Bridgeport observes Human Rights Day, International Year of the Child (12/30/79)

Bridgeport observes Human Rights Day, International Year of the Child

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. - Human Rights Day was marked here on Sunday, December 9, with a program dedicated - in observance with the International Year of the Child - to the children of Soviet dissidents.

Valentin Girwitz, 15-year-old son of Jewish refuseniks who settled in Bridgeport two years ago, Valentin Moroz Jr., the recently arrived son of the dissident Moroz family, and Ginte Damusic, a young Lithuanian involved in communications about the human rights movement in Lithuania through a Lithuanian aid agency in New York, spoke to some 200 people of various origins and faiths.

The event was sponsored by the Human Rights Coalition for Soviet Citizens and was held at the Sacred Heart University library in Bridgeport. The evening programmed a 10-minute letter-writing period to prisoners of conscience. The list included Yuriy Shukhevych with a brief biographical note.

Young Moroz's presentation impressed the audience with vividly drawn descriptions of his experiences as the son of dissident parents. One such touching experience was the visit with his mother of his imprisoned father in a Mordovian concentration camp, which took endless hours of travel time. After sitting across a long table from his father, unable to touch or be touched, after a day of monitored conversation about the weather and the food one ate, pent up frustrations gave in to tears.

Of the harassments in school that young Valentin experienced was the pointlessness of studying, for grades would be low regardless of his efforts and the outlook for continuing education after completing high school was almost non-existent. The youth cited the example of the Rev. Vasyl Romaniuk's son who was expelled from Lviv University, because he is the son of the incarcerated Ukrainian clergyman.

At the time of departure from Ukraine, Valentyn Jr., was refused his high school diploma or any other kind of certification, even though he completed the prescribed course of studies. Currently he is studying the English language at New York University and is happy that he will be able to pursue his education in the United States.

The program concluded with the presentation of the annual Myron Stachiw Memorial Award by Ben Rosenbluh, chairman of the coalition. This year Leonid Plyushch's book "History's Carnival" was presented to Dr. Thomas Melady, president of Sacred Heart University. Dian Hornstein conducted the program.

The coalition consists of the American Lithuanian community, the Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport, the International Institute of Connecticut, the Judeo-Christian Women's Association of Fairfield County, the Knights of Lithuania, the Ministry of Social Concerns of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport, the local branch of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America and the United Jewish Council. Roma M. Hayda represents the UCCA and is currently co-chairman of the coalition with Mr. Rosenbluh.

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