President. it is a privilege for me to join Lithuanian Americans throughout our country to commemorate the June 15. 1940. forcible occupaton and incorporation of Lithuania into the Soviet Union. Since that time. the people of Lithuania have suffered repression and repeated violations of their basic human rights. Thousands of Lithuanians died in the resstance to Soviet annexation and hundreds of thousands more were imprisoned or deported to Siberian labor camps for refusing to relinquish their heritage. While the Soviet Union has succeeded in temporar.ly extinguishing the flames of political freedom in Lithuania. the desire for independence is still very much alive. Despite political and cultural repression and religious persecution. dissdents continue to battle for their rights at great personal risks. and struggle to keep communications open to the West.
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