Speaker. this Sunday. the Coalition to Free Soviet Jews will Le holding its 14 annual commemoration of "Solidarity Sunday for Soviet Jewry." and I rise to join with r. colleagues in the House of Representatives to join hands with the thourispds of people who will gather in few York City. In solidarity with the millions of Jews in the Soviet Union. who are being held hostage by the Communists. As we are all well aware. in recent months arrests. harassment. and officirly sanctioned antiSemitism have increased by the Communists. and emigration has fallen off significantly. as the Communists have moved toward sealing shut the emigration door. We in Congress must condemn the Communists conduct in the strongest possible terms for violating international obligations to which the Soviet Union has agreed as a signator of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. the International Convenant on Civil and Political Rights. and the Helsinki Final Act. Today. nearly 400.000 Jews. who have indicated their desire to emigrate to Isreal and practice their religion In freedom. are brutally mistreated by the Communists. Despite constant acts of cruelty. prisoners of conscience and refuseniks have remained steadfast to their ideas. These brave men and women have become a symbol of strength and a source of inspiration for hundreds of thousands of Jews in the Soviet Union. and indeed for all people throughout the world trying to escape the yoke of Communist tyranny and oppression. Mr. Speaker. on this 14th anniversary of "Solidarity Sunday." let us continue to pledge to do everything in our power to pressure the Soviets to allow Jews to practice their religion and to emigrate from the Soviet Union without fear of reprisal. and let us hope and pray that human rights violations against Soviet Jews cease.*
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emigrate emigration