Senate Letter - 08.03.2001

 

PRESS RELEASE:

NCSJ Hails Senate Letter to Putin  

Read Senate letter
Read List of Signers

August 3, 2001 - A letter from 98 United States Senators to Russian President Vladimir Putin, expressing concern about popular anti-Semitism in the Russian Federation, “underscores the American commitment to minority rights and freedom of religion as an integral component of the U.S.-Russian bilateral relationship,” according to NCSJ: Advocates on behalf of Jews in Russia, Ukraine, the Baltic States & Eurasia. 

The letter, sent today, was sponsored by Senator Joseph Biden, Jr. (D-DE), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and of its Subcommittee on European Affairs, and Senator Gordon H. Smith (R-OR), Ranking Republican on the Subcommittee.  Senator Smith publicly thanked the American Jewish community, and NCSJ in particular, for reaching out to Senators: “NCSJ’s role in coordinating community support for this letter is characteristic of its ongoing work with the Legislative and Executive branches, and with the governments and communities of the former Soviet Union.”

NCSJ and the American Jewish community recognize the leadership and commitment of Senators Biden and Smith, and their Senate colleagues, in the tradition of bipartisan Congressional support for fundamental American values.  At this critical phase in U.S.-Russian relations, when Russia’s future as a pluralistic society is at stake, this nearly unanimous message shows that the American people place a priority on basic human freedoms.  The Biden-Smith letter reflects the work of Senators and their staff members, day in and day out, in defense of minority rights which are the basis of our constitutional system.

In their letter, while recognizing President Putin’s public statements condemning anti-Semitism and xenophobia, the Senators stressed that “it is important to back up the rhetoric of condemnation with the substance of action.”  The Senate letter highlighted several developments:

- In Ryazan last year, youths attacked a Sunday school and school officials revoked the Jewish community’s right to use the space;

- Anti-Semitism was used for political purposes in the recent Krasnodar gubernatorial race;

- At least ten ultra-nationalist groups operate across Russia, with up to 5,000 members each, numerous periodicals, and an influx of foreign extremists including David Duke;

- Law enforcement response and follow-through have been inconsistent.

The Senators pledged to work with Russia to address these concerns: “The United States Senate supports efforts to promote public awareness and training programs within the Russian Federation.  We would welcome additional ways for the American involvement and cooperation in these efforts.… “We continue to believe it vital that you continue to demonstrate, through your emphatic disagreement with those who espouse anti-Semitism in Russia, the importance the Russian government places upon religious freedom.   The United States predicates its support for democratic institutions in Russia upon unwavering opposition to anti-Semitism at any level, in any form.”

The full text of the Senate letter to President Putin, and the list of signers, is posted below.

NCSJ: Advocates on behalf of Jews in Russia, Ukraine, the Baltic States & Eurasia - a voluntary, not-for-profit agency created in 1971, is the mandated central coordinating agency of the organized American Jewish community for policy and activities on behalf of the estimated 1.5 million Jews in the former Soviet Union. NCSJ comprises nearly 50 national organizations and over 300 local federations, community councils and committees across the United States. Through this extensive network, NCSJ mobilizes the resources, energies and talents of millions of U.S. citizens, and also represents the American Jewish community in dealings with similar national groups abroad, and at international fora.  

With June 1999 Letter to then-President Boris Yeltsin: (l.-r.) NCSJ Executive Director Mark B. Levin; Senators Gordon H. Smith and Joseph R. Biden, Jr.; and American Jewish Committee Governmental Affairs Director Jason F. Isaacson

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United States Senate  
Washington, D.C. 20510

August 3, 2001  

Honorable Vladimir Putin
President  
Russian Federation  
The Kremlin
Moscow, Russia

Dear President Putin:

We are writing to you, as members of the United States Senate to again express our concerns over the anti-Semitic rhetoric heard at both the national and local levels of Russian society and politics.  

In years past, the U.S. Senate has been united in its condemnation of such virulent anti-Semitism, which, unfortunately, has been present during much of Russia's history.  Your remarks last year publicly condemning anti-Semitism assume special significance against a backdrop of centuries of tsarist and Stalinist persecution.  We strongly encourage you to continue to publicly condemn anti-Semitism whenever it manifests itself in the Russian Federation.

We also believe that it is important to back up the rhetoric of condemnation with the substance of action.  Sad to say, physical violence against Jews still occurs in the Russian Federation.  In Ryazan last year, youths attacked a Jewish Sunday school, threatening teachers and children and later intimidated school officials into revoking the Jewish community's use of a classroom.  Rhetorical anti-Semitism also continues.  In July anti-Semitism played a minor role in the gubernatorial race in Ryazan and has also played a role in gubernatorial elections in Krasnodar.

Radical extremists continue to operate openly in more than half of Russia's 89 regions. While most of these organizations are small, there is also little social or governmental opposition to them.  There are at least ten ultra-nationalist groups in Russia with memberships between 100 and 5,000 members each.  Anti-Semitism is a staple of most ultra-nationalist groups and is evident in the publication of the groups' periodicals.  At least 37 newspapers and magazines of ultra-nationalist bent published anti-Semitic materials in 2000.

