Hungarian extreme right to swear in guards despite Jewish protests
Hungarian extreme right to swear in guards despite Jewish protests
By DPA
A controversial new Hungarian extreme-right national guard, condemned by Jewish organizations and the Hungarian
government, Saturday prepared to swear in its members in Budapest.
The creation of the Magyar Garda (Hungarian Guard) by the extreme-right party Jobbik has raised fears in the Jewish community both in Hungary and internationally.
Advertisement
Several Jewish organizations have asked Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany to act against the guard.
Gyurcsany has condemned the group and has asked Chief Prosecutor Tamas Kovacs to be especially vigilant of it to ensure it does not violate the constitution.
"The formation of the Magyar Garda is Hungary's shame," he said Friday.
The Magyar Garda uniform will bear a medieval coat of arms associated with Hungary's Nazi-aligned Arrow Cross party which held power briefly during World War II.
Some 56 members of Jobbik will be inducted during the ceremony at Budapest's Buda Castle, the historic seat of Hungarian royalty. Several organizations have announced counter-demonstrations across the capital city.
While Jobbik has no parliamentary representation, main right wing opposition party Fidesz fought seats in many constituencies with Jobbik's support at the general elections in 2006.
Jobbik members also last year took part in anti-government riots that followed the leak of a tape on which Gyurcsany admitted he had lied about the economy.
The Hungarian Guard says on its website that it was formed because Hungary lacks "physical, mental or spiritual self-defence."
Jobbik leader Gabor Vona said that several hundred people had applied to join the guard, but that he hoped numbers would swell to 1,000 by the end of the year.
Conscripts will carry out physical, spiritual and intellectual training to help maintain public order, preserve Hungarian culture and defend the nation in extraordinary situations, the guard's charter says.
Prior to the creation of the Hungarian Guard, Hungary's Jewish community had been warning that anti-Semitism was once again on the rise.
Around half of the 200,000 Jews living in Budapest prior to the World War II perished during the conflict, many of them sent to concentration camps or lined up on the banks of the Danube and shot.
In total, more than 400,000 Jews were sent to death camps from Hungary in 1944. Much of the butchery was carried out under the direction of the Arrow Cross.
By DPA
A controversial new Hungarian extreme-right national guard, condemned by Jewish organizations and the Hungarian
government, Saturday prepared to swear in its members in Budapest.
The creation of the Magyar Garda (Hungarian Guard) by the extreme-right party Jobbik has raised fears in the Jewish community both in Hungary and internationally.
Advertisement
Several Jewish organizations have asked Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany to act against the guard.
Gyurcsany has condemned the group and has asked Chief Prosecutor Tamas Kovacs to be especially vigilant of it to ensure it does not violate the constitution.
"The formation of the Magyar Garda is Hungary's shame," he said Friday.
The Magyar Garda uniform will bear a medieval coat of arms associated with Hungary's Nazi-aligned Arrow Cross party which held power briefly during World War II.
Some 56 members of Jobbik will be inducted during the ceremony at Budapest's Buda Castle, the historic seat of Hungarian royalty. Several organizations have announced counter-demonstrations across the capital city.
While Jobbik has no parliamentary representation, main right wing opposition party Fidesz fought seats in many constituencies with Jobbik's support at the general elections in 2006.
Jobbik members also last year took part in anti-government riots that followed the leak of a tape on which Gyurcsany admitted he had lied about the economy.
The Hungarian Guard says on its website that it was formed because Hungary lacks "physical, mental or spiritual self-defence."
Jobbik leader Gabor Vona said that several hundred people had applied to join the guard, but that he hoped numbers would swell to 1,000 by the end of the year.
Conscripts will carry out physical, spiritual and intellectual training to help maintain public order, preserve Hungarian culture and defend the nation in extraordinary situations, the guard's charter says.
Prior to the creation of the Hungarian Guard, Hungary's Jewish community had been warning that anti-Semitism was once again on the rise.
Around half of the 200,000 Jews living in Budapest prior to the World War II perished during the conflict, many of them sent to concentration camps or lined up on the banks of the Danube and shot.
In total, more than 400,000 Jews were sent to death camps from Hungary in 1944. Much of the butchery was carried out under the direction of the Arrow Cross.
posted by William Labi at 1:54 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home