Mr. Shcharanskys release was a great moment that symbolizes for all of us who have followed and supported him throughout the years. the idea of human rights in the face of suppression. But even as we rejoice for Anatoly Shcharansky we cannot forget the 400.000 Jews who have been refused exit visas by the Soviet authorities. For those Jews who took the risk of requesting an exit visa. their only hope is that we here in the United States do not forget them. for if we do. they are lost forever. Within the Soviet Union Jews are not allowed to publish Hebrew books or Bibles. Nor are they allowed to study. teach. or practice anything related to their culture. or religion. At the same time. the number of emigration visas permitted each year has declined from a high of 51.320 in 1979 to 896 in 1984. Last year there were 1.139 Jews permitted to emigrate and this year it looks even bleaker. All this has occurred in the face of the Soviet Unions agreement under the Helsinki accords to respect each individuals rights of religious and cultural beliefs. We must not allow Anatolys freedom to placate us into a false sense of optimism with regard to the Soviet Unions atrocious human rights policy. Mr. Shcharansky. himself. even after giving up 9 years of his own freedon. is committed to aiding those he left behind. As he said on the day of his freedom: I am not going to forget those who I left in the camps. in the prisons. who are still in exile or who still continue their struggle for their right to emigrate for their human rights. We. too. must continue to push for the freedom of the Slepaks. Andrei Sakharov. Mr. Lifshitz. and all the Jews who wish to emigrate. We cannot allow one small but sweet victory to cause us to lose site of the larger issue. that we are forever committed to seeing that the Jewish people and all peoples are permitted to act on their beliefs and follow their conscience as they best see fit. Mr.
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