The year 2000 witnessed increasing cooperation between Russian extremists and their ideological counterparts abroad.   The most notorious example of such cooperation was that of David Duke, the U.S. white supremacist, who visited Russia twice during the year. Duke's most recent anti-Semitic tract was prepared exclusively for the Russian market.

We recognize that you have made important statements in response to manifestations of anti-Semitism, and that law enforcement has in some cases been effective in investigating and prosecuting the perpetrators of anti-Semitic violence and crimes.  More consistent and comprehensive implementation of your government's policies and of Russian laws would represent a significant improvement in this area.  The United States Senate supports efforts to promote public awareness and training programs within the Russian Federation.  We would welcome additional ways for the American involvement and cooperation in these efforts.

As members of the Senate we have sent you or your predecessor a similar letter for the past three years.  We continue to believe it vital that you continue to demonstrate, through your emphatic disagreement with those who espouse anti-Semitism in Russia, the importance the Russian government places upon religious freedom.   The United States predicates its support for democratic institutions in Russia upon unwavering opposition to anti-Semitism at any level, in any form.

We hope you share our deep concern for this issue and look forward to receiving your response.

Sincerely,

[Listed alphabetically]

Akaka, Daniel K.- Hawaii

Allard, Wayne - Colorado

Allen, George - Virginia

Baucus, Max - Montana

Bayh, Evan - Indiana

Bennett, Bob - Utah

Biden, Joseph R.- Delaware

Bingaman, Jeff - New Mexico

Bond, Christopher S. - Missouri

Boxer, Barbara - California

Breaux, John B. - Louisiana

Brownback, Sam - Kansas

Bunning, Jim - Kentucky

Burns, Conrad - Montana

Byrd, Robert C. - West Virginia

Campbell, Ben Nighthorse - Colorado

Cantwell, Maria - Washington

Carnahan, Jean - Missouri

Carper, Thomas - Delaware

Chafee, Lincoln D. - Rhode Island

Cleland, Max - Georgia

Clinton, Hillary Rodham - New York

Cochran, Thad - Mississippi

Collins, Susan - Maine

Conrad, Kent - North Dakota

Corzine, Jon - New Jersey

Craig, Larry - Idaho

Crapo, Michael - Idaho

Daschle Thomas - South Dakota  

Dayton, Mark - Minnesota

DeWine, Mike - Ohio

Dodd, Christopher - Connecticut

Domenici, Pete V. - New Mexico

Dorgan, Byron L. - North Dakota

Durbin, Richard J. - Illinois

Edwards, John - North Carolina

Ensign, John - Nevada

Enzi, Mike - Wyoming

Feingold, Russell - Wisconsin

Feinstein, Dianne - California

Fitzgerald, Peter - Illinois

Frist, Bill - Tennessee

Graham, Bob - Florida

Gramm, Phil - Texas

Grassley, Charles E. - Iowa

Gregg, Judd - New Hampshire

Harkin, Tom - Iowa

Hatch, Orrin G. - Utah

Helms, Jesse - North Carolina

Hollings Fritz - South Carolina

Hutchinson, Tim - Arkansas

Hutchison, Kay Bailey - Texas

Inhofe, Jim - Oklahoma

Inouye, Daniel K - Hawaii

Jeffords, James M. - Vermont

Johnson, Tim - South Dakota

Kennedy, Edward - Massachusetts

Kerry, John - Massachusetts

Kohl, Herb - Wisconsin

Kyl, John - Arizona

Landrieu, Mary - Louisiana

Leahy, Patrick - Vermont

Levin, Carl - Michigan

Lieberman, Joseph - Connecticut

Lincoln, Blanche - Arkansas

Lott, Trent - Mississippi

Lugar, Richard G. - Indiana

McCain, John - Arizona

McConnell, Mitch - Kentucky

Mikulski, Barbara A. - Maryland

Miller, Zell - Georgia

Murkowski, Frank - Alaska

Murray, Patty - Washington

Nelson, Ben - Nebraska

Nelson, Bill - Florida

Nickles, Don - Oklahoma

Reed, Jack - Rhode Island

Reid, Harry - Nevada

Roberts, Pat - Kansas

Rockefeller, John D. - West Virginia

Santorum, Rick - Pennsylvania

Sarbanes, Paul - Maryland

Schumer, Charles E. - New York

Sessions, Jeff - Alabama

Shelby, Richard C. - Alabama

Smith, Bob - New Hampshire

Smith, Gordon - Oregon

Snowe, Olympia J. - Maine

Specter, Arlen - Pennsylvania

Stabenow, Debbie - Michigan

Stevens, Ted - Alaska

Thomas, Craig - Wyoming

Thurmond, Strom - South Carolina

Torricelli, Robert - New Jersey

Voinovich, George - Ohio

Warner, John - Virginia

Wellstone, Paul - Minnesota

Wyden, Ron - Oregon  

 

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