Speech #970207534

President. the modem history of the Baltic nations of Latvia. Estonia. and Lithuania is a tragic and tumultuous one. Mass deportations and executions have occurred during Soviet occupations of the region. In June 1941. Estonia lost more than 60.000 people. Latvia 35.000. and Lithuania 45.000 to mass arrests and executions when the Soviet Union attempted to gain control over the Baltic region. Soon after the German attack on Russia. the Baltic peoples were again the object of foreign persecution as the Nazis killed approximately 190.000 Jews in Lithuania. 90.000 in Latvia. and 4.500 in Estonia. When the Soviets returned in the fall of 1944. they reestablished Communist governments and dominated the population by deporting more than 500.000 additional citizens of the Baltic States. Over the years. victims of the deportations to the Soviet far east have included educators. military personnel. politicians. businessmen. writers. publishers. and the families of those persecuted. In short. no one has been above suspicion in the Soviet campaign to bring the independent nations of Latvia. Lithuania. and Estonia under their control. In addition to terrorizing the population with executions. deportations. and the destruction of family life. the Soviet Union has attempted to squash the independent will and spirit of these courageous people by denying them freedom of religion and freedom of speech. The educational system may now only use the Russian language in the curriculum and the study of national history by Baltic youth is under the constant surveillance of the KGB. The culture is further decimated by quickly replacing those who have been deported with Russian settlers. Should this trend continue. Estonians and Latvians may soon be in the minority in their own republics. In spite of this systematic repression of the Baltic nations. the peoples of this region have continued to keep their culture and language alive and have refused to abandon their religion. Under the constant threat of further repression and deportations. the Baltic people have bravely challenged Soviet infiltration and have refused to stand by quietly as their freedoms are stripped away. July is the month when we celebrate our own hardwon liberty and power of selfdetermination. I would like to join my colleagues in supporting the Baltics in their struggle for freedom.