In its April 2001 issue, the Budapest-based Roma newspaper Amaro Drom described Ruva Farkas Pál as the chair of the National and International Roma-Hungarian Civil Rights Movement (unofficial translation of Országos Roma-Magyar és Nemzetközi Polgárjogi Mozgalom). Several other sources make reference to Ruva Farkas Pàl as the chair of the Roma Civil Rights Movement (unofficial translation of Roma Polgárjogi Mozgalom) (ONEM 21 Mar. 2000; Pesterzsébet n.d.a; Varga n.d.).

On 21 June 2001, the Hungarian news agency MTI reported that the ROM Roma Hungarian Civil Right Movement had joined the Roma Unity Party (RUP), the Roma Party in Hungary and the Interest Association of Gypsy Organizations to create an electoral coalition which will field candidates in the 2002 parliamentary elections. The coalition participants have drafted the Electoral Programme of Hungarian Roma Unity which advocates the improvement of the welfare and working and living conditions of the Roma (MTI 21 June 2001).

The Webpage of Budapest's 20th district, known as Pesterzsébet, lists an organization called Citizen's Guard ( Roma-Hungarian) [unofficial translation of Polgárorség] located at Mátyás u. 1, 1203 Budapest, however no other details are provided (n.d.b).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Amaro Drom [Budapest]. April 2001. "Dávid Ibolya az oroszlánbarlangban." http://www.amarodrom.hu/archivum/0104/text4.htm [Accessed 20 July 2001]

MTI [Budapest]. 21 June 2001. "Roma Parties Form Electoral Coalition." http://www.mti.hu/english/ [Accessed 22 June 2001]

Office for National and Ethnic Minorities (ONEM) [Budapest]. 21 March 2000. "Magyarországi cigányok." http://www.meh.hu/nekh/Magyar/5-11-2.htm [Accessed 16 July 2001]

Pesterzsébet (Budapest 20th district). n.d.a. " Tarsadalmi és Civil Szervezetek." http://www.pesterzsebet.hu/szerv.htm [Accessed 20 July 2001]

_____. n.d.b. "Közérdeku telefonszámok." http://www.pesterzsebet.hu/kzrdek.htm [Accessed 20 July 2001]

Varga Jeno Grammar and Secondary School of Economics (Varga Jeno Gimnázium és Közgazdasági Szakköépiskola) [Budapest]. n.d. "Organizations." http://www.vargaj-bp.sulinet.hu/intezm.htm [Accessed 16 July 2001]

Additional Sources Consulted

IRB Databases

Two oral sources contacted did not respond within the time constraints.

Internet sources including:

Amnesty International

The Budapest Sun

European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC)

Human Rights Watch (HRW)

International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights

Patrin

RomNews Network

Roma Page

Transitions