6 March 1990: A Day That Could Have Made a Difference
[purely personal views, based on two decades of prior research and publications, and in support of my 2009 publication “Bullets, Lies, and Videotape”]
What “really happened” in Romania in December 1989, when the twenty-five year rule of Nicolae Ceausescu was violently overthrown? For the moment, for the present authors, and, we believe, for most if not all members of Romanian society, it is simply impossible to say….In this essay, we raise far more questions than we answer; we leave unresolved the contradictions among accounts we have heard or have read; and we are hesitant to predict the future course of events. Indeed, our strongest claim is that for Romania, any account pretending to greater certainty than we offer is questionable.
–Katherine Verdery and Gail Kligman, “Romania after Ceausescu: Post-Communist Communism?” Eastern Europe in Revolution (ed. Ivo Banac), Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1992, p. 117 (on page 118 footnote no. 1, they clarify that “this essay was written in November 1990 and reflects developments up to that point)
…what we need, rather are studies of the dynamic of myth creation and the function of disinformation–a deconstruction of the revolution itself. The best effort along these lines is the superb piece by two anthropologists, Katherine Verdery and Gail Kligman. They too have sifted through the supposed facts and evidence, and they know all the literature,…
–Juan J. Linz and Alfred Stepan, Problems of Democratic Transition and Consolidation: Southern Europe, South America, and Post-Communist Europe. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1996, p. 346.
Katherine Verdery and Gail Kligman, two established Romanianists with extensive experience in the country, certainly made an understandable and judicious choice when writing the aforementioned chapter in November 1990. However, Linz and Stepan’s assumption/conclusion five years later that Verdery and Kligman had “sifted through the supposed facts and evidence” and “know all the literature” was way off. In retrospect, Verdery and Kligman, and, in fact, all of us who have researched this event, simply missed a lot of critical information—in part, because we did not know what to look for.
Take the example of a critical press conference by two of Romania’s leading surgeons held on 6 March 1990 in Bucharest. Although Agence France Presse carried details of the press conference, no researcher has ever cited or discussed this press conference in his or her research. Nestor Ratesh, Martyn Rady, and perhaps Peter Siani-Davies were the most likely to have come across it, given their source bases, yet none of them make any reference to it. I discovered it only in August 2011 when going through the online AFP archive for articles related to December 1989 and its aftermath in Romania.
Did this article matter as a potential starting point for researchers? I would argue: without question!
The text of the article in its original French can be found below the following xerox, with accompanying Google Translator English and Romanian translations. For the English, I have attempted to edit the Google Translator version, but my French is not strong and I would appreciate any clarifications or corrections from readers where appropriate (thank you, in advance).
(I first drew attention to the ballistics evidence in 1996 and returned to it periodically since then, but only in force from 2008 on.)
De nombreux blesses du 21 et 22 decembre ont ete touches dans le dos ou a bout portant
Many of those injured on 21 and 22 December were shot from behind or at close range
BUCAREST 6 mars – De tres nombreux blesses lors des affrontements des 21 et 22 decembre a Bucarest ont ete touches par des balles qui ont ete tirees de dos, parfois a bout portant, ainsi que par des balles dum-dum, a constate la Societe de Chirurgie de la capitale roumaine.
Many of those injured during the clashes of 21 and 22 December in Bucharest were shot by bullets that were fired from behind, sometimes at close range, and by dum-dum bullets, according to the Surgeon’s Society of the Romanian capital.
La societe s est reunie a deux reprises, les 15 fevrier et le 1er mars dernier, sous la presidence du lieutenant-general Traian Oancea, chef de la 2e section de chirurgie de l Hopital militaire central de Bucarest.
The association met in two sessions, on 15 February and on 1 March, under the direction of Lieutenant General Traian Oancea, head of the second surgery ward at the central Military Hospital in Bucharest. [for background on Dr. Traian Oancea, who performed 25,000 surgeries during his career, see here http://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traian_Oancea]
Au cours de ces travaux, menes ” scientifiquement ” , a precise mardi a l AFP le chef du service de chirurgie de l hopital de Colcea (centre de la ville) le dr Nicolae Constantinescu, les experts en balistique ont pu determiner qu un pourcentage important de blessures par balles avaient ete causees non par des balles de guerre mais par des balles coupees ou trafiquees.
