President. in 1948. the United Nations declared that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. that everyone has the right to life. liberty. and security of person. that no one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest. detention. or exile. that everyone has the right to leave any country. including his own. and to return to his country. and that everyone has the right of freedom of thought. conscience. and religion. As an enlightened document. the U.N.s human rights declaration has few equals. But for Jews living in the Soviet Union who have made known their desire to emigrate. that declaration has no basis in reality. They know neither freedom nor dignity. to the extent that those conditions are bestowed by society. They are subject to arbitrary arrest. detention. and internal exile. They know no freedom of movement. They are prisoners of conscience in a country that harasses them for practicing their faith. Yet. they are denied the right to emigrate to a country like Israel where members of their family live and worship in freedom. Soviet Jews are not only a people without human rights. they are a people without a country. Eleven years after the Soviet Union opened the door to emigration ever so slightly. that door appears ready to slam shut. Emigration is at its lowest point since 1970. According to the most recent estimates. 1981 emigration fell below 10.000. a dramatic drop from the 1979 figure of 51.300. For this reason. I recently wrote to Secretary of State Haig to express my concern over this matter.
Keywords matched
emigrate emigration Emigration