After all they have suffered in their war-torn country and during their dangerous trek across countries, their euphoria at arriving in Budapest, where they had train tickets to Austria and Germany, soon turned into anger.
Humiliated in Hungary, thousands of traumatised Syrian refugees—who believed they were just a few hours from their journey’s end—were treated in a less-than-human manner, left with their babies for almost a week in the street until being told that the only destination open to them was the barbed-wire substandard camps.
And if it were not for their indomitable spirits enabling this proud people to overcome hunger, thirst and a weariness that few of us have ever known, they might have given up hope. But that was not an option. Their defiance of a heartless right-wing government, whose autocratic prime minister refused to call them refugees, preferring the term “illegal migrants” was an act of exceptional courage. They wanted nothing from the authorities other than free passage. Government spokesmen took to the airwaves defending Hungary’s hardline stance, using the pretext of the Dublin Convention—a European Union (EU) law that stipulates that the first member state receiving asylum seekers is responsible for handling their claims. In this instance, given the sheer numbers, the process could take years.
The government in Hungary was unmoved that Austria and Germany had unofficially suspended those rules. Instead, former Communist sympathiser, Prime Minister Viktor Orban, railed against Germany saying: “This is not a European problem, it’s a German problem; they all want to go to Germany,” while blasting Europe as a whole for being “in the grip of madness.” His insistence on detaining unwanted refugees was perplexing until his motivation slipped from his own lips. Europe is being “overrun” by refugees threatening to destroy Europe’s Christian roots, he asserted, oblivious to his own policies violating Christian values as well as the UN Refugee Convention. Signed by Hungary in 1989, the Convention stipulates refugees’ rights and the responsibility of states to care for them, regardless of race, religion or nationality.
Orban needs to read his history books. The 180,000 Hungarian refugees fleeing the Soviet invasion of their country in 1956 were not subjected to fingerprinting and did not require paper work to find refuge in Austria where they were welcomed and supported generously. Not a single one was turned away.
During the Second World War, when Sweden was considered a neutral country, one of its diplomats did not hesitate to bend the rules to save tens of thousands of Hungarian Jews from Auschwitz by issuing them Swedish passports. Emergency situations involving human lives, such as the one Europe is facing now, must always trump red tape. Thanks to their own initiative, more than 4,000 Syrians have now escaped Hungary’s intolerant clutches. Armed with megaphones, young men rallied the crowds around Kelete station to begin a 100-mile (161km) marathon to the Austrian border.
Getting the message
The long trail of humanity trudging along a highway, lugging their meagre possessions with toddlers astride their shoulders or pushing aged parents in wheelchairs, was a sight not seen in Europe for more than 70 years. They left without a plan. They did not care how long it would take them as long as they got where they wanted to go.
En route they were met with kindness. Ordinary Hungarian citizens arrived to distribute water, food and toys for the children, expressing shame at the behaviour of their own government. This was one occasion when the international media made a real difference.
Orban must have got the message. He capitulated by commissioning hundreds of buses to transport those stumbling along in the dark and the rain to the Austrian border town of Nickelsdorf where they were warmly welcomed by the town’s residents and the Red Cross. Another fleet of buses picked up refugees around the station in Budapest.
Merkel is working closely with her French counterpart, President François Hollande, to come up with a unified EU response to the ongoing crisis, including the imposition of binding refugee quotas on all 28 EU member states—an idea vehemently opposed by Hungary, Poland and Slovakia—ironically countries that have all suffered from war, occupation and oppression. Orban’s solution is to build a fence along his country’s border with Serbia to keep refugees out and to pass new laws that will criminalise anyone who refuses to cooperate with the registration process even as the country’s former prime minister. Ferenc Gyurcsany. has been hosting Syrians in his own home.
Hungary has been veering towards far right-wing xenophobic parties for some time. Perhaps the unflattering media spotlight will serve to turn the tide.
Linda S. Heard is a British specialist writer on Middle East affairs. She welcomes feedback and can be contacted by email at heardonthegrapevines@yahoo.co.uk.
