Speech #980075304

We gathered to mark the fifth anniversary of Anatoly Shcharanskys arrest. trial. and imprisonment. The Soviet political system has made him into the international symbol of basic human rights. Anatoly Shcharansky and other Soviet citizens have become criminals by the mere act of applying for exit visas. These scientists. engineers. artists. dentists. poets. and others who make up Soviet society are denied citizenship. a place of residence. an occupation. and are stripped of their dignity simply by applying for an emigration visa. The policies we have pursued to encourage human rights have not been as effective as we would like or as they should be. In just the past 3 years. the level of Soviet Jewry emigration has dropped significantly. In 1979. more than 4.000 Soviet Jews per month were allowed to emigrate. Just 3 years later. Soviet Jewish monthly emigration dropped to little more than 150. Emigration has hit an all time low in 1983. dropping the emigration levels to an average of only 89 Soviet Jews per month. Yet. the number of Soviet Jews applying for emigration exist visas has not diminished. Tens of thousands are waiting. At the same time. Soviet officials have increased their attacks against Jews and Jewish heritage. Soviet Jews wanting to emigrate are harassed. intimidated. and subjected to continuing abuse. It saddens me to know that the freedoms I enjoy everyday. such as the freedom of speech. the freedom of religion. the freedom to be secure in my own home without unreasonable searches and seizures. the right to due process of the law. and the right to a speedy and public trial. are not shared by all. Our gathering last Thursday serves as a reminder to the Soviet Union that the denial of human rights is an issue dear to Americans and all freedom loving people.