The support of this bill. by Members of all political stripes is encouraging. It commemorates the anniversary of one of the darkest days in their difficult struggle. and it sends an important message to the people of the Baltic nations. and to President Gorbachev and President Bush. that the people of the United States support the Baltic people in their struggle for selfdetermination and independence. This June 15 will mark the 49th anniversary of the brutal deportation of thousands of Baltic citizens by Soviet troops under the direction of Joseph Stalin. During the dark night of June 14. over 40.000 Estonian. Latvian. and Lithuanian citizens were arrested by the Soviet secret police andthe army. thousands died and most were deported to concentration camps in Siberia where large numbers perished. June 14. 1941. marked the beginning of numerous waves of forcible deportation from the Baltic States that resulted in the loss of over 600.000 Baltic citizens: In 1941. 1945. 1946. and 1949. and that is out of a population of only several millions of people. Mr. Speaker. we must not forget June 14. 1941. because. as we have seen in recent months. vestiges of Stalinism remain in the Baltic States.
Keywords matched
deported deportation