asking also the international recognition of the nazi-horthyst actions made by the extremist components of UDMR (HUDR) for ethnic cleansing, contrary to Helsinki Final Act.
According to Helsinki Final Act people are free to live in their country wherever they want and they must not be submitted to ethnic cleansing operations.
5. We are asking also the whole civilized world to blame these extremists trouble makers.
We believe in the spirit of Justice of Carter Center and that's why we are trying to make public the above mentioned.
These troublemakers want to torpedo the accord of UDMR (HUDR) with the Romanian Government, to destabilize the political situation and to declare the autonomy of Transylvania, contrary to the Helsinki Final Act.
Sincerely, yours
George Duma, Ph.D. Traian Golea
President President
Romanian American National Congress Romanian Association of South Florida
and and
Representative for California of the Research and Documents, R.A.N.C.
World Association Pro Bessarabia and Bucovina
1730 3rd Ave., Apt. # 1202 901 NE 14th Ave., Apt. # 601
San Diego, CA. 92101, U.S.A. Hallandale, FL 33009, U.S.A.
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