MINELRES: Romania: Bulletin DIVERS on Ethnic Minorities - 10(138)/2005

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Original sender: Edivers Buletin <edivers_buletin-admin@mediafax.ro>


Divers Bulletin no. 10 (138) / March 21, 2005
News

TRAIAN BASESCU: �ROMANIA TO UNDERTAKE ITS REAL HISTORY REGARDING THE
HOLOCAUST��

� AND PRIME MINISTER ATTENDS INAUGURATION OF ISRAEL�S HOLOCAUST MUSEUM

CNA ADOPTS A DECISION ON BANNING THE APOLOGY OF TOTALITARISM 

HUNGARIAN AMBASSADOR BOOED AT REVOLUTION CELEBRATION

ETHNIC ROMA IN ALBA COUNTY TO PARTICIPATE IN PROGRAMS OF PROFESSIONAL
TRAINING

ROMA PEOPLE TO SUE FORMER KING MIHAI


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

News

TRAIAN BASESCU: �ROMANIA TO UNDERTAKE ITS REAL HISTORY REGARDING THE
HOLOCAUST��

WASHINGTON � In an official visit to the United States of America,
president Traian Basescu paid a visit to the Memorial of the Holocaust
in Washington where, visibly touched, he laid a garland and lit a candle
in the memory of the Jewish victims of the Holocaust. �We must undertake
the reality of our own history", stated president Basescu.
In a subsequent TV show, Basescu confessed he was a little nervous when
visiting the Holocaust Museum in Washington. ''I am a person educated
after the history taught in school during communist time. I saw the part
reserved to Romania in this museum. The evidence over there, the real
facts leave no room for questions. Jewish people were debarked from
wagons of the Romanian Railway Stations. Lines of Jewish people and
ethnic Roma accompanied by militaries wearing the uniform of the
Romanian Army on the territory of Transdniester, witness real facts'',
stated the president.
Subsequently, Basescu stated at the Council of Foreign Affairs the
Romanian state must finally admit the crimes during the Holocaust as
well as those during the communist.
The president said that after the end of the Second World War, thousand
of Romanians were killed, not by the Nazi ideology but by the communist
one. He said that for the time being, Romania hosts a debate on
analyzing the dramatic events during which thousand of Romanians were
killed after the establishment of the communist regime.
Traian Basescu mentioned that at the same time, Romania hosts a process
to know the real history of the Romanian people. He added that under
these circumstances, we must not analyze only the communist period but
that during the Second World War as well, when Romania was involved in
the Holocaust.
The president stated that what happened during the Holocaust is
different from what happened afterwards, some of the crimes of the
communism being under debate. Mentioning he does not know about the
future political solution, he showed Romanian history should probably
recognize the crimes committed during both periods. 
Author: DIVERS


� AND PRIME MINISTER ATTENDS INAUGURATION OF ISRAEL�S HOLOCAUST MUSEUM

JERUSALEM � Romanian Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu, along with
leaders and dignitaries from 40 countries last week attended the opening
of a $56 million Holocaust museum that focuses on the personal tragedies
of the six million Jews who perished in the Nazi genocide, AP reported.
The new Holocaust History Museum at Jerusalem's Yad Vashem memorial took
10 years to complete. The building, designed by Israeli-American
architect Moshe Safdie, spans more than 4,000 square meters (four times
larger than the museum it replaces.
Hundreds of police patrolled Jerusalem to protect the visitors, among
them 15 heads of government and state. 
Major thoroughfares were closed to traffic and a bomb squad carried out
numerous sweeps.
On hand for the inaugural ceremonies were: U.N. Secretary General Kofi
Annan; the presidents of Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia,
Lithuania, Poland, Serbia & Montenegro and Switzerland; prime ministers
from France, Sweden, Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark and Romania and
foreign ministers of Germany, Norway and Spain.
Israeli president Moshe Katsav cut the ribbon opening the building,
ahead of a state inauguration ceremony that began at sundown.
The museum displays a three-tiered wooden barrack where concentration
camp inmates slept, a cattle wagon that transported Jews to their deaths
and a small fishing boat that ferried Danish Jews to safety in Sweden.
Underground galleries on either side of a 200 meter central walkway
topped by a skylight guide visitors through the history of Adolf
Hitler's Final Solution: prewar life, anti-Semitic laws, roundups,
deportations, mass executions, death camps.
Israel's Yediot Ahronot newspaper said in an editorial that the new
museum will help restore a sense of individuality to the anonymous
murders of the Holocaust.
Author: DIVERS