At the heart of their “scientifically”-conducted work, the chief surgeon of the Coltea Hospital (in the center of the city) Dr. Nicolae Constantinescu declared to AFP on Tuesday [6 March 1990], ballistic experts could determine that a significant percentage of those injured by bullets were caused not by normal [wartime] munitions but by bullets that had been cut or imported. [for additional information from Dr. Nicolae “Nae” Constantinescu see here https://romanianrevolutionofdecember1989.com/2014/05/18/surgeons-from-bucharests-main-hospitals-discuss-their-experiences-in-december-1989-lt-gnl-traian-oancea-dr-nicolae-nae-constantinescu-dr-dan-gavriliu-dr-nicolae-angelescu/]
Les blessures observees etaient en effet non pas des trajectoires rectilignes, comme c est le cas en general pour les balles de guerre normales, mais des cavites creusees dans les tissus par l eclatement du projectile a son impact, resultant d une balle aplatie ou cisaillee s ecrasant sur le corps au lieu de le penetrer. ”Nous avons effectue 930 interventions dans la capitale sur des blessures par balle ” , a precise le docteur Constantinescu.
The observed wounds were not from rectilinear trajectories, as is the usual case with normal wartime munitions, but cavities hewn into the tissue by the explosion of a projectile upon impact, the result of a flattened bullet or sheared by crashing into the body instead of the penetration. “We conduction 930 surgeries in the capital involving bullet wounds,” specified Doctor Constantinescu.
” Apres discussion entre nous, nous sommes en mesure de dire qu il ne s agit pas d affrontements mais d un crime organise contre le peuple. D autant, ajoute-t-il en parlant des cas qu il a traites lui-meme a l hopital Colcea, que 60% des plaies etaient dans le dos ou sur le flanc, et non de face, et que 10 a 15% des coups avaient ete tires a bout portant, avec des calibres 9 et 6,35mm ” .
“After talking amongst ourselves, we were able to determine that these weren’t clashes but a crime organized against the people. However, he added , speaking of cases that he treated himself al Coltea hospital, 60 % of the wounds were in the back or from the side, not from the front, and 10 to 15 % of the hits had been from close range, with bullet sizes ranging from 9 and 6.35mm.” [i.e. not the standard 7.62 mm munition issued to Army forces]
Le premier jour des affrontements, le 21, la majorite des blesses etaient des jeunes. ” Ils avaient tellement peur qu ils ne demandaient meme pas des calmants apres l anesthesie ” , ajoute le docteur qui cite le cas du danseur roumain de l Opera de Paris Vlad Stoinescu, blesse devant l hotel intercontinental : ” une balle l a touche au flanc, lui traversant l abdomen. La peur lui a fait parcourir tout seul les 300 metres le separant de notre hopital, ou il a donne son nom avant de s evanouir ” .
Par ailleurs, les analyses de sang effectuees sur ces jeunes blesses ont fait decouvrir un taux anormalement bas de proteines dans le sang : 5 a 6 grammes pour cent au lieu de 7,3. ” C est la preuve de leur malnutrition, ils n avaient pas du manger de viande et de fromage depuis six mois pour la plupart ” , a ajoute le medecin.
BAY/ave.
GOOGLE TRANSLATOR VERSIONS (UNMODIFIED)
BUCHAREST March 6 – In very many injured in clashes on 21 and 22 December in Bucharest were affected by bullets that were drawn back, sometimes close range, and by dumdum bullets, was found in the Company Surgery of the Romanian capital.
The company s has met twice, on 15 February and 1 March, under the chairmanship of Lieutenant General Traian Oancea, chief of the second surgery section of the Central Military Hospital in Bucharest.
In this work, menes “scientifically”, has precise al AFP Tuesday the head of the surgery department of hospital Colcea (city center) Dr. Nicolae Constantinescu, the ballistics experts were able to determine that a significant percentage of gunshot wounds were caused not by war but by bullets cut or tampered balls.
The observed injuries were indeed not rectilinear trajectories as c is the general case in normal war bullets, but cavities hewn into the tissues by the bursting of the projectile impact, resulting from a flattened ball or sheared s crashing on the body instead of the penetration. “We have carried out 930 interventions in the capital of gunshot wounds,” said Dr. Constantinescu precise.
BUCUREȘTI 06 martie – În foarte mulți răniți în confruntările din 21 și 22 decembrie, la București au fost afectate de gloanțe care au fost trase înapoi, gama uneori aproape, și de gloanțe dum-dum, a fost găsit în Societate Chirurgie din capitalul românesc.
