Drinan on Human Rights

Condemning the Soviet Union's "outrageous" human rights policy, former Rep. Robert F. Drinan (D.-Mass) last night told a Law School audience of about 50 that "the United States has a moral obligation to force the Soviet Union to comply with the Helsinki Accords" on human rights signed by 35 nations in 1975.

Helsinki is the "most significant human rights agreement in our history and must be exploited to expedite the releast of more than 3 million Soviet Jews held as political prisoners," Drinan added.

Criticizing the "cold-war hysteria of the Reagan Administration," the liberal priest warned that present U.S. foreign policy "may force the Russians to take retaliatory measures against the Soviet Jews." Instead, he suggested that detente continue for the "sake of the Jews," who have "historically been the most oppressed victims of persecution" in Russia.

Although the Soviets have "violated the spirit of the Helsinki Accords, in which they pledged freedom of emigration and guaranteed basic civil rights to all their citizens." Drinan said he is encouraged because 240,000 Soviet Jews have been granted visas since 1970.

"The Russians are afraid that permitting the exodus of Jews would prompt other groups--including millions of Muslims--to seek the same privilege," Drinan added.

Drinan, a former Congressman, did not seek reelection last year after Pope John Paul II decreed that Roman Catholic clergymen holding political office have a conflict of interests with the church.