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Hungary’s reputation is dented
Posted on September 9, 2015 by Linda S. Heard
After all they have suffered in their war-torn country and during their dangerous trek across countries, their euphoria at arriving in Budapest, where they had train tickets to Austria and Germany, soon turned into anger.
Humiliated in Hungary, thousands of traumatised Syrian refugees—who believed they were just a few hours from their journey’s end—were treated in a less-than-human manner, left with their babies for almost a week in the street until being told that the only destination open to them was the barbed-wire substandard camps.
And if it were not for their indomitable spirits enabling this proud people to overcome hunger, thirst and a weariness that few of us have ever known, they might have given up hope. But that was not an option. Their defiance of a heartless right-wing government, whose autocratic prime minister refused to call them refugees, preferring the term “illegal migrants” was an act of exceptional courage. They wanted nothing from the authorities other than free passage. Government spokesmen took to the airwaves defending Hungary’s hardline stance, using the pretext of the Dublin Convention—a European Union (EU) law that stipulates that the first member state receiving asylum seekers is responsible for handling their claims. In this instance, given the sheer numbers, the process could take years.
The government in Hungary was unmoved that Austria and Germany had unofficially suspended those rules. Instead, former Communist sympathiser, Prime Minister Viktor Orban, railed against Germany saying: “This is not a European problem, it’s a German problem; they all want to go to Germany,” while blasting Europe as a whole for being “in the grip of madness.” His insistence on detaining unwanted refugees was perplexing until his motivation slipped from his own lips. Europe is being “overrun” by refugees threatening to destroy Europe’s Christian roots, he asserted, oblivious to his own policies violating Christian values as well as the UN Refugee Convention. Signed by Hungary in 1989, the Convention stipulates refugees’ rights and the responsibility of states to care for them, regardless of race, religion or nationality.
Orban needs to read his history books. The 180,000 Hungarian refugees fleeing the Soviet invasion of their country in 1956 were not subjected to fingerprinting and did not require paper work to find refuge in Austria where they were welcomed and supported generously. Not a single one was turned away.
During the Second World War, when Sweden was considered a neutral country, one of its diplomats did not hesitate to bend the rules to save tens of thousands of Hungarian Jews from Auschwitz by issuing them Swedish passports. Emergency situations involving human lives, such as the one Europe is facing now, must always trump red tape. Thanks to their own initiative, more than 4,000 Syrians have now escaped Hungary’s intolerant clutches. Armed with megaphones, young men rallied the crowds around Kelete station to begin a 100-mile (161km) marathon to the Austrian border.
Getting the message
The long trail of humanity trudging along a highway, lugging their meagre possessions with toddlers astride their shoulders or pushing aged parents in wheelchairs, was a sight not seen in Europe for more than 70 years. They left without a plan. They did not care how long it would take them as long as they got where they wanted to go.
En route they were met with kindness. Ordinary Hungarian citizens arrived to distribute water, food and toys for the children, expressing shame at the behaviour of their own government. This was one occasion when the international media made a real difference.
Orban must have got the message. He capitulated by commissioning hundreds of buses to transport those stumbling along in the dark and the rain to the Austrian border town of Nickelsdorf where they were warmly welcomed by the town’s residents and the Red Cross. Another fleet of buses picked up refugees around the station in Budapest.
Merkel is working closely with her French counterpart, President François Hollande, to come up with a unified EU response to the ongoing crisis, including the imposition of binding refugee quotas on all 28 EU member states—an idea vehemently opposed by Hungary, Poland and Slovakia—ironically countries that have all suffered from war, occupation and oppression. Orban’s solution is to build a fence along his country’s border with Serbia to keep refugees out and to pass new laws that will criminalise anyone who refuses to cooperate with the registration process even as the country’s former prime minister. Ferenc Gyurcsany. has been hosting Syrians in his own home.
Hungary has been veering towards far right-wing xenophobic parties for some time. Perhaps the unflattering media spotlight will serve to turn the tide.
Linda S. Heard is a British specialist writer on Middle East affairs. She welcomes feedback and can be contacted by email at heardonthegrapevines@yahoo.co.uk.