Speech #920206692

No group in history has been discriminated against as widely and as persistently as the Jews. In clear violation of its own constitution. which recognizes the right of national selfdetermination and cultural and religious freedom. the Soviet Government has consistently pursued a policy of forced assimilation of its minorities. which has been especially severe with regard to Soviet Jews. The pending resolution calls on the President to urge the Soviet Government to "permit the free expression of ideas and the exercise of religion by all its citizens in accordance with the Soviet Constitution." Because of the policy of forced assimilation. many Soviet Jews see no future for them as Jews in Russia. and see no alternative open to them but to emigrate. The Soviet Union. however. has disregarded its own laws and violated a number of international agreements and conventions to which it is a signatory. concerning the right to emigrate. The right to emigrate has been denied to thousands of Soviet Jews. In fact. the Soviet Government has treated those who have submitted applications for visas as "enemies of the Soviet people." The pending resolution calls upon the President to request the Soviet Government to permit its citizens the right "to emigrate from the Soviet Union to the countries of their choice as affirmed by the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights." In addition. the resolution calls on the President to "utilize formal and informal contacts with Soviet officials in an effort to secure an end to discrimination against religious minorities." and to "raise in the General Assembly of the United Nations the issue of the Soviet Unions transgression of the Declaration of Human Rights. particularly against Soviet Jews and other minorities." Evidence suggests that the Soviet Union is sensitive to world opinion and particularly the protests against its treatment of Soviet Jews. The number of Jews allowed to emigrate in 1971 exceeded the number in 1970 and 1969. The House of Representatives and the Congress should continue its contribution to the body of world protest. I think it is particularly important that the Congress make its strong position clear on the eve of the Presidents scheduled trip to Moscow.