CNA ADOPTS A DECISION ON BANNING THE APOLOGY OF TOTALITARISM 

BUCHAREST � National Council of Audiovisual (CNA) adopted on Tuesday,
March 15, a decision draft on banning the apology of the totalitarian
crimes and the denigration of their victims.
According to the decision including three articles, �the apologetic
presentation of all the crimes and totalitarian crimes, namely Nazi and
communist, of the authors of such deeds as well as the denigration of
their victims are forbidden during the audiovisual shows�. The violation
of this decision would be penalized, according to the stipulations of
art. 90 from the Law of audiovisual no. 504, with fines ranking between
ROL50m and ROL500 mn. The decision draft was drawn up and later on
enacted by the Council, starting from an appeal made by the Group for
Social Dialogue (GDS) on March 8, as regards the many cases during which
different TV stations broadcasted shows making the apology of the crimes
during the totalitarian regimes.
GDS asked the Council to clearly regulate these violations, request
supported through the drawing up of decision drafts, by CNA members
Gabriela Stoica, Rasvan Popescu, Grigore Zanc and Mircea Sorin Moldovan.
CNA has previously penalized several violations connected to persons who
presented in a bad light the crimes during the communism period.
Author: DIVERS


HUNGARIAN AMBASSADOR BOOED AT REVOLUTION CELEBRATION

TIRGU MURES - Hungarian officials who on March 15 held speeches at the
commemoration of the Hungarian Revolution from 1848 were received with
boos and cat calls by the ethnic Hungarians present at the
manifestations.
The Hungarian Ambassador to Romania, Terenyi Janos, was booed when he
read the message of the Hungarian Prime Minister Gyurancsany Ferenc in
front of thousands of people who took part in the Tirgu Mures
celebrations of the Hungarian Revolution (1848-1849). The crowd called
the ambassador a "traitor" and told him to "go home."
The participants expressed their dissatisfaction with the Hungarians
government's position against double citizenship for ethnic Hungarians
living in other countries.
Former Hungarian Foreign Affairs Minister Jeszenszky Geza, said at the
event in Sfintu Gheorghe that the government has to assume
responsibility for the failed double citizenship referendum for ethnic
Hungarians. Jeszenszky said those who opposed the referendum were victms
of "a dirty, propaganda campaign."
Hungarian Democratic Senator Marko Bela, present at the celebration,
said Hungarians should stick together. "Today, Hungarians want the same
thing in Transylvania: freedom, equality, fraternity and autonomy. And
we will achieve it," Marko said.
The general deputy consul of the Hungarian Consulate, Szentpeteri Istvan
was also booed yesterday at Hungarian Revolution celebrations in Cluj
when he tried to read Ferenc's message. 
The official's speech was interrupted by boos from the Hungarians in
Cluj, who are dissatisfied with the Hungarian government's opposition to
ethnic Hungarians receiving double citizenship.
In the end, Szentpeteri managed to share the prime minister's message
after he told the participants that they should listen to him, as he
listens to everyone who comes to him with complaints.
Another representative of the Hungarian Embassy in Romania, Zakony
Botond, was also subject to protests in Miercurea Ciuc when he tried to
read the message of the Hungarian government dedicated to the
celebration of the revolution.
When he started reading the message, the official was booed and
harangued by the public gathered in front of the city hall. Many told
the Hungarian representative to go home. 
The message of Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu for the Hungarians
who took part in the celebration was received with applause. Zakony said
he expected a negative reaction from people, as "there are political
disputes and differences regarding ethnic Hungarians abroad." "I do not
want to comment on these jeers because the celebration referred to free
expression and those who did not have the chance to express their
discontent with the Hungarian government did it now," Zakony said.
Hungarian Christian Democrat Senator Sogor Csaba said the only
explanation for the less than happy reaction is the negative campaign of
the Hungarian government regarding the problem of the double citizenship
for Hungarians who live in other countries.
The festivities to commemorate the Hungarian Revolution started in
Miercurea Ciuc with a ceremony of placing wreaths at the monument for
Gal Sandor, a Hungarian revolutionary.
Several thousand people who took part then went to the monuments of
revolutionaries Petofi Sandor and Nicolae Balcescu, where they also
placed wreaths on behalf of the local and county authorities, as well as
from Hungarian politicians and from several education and cultural
institutions.
In the afternoon, participants were invited to an artistic show
organized by the House of Culture in honor of the Revolution. 
On March 15, Hungarians all over the world commemorate the heroes of the
Hungarian Revolution. Traditionally, such events also take place in
Romanian counties with a Hungarian majority, such as Covasna, Harghita,
Mures, Cluj, Sibiu, Satu Mare and Salaj.
Similar celebrations took place in Tirgu Secuiesc, where 10,000
participants commemorated the revolution's heroes. The event started in
the morning, when wreaths were placed at the heroes' monuments. As they
do every year, the participants walked on the streets of the city,
dressed in traditional costumes and singing traditional songs. Many of
them had the Hungarian flag and placards with the inscription "We want
the Szekler County back."
Author: DIVERS


ETHNIC ROMA IN ALBA COUNTY TO PARTICIPATE IN PROGRAMS OF PROFESSIONAL
TRAINING

ALBA IULIA � The prefecture of Alba County and County Agency for Labor
Force Recruitment Alba concluded on Thursday, March 10, a collaboration
protocol with the Ethnic Roma community in the county, to meet the tasks
within the general plan of measures on enforcing the Strategy to improve
ethnic Roma status, stated, the councilor in charge for ethnic Roma
problems Gruia Bumbu.
Thus, the County Agency for Labor Force Recruitment (AJOFM) Alba will
include 20 ethnic Roma persons within the programs of professional
training, under the conditions stipulated by law.
At mid-May, AJOFM will organize the Jobs Bourse for the Ethnic Roma
persons, preceded by a briefing campaign of the community as regards
this action. The County Bureau for Ethnic Roma within Alba Prefecture
will be monthly briefed on the status of the vacant labor places at the
level of Alba county. In addition, the Bureau will identify and mobilize
the Ethnic Roma persons to take part in the actions organized by AJOFM.
According to the official data, in Alba county, about 4% of the
population is Ethnic Roma. 
Author: DIVERS


ROMA PEOPLE TO SUE FORMER KING MIHAI

PITESTI - Former King Mihai was sued by the Roma community, which
alleges that the former sovereign is guilty for their deportation to
Dniester in the 1940's and subsequent death of over 11,000 people Iulian
Radulescu, self-proclaimed emperor of all Roma, last week filed a
complaint against King Mihai at Sibiu Courthouse.
Radulescu said he represents the descendents of all the people who were
deported to Dniester in 1942, from Transylvania and Banat regions of
Romania. Since Mihai is to receive 38 million euros in damage for his
assets confiscated by the communists, the Roma people also want to be
paid damages, Radulescu said. "If he has the right to recover what he
lost, we also have the right to receive [damages] for what he caused
us," said Radulescu.
The Roma people are talking about large amounts, given that 25,000
families left in 1942. Moreover, they claim they were deprived of all
the gold they had. Radulescu said that due to the large number of
descendents of those deported, similar complaints against the king were
submitted at the Bucharest Courthouse from the Roma communities in
Moldova and southern counties. 
Author: DIVERS


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