THE NEED FOR CHANGE IN IRAN VS. THE NEED FOR WAR IN IRAN
As rhetoric increases and more is revealed concerning the possible US invasion or bombing of Iran, it is worth it to stop and escape the inflammatory tirades that too often characterize "progressive" articles. As the Bush administration carries out its policies, it is important that we define ours, and begin to act politically. The first step is to get House Bill 508 passed. This bill to withdraw from Iraq is the first step in defining a winning strategy for the future. http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-508 Those who vote against it should be seen by Greens and Libertarians as states that should have particular attention paid to them in the next Congressional elections.
The next step is to begin to understand that the Islamic Republic of Iran is no friend of working people and no model of governance for the people in the region. The Iranian Thermidor has seized control of the 1979 Revolution and has acted as an instrument of repression and brutality in the region. There should be no minimizing this. Those forced to endure these attacks have responded politically and organizationally. The groups they have built include: the Peoples' Mujahadeen (PMOI), Party of Free Life of Kurdistan (PJAK), Al-Ahwaz Arab Peoples Democratic Popular Front (AADPF), the Workers' Communist Party of Iran (WCP-I) and others. http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/world/iran/links.htm
Opposition to US military intervention is the principle in regards to the conduct of US foreign policy. Recognition of human rights is the international standard for all governments in the world. One is not dependent on the other. Every government needs to end capital punishment, promote non-violence, provide equality for women, promote nuclear non-proliferation and not interfere in the internal affairs of other nations. The means by which we propose to enforce these standards are on the horizon waiting for leadership and a new vision. But, the seed is planted every time we challenge Israel for its militarism while opposing the policies of Hamas and Hezbollah. Being consistent is as important as maintaining non-violence. There can be no peace without justice being incorporated into our proposal.
Political leadership means the ability to define the political agenda and to find the means to make it happen. As a party of opposition, the Green Parties in states throughout the US and the world have sought to elect a new generation of leaders. "The Green Party of the United States and its affiliated state parties seek to influence policy-makers and elect public officials at all levels of government. The responsibility for the conduct of foreign policy does not merely rest in the hands of the President. Those who send troops from their states, fund deployments and defense appropriations and review the Constitutionality of such actions of the Executive Branch are likewise obligated to act in a manner which provides for the common defense and promotes the general welfare." DRAFT GREEN PEACE PLAN FOR SOUTHWEST ASIA, M. Zehr (not an approved GPUS or state party document)
"The Green Party Platform promotes a peaceful and non-violent diplomacy in the resolution of conflicts around the globe. We seek to use the resources of the United States through diplomacy and not force. We seek to speak out in behalf of the victims of war- the women subjected to violence and abuse, the civilians targeted in the cross-fires of opposing forces and the children held in the arms of their parents dying an early death. We seek to avoid the environmental destruction that accompanies wars. We seek to avoid the acts of inhumanity that inherently characterizes war." DRAFT GREEN PEACE PLAN FOR SOUTHWEST ASIA, M. Zehr (not an approved GPUS or state party document) We need to look the realities squarely in the face and not flinch our willingness to come up with observations that are accurate. Denial is not an option, neither for us, nor for the armed actors in SouthWest Asia or the nations that arm and promote them.
"The power of the US deserves to be used on for the benefit of all humanity. Our politics are based on the premise that we are engage in an activity to promote the healing of the suffering of the world's peoples, not promoting the ever-powerful military-industrial complex with its insatiable appetite for devastation and destruction. Our vision is to build a generation of Americans working with people around the globe in the construction of peace. Our task is to focus on the consequences of industrialism on the planet's ecosystems, atmosphere, climate and resource depletions. "It is time for us to: "Come home America". Come home and invest in the public infrastructure that we need to function once again so that we need not gaze upon the hopelessness of a New Orleans resident dying on a roadway from heat prostration and thirst. In America?! Come home and invest in the massive task of economic transition to renewable energies so that we do not ever have to send our sons and daughters ever again overseas to war for any natural resource. Our children are our most valuable natural resource. It is time for real change and not just empty rhetoric; real action and not just election eve promises. The Green Party intends its foreign policy to promote the unity of the peoples of the world in the great tasks that confront us all. Join us and change reality for the sake of this generation and the future generations to come." DRAFT GREEN PEACE PLAN FOR SOUTHWEST ASIA, M. Zehr (not an approved GPUS or state party document)
We define our interests as mutual and common interests with all human beings, and living beings, for a sustainable future, a peaceful world and a mutual effort of all peoples and nations. The task is to address the means to work together and to have the ability to translate our vision into a reality. The Iranian government no more defines the Iranian people than the US government defines the American people. Change in Iran is no less desirable than change in the US. But, there is no support, no rationale and no reason for invading Iran or subjecting its people to destruction by bombs made in the US. The people of Lebanon have suffered greatly by such illusory tactics by Israel and nothing good has come from it.
