Speech #990074425

Hopes have faded during the last decade. however. with repeated violations of the accords. which declare that "the participating States will respect human rights and fundamental freedoms. including the freedom of thought. conscience. religion or belief. for all. without distinction * * * " The Helsinki accords on human rights was endorsed In the tradition of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and held out promise that signatory nations would allow freer movement of people. ideas. and information. However. a litany of human rights violations regarding the treatment of Jews in the Soviet Union and many others has accumulated in the 10 years since the signing of the accords. The cases which harassment of families who have applied to emigrate. includIns loss of jobs with little hope of future employment In meaningful positions. impoverishment. expulsion of young people from universities and conscription into military service. surveillance by authorities. physical attacks. arrest. and imprisonment on charges such as parasitism. Tlese cases document clear violations of Helsinki accord agreements to protect freedom of religion. minority rights. and cultural rights. It is important to remember that the unspeakable human rights violations of World War II gave birth to the process that produced the Helsinki accords. This process has been a source of hope to citizens of the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. therefore. the meetings such as that which recently took place in Ottawa and the commemoration here today are important because they keep this process alive. As Ambassador Richard Schifter. head of the U.S. delegation to the Experts Meeting on Human Rights in Ottawa. stated in his testimony. "We must keep in mind that a meeting such as that which was held in Ottawa was unthinkable as recently as 15 years ago. The concept of limited government. the ideas of the rights of the individual which originated with the thi .kers and writers of the 18th century and which were enshrined in our own Declaration of Independence were ideas advanced first by individuals. then by groups and movements. and were then adopted by countries. but only for domestic application. "The notion that governments might monitor the behavior of other governments toward their own citizens. that there would be international conferences at which domestic practices of participating countries would be subjected to scrutiny is one of recent origin." So. while the results of the Helsinki accords may be meager in their beginning stage. continuation of the Helsinki process may result In more plentiful gains in emigration. religious freedom. and other basic human rights in the future.e