Speech #980185015

It is a neverending struggle for those in the U.S.S.R. whose sole desire is to enjoy basic civil and political liberties. Recent trends have provided the impetus for a renewed sense of urgency. The problem of immigration which I am speaking has been growing increasingly worse. In 1979. 51.320 Jews were able to leave the U.S.S.R. and immigrate elsewhere. Compare this to an alltime low of 1.314 in 1983. And the requests are rising. In addition. in January 1983. only 81 individuals were granted exit visas. initiating a trend which will result with less than 1.000 emmigrants for the yeara twothirds reduction from 1982. This figure is not indicative of all those who desire imigration. however. since thousands are not even able to obtain a definite refusal. they are denied access to the application process itself. I am compelled to draw to the attention of Congress the plight of Yevgeny Liberman in the Soviet Union who is suffering as a result of his desire to freely worship the Lord. In November 1973. Mr. Liberman. a construction engineer who lives with his wife. daughter. and parents in a tworoom apartment. applied for emigration papers from the Soviet Union. In March 1974. he became one of thousands of refuseniks denied a visa because of inspecific reasons. The excuse given to Yevgeny was secrecy. Yevgenys refusal came earlier than most because of the nature of his applicatioh.