Hungary Hungry for Pogroms

Fuel for the Fire
-


-
With the rise of the far-right taking Europe like wild fire the eastern parts of Europe are falling fast. Hungary has long been a flirt when it comes to the Nazi style politics spreading westward. Worst yet, Hungary has a long past as a fascist conspirator (hence their arrow flag and arm bands). And that history just doesn't seem to want to go away.
-
Hajduhadhaz, a small town of around 13,000 people is just the next battle field for the far-right in Hungary. With the government's recent law linking welfare (a source of income that many Hungarians rely upon) payments to the cleanliness of your home and property. This fascist inspired law was directed by the far-right to target the Romani living in places like Hajduhadhaz.
-
One Rom, Balint Bernath claims that the government makes it a habit to come into their homes and check their bathrooms and toilets. He also claims that a neighbor lost his welfare payments because a snooping official found a single spot of dog excrement in his yard. It isn't clear if the government is enforcing this law on all Hungarians or only the Roma minority.
-
It is clear however that in places like Hajduhadhaz the far-right political party Jobbik is calling the shots. The parliamentary deputy, 32 year-old Gergely Rubi, for example. People like him claim that the Roma, and the Roma alone, are the cause for all ills that have befallen Hungary. He claims that the Roma are thieves, rapist, violent criminals, and just plain plunderers and pillagers.
-
Mr. Rubi does not however admit that the policies his party is pushing have suppressed the local economies by restricting the ability of the common man to start up business or engage in business of his own choosing. Instead his party has sought to restore their mythically pure Magyar race back to its position of authority in Hungary. So like the Nazi's Aryans, the Jobbik party is attempting to divide the races and conquer the minorities.
-
One portion of the Jobbik argument claims that the Roma are outsiders in the belief that they are "pagans", "Muslims", or even "witches". However in Hajduhadhaz the Roma are seemingly flocking the new Pentecostal Church. They are "finding religion" in the depths of economic repression. And this in a way feeds the Jobbik belief that the Roma are outsiders. The Jobbik party flocks to the old Calvinist Church.
-
As of late the differences between the two not so different ethnic groups (most Roma are not nomadic anymore due the old policies of the Communist Eastern Block). Jobbik has set up programmes through out the Hungarian countryside. Their goal is clear, if only to them, to restore "law and order". To the outsiders (us and the Roma) their goal is even more clear... to defeat and destroy an entire ethnic group... genocide.
-
Unlike the good old days of Hungarian socialism and even communism these days at least some of the criminals are being brought to justice (or a version of it). Trials of Hungarian murders are scheduled to begin soon. However these small steps are most likely just to appease the EU and UN. It is unclear as of now if the Hungarian government will actually make any real strides in stopping the Jobbik party and its plans for more pogroms. Or if Hungary will simply respond to the crimes after the fact.
-
"They now face sentences between 15 years and life in prison, depending on their degree of culpability. The case greatly exacerbated the atmosphere at the time, Roma people even prepared to emigrate en masse," said Attila Petöfi of the Hungarian National Bureau of Investigation.
-
Kill and maim people based on race and hatred for an entire people in Hungary and you might get off with just 15 years. A portion of that might not even be served in prison either. This is why I am sceptical about Hungarian commitment to stopping the Jobbik fascist and their demented minions.
-





-
Source Documents
-
BBC News
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/9435803.stm
-
Romea.cz
http://www.romea.cz/english/index.php?id=detail&detail=2007_2290
-
AP
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gCz5qY2k_d0HERoJBBkszj0UwlGQ?docId=c3e91b5a8d184e48a1b45bf69d1d5a89
-
Caboodle.Hu
http://www.caboodle.hu/nc/news/news_archive/single_page/?tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=8899