Compania S-a întâlnit de două ori, la 15 februarie și 1 martie, sub președinția generalul-locotenent Traian Oancea, șeful celei de a doua secțiune chirurgie a Spitalului Militar Central din București.
În această lucrare, Menes “științific”, are exact al AFP marți șeful departamentului chirurgie a spitalului Colcea (centru) Dr. Nicolae Constantinescu, experții balistic au fost in masura sa stabileasca faptul ca un procent semnificativ de rani prin impuscare au fost cauzate nu de război, ci de gloanțe tăiate sau bile falsificate.
Leziunile observate nu au fost într-adevăr traiectorii rectilinii ca c este cazul general în gloante normale de război, dar cavități tăiat în țesuturile de spargerea impactului proiectil, rezultate dintr-o pasă aplatizată sau s forfecate crashing pe corp în loc de penetrare. “Am realizat 930 de intervenții în capitala răni prin împușcare”, a declarat dr Constantinescu precis.
——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
By contrast, the Society of Surgeons’ meeting received limited coverage in Romania, and somehow when it did, as in the Romania Libera article below the details and significance of the existence and use of atypical munitions such as DUM-DUM bullets was lost upon the Romanian journalist attending the event. (Cristina Popescu, “Revolutia Vazuta de Chirurgii Capitalei,” Romania Libera, 7 martie 1990, p. 2) The other two major dailies of the time–Tineretul Liber and Libertatea–did not report on the press conference.
——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
At the time of the extraordinary 6 March 1990 news conference, there had already been ample reporting in the Romanian and international media about the use, wounding, and killing of people in December 1989 with DUM-DUM munitions. Because many Romanians are inclined to question the reliability of accounts by Romanian doctors or medical personnel–they were subject to the rumors, spread and amplified in the fear of the time, by Romanian radio and television; they didn’t have experience with gunshot wounds; etc. etc.–I list here some of the observations by
a) foreign doctors and medical personnel who came to Romania to help care for the wounded and in some cases may have had broader medical experience in other conflicts across the world, and
b) foreign doctors and medical personnel who treated Romanians evacuated abroad for treatment of their wounds.
http://elpais.com/diario/1990/01/05/internacional/631494020_850215.html
1) Dr. Manuel Burzaco (Medecins sans frontieres, “Doctors without Borders)
La carencia de material médico mínimamente actual y la desnutrición que padece buena parte de la población infantil conforman el panorama sanitario de la Rumanía que ha dejado Nicolae Ceausescu, según manifestó ayer el médico vasco de la organización internacional Médicos sin Fronteras (MSF) Manuel Burzaco, a su regreso de aquel país. Burzaco formó parte de la primera expedición enviada por MSF a Rumanía el pasado 23 de diciembre.”Llegamos a Bucarest la víspera de Navidad, después de haber desembarcado con dificultades en el aeropuerto de Varna, un equipo de 10 personas, entre médicos, enfermeras y personal logístico, con una tonelada y media de material sanitario. Numerosos edificios estaban incendiados y se oían claramente los disparos de las ametralladoras pesadas”, explicó el doctor Burzaco, que durante la semana que permaneció en Rumanía recorrió las ciudades de Ploiesti, Brasov, Buzan y Braila. En su opinión, el aspecto más destacado de la ayuda prestada por MSF es la distribución directa del material a los hospitales y otros centros anitarios. “No se dejaba nada en manos de las autoridades. Es la manera más eficaz de que la ayuda llegue realmente a su destino sin dilaciones. En una ocasión, cuando llegamos a Ploiesti, nos recibió un comité de milicianos mandado por un capitán, del Ejército, que, quería hacerse cargo del convoy que transportaba los medicamentos. Nos negamos terminantemente”.
Burzaco se encontró en un país cuya población todavía no ha podido sacudirse la angustia creada por el terror. “Es el factor más esterilizante de la mente”. Mujeres y niños muertos o gravemente heridos por los disparos efectuados por la Securitate con balas dum-dum, que explosionan al hacer impacto en el cuerpo, eran el testimonio mudo de la época del dictador.
2) Dr. Richard Domergue (Marseille)
Below Dr. Richard Domergue from a hospital in Marseille discusses that the woman and her five compatriots who have been flown for medical treatment to France had been wounded by Dum-Dum bullets during the December 1989 violence in Romania.
