Speech #980107557

While the destruction of a defenseless civilian airliner has not had a direct impact on the issue of Soviet Jewry. it does reveal a number of terrible truths about the Soviet Government and its system. Perhaps the most terrible truth is that the Soviet leaders do not share. nor do they care for. the basic human values that distinguish our own society. In recent years. this has been no more clearly illustrated than by the Soviet Governments treatment of its Jewish citizens. particularly those who have expressed a desire to emigrate. The refuseniks have become outcasts in Soviet society. They are trapped by a system that does not want them. nor is it willing to let them leave. And the situation continues to deteriorate. The number of Jews permitted to emigrate continues its sharp decline from previous years and there is little hope that the situation will improve in the near future. Moreover. the recently formed Soviet AntiZionist Committee has already begun to compare emigration with treason. Mr. Speaker. my colleague and I have called for this special order today for two reasons. First. to continue to focus attention on the plight of those Jews wishing to emigrate from the Soviet Union and. second. to provide Members of this body with a forum to put forth and discuss practical initiatives that might be taken by the United States to help alleviate this tragic situtation. Unquestionably. we have been most effective in focusing public attentionboth here in the United States and abroadon the problems of Soviet Jewish emigration. By doing so. we have let the Soviet Government know that Jewish emigration. and human rights in general. remain high priorities for the United States. Equally as important. we let the refuseniks know that they are not alone in their struggle. that they are not forgotten. For these reasons. it is crucial that we continue to focus national and world attention on this issue. whether it be at the grassroots level. in Congress. or through international channels such as the Madrid Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe. Public opinion. however. while it can make a difference in specific cases. is not enough. If we are to bring about a significant change in the Soviet Governments official attitude toward its Jewish citizens. we must do more. So the question remains. what practical initiative can be taken to encourage the Soviets to permit freer emigration. remove restrictions on religious and cultural practices and cease harassment of individuals who have requested permission to emigrate? Clearly. there are no easy or simple answers. In fact. it seems just the opposite.