We had not expected that a nation which has not honored commitments made in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Helsinki Final Act would honor a commitment to an individual. but we had hoped it might. Since Lidiyas return to Chernogorsk. all hopes for an immediate resolution to this problem have been stymied by the Soviets. After several months of offering them empty promises and false information. the Soviets officially denied them their exit visas. Their situation grows bleaker dailythey have been subjected to increasing police harassment and brutality. the family members are not permitted to work. and they have been reduced to picking over garbage to feed themselves. Lidiya now has committed herself to another hunger strike to refocus Soviet and world attention on their desperate situation. The Vashchenkks and Chimykhalovs are paying dearly for holding steadfastly to their desire to live. work. and pray freely in a nation that respects human rights They have expended every ounce of energy to that end. and we ought to stand stalwartly at their side Beseeching us to persevere in our efforts to help them. Liubkv Vashchenko wrote about the importance of continuing the struggle in an open letter to the West on the occasion of their fourth anniversay in the Embassy We are turning to you all to please ask the American government to talk with the Soviets about permissikn for us to emigrate much more seriously and ask them to work together with the Soviets in order to find a positive solution for all. us and both governments so that we could leave the Soviet Union safely and soon. I ask that excerpts from the text of this letter be printed in the RECORD. Mr. President. at what is possibly the nadir of a tortuious emigration journey. it is especially important that we not only honor the Vashchenkos and Chmykholovs today. but that we renew our commitment to help them in every possible way. The letters follow: Moscow. U.S.S.R..
Keywords matched
emigrate emigration visas