Roumanie medecine, lead Cinq jeunes Roumains, blesses durant les evenements, hospitalises a Marseille
MARSEILLE 10 jan – Les premiers Roumains rapatries en France depuis les recents evenements, quatre hommes et une femme grievement blesses par balles a Bucarest et a Timisoara, sont arrives dans la nuit de mardi a mercredi, a Marseille, ou ils ont ete hospitalises.
Ces personnes, rapatriees par un Transall de l armee francaise qui avait ete specialement affrete, ont ete admises dans cinq des onze etablissements de l Assistance publique de Marseille. Aucune indication n a ete fournie sur ces hopitaux, ni sur la nature precise des blessures.
Selon le docteur Richard Domergue, responsable adjoint du SAMU de Marseille, qui a dirige ce rapatriement, la femme et ses quatre compatriotes, ” atteints par des projectiles de guerre dum-dum (NDLR: balles entaillees en croix, de maniere a provoquer de larges dechirures), souffrent de graves problemes fonctionnels mais nullement vitaux ” , a-t-il declare a l AFP.
Le docteur avait ete avise de cette evacuation sanitaire, dans la nuit de lundi a mardi, par un telex de la cellule interministerielle de crise, mise en place par le gouvernement francais depuis des evenements en Roumanie.
L equipe du SAMU, constituee de deux medecins et de deux infirmieres, a ete acheminee jusqu a Bucarest ou l attendait le Dr Lamare, de la cellule logistique en place a l ambassade de France.
Quelques heures plus tard l avion, transportant les cinq blesses, places sous perfusion, se posait sur la base aerienne d Istres (Bouches-du-Rhone) ou attendaient des ambulances.
Arrives a l hopital de la Timone, vers minuit, les Roumains, ages de 20 a 35 ans et parlant seulement leur langue natale, ont ete repartis dans divers etablissements, ” en fonction des places disponibles et des besoins medicaux : traumatologie, micro-chirurgie, orthopedie ” .
” Ces personnes ont ete atteintes lors de manifestations de rue pacifiques, par un ou deux projectiles, selon les cas, a explique le Dr Domergue. Elles presentent de grosses lesions pouvant entrainer la paralysie de membres ” . Elles vont subir un bilan de sante complet qui permettra notamment d etablir les risques eventuels de sequelles.
Ambiance soixante-huitarde a Bucarest, selon le medecin marseillais.
Il a precise que la femme a ete blessee lors de la manifestation de rue du 17 decembre a Timisoara. ” Elle a raconte avoir ete admise dans un hopital d ou elle a du etre evacuee apres que des tirs eurent ete entendus dans l etablissement ou des hommes de la Securitate achevaient des blesses ” , a rapporte le Dr Domergue.
Il regne a Bucarest, selon le medecin marseillais, ” une ambiance soixante-huitarde, un peu revolutionnaire. On sent une certaine exhaltation et il y a beaucoup de mouvements dans les rues ” , a-t-il temoigne. Il a souligne ” la chaleur touchante ” manifestee par les Roumains a l equipe medicale francaise. ” Ils ont une confiance totale en nous. Nous ne pouvons pas les decevoir. Nous allons les dorloter, ca parait le minimun ” , a-t-il assure.
JLL/dv.
3) The Dutch Nurse, Sister Roza, thinks Mr. Beres, who was shot in the foot on the night of 22 December 1989 in Brasov, was hit by a hollow-nosed dum dum bullet because of the nature of the wound. (Harvey Morris, “When the workers of Romania said no,” The Independent (London), 13 January 1990)
5) ITALY
Stan Gheorghe (Pisa) Adevarul 25 februarie 1990
(Rome) Trimis pentru tratament in strainatate…din cauza gloantelor DUM-DUM. Cazul Radu Sofran, 34, “sapte gloante au explodat in mine, gloante din acelea periculoase, dum-dum…” Tineretul Liber, 3 martie 1990
-
93. Mariana Mion Pop | 22 Decembrie 2010 21:48
Dl Presedinte Iliescu, a fost primul presedinte al Romaniei primit cu covor rosu la prima sa vizita in Italia la Venezia. Am fost printre organizatorii acelei primiri impreuna cu Dl. Gheorghiu , insarcinatul cu afaceri la Roma in acea vreme.
A tinut un discurs frumos, intr-o sala impunatoare.Am trimis ajutoare la Sibiu cu camioanele, dar nici macar de la primar, nu am primit un …multumesc.
