Speech #990016969

Mr. President. I rise to add my voice to those of my colleagues in support of the right of the Jews in the Soviet Union to emigrate freely. There are at least three prime reasons why I speak out on this subject today. First. the right of Jews. or anyone else. to leave the Soviet Union is guaranteed by several international agreements to which the Soviet Union is a signatory. Among these agreements are the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Second. the right of Jews to emigrate from the Soviet Union is a primary concern of the American people. who continue to support the inclusion of this issue in our bilateral relations with the Soviets. But finally. however. I support the right of Jews to emigrate from the Soviet Union because it is the right thing to do. There is a wealth of frightening evidence. Mr. President. of stateorganized and supported antiSemitism in the Soviet Union. The teaching of the Hebrew language and Jewish traditions is suppressed. Those who seek the right to emigrate are fired from their jobs. arrested. and imprisoned for long periods of time in brutal conditions. And we all know too well the fate of those like Anatoly Shcharansky. who have the courage to oppose such oppression. So it is right for us to speak out against such oppression. to let those who practice it know that we shall oppose their cruelty by word and deed. and to let those who suffer know that they are not alone.