As a model let us learn from the British anti-war movement when they accept Al-Ahwazi opposition groups into their coalition. "Members of the British Ahwazi Friendship Society (BAFS) will be joining the Stop the War demonstration in London...."The regime cannot assume that opposition to war means support for its foreign policy objectives. Most anti-war activists agree that the Tehran regime is oppressive and undemocratic, but they say it is up to the people to decide its replacement not foreign governments. Many fear that a military attack on Iran would give the Iranian establishment more excuses to repress minority rights activists, trade unionists, feminists and students. "Senior members of the British anti-war movement have backed the Ahwazis' rights and have called for an end to Iran's anti-Arab execution campaign in Ahwaz. We hope that by publicising the oppression of Ahwazi Arabs at this demonstration, more progressive-minded people will support the Ahwazi movement." http://www.ahwaz.org.uk/2007/02/ahwazi-opposition-activists-support.html
In the same manner, it is worth our while to recognize the Kurdish national movements for independence, as well. As the Kurdish people begin to demonstrate their legitimacy as a nation to the people and nations of the world, it does not require any interference from the US, Turkey or Iran that intrudes on their right to self-determination. A free people deserve to have a free nation. Let the people of Iran and Kurdistan take the initiative to create their own nation in their own vision. We stand unequivocally united and move forward together and seek the better vision for our children's children, so that we might all live in peace and provide mutual support for the peoples of the world.
Unfortunately you like all Americans are coming from the position that America stands for good and this Iraq/Iran thing is an anomaly. However you are totally wrong! America has never stood for what is good, but for what is good for America and only America. Everyone else can go to Hell. That is the way it has been throughout your history and will be for as long as there is an America. I personally thank Mr. Bush as he has opened all of our eyes to the truth of America and believe me it isn't a pretty picture, so Mr. Hypocrite when you decide to open your own eyes and investigate your country's own history and foreign policy and realize the truth then the rest of us might listen to your pleas for return to the "greatness" of America, Not.
by
Archie (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 817 comments)
on Thursday, March 1, 2007 at 10:46:08 PM
Iran: Ethnic minorities facing human rights violations
Iran: Ethnic minorities facing new wave of human rights violations
Tuesday, 27 February 2007
Amnesty International is greatly concerned by continuing violations of the
rights of members of Iran's ethnic minorities, including Iranian
Azerbaijanis, Kurds, Baluchis, and Arabs. Within the past two weeks,
hundreds of Iranian Azerbaijani linguistic and cultural rights activists
have been arrested in connection with demands that they should be allowed to
be educated in their own language; Kurdish rights activists have been
detained, and demonstrators killed or injured; and a Baluchi accused of
responsibility for a bomb explosion on 14 February 2007 was executed just
five days later.
As Iran's ethnic minorities face growing restrictions, Amnesty International
is calling on the government to ensure that all Iranian citizens are
accorded, both in law and practice, the linguistic and cultural rights set
out in Iran's constitution as well as in international law, and are able
peacefully to demonstrate in support of such rights. The Iranian authorities
must also ensure that the police and other law enforcement agencies do not
use excessive force, that all detainees are protected from torture or other
ill-treatment, and that all reports of torture or other ill treatment,
excessive use of force or killings by the security forces are investigated
promptly, thoroughly and independently, with the methods and findings made
public. Anyone suspected to be responsible for abuses should be brought to
justice promptly in a trial that complies with international standards of
fairness, and without recourse to the death penalty.