La spitalul din Dolo Venezia am primit doi baieti prin Crucea Rosie, care aveau cartuse ; unul intr-un picior, altul in coloana vertebtala. Au fost operati ; cel care avea Dum-dum in apropierea vertebrei bazinului a fost operat la Padova. A plecat de acolo cu un treinig de-al meu. Numele lui era XX Marian.
In acele zile,ziarele din Venezia duduiau de chemarea mea sa trimitem ajutoare in tara si sa ajutam niste marinari ramasi acolo , uitati….de situatie.
Eu nu am un certificat de … bun patriot.
In schimb am oferit si ofer ocazia multor romani sa studieze. O carte scrisa de mine, este ETICHETA SI PROTOCOL; as vrea sa fie difuzata
gratuit pentru binele poporului in care m-am nascut si l-am lasat in
1974.
As avea multe de spus,dar …toti romanii se plang; nimeni nu face nimic.
Cu stima
Prof. Mariana Mion Pop
Venezia - http://www.antena3.ro/emisiunea-din-data-de-miercuri-22-decembrie-2010-115590.html?cpage=7#comments
from Flacara, 14 martie 1990, pp. 12-13, “Vederi din Italia”
https://romanianrevolutionofdecember1989.com/mugurels-story-povestea-lui-mugurel-neagu/
6) AUSTRIA
Alexandru Kos’s declaration for the military prosecutor, from 14 January 1990:
“[pe 23 decembrie 1989] am fost impuscat…cu o arma de calibru mare si probabil cu gloante dum-dum”
[on 23 December 1989 I was shot by a high caliber weapon probably with dum-dum bullets]
After discussing the exact incident mentioned above in the interview from 22 December 1989 about rounding up Securitate personnel on the grounds of Hotel Timisoara, where he says they had been for several days, he continues: “I saw two of those who shot at me, one in a blue uniform with a white helmet, the other dressed in black with something white on his head.” [in other words, no stupidity here about the Army shooting into itself and into civilians in the confusion of it all…]
From this site http://www.banaterra.eu/romana/procesul-de-la-timisoara-1990-1991-vol-v ]. The following are from Volume V. Alexandru Koos’ courtroom testimony during the so-called Timisoara trial (date of his testimony appears to be 3 October 1990). Koos discusses all of the above incidents in detail, and also the specifics of those detained during these days.
Alexandru Koos who was wounded on the night of 22-23 December 1989 also was treated in Austria however, where both doctors and experts confirmed that the bullet in question was a dum-dum bullet. (p. 600)
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
It was the Army who revealed details of the munitions used and insisted that they were used by members of the Securitate and those associated with them [in and of itself, something which makes it unlikely that they also had and used such ammunition]
Am avut in palma un glont dum-dum. Dupa ce-si loveste tinta explodeaza. E lung cam de 10 cm. Virful de penetrare si partea exploziva se deosebesc usor. In jurul capsei detonatoare este scris “RWS 9,3X74 R”. Celebrele, din pacate, gloante mici sint de calibru 5,62 si se amabaleaza in cutii pe care scrie “STYPEN 6 carthouses [sic.? cartouches] standard“.
Gavrila Inoan, “Cu ce trag teroristii,” Tineretul Liber, 31 decembrie 1989, p. 1.
[Inoan has confirmed to me that these details were given to him by the Army.]
9 January 1990
FBIS-EEU-90-006 9 January 1990 “Army Combs Timisoara Region for Securitate” Agence France Presse 9 January 1990, pp. 61-62
According to the journalist, the Army’s suspicions were confirmed when it found a cache of dum-dum bullets, exclusively used by the Securitate, at the home of the head of the agricultural cooperative at Topolovatu Mare, Ioan Josu [former member of the Communist Party Central Committee].
Uzina Sadu-Gorj, august-septembrie 1989,
comanda de fabricatie a gloantelor explozive DUM-DUM
Referitor la existenta cartuselor explozive si perforante, dupa unele informatii rezulta ca in perioada august-septembrie 1989 la uzinele Sadu-Gorj s-a primit o comanda de executare a unor asemenea cartuse explozive. Comanda a fost ordonata de Conducerea Superioara de partid si executata sub supravegherea stricta a unor ofiteri din fosta Securitate.
Asa cum s-a mai spus, asupra populatiei, dar si asupra militarilor MApN teroristii au folosit cartuse cu glont exploziv. Cartusele respective de fabricarea carora fostul director al uzinei Constantin Hoart–actualmente deputat PSM Gorj–si ing. Constantin Filip nu sunt straini, au fost realizate sub legenda, potrivit careia, acestea urmai a fi folosite de Nicolae Ceausescu in cadrul partidelor de vanatoare.
Consider ca lt. col. Gridan fost ofiter de Contrainformatii pentru Uzina Sadu–actualmente pensionar ar putea confirma fabricarea unor asemenea cartuse si probabil si unele indicii cu privire la beneficiar. Daca intr-adevar aceste cartuse au fost fabricate in Romania atunci este limpede ca o mare parte din teroristii din decembrie 1989 au fost autohtoni, iar organele de securitate nu sunt straine de acest lucru.
(Sergiu Nicolaescu, Cartea revolutiei romane. Decembrie ’89, 1999, p. 217.)
http://www.memorialulrevolutiei.ro/library/Buletin%209_corectat%20final.pdf
Hofman Costel Viorel: ..De ce spun dreptul lipsa de muschi: pentru ca, facand armata, stiu ce inseamna cartusele aleea dum-dum.
18 January 1990
Radu Anton Roman, “Batalia pentru Bucuresti” Romania Literara, anul 23, nr. 3, 18 ianuarie 1990, pp. 14-15.
“Aveau un armament foarte divers. Gloante 5, 6, N.A.T.O. lungi, cu cap de otel de foarte mare viteza si forta de penetratie ce provoaca dezastre anatomice. Cartuse explozive Dum-Dum care n-au fost folosite impotriva oamenilor decit de fascisti in 1941 la Odessa. Dar si ei au renuntat, cind rusii le-au raspuns cu acelasi calibru. Lunete cu infrarosii, amortizor de zgomot si obturator de flacara la gura tevii.”
Indeed, a representative of the Belgian Parliament, Hugo Van Dienderen, spoke in the chamber on 18 January 1990, asking how it was that Belgian manufactured DUM-DUM bullets [they may have been hollow-point, or the 5.6 mm NATO munitions discussed above by Romanian military personnel in the article above] ended up being used in Romania?…further suggesting the absurdity of the idea that this was “only a rumor.”
2 FEBRUARY 1990
“O lupta cu fortele raului,” Orizont (Timisoara), nr. 5 (2 februarie 1990), p. 5.
Lt. Col. Petre Ghinea: Primele rafale de arma automata le-au tras fostii securisti chiar in Piata Libertatii, unde noi aveam amplasate transportoarele blindate care completau sistemul de foc al tancurilor, pentru apararea Comandamentului militar. Au tras din multe locuri, din podurile cladirilor. In seara zilei de 22 decembrie, intre orele 22,30 si 23….
Iosif Costinas: Cu toate astea, in seara zilei de 22 decembrie s-a tras, de aproape, asupra Comandamentul militar.
Lt. Col. Petre Ghinea: Da. Am fost de fata. Au tras dintr-o “Dacie” alba…Foloseau mai multe autoturisme, schimbindu-le din loc in loc. Le schimbeau si numerele….Din hotelul Central s-a tras asupra noastra si ne-au gaurit citeva pneuri de la transporter…
Iosif Costinas: Duminica, 24 decembrie, inainte de masa, te-am auzit vorbind, prin amplificare, in Piata Libertatii…
Lt. Col. Petre Ghinea: …[nea Ionescu de la Filarmonica] A venit cu o propunere demna de toata atentia. Am adus de la Filarmonica statia de amplificare si am instalat-o pe tarasa Casei Armatei. Statia functiona excelent. M-am adresat securistilor ascunsi prin casele din apropriere: “Securisti, predati-va! Nu mai aveti nici o sansa! Facem apel la ultimul dram de omenie pe care-i mai aveti in voi! Cursul evenimentelor este ireversibil! Nu veti putea fugi din oras, predati-va! Ne-am adresat si oamenilor care locuiesc in cladirile din care se tragea, spre a ne semnala locurile de unde se trage. Unii din ei au iesit la geamuri (cei de la etajele superioare) si aratau de unde vin rafalele de arme automate….Desi am facut apel la ultimul dram de omenie al securistilor, unii au tras asupra noastra. Din fericire, nu ne-au nimerit….In timp ce vorbea nea Ionescu mi-a fost impuscat un subordonat: soldatul Mihai Budugan, unul dintre cei mai curajosi baieti ai mei. A fost impuscat deasupra inimii. Dus la spital, a scapat cu viata. Dupa un timp, in urma apelurilor noastre, in zona Pietei Libertatii focul a scazut in intensitate. Au actionat si cercetasii si militarii de la unitatile de parasutisti. Tot in urma apelurilor noastre, mai multi cetateni ne-au comunicat numerele masinilor din care au tras securistii.
