Speech #970262204

This is particularly important because this anniversary comes at a period in our Nations history when we are faced with a retreat on the promotion and protection of human rights domestically and internationally. The Reagan administration damages the effort to protect and promote human rights when it speaks up as it has. and ought to. on human rights violations in Poland but leads an effort to provide International Monetary Fund assistance to South Africa. The Reagan administration damages the cause of promoting and respecting human rights when it opposes human rights violations in Cuba. but publicly praises the vicious military government of Guatemala and refuses to recognize that many Haitian refugees have a legitimate claim for political asylum. The same damage is done to the cause of human rights when we speak out in behalf of Jewish dissidents in the Soviet Union. as we should. but all too often turn a deaf ear to the cries of the Palestinians in Diaspora for their human right of selfdetermination. The Reagan administration damages its ability to represent this Nation as a promoter and protector of human rights when its practices and policies at home in matters involving fiscal. budgetary. and civil rights are unjust and favor the powerful and the rich.