This necessity places certain limits on what our country can do or seek to do around the world. But it provides no excuse for silence about the continuing and severe violations of basic human rights by the Soviet Government. One of the most cherished of human rights Is the ability of an individual to decide where he or she should live. the right to travel freely within ones own country. or to choose emigration if desired. This right is not new. and it is not peculiar to Western democracies. In 1975. the Soviet Union signed the Helsinki agreement which explicity acknowledged the right of free movement of peoples. Tragically. the Soviet Government has repeatedly ignored this international agreement by denying hundreds of thousands of Soviet Jews the exit visa needed to emigrate to the West. Those brave enough to initiate this long. frustrating process do so knowing they face the risk of harassment. loss of employment. or a series of intimidating retaliatory acts by the Soviet Government. As part of this vigil today.
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emigrate emigration visa