Iosif Costinas: Care este opinia ta despre felul cum au actionat securistii-teroristi?
Lt. Col. Petre Ghinea: Spre deosebire de militarii nostri, ei au fost foarte bine pregatiti pentru lupta in oras. Dispuneau de armament modern, special (inclusiv simulatoare de foc). De pilda, la automatele lor rabatabile, cu gloante videa [vidia] sau gloante explozive, nu se putea vedea flacara la gura tevii….Initial, dupa opinia mea, au intrat in lupta elemente extrem de bine instruite, apoi acestea au disparut, lasind in locul lor o seama de colaboratori ai fostei Securitatii (din diferite, ca sa zi asa, categorii, socio-profesionale). A fost un plan diabolic, indeplinit, din nefericire, in buna masura….
Iosif Costinas: Ce te-a nemultumit cel mai mult in acele zile atit de grele pentru noi, timisorenii?
Lt. Col. Petre Ghinea: Armata nu a putut sa faca fata tuturor solicitarilor. Sa nu mai vorbim de faptul ca nu am fost pregatiti pentru un asemenea tip de lupta. Caci, dupa cum se stie, nu este suficient sa ai in mina un pistol-mitraliera si o cantitate de munitie pentru a interveni cu eficicatate, unde este nevoie. M-a nemultumit, spre pilda, si inexistenta, alaturi de noi, a militienilor si chiar a unor elemente din fosta securitate, care, dupa cite am auzit, se considerau de bunacredinta. Foarte putini au raspuns apelurilor Comandamentului militar de a se prezenta la fostul lor sediu si de a ne da o mina de ajutor…
http://www.romanialibera.ro/special/investigatii/o-zi-din-viata-dictatorului–5040
Indeed, we can deduce from the declaration of Lt. Col. Ion Talpeanu of the Securitate’s Fifth Directorate dated 2 February 1990 that he was asked specifically if he possessed or used DUM-DUM bullets and other special bullets of foreign manufacture, suggesting that the Army likely had probable cause to have such suspicions about some Securitate personnel…
Ion Talpeanu, aghiotantul sotilor Ceausescu, a facut ample dezvaluiri despre activitatea cuplului dictatorial in declaratiile date comisiei de ancheta a evenimentelor din decembrie 1989. Talpeanu dezvaluie strategii de asigurare a securitatii sotilor Ceausescu, modul cum erau pazite resedintele acestora si ofera detalii despre armamentul din dotarea trupelor de garda. Totodata, Talpeanu ofera, in declaratia data anchetatorilor, un tablou sugestiv al stilului de viata al cuplului Ceausescu, pigmentat cu amanunte necunoscute nici pana astazi de “simplii cetateni” ai Romaniei.
Declaratie
Subsemnatul TALPEANU ION, fiul lui Marin si Elena, nascut la 27 mai 1947 in comuna Baneasa, judetul Giurgiu, fost aghiotant prezidential cu grad de lt. col. in cadrul Directiei a V-a – Serviciul 1, casatorit, avand un copil minor, declar urmatoarele:
“Nu aveam gloante dum-dum ori cu proprietati speciale”
Asa cum am aratat si in declaratiile anterioare, din anul 1985 am fost numit aghiotantul lui Ceausescu N., lucrand in ture de 24 ore cu 24, impreuna cu celalalt aghiotant, mr. BALASA VASILE.
Fiecare dintre noi avea in subordine un sef de grupa si sapte ofiteri din aceeasi unitate cu noi.
Sediul nostru, al Serviciului garda resedinta Primaverii, se afla intr-o cladire din strada Moliere, la circa 300 metri de resedinta propriu-zisa. Camera aghiotantilor se afla pe bdul Kalinin, peste drum de resedinta Primaverii, iar la poarta resedintei era o cabina unde statea un ofiter de serviciu (din serviciul garzi) care asigura accesul in resedinta.
Cu privire la armamentul din dotare arat ca, noi, aghiotantii aveam pistol “Makarov” cu 12 cartuse, iar sefii de grupa si ofiterii din grupa aveau pistolet “Makarov”, pistolet “Stecikin” si pistol-mitraliera AKM, cu munitie aferenta, care era cea obisnuita, in sensul ca nu aveam gloante dum-dum sau cu proprietati speciale, de provenienta straina. In dotare mai aveam cateva stilete de fabricatie indigena, aparate de radioemisie-receptie Motorola si Storno.
