World Jewish congress asks Hungary to rein in the far right

Nov 26, 2007, 16:46 GMT

Budapest - The president of the World Jewish Congress Ronald S Lauder on Monday called on the Hungarian government to fight the rise of far-right extremism after meeting Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany in Budapest.

'It is alarming that only 60 years after the Holocaust, people in uniforms closely resembling those of Hungarian fascists during World War II are parading again in the streets of Budapest,' Lauder said. 'Civil society and political leaders should not tolerate such things.'

Jewish organizations were alarmed this autumn when extreme-right party Jobbik created the Hungarian Guard.

The guard has chosen as its coat of arms a variation on the red- and-white Arpad Stripes, a medieval flag that became associated with Hungary's Nazi-aligned Arrow Cross party in power for a brief period during World War II.

Mazsihisz (The Federation of Hungarian Jewish Communities) has condemned the group for wearing uniforms similar to those worn by the fascists in the 1940s.

The guard, which now has over 500 members, says it is primarily a cultural organization and wants to take part in promoting Hungarian culture, defending the nation in times of conflict and helping with disasters.

Gyurcsany said that Hungary's parliament had passed a hate-speech to help protect Jewish and other minorities from suffering abuse and promised to do all he could to protect Jewish interests.

'It is in the interests of Hungarian society that the traditions of the Hungarian Jewish community live in security,' he said.

Lauder, however, warned that the formation of the Hungarian Guard could set a precedent for the region.

'Hungary should be a role model for other countries in Central Europe. What happens has repercussions in neighbouring countries,' he said.

While Jobbik has no parliamentary representation, main right-of- centre opposition party Fidesz fought seats in many constituencies with Jobbik's support in 2006 general elections.

The far right has been in the public eye since anti-government riots that followed the leak of a tape in September 2006 on which Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany admitted he had lied about the economy.

While the violence has died down, right-wing protestors have persistently infiltrated anti-government demonstrations and scuffled with police throughout 2007.

Around half of the 200,000 Jews living in Budapest prior to 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.