Speech #980142307

On October 14. Iosef Begun was sentenced to 7 years of hard labor and 5 years of exile for socalled antiSoviet agitation. His only real offense was his desire to immigrate to Israel. Beguns trial is just one horrible example of Soviet disregard for its word to respect human rights given at the Madrid Conference to review the Helsinki Final Act a month ago. We have witnessed many attempts in the past to make the process of applying to emigrate more difficult. Soviet authorities hold up the critical invitation from a relative abroad without which the arduous process of applying for an exit visa cannot begin. We know that for the last 3/2 years. many people have been unable to apply to leave because Soviet authorities have blocked letters of invitation. Then. even with letters in hand. many have been turned down for very questionable reasons or without explanation. We hear of still others who have been refused exit visas for life. In April. a new wave of fear swept throughout the Soviet Jewish community with the establishment of the Soviet Governmentbacked AntiZionist Committee. Many believe that the AntiZionist Committee foreshadows an intensifying effort on the part of the Soviet officials to discredit Jewry and discourage Jews from applying to emigrate. The Soviets insist there is no emigration problem and deny any discrimination against Jews in the U.S.S.R. They say the establishment of this committee has nothing to do with antiSemitism. On the contrary. it has everything to do with it. AntiSemitism in the Soviet Union is on the rise and efforts to build a barrier between the Soviet Jewish community and its Western brethren are evident. Anatoly Shcharansky remains in detention in Chistopool Prison. Ida Nudel hs been denied permission to emigrate since 1971 and Soviet officials seem determined to keep her from leaving. Hundreds of others have been falsely accused of crimes. repressed and refused emigrations. Jewish cultural activity and religious observance are being attacked with frightening vengeance. Soviet KGB officials. armed with threats of arrest. persist in conducting sudden raids. confiscating private property and banning the teaching of Hebrew and Jewish culture. The Soviet Government continues this kind of oppression in flagrant violation of the Helsinki Final Act in which they pledged to uphold basic human rights. among them the right to cultural expression and emigration. After the announcement of the formation of the AntiZionist Committee. a group of Jewish emigres whose parents. children. and friends have been blocked from leaving the Soviet Union gathered in Jerusalem to tell their side of the story. Each had two or more family members left in the Soviet Union who could not get out. As they spoke. they fought back tears. Their experience with Soviet Jewish emigration policy stands in stark contrast to Soviet rhetoric. One of the emigres was quoted as saying. "My letters dont get there. my phone is cut off. We cant do anything. Its very hard. very hard. We have no hope anymore." At a time of plummeting emigration rates and heightened antiSemitism. I believe we must do everything we can to give these people the hope that the Soviet Union is so brutally taking from them. Indeed. our protests represent the best hope of Soviet Jews for a better life and the freedom to emigrate. I believe it is the responsibility of Congress to bring the cause of Soviet Jewry to the attention of the international community and to act as a focal point for advocacy. If the Soviet Union believes that we can be silenced by their smokescreen "public committee" against Zionism. we must let them know that we are not fooled. If they think we can be deterred by their strong action against Iosef Begun and attempts to cut off communication between Soviet Jews and their Western supporters. we must make them think again. This resolution is an important demonstration of our determination to oppose Soviet mistreatment of its Jewish population and Soviet refusal to permit voluntary emigration. Mr. Speaker. the Soviet leadership must be put on notice that we will not give up the fight.