Speech #970069496

Another nation which wields great influence in international affairs. the Soviet Union. has neglected to recognize these inalienable rights. On countless occasions. the fundamental liberties which Americans enjoyfrom freedom of the press to freedom of religionhave been restricted or denied. Religious and cultural persecution make emigration particularly important to many Soviet Jews. yet. implementation of emigration laws has left many individuals virtual prisoners in the country of their birth. By participating in the "Call to Conscience" Congressional Vigil for Soviet Jewry. I support the continuous struggle of Mark Novikov to leave Russia and join his family in Israel. Mark. his wife Susannah. and their two children first applied for emigration in 1971 but were denied because of the alleged secret nature of Susannahs work. After further attempts to emigrate. Susannah and her children succeeded in 1976. Mark. however. was refused this time on the grounds of the classified quality of his employment. Ironically. two of his colleagues at the same electrical engineering institute have since been permitted to emigrate. Todaymore than 10 years after his first appeal to leave RussiaMark remains separated from his family. retired. and alone at the age of 62. Recently his name surfaced in connection with testimony he gave at the trial of Victor Brailovsky. The tragic case of Mark Novikov is not an unfamiliar story. Thousands of Soviet Jews were given new hopes of emigration by the Helsinki agreements in 1975. While 50.000 Soviet Jews did emigrate in 1979. in 1980 the total was cut to 21.000 and during the first 6 months of 1981 only 6.600 have been allowed to leave the U.S.S.R. Thousands more of the 2 million Jewish citizens in the Soviet Union await their chance to leave today. The decline in Soviet Jewish emigration has cast many doubts on the Soviet commitment to abide by the accords signed at the Helsinki Conference. I am very concerned with the increasing trend toward restricting Soviet Jewish emigration. and call on the Soviet Government to help promptly resolve this issue. Last. I commend the Union of Councils for Soviet Jews for the determination and perseverance which has marked their efforts to obtain freedom for Soviet Jews.O