Speech #970246916

Speaker. I rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 336. a resolution outlining the many manifestations of Soviet repression against the Jews living in that country today. The Subcommittee on Human Rights and International Organizations has been deeply concerned over the ominous trends in the emigration rate from the Soviet Union which now stands at a 10year low. According to the State Departments Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1981: The USSR has ratified the U.N. Charter and other international documents. such as the International Covenants on Civil and Political Rights and on Economic. Social. and Cultural Rights. in which the right to leave ones country and return thereto is enumerated. but in practice the regime also denies Soviet citizens this right .... Jewish sources estimate that there still are more than 200.000 Soviet Jews who possess the letters of invitation (vyzovs) from Israel required by Soviet authorities for applications to emigrate. In the first half of this year. the emigration picture continued to deteriorate. In March. the Congress approved House Joint Resolution 373. calling on the Soviet authorities to respect the right to religious expression and the right to emigrate and calling on the United States to bring up these issues at the United Nations Human Rights Commission. In an official statement submitted by the United States to the 38th session of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights. one of our advisers Mr. Stein noted: Three indices of mistreatment stand out: First the right of emigration and reunification with families. second cultural and linguistic rights. third. flagrant discrimination and. in this case. antisemitic propaganda and practice. ... It is a tragic reality that Jews in the Soviet Union. some 2 to 3 million in number. are today virtually denied the right to leave. The monthly emigration rate for this minority has been cut by 90 percent since 1979. Thousands of Jews have been refused their exit visas. and live in a kind of twilight existence. Many have been deprived of jobs and facing (sic) social ostracism. Mr.