Readers’ letters: Historical reasons behind Hungary’s reaction to the Syrian refugees

“We shouldn’t forget that the people who are coming here grew up in a different religion and represent a completely different culture – most are not Christians, but Muslims.” This was how Hungarian Prime Minister’s, Victor Orban, described the flow of Syrian refugees to Europe. He claimed Europe, and European culture, have Christian roots. “I think we have a right to decide that we do not want a large number of Muslim people in our country,” he added “We do not like the consequences of having a large number of Muslim communities that we see in other countries.”

Orban attributed his thoughts to knowing how it is to live together with Muslim communities, referring to the Ottoman Empire that once occupied Hungary for some 150 years.

Orban gave this speech as he announced a three-year of jail time awaiting those who dare to climb over the new wire-fence built along the borders of Hungary and Serbia.

The Hungarian police spokeswoman, Viktoria Csiszer-Kovacs, outlawed the Hungarians who attempt to help refugees cross the border.

Despite of Orban’s remarks, Hungarians NGOs, such as Migráns Szolidaritás Csoport (Migrant Solidarity Group) and Migration Aid stood to defend the right to Asylum and help refugees to ratify Hungary’s reputation as a racist country.

Orban’s reaction towards the refugee crisis seemed to be baseless. Muslims in Hungary represent less than one percent of the total population at the moment. Moreover, to Syrian refugees Hungary is nothing but a transit for they have no intention to settle there. However, Orabn did stress on what he called “historical experience”, which indicates that his opinion roots back in history.

In 1521 and 1541, Ottomans invaded Hungary. The Kingdom of Hungary was then divided. The west and the north were ruled by Hungarians and named the Royal Hungary. On the other hand, the central and southern parts were ruled by the Ottomans. The eastern part was alone ruled by another Hungarian king who named his regime, the Eastern Hungarian Kingdom.

Nearly three million Hungarians were taken as slaves. Nobles had to emigrate to Royal Hungary. The countryside became almost unpopulated. Some 80,000 Muslim settlers moved to Hungary and even invited more people throughout the 16th century. These settlers took over the country and became administrators, soldiers, artisans and merchants. Towards the end of the occupation, the number of ethnic Hungarians was greatly reduced, due to massacres and deportations.

Ottomans were described to be tolerant about religion where they did not prohibit Christianity. Secondary and academic theological schools -called medreses- filled in for the church, teaching church law and natural sciences, not only the Islamic religion.

However, some historians disagree. Sir Thomas Walker Arnold, a British historian of Islamic art, a 17th centaury’s author said: “Meanwhile he [the Turk] wins [converts] by craft more than by force, and snatches away Christ by fraud out of the hearts of men. For the Turk, it is true, at the present time compels no country by violence to apostatise; but he uses other means whereby imperceptibly he roots out Christianity.”

In terms of economy, the majority of the noble class moved to Royal Hungry when they lost their lands to the Ottoman rulers, who applied high taxes. Although some economic sectors developed under the Ottoman occupation, the region has suffered economically, as almost the entire revenues were controlled by the Ottoman Empire.