Laszlo Alexandru
TWO
DESTINIES
english version by Axel H. Lenn
Mircea Miclea was born in 1963 and studied philosophy and psychology in Cluj. On December 21st 1989, he was in Liberty Square in the centre of Cluj, together with Călin Nemeş, Lucian Matiş and many others who lost their lives for this audacity. He looked the murderers in the eye. He came close to being shot. That situation never faded from his memory. “Having experienced this, I live differently. No more fears! I proved myself, in a fundamental, real, non-rhetorical way, a free man and not a coward. However low the bottom, whatever bad things might ever be said about me, I will rise and shout: «Yes, but know this: I’m no coward, I am free, understood?». I don’t theorize my freedom, I simply live intensely, fully, all the way free, just like I feel the blood running through my veins. (…) Every December 21st I’m dressing smarter, sometimes I’m going to Liberty Square and, take my word for it, I’m reaching higher that day!” (Revista 22, nr. 775/2005).
Constantin Degeratu was born in 1948 and graduated from the Military Academy in Bucharest, and from the Faculty of Law in Cluj. In December 1989 he was lieutenant-colonel in Cluj and charted the army’s attack plans against the revolted masses on a map. “On the night of 20/21.12.1989, I was on duty, and, with the commanding officer’s and the chief’s of staff approval, I drew an intervention plan (…). To counterattack terrorist actions, we considered action plans to defend political and administrative institutions, important objectives and sites in garrisons, as well as to defend civilians against terrorist actions” (see the statement in Tit-Liviu Domşa and Victor Eugen Mihai Lungu’s book, “Împuşcaţi-i, că nu-s oameni!” ["Shoot, they are not human!"], vol. 1, Fundaţia Academia Civică, Cluj, 1998, p. 80). His ex-colleagues, one of whom is Colonel Vasile Lateş, underlined Degeratu’s contribution to repressing the demonstrators: “I know that lieutenant-colonel Degeratu Constantin, officer of the operative section, marked on a city map the spots where subunits from Floreşti had to go” (ibid., p. 201). In May 1990, Colonel Constantin Degeratu put a shoulder to depose the military prosecutor who investigated the December ‘89 events (p. 22). On November 19th 1997, as General Chief of Staff and State Secretary in the Ministry of National Defense, major-general dr. Constantin Degeratu issued Circular Order nr. 522 that “temporarily suspends the right of military and civilian personnel in general staffs, headquarters, units, formations and other institutions subordinated to the Central General Staff, to provide information regarding their or anyone else’s activity during the events of December 1989 for the media. (…) The presence of military or civilian personnel, whatever their position, before investigation or trial authorities concerning the December 1989 events shall only be possible if approved by the minister of national defense. The present order shall be made known to the whole personnel by the acting chiefs in the referred to departments.” (ibid., p. 16).
Late December 2004, Mircea Miclea was appointed Minister of Education in Romania. In mid January 2005, General Constantin Degeratu was appointed State Secretary of the National Security Department in Romania.
What will the two say to one another when they come face to face at the Governmental Palace or at the Presidential Office? Will they shake hands? Will they smile? Will they share mementos of the Revolution? “Sorry I did not kill you!” “Sorry I managed to survive somehow!”
As long as justice is not served in Romania, criminals and victim survivors will continue to sit down to the same table.
(January 2005)