[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 29 (Wednesday, February 24, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E276]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


CONGRESSIONAL RESOLUTION CONDEMNING ANTI-SEMITIC STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS 
                          OF THE RUSSIAN DUMA

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 24, 1999

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, racism, ethnic hatred, and 
xenophobia are the bane of any civilized society. Our own country has 
had to battle with these phenomena in the past and continues to do so 
today.
  In Europe, with the end of the Cold War, we have unfortunately seen a 
resurrection of racist attitudes and activities that had not been 
eradicated with the defeat of Nazism, just driven underground.
  In Russia, a nation whose past has seen terrible instances of anti-
Semitism both in the Tsarist and Communist eras, anti-Semitism had 
seemingly been exiled to the pages of rabidly nationalistic newspapers 
catering only to the political fringes. Unfortunately, anti-Semitism 
has now come in out of the cold into more comfortable confines--
specifically into the halls of the Russian State Duma, the lower house 
of the Russian Parliament. In fairness, I should say that anti-Semitism 
has found refuge in the ranks of one particular political party in the 
Duma--the Communist Party. Last October, at two public rallies, a 
Communist Party member of the Duma, Albert Makashov, threatened ``the 
Yids'' and other ``reformers and democrats'' with physical retribution 
for allegedly causing Russia's current problems.
  Incidentally, I have seen films of Mr. Makashov's performance. It is 
quite sobering.
  When conscientious members of the Duma attempted to censure Mr. 
Makashov, the Communist Party majority voted down the resolution, and 
substituted a watered down resolution condemning ethnic hatred in 
general.
  In early December, at hearings in the Duma, Communist Party member 
and chairman of the Defense Committee, Victor Ilyukhin blamed President 
Yeltsin's ``Jewish entourage'' for alleged ``genocide against the 
Russian people.'' In response to the public outcry, both in Russia and 
abroad, Communist Party chairman Zyuganov explained that the Party had 
nothing against ``Jews,'' just ``Zionism.''
  Mr. Speaker, it would be hypocritical for me or any other member of 
this body to pretend that racism and anti-Semitism do not occasionally 
rear their ugly heads in our own political process. However, the 
leadership of the two major American political parties consistently 
rejects racist or anti-Semitic individuals as officeholders or 
candidates for office. For instance, the national Republican Party 
leadership has disassociated itself from a former member of the Ku Klux 
Klan running for office on the Republican Party ballot in Louisiana. 
Similarly, when a local Klan leader in California ran for Congress on 
the Democratic Party ticket a few years ago, the national party 
leadership repudiated his candidacy and refused to support him. That is 
why it is so disappointing to see the leadership of the Communist Party 
in Russia attempt to rationalize anti-Semitic statements made by its 
members.
  Incidentally, I should add that since these incidents Mr. Makashov 
and Mr. Ilyukhin have stated that in the next parliamentary elections 
they will run on a ticket separate from the Communist Party.
  In any event, I believe the Congress should unequivocally condemn the 
anti-Semitic statements made by members of the Russian Duma. With this 
in mind, today I am introducing, along with Mr. Hoyer, Mr. Wolf, Ms. 
Slaughter, Mr. Porter, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Markey, and Mr. Salmon, a 
resolution which condemns anti-Semitic statements made by members of 
the Russian Duma while commending actions taken by fair-minded members 
of the Duma to censure the purveyors of anti-Semitism within their 
ranks. In addition, this resolution commends President Yeltsin and 
other members of the Russian Government for their forceful rejection of 
such statements. Finally, this resolution reiterates the firm belief of 
the Congress that peace and justice cannot be achieved as long as 
governments and legislatures promote policies based upon anti-Semitism, 
racism, and xenophobia.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to join us in support of this 
resolution.




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