Iranian Azerbaijanis
The arrests of Iranian Azerbaijanis occurred in the run up to, and during,
peaceful demonstrations on International Mother Language Day, an annual
commemoration initiated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) on 21 February.
The demonstrations were held to support demands that their own language
should be used as the medium of instruction in schools and places of
education in those areas of north-west Iran where most Iranian Azerbaijanis
reside. The protest organizers are reported to have sought official
authorisation in advance, though it is not known whether it was granted.
Most of those detained in advance of the demonstrations, which were held in
Tabriz, Orumiye and other towns in the north-west, were soon released as of
26 February between 10-20 people may still be held.
Ebrahim Kazemi, Ja'afar 'Abedini and Mehdi Mola'i, were among a group of up
to 12 people detained in Qom on or around 11 February 2007, at least two of
whom were reportedly arrested for having painted slogans on walls, including
'Türk dilinde medrese' (Schooling in [Azerbaijani] Turkic). They were
reportedly held for several days before being released on bail. Ja'afar
'Abedini and Mehdi Mola'i were reportedly ill treated while in detention by
being forced by Ministry of Intelligence officials to drink liquids which
caused them to vomit.
In Orumiye, up to 60 Iranian Azerbaijanis have reportedly been arrested,
including Esmail Javadi, a journalist and Iranian Azerbaijani cultural
rights activist. He was arrested on 18 February 2007 and may continue to be
held in a Ministry of Intelligence detention facility in the Doqquz Pilleh
district of the city.
At least 15 arrests are said to have been made in Zenjan, where a reportedly
peaceful demonstration was held in the city's Sabze Square. Those detained
include journalist Sa'id Metinpour, well-known locally for his human rights
activities; he is said to have had blood on his lips when he was taken away
raising concern that he may have been assaulted by police.
Ramin Sadeghi, who was detained in Ardabil on 19 February 2007, is one of
approximately 20 who were detained in the city in connection with
International Mother Language Day events. Only he remains in detention at
the time of writing and his family are reportedly concerned about his
medical condition.
Kurds
On 20 February 2007, Kurdish students held an event at Tehran University's
Department of Literature. They called for the teaching of Kurdish in Iran's
education system and at the University of Sanandaj, the capital of Kurdistan
province. The students reportedly signed a public statement which stated, in
part, that 'In today's multicultural climate in the world, based on the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other humanitarian principles,
every nation should have a right to develop and advance its language.'
In recent months, several Kurdish journalists and human rights defenders
have been detained and some are facing trial. In addition, on 16 February
2007, three Kurds, including one woman, were reportedly killed in the course
of a demonstration in Mahabad. An unconfirmed report states that a dispute
between demonstrators and security forces resulted in the death of Bahman
Moradi, aged 18, a woman called Malihe, whose surname is not known to
Amnesty International, and one other. Dozens were reportedly injured in the
course of the demonstration.
Iranian security forces have a history of the violent suppression of
demonstrations by Kurds. For example, in February 2006 similar clashes
between Kurdish demonstrators and the security forces in Maku and other
towns reportedly led to at least nine deaths and scores, possibly hundreds,
of arrests. In March 2006, Kurdish members of parliament (Majles) wrote to
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad demanding an investigation into the
killings and calling for those alleged to be responsible to be brought to
justice. An investigation was reportedly set up, but its findings are not
known. Some of those detained later reportedly received prison terms of
between three and eight months.
Baluchis
In the province of Sistan-Baluchistan, the circumstances surrounding the
extremely summary trial and execution of an Iranian Baluchi man, Nasrollah
Shanbeh-Zehi, who was executed on 19 February 2007, calls into question the
standards of administration of justice enjoyed by minorities without
discrimination. Among five people reportedly arrested following the 14
February bombing of a bus carrying Revolutionary Guard security officials,
which to date has killed a total 14 and injured around 30, Nasrollah
Shanbeh-Zehi was shown "confessing" to the bombing on Iranian television on
behalf of an Iranian Baluchi armