Igor and Iona are both worldrenowned entomologists. They asked permission to leave in 1979. The result was not an exit visa. but dismissal from their Jobs at the Institute of Tropical Diseases. Although Igor was the cofounder and codirector of the institute and Iona a top researcher there. they were told they no longer possessed the qualifications to continue their work. Although dismissed from their jobs. they were not permitted to emigrate on the ground that Ionas brother. Alex. was a mathematician who had been exposed to classified information 12 years ago. Since 1981. the Soviet Government has sought to erase all records of Igor and Iona and their work. Other scientists have been prohibited from quoting their articles. and they are not allowed to attend scientific conferences or publish new articles. As a result. they are permitted only to drift from menial Job to menial Job. in positions unrelated to their professional abilities. In recent weeks. we have heard news of increased emigration from the Soviet Union by Soviet Jews. It is possible that Mr. Gorbachev wishes to demonstrate that his government is not as coolly malicious toward those who wish to leave the Soviet Union as was the case under recent Soviet leaders. Whatever the explanation for the recent increases in emigration. we must continue to seek to bring about change in the conditions of life experienced by Soviet Jewry. Evidence of such change will inevitably be difficult to determine. Allowing those who wish to leave. whatever the numbers may be. will be the clearest evidence of all.
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emigrate emigration visa