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Romania Emergence of an Organized Opposition
Postwar Romania had less labor unrest and fewer overt
acts of
antigovernment defiance than any other East European
country.
During the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, the Gheorghiu-Dej
regime
feared the unrest might spill over into Romania. But even
though
there was student unrest and tension among the Hungarian
population
of Transylvania, the regime was not seriously threatened.
The
gradual deterioration of the economy as well as poor and
dangerous
working conditions led to significant unrest during the
late 1970s,
however. In 1977 a prolonged strike by coal miners in the
Jiu
Valley climaxed in the miners holding the prime minister
captive in
a mine shaft for two days. As a result of this incident,
the
Securitate (see Glossary)
still maintained constant
surveillance
over the region more than a decade later. Despite further
deterioration of the economy, the severe food shortages,
and energy
and fuel restrictions during the 1980s, only limited signs
of
unrest were observed, thanks to the strict surveillance
and
repressive measures of the internal security forces. But
in
November 1987, a massive protest occurred in the city of
Brasov.
Some 30,000 workers staged a violent protest against harsh
living
conditions and the prospect of another winter of food and
energy
shortages. The spontaneous demonstration began at a
tractor and
truck plant and spread into the streets. Joined by
onlookers, the
workers chanting anti-Ceausescu slogans marched on the
city hall
and ransacked the mayor's office. The protest was broken
up by
militia and the Securitate, and a number of workers were
arrested.
Though it was crushed, the Brasov protest represented a
rallying
point for the possible emergence of an organized
opposition.
In March 1989, a letter addressed to Ceausescu
criticizing his
dictatorial policy reached the West. Written by a group of
retired
senior communist officials, it accused Ceausescu of
violating
international human rights agreements, including the 1975
Helsinki
Final Act (Helsinki Accords); ignoring the constitutional
rights of
citizens; mismanaging the economy; and alienating
Romania's allies.
The signatories called for a halt to the systematization
program of
destroying rural villages and forcibly relocating peasant
families
(see Land
, ch.3). The letter was signed by former General
Secretary
Gheorghe Apostol; former Politburo member and Deputy Prime
Minister
Alexandru Birladeanu; Constantin Pirvulescu, a co-founder
of the
PCR; Corneliu Manescu, a former Romanian foreign minister
and onetime president of the United Nations (UN) General
Assembly; and
Grigore Raceanu, a veteran party member. Many analysts
considered
the letter the most serious challenge to Ceausescu's rule
to date.
The regime relocated and isolated all signatories and
reportedly
subjected them to other repressive measures. The United
States
expressed official concern for their safety, and several
other
Western governments subsequently limited their relations
with
Romania.
Data as of July 1989
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