Speech #930132226

Mr. Speaker. emigration from the Soviet Union is not free. Yuri Soroko is a 39yearold civil engineer from Kiev. the Ukraine. The family first applied for emigration visas 2 years ago. The visas were denied on the grounds that Yuris wife Basya possessed "secret information." Although Basya worked in a plant where secret work was performed. her work was of a nonsensitive nature. and allowed no access to secret information. The Sorokos have suffered many hardships since they were denied emigration visas. In January 1972. the KGB--Soviet Secret Police--"visited" the Soroko home and forbade Yuri from attending religious services at the synagogue in Kiev. Yuri disregarded their order and continued to go to the synagogue. For this act he was arrested and jailed for 15 days. On two subsequent occasions Yuri was arrested and detained: First when he participated in a collective appeal for amnesty for the prisoners of conscience. and the second time at a meeting commemorating the slaughter of the Israeli athletes at Munich. The Soroko family want to emigrate to Israel. They want their 9yearold son to grow up in a society where Jewish cultural and religious life flourishes rather than in the Soviet Union where Jewish institutions are rapidly disappearing. By passing the MillsVanik bill. Congress will enable the Sorokos and the growing number of young Soviet Jewish activitists to emigrate and attain the freedom for which they have made great sacrifice.