——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
And yet what does General Dan Voinea, the military prosecutor who has paraded his conclusions publicly for years now and whose “findings” Sorin Iliesiu has claimed were the “spirit” behind the chapter on December 1989 in the CPADCR Tismaneanu Commission’s Raport Final (Voinea is cited directly), maintain about the existence and use of exploding DUM-DUM bullets and other special munitions in December 1989?
Romulus Cristea (journalist): “Did special ammunition, bullets with a vidia tip or dum-dum bullets, claim [any] victims? The press of the time was filled with such claims…”
Dan Voinea: There were no victims (people who were shot) from either vidia bullets or dum-dum bullets. During the entire period of the events war munitions were used, normal munitions that were found at the time in the arsenal of the Interior Ministry and the Defense Ministry. The confusion and false information were the product of the fact that different caliber weapons were used, and therefore, the resulting sound was perceived differently.
– Munitia speciala, gloantele cu cap vidia sau dum-dum, a provocat victime? Presa de la acea vreme a fost plina cu astfel de relatari…
– Nu exista victime (persoane impuscate) nici de la gloantele cu cap vidia, nici de la dum-dum. Pe durata evenimentelor s-a folosit munitie de razboi, munitie normala care se gasea la vremea respectiva in dotarea Ministerului de Interne si a Ministerului Apararii Nationale. Confuzia si informatiile false au aparut de la faptul ca se foloseau calibre diferite si, deci, zgomotul produs era altfel perceput.
http://www.romanialibera.ro/opinii/interviuri/-toti-alergau-dupa-un-inamic-invizibil—58783
(It is important to point out that other military prosecutors who have investigated the December 1989 events reject Voinea’s claims, including on the existence and use of dum-dum bullets and other atypical munitions, even though the Romanian media consistently focuses on Voinea and ignores them: see for example, https://romanianrevolutionofdecember1989.com/text-of-securitate-general-iulian-vlads-29-january-1990-declaration-identifying-the-terrorists/ ; https://romanianrevolutionofdecember1989.com/2014/09/23/a-tale-of-two-letters-by-securitate-director-general-iulian-vlad-what-the-romanian-press-does-and-does-not-publish/; https://romanianrevolutionofdecember1989.com/2014/12/27/25-for-the-25th-anniversary-of-the-romanian-revolution-21-the-bizarre-tactics-of-the-terrorists/)
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
To loop back to the press conference discussed at the beginning of this post, if given the choice between the conclusions of Dan Voinea, and those of surgeons Dr. Traian Oancea and Nicolae “Nae” Constantinescu–not to mention a host of foreign doctors treating victims inside and outside Romania, where they would have had little vested interest to “invent” the notion that their patients had been wounded by DUM-DUM bullets and other atypical munitions known for their destructive capability–I clearly choose the latter and would expect that most objective observers would do the same.
A final note is in order. Whereas Linz and Stepan’s mistaken assumption that Verdery and Kligman “sifted through the supposed facts and evidence, and know all the literature” is perhaps understandable–they are not Romanian specialists–the sweeping conclusions of Romanianist reviewers of the literature are less easily explained. For example, Daniel Chirot described Peter Siani-Davies’ excellent 2005 volume The Romanian Revolution of December 1989 as “near definitive,” while Charles King insisted in 1999 that there was nothing new beyond what Jonathan Eyal and a long list of other names had already written and in 2007 that December 1989 had been investigated “voluminously but never exhaustively” (see discussion at https://romanianrevolutionofdecember1989.com/2009/12/20/the-romanian-revolution-for-dum-dums-or-never-mind-the-bullets-romania-nicolae-ceausescu-and-december-1989-twenty-years-later/) How credible could Daniel Chirot’s claim to something being “near definitive” and Charles King’s claim that things had “never exhaustively” been investigated be when neither has researched and written on the events and therefore has little basis–past serving as reviewers of choice for such topics–for judging the boundaries of “definitive” and “exhaustive”?
Let me be clear for the likes of Chirot and King: none of the sources, details, or arguments laid out above has appeared in any other research than my own and they are critical for understanding what happened in December 1989!
|
|
The Archive of the Romanian Revolution of December 1989 
Leave a Reply