KIYOKO

Intii am oprit-o de la sushi. A rezistat 4 zile fara… A 5-a zi a scris (mai exact am scris eu si ea a dat din cap aprobator. Am hotarit asa caci sint mai apropiat de arta – am 2 facultati in arta, ea are numai una – si scrisul ESTE o arta. Rezultatul:

Dear President Traian Basescu,

I ‘d like to bring up some serious events occurred in
New York to your attention, which hurt the image of
Romania and yourself. There have been discrimination
and physical aggression against citizens of USA and
Japan committed by diplomatic and cultural
representatives of Romania.

My name is Kiyoko Horvath, and I live in New York for
more than 24 years as a professional photographer and
visual artist. Myself and my husband, Robert Horvath,
who is a film maker graduated from I.A.T.C. Bucharest,
we own film and photography studio in Manhattan, NYC.

I heard from my Romanian friends that Mr.Horia-Roman
Patapievici, the president of ICR promoted one
anti-cultural and anti-Romanian policy. He said, ” It
is shame to be Romanian, since we have second class
culture, and we should throw Eminescu’s books. I
consider Romanian language is just good to swear, and
so on.” Unfortunately, Ms. Corina Suteu, director of
ICR of New York implements this idiotic ideas with
religiosity. She closed library at ICR and she forbid
using Romanian language in any events there, and
discriminated against artists and intellectuals of
this community continuously humiliated.

First aggression against us occurred about a year ago,
when Robert asked to restore using Romanian language
at ICR, New York. Ms. Suteu ordered guards to push him
out, but she met their refusal and she tried to push
him out by herself. After this incident, we have never
visited any more Culture Center programs until the end
of last year, when ICR organized Romanian Film
Festival at Tribbeca Film Center, we tried to enter to
see one of the movies. Ms. Suteu again did not let us
enter without any reasonable explanations.

And two weeks ago, when we called and get reservation
for a program at the Culture Center. To our surprise,
we were told that both myself and Robert were not
invited to any future events organized by the
director, Ms. Suteu, including events in American
public and private places, such as galleries, theaters
and so on.
We called Ms. Oana Radu, director of program, and
asked who made this kind of abusive treatment against
us? She replied that Mr. Mihai Motoc, Ambassador at UN
gave this order.
Since we didn’t want to pay any attention to this
nonsense, we tried to go to see a Romanian movie at
ICR last week. But, Robert was greeted at the middle
of stairs by 4 guards and they told him that he could
not enter to see the movie by order of Ms. Suteu, who
has the backup of the director of ICR, Mr.
Patapievici. These guards pushed Robert from the back
on the stairs and only by chance he was not injured
seriously. He was shouting and calling for police
help, and then these guards stopped their physical
aggression.

Imagine, how visitors including American journalists
felt passing by and witnessing this event. Next day,
Ms. Gindac, Mr. Motok’s secretary told us that Mr.
Ambassador Motok took full responsibility of this
unbelievable act.

I want to say to you clearly, Mr. President. This
events happened in America, where any discriminations
based on religion, political opinions, or race,
nationality is forbidden. Any incitation to violence
is punished by law. Especially, to American and
Japanese citizen like us, we cannot accept this abuse.

Please consider this letter as official request for
investigation and punishment of the guilty. We
appreciate your attention and your sense of
righteousness.

Sincerely yours,

Kiyoko Horvath & Robert Horvath