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AHF Meets with the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission

[Download] AHF's Letter to the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission regarding the Revocation of the Order of the Star of Romania from Bishop Laszlo Tokes.
[Download] AHF's Letter to the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission regarding the Revocation of the Order of the Star of Romania from Bishop Laszlo Tokes.
[Download] the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation Open Letter to Romanian President Traian Basescu
[Download] the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation Open Letter to Romanian President Traian Basescu
[Download] The Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission's Open Letter regarding Bishop Tokes and the Order of the Star of Romania
[Download] The Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission's Open Letter regarding Bishop Tokes and the Order of the Star of Romania
[download] AHF's letter to the US Helsinki Commission regarding the withdrawal of the "Star of Romania" from Laszlo Tokes.
[Download] AHF's letter to the US Helsinki Commission regarding the withdrawal of the "Star of Romania" from Laszlo Tokes.
AHF organizes meeting with the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission of the United States Congress.5/30/2014 - AHF organizes meeting with the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission of the United States Congress, discusses situation of the Hungarian minority in Romania including the revocation of the Knight's Order of the Star of Romania from Bishop Laszlo Tokes. In addition to AHF President Frank Koszorus, participants included Laszlo Hamos and Emese Latkoczy of the Hungarian Human Rights Foundation (HHRF) and Anita Mustos, the Hungarian American Coalition's (HAC) staff assistant.

On December 2, 2013 the American Hungarian Federation ("AHF) sent a letter to Congressmen Frank Wolf (R-VA) and Jim McGovern (D-MA), co-chairmen of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission ("TLHRC"), formerly the Congressional Human Rights Caucus. In its letter, AHF raised the continued harassment of Bishop Laszlo Tokes by Romanian authorities, this time with the threatened revocation of the Order of the Star of Romania. The Federation included an open letter from the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation to Romanian President Traian Basescu.

Bishop Tokes' transgression was speaking out for the rights of the Hungarian minority in Romania. Earlier, on November 25, 2013, AHF submitted a letter to the Co-Chairs of the US Helsinki Commission, the Honorable Benjamin L. Cardin and Honorable Christopher H. Smith.

On January 30, 2014 the co-chairmen of TLHRC sent a letter to the President of Romania expressing concern about decision of the ethics committee of the Order of the Star of Romania to revoke its award to Bishop Tokes, "who had previously been recognized for his extraordinarily courageous role in toppling the Ceausescu dictatorship during the 1989 revolution." In their letter the co-chairmen noted that the "development with regard to Bishop Tokes is troubling on a number of levels, not the least of which is that seems to indicate a closing of democratic space in Romania. Mr. President, we urge you to do everything within your power to request that the ethics committee rescind its unjust action against Reverend Tokes. His courage, which helped bring about a free and just Romania, deserves due recognition."

Bishop Tokes thanked both co-chairs for their leadership and their letter and press release that publicly raised this matter. The discussions focused on the need to monitor developments relating to Bishop Tokes and the situation of the Hungarian minority in Romania and TLHRC's commitment to promote democracy and human rights.

"The meetings were most productive and demonstrated TLHRC's keen concern about, among other things, three indispensable elements of democracy -- tolerance, respect for human and minority rights and the rule of law," said Koszorus. "We were especially gratified that our organizations spoke with one voice on this matter and worked hand in hand to ensure that Bishop Tokes' trip was as successful as it was," he added.

Other organizations also spoke against the revocation, including the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation who submitted an open letter to Romanian President Traian Basescu. Additional statements appear below:

We, Members of the European Parliament, have learned with great concern that Romanian politicians have recently requested the withdrawal of the Order of the Star of Romania awarded to MEP Laszlo Tokes"We, Members of the European Parliament, have learned with great concern that Romanian politicians have recently requested the withdrawal of the Order of the Star of Romania awarded to MEP Laszlo Tokes. We believe that such a move would contradict the values of freedom and democracy that Mr. Tokes was deservedly awarded the order for."
[download] and read more.

"The persecution, legal or other, of a citizen, any citizen, even a Member of the European Parliament, for exercising his/her freedom of expression and opinion, is never acceptable.""Romania, as a member of both the Council of Europe and the European Union, has obligations clearly stated in the Statute and the Treaties and the European Convention on Human Rights. The persecution, legal or other, of a citizen, any citizen, even a Member of the European Parliament, for exercising his/her freedom of expression and opinion, is never acceptable." - Göran Lindblad President of The Platform of European Memory and Conscience, Former MP [download] and read more.

The hero of the Romanian revolution, respected European politician, and iconic figure of Transylvania’s Hungarian community is being stripped of his decoration based on a deliberate misinterpretation of his political beliefs.Statement by the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the revocation of the Star of Romania state decoration László Tőkés: "We acknowledge Romania’s sovereign right to decide who to award state decorations to, as well as its right to decide who to revoke it from. The revocation of the Star of Romania from László Tőkés nonetheless raises concerns. The hero of the Romanian revolution, respected European politician, and iconic figure of Transylvania’s Hungarian community is being stripped of his decoration based on a deliberate misinterpretation of his political beliefs. [download] and read more.

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Why So Many Hungarians Across the Border?

How Hungary Shrank: Ostensibly in the name of national self-determination, the Treaty dismembered the thousand-year-old Kingdom of Hungary, a self-contained, geographically and economically coherent and durable formation in the Carpathian Basin and boasting the longest lasting historical borders in Europe. It was imposed on Hungary without any negotiation, drawing artificial borders in gross violation of the ethnic principle, it also transferred over three million indigenous ethnic Hungarians and over 70% of the country's territory to foreign rule.One thousand years of nation building successfully delineated groups based on culture, religion, geography, and other attributes to create the countries with which we are so familiar. While some Western European nations would continue power struggles and princely battles and civil wars, Hungary, founded in 896, was a peaceful multi-ethnic state for a 1000 years and her borders were virtually unchanged. Until 1920...

The Treaty of Trianon in 1920... in the aftermath of WWI, was extremely harsh on Hungary and unjustifiably one-sided. The resulting "treaty" lost Hungary an unprecedented 2/3 of her territory, and 1/2 of her total population or 1/3 of her Hungarian-speaking population. Add to this the loss of up to 90% of vast natural resources, industry, railways, and other infrastructure. The clear winner of the land grab, was Rumania, who, established only 60 years earlier, more than doubled in size overnight.

Ethnic Distribution in the Kingdom of Hungary in 1910 (Hungarians shown in red)

Ethnic Distribution in the Kingdom of Hungary in 1910 (Hungarians shown in red)
[download extra large image 4962x3509]
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Hungarian populations declined significantly after forced removals such as the Benes Decrees and other pograms, the effects of WWI, and Trianon in 1920. With continued pressure and discriminative policies such as the 2009 Slovak Language Law, this trend continued over the past 90 years.

Hungarian populations declined significantly after forced removals such as the Benes Decrees and other pograms, the effects of WWI, and Trianon in 1920. With continued pressure and discriminative policies sucha s the 2009 Slovak Language Law, this trend continued over the past 90 years.

  • In Upper Hungary (awarded to Slovakia, Czechoslovakia): 1,687,977 Slovaks and 1,233,454 others (mostly Hungarians - 886,044, Germans, Ruthenians and Roma) [according to the 1921 census, however, there were 1,941,942 Slovaks and 1,058,928 others]
  • In Carpathian Ruthenia (awarded to Czechoslovakia): 330,010 Ruthenians and 275,932 others (mostly Hungarians, Germans, Romanians, and Slovaks)
  • In Transylvania (awarded to Romania): 2,831,222 Romanians (53.8%) and 2,431,273 others (mostly Hungarians - 1,662,948 (31.6%) and Germans - 563,087 (10.7%)). The 1919 and 1920 Transylvanian censuses indicate a greater percentage of Romanians (57.1%/57.3%) and a smaller Hungarian minority (26.5%/25.5%)
  • In Vojvodina 510,754 Serbs and 1,002,229 others (mostly Hungarians 425,672 and Germans 324,017)
  • In Vojvodina and Croatia-Slavonia combined (awarded to Yugoslavia): 2,756,000 Croats and Serbs and 1,366,000 others (mostly Hungarians and Germans)
  • In Burgenland (awarded to Austria): 217,072 Germans and 69,858 others (mainly Croatian and Hungarian)

[read more on the Treaty of Trianon]

AHF Statements on Trianon:

[read more on the Treaty of Trianon]

Selected AHF Articles on Rumania:

[read more on the Treaty of Trianon]


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Articles and Essays by AHF Members

  • "NATO Enlargement" by Frank Koszorus Jr. March 29, 2004
    Remarks on the Occasion of the Enlargement of NATO, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. [download]
    ---
  • "Nato Enlargement And Minority Rights: Prerequisites To Security" by Frank Koszorus, Jr., April 2003
    A memorandum that was submitted to Robert A. Bradtke, Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs, and Heather A. Conley, Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs during a roundtable discussion on "NATO Enlargement and the Current State of the Trans-Atlantic Alliance." This submission follows several other intiatives, including submissions to Lord Roberston, Secretary General of NATO. [download]
    ---
  • “Nato Enlargement: Promoting Western Values, Strengthening The Alliance” by Frank Koszorus, Jr., April 29, 2003
    A Statement Before The United States Senate Committee On Foreign Relations.
    [download]
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  • "U.S. Senate Unanimously Ratifies Nato Treaty; Senators Raise Rights Of Minorities: Federation Supports Efforts Aimed At Encouraging Romania And Slovakia To Respect Rights Of Hungarian Minorities And Restore Communal Properties" - Press Release by Zoltan Bagdy, May 9, 2003 [download]
    [read more on the Treaty of Trianon]

Congressional Resolutions and Records

  • H.RES 191 - A RESOLUTION urging the "prompt and fair restitution of church properties by Romania and Slovakia - TOM LANTOS / TOM TANCREDO (April 6th 2005) in the House of Representatives [download]
  • A RESOLUTION REGARDING THE ISSUE OF TRANSYLVANIAN HUNGARIANS -- HON. DONALD E. `BUZ' LUKENS (Extension of Remarks - February 26, 1990) in the House of Representatives [download]
  • VIOLENCE IN TRANSYLVANIA -- HON. DON RITTER (Extension of Remarks - March 22, 1990) in the House of Representatives [download]
  • Transylvanian Monitor #14: Property Restitution.

[read more on the Treaty of Trianon]

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