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Human Rights Developments Defending Human Rights The Role of the International Community The Role of the International CommunityUnited Nations In June 1998, the U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child criticized the Hungarian government for its failure to eliminate discriminatory practices targeting Roma children. The committees rebuke followed a condemnatory public statement on March 3, 1998, by the Hungarian Ombudsman for National and Ethnic Minority Rights Jeno Kaltenbach concerning the results of his recent study on minority education. Kaltenbach stated that minority education in the country was professionally chaotic and legally hazy. Citing disparities in textbook distribution, segregation of minority students, and teacher apathy toward minorities, Kaltenbachs study concluded that discrimination in educational institutions affects almost exclusively Roma at several levels. European Union The Accession Partnership Agreement between the European Union and Hungary, which was concluded on March 25, 1998, required Hungary to ensure justice and protection for the Roma for admission to the E.U. Although the agreement required Hungary to show improvement in the treatment of Roma by the end of 1998, discrimination and anti-Roma violence continued unabated. NATO On December 16, 1997, NATO concluded an accession agreement with Hungary. Hungary is expected to be admitted as a full member to the defense alliance under the current government. Accession talks continued as of November. United States The Hungary section of the U.S. State Departments Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1997 catalogued persistent problems with police abuse, including harassment, excessive use of force, and physical abuse of detainees; disparate treatment of Roma in the judicial process; lack of cooperation from police and prosecutors in cases involving Roma or police abuse; ongoing discrimination against Roma in housing, education, and employment; and general impunity for spousal abuse and sexual harassment of women in the workplace. The U.S. budgeted an estimated U.S.$19.3 million in assistance to Hungary for 1998, the majority of which was slated to finance upgraded military equipment and military training in anticipation of Hungarys accession to NATO. Human rights organizations expressed concern that this upgrade would leave Hungary with obsolete weapons that might then be sold to abusive regimes in other parts of the world. |
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