Szabad Kapacitás, 1992 (4. évfolyam, 1-10. szám)

1992 / 1. szám (angol)

Declaration of principles of the Independent Hungarian Initiative 24 november 1989 The Independent Hungarian Initiative is a civic movement organizing itself from the ground up, independent of the organs of power. It desires to pursue the policy of al! those political and social groups which have stood for independent, autonomous thought and action against the autocracy of power during the last decades. The Independent Hungarian Initiative identifies itself with the ideas and democratic and liberal traditions of the European and Czechoslovak civil rights movements, with any endeavour that calls for the moral renewal of Central Europe, and with all those forces which are doing their utmost to integrate Czechoslovakia into Europe. The"Independent Hungarian Initiative looks upon the Committee of Legal Protection of the Hungarian Minority in Czechoslovakia as its predecessor, one that has been the only independent initiative safeguarging the Hungarian minority's interests during last two decades. The Independent Hungarian Initiative declares, at the same time, that it does not wish to take the place of the Committee because it believes that this form of protection of individual and collective rights may also be of need in the future. The Independent Hungarian Initiative disclaims all forms of totalitarian ideology. It denies that the idea of collectivity can entitle anybody to restrict individual freedom in any way. The Independent Hungarian Initiative believes in modern individualism and liberal humanism. It presses for the development of manifold and autonomous forms of associations and societies whose members will assume responsibility and elect officers voluntarily, and which will not only express their interests and wishes, but also guarantee their own defence against all sorts of manipulation. The Independent Hungarian Initiative rejects both nationalist and collectivist ideologies. Freedom, tolerance and solidarity are the supreme values for the Independent Hungarian Initiative. The aims of the Independent Hungarian Initiative are to: - safeguard the souvereignity of the state, - establish parliamentary democracy within a multi-party system, - share the power tricholomously (legislation, execution and judiciary), - restrain the state power enacting civil rights laws, enforce the authority of the majority and, at the same time, defend the rights of the minorities - guarantee social self-organization and self-government for local, regional, minority, labour and religious groups, communities and movements -recognize the coequality of all forms of ownership -create conditions for free enterprise and market economy guarantee social security -guarantee the right to a healthy environment -put an end to ideological subjection of culture and science Since one of the essential aims of the Independent Hungarian Initiative is to ease the problems of national minorities, it is necessary to lay down the following principles: 1. The conviction of the Independent Hungarian Initiative is, that only democracy can solve the problems of national minorities, a democracy in which all national, political, religious and other minorities can safeguard their interests in an atmosphere of mutual tolerance. 2. Let it be distinctly understood that all the citizens of the Czech and Slovak Repubiics, irrespective of their ethnic national status, have a share in state-creating. No one can be deprived of his Czechoslovakian citizenship. 3. It is a human right to declare freely one’s [ethnic] national status. That is why collective rights lie with all members of nations and national minorities. 4. It is vital to set up a minority protection system so that the rights of the minorities could be guaranteed.

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