Dokument #1136899
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Autor)
l) The attached press and periodical
clippings provide an overview of the asylum granted by Hungary to
ethnic Hungarians who come from neighbouring Romania.
2) A document produced by the Helsinki
Watch organization in February 1989 claims that there are
reports of Romanian refugees being sent back to Romania,
particularly if they are ethnic Romanians. [Helsinki Watch,
Destroying Ethnic Identity, (New York: U.S. Helsinki Watch
Committee, 1989), p. 6.] The article quotes the Hungarian
Democratic Forum (an opposition group) in its statement to the
effect that a refugee camp was needed close to the Romanian border
because of the "forceful repatriation" of some of the refugees.
[Ibid] It appears that these repatriations may have been the
result of arbitrary decisions by border guards and the lack of a
uniform policy for them to follow. On the other hand, an article in
The Toronto Star, dated 17 February 1988, claims that
Hungarian border guards have assisted ethnic Hungarians from
Romania who are without proper travel permits to gain access to
Western Europe. [Jonathan Manthorpe, "Hungary, Romania in row over
refugees", The Toronto Star, 17 February 1988, p. A3.] No
other information could be found in the IRBDC clipping files to
corroborate the Helsinki Watch charges regarding the possible
forced repatriation of Romanian refugees by the Hungarians.
3) See question 2 above.
ATTACHMENTS
U.S. Helsinki Watch Committee.
Destroying Ethnic Identity. New York: U.S. Helsinki Watch
Committee, 1989. 4-7.
Gozdziak, Elzbieta. East to East:
Refugees From Rumania in Hungary. Washington: Refugee Policy
Group, 1989. 6-11.
"Roumanie-Hongrie: rideau!", Le
Point. 26 Juin 1989. pas de page donnée.
Soulé, Véronique. "Les
réfugiés roumains de Hongrie",
Libération. 23 Juin 1989. pas de page
donnée.
Papp, Susan. "Sanctuary: Thousands of
young Romanians get refuge in Hungary", The Ottawa Citizen.
4 June 1989. no page given.
Gallager, Dennis. Hungary Pushes a
Door Open. Washington: Refugee Policy Group, 1989.
"Depuis un an 20 000 Roumains ont fui en
Hongrie", Le Devoir. 29 Octobre 1988. pas de page
donnée.
Handleman, Stephen. "Europe's newest
refugees flee Romania", The Toronto Star. 9 August 1988. no
page given.
Echikson, William. "Waves of refugees
wash across Romanian border", Christian Science Monitor,
23-19 June 1988, no page given.
Manthorpe, Jonathan. "Hungary, Romania
in row over refugees", The Toronto Star. 17 February 1989.
A3.