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Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!clyde!att!rutgers!mit-eddie!uw-beaver!ssc-vax!uvicctr!plaice
From: plaice@uvicctr.UUCP (plaice)
Newsgroups: sci.bio,sci.logic,sci.misc,sci.math,sci.physics,sci.research
Subject: Help support our scientific colleagues in the Soviet Union
Message-ID: <557@uvicctr.UUCP>
Date: 30 Nov 88 19:35:02 GMT
Reply-To: plaice@uvicctr.UUCP ()
Organization: University of Victoria, Victoria B.C. Canada
Lines: 48


We have heard much about perestroika and glastnost in the last couple of
years.  Liberties are being increased, but there are still incredible
problems to be resolved.  One of the most visible (at least from the West)
is the fact that many Jewish refusniks are still not allowed to emigrate.  
Not only are they refused emigration, but they essentially lose their
jobs, as well as any access to libraries, former colleagues and
laboratories, typically for trumped-up security reasons.
Please circulate this letter, have as many people as possible sign it,
and send it off to Mikhail Gorbachev.

John Plaice

---------------------------
Mikhail S. Gorbachev
General Secretary, CPSU
The Kremlin
Moscow  103132
RSFSR, USSR

Dear Mr. General Secretary:

	We have followed closely and welcome the steps being taken by your
government with regard to the release of political prisoners and other
liberalizing measures.

	We write you now to call your attention to a longstanding and
still unresolved problem which concerns us deeply:  Many scientific
colleagues continue to be prevented from leaving the Soviet Union after
being in a state of limbo for more than five years -- some for more than
ten.

	We appeal to you to grant these colleagues of ours permission to
emigrate, in accordance with your statement of October l985, and resume
their long-interrupted professional lives.  Resolution of this problem
will remove a great stumbling block to full-hearted scientific
cooperation.

	Hoping for a positive response, we send our greetings and good
wishes.

				Sincerely yours,

-- 
John PLAICE                          (+1) 604/721.7299
Dept. of Computer Science            plaice@uvunix.uvic.ca
University of Victoria		     ...!ubc-vision!uvicctr!plaice
Victoria, B.C.   CANADA   V8W 2Y2