Anatoly Shcharanskys release by the Soviet Government and his subsequent arrival In Israel was an international event. Nonetheless. Jewish emigration from the Soviet Union remains at an alltime low. Prospects for the future do not look good. An article in the French Communist Party newspaper LHumanite during the first week in February gave no indication that Mr. Gorba. chev is going to usher in a new era of open Jewish emigration. He stated that the Soviet Union does not discriminate against Jews and that claims to that effect by the West Is no more than "physiological warfare." This is disturbing news. It would be naive to expect the Soviets to admit that they discrimi. nate against their Jewish population. but I had hoped that Mr. Shcharanskys release despite the circumstances was an indication that Mr. Gorbachev was willing to relax Soviet emigration policy. The struggle. however. continues. It is our responsibility in the West to keep fighting in the name of human rights. in the name of human decency. There are too many Jews still in the Soviet Union who want no more thar. to emigrate to the West so that they can live a life free from fear and discrimination. That is not too much to ask. Next week the 27th Communist Party Congress begins in the Soviet Union. This is an important event for all Soviet Communists. We must do whatever we can to make the delegates to that Congress aware that if they want improved relations with the West then they had better rethink their emigration policy. They should also make note that we in the West will not give up the fight. no matter how long it takes. I want to thank my colleague from Maryland.
Keywords matched
emigrate emigration