Speech #990005247

I would like to take this moment to reflect on the stuggles and hardships endured by the Soviet Jews. Each year tens of thousands of Soviet Jews have expressed interest in leaving the Soviet Union to seek refuge from Soviet Government oppression. The Soviet Government has responded by intensifying its condemnation of the Jewish culture and further restricting the numbers of Jews allowed to emigrate. In fact. last year the number of Soviet Jews that emigrated was at its lowest in over a decade. Over 20.000 refuseniks have been denied emigration from the Soviet Union. Not only have they been denied emigration. they are continually harassed. dismissed from their jobs. expelled from school. and publicy denounced. Lately. the reported level of physical violence used against the Jews has risen considerably. The leaders of the Soviet Union have clearly indicated to the world their policy of oppression and systematic persecution toward the Soviet Jews. In the past year. the Soviet Government has escalated its antiSemitic activity by denouncing the Soviet Jewish movement as a form of treason. Arrests in the last 6 months have been at the highest level in 3 years. All these people want are their fundamental human rights. to be allowed to express their religious and cultural beliefs and the freedom to emigrate. As a nation founded on the cause of freedom. we are committed to ensure that the dignity and human rights of individuals are not denied. We must let the Soviet leaders know that we are sincere in our efforts and will continue our vigil for Soviet Jews human rights. The Soviet Government has further chosen to ignore the Helsinki accords of 1975 and other international human rights agreements wherein they agreed to respect individual rights to freedom of religion. cultural pracices. and emigration. On behalf of Soviet Jews. we must take every opportunity to decry the Soviet Governments flagrant violations of these agreements. We must join together to express our concerns for the abuse and mistreatment of the Soviet Jews and urge the leaders of the Soviet Union to honor the Helsinki and other international agreements relating to human rights to allow Soviet Jews the freedom to practice their religious beliefs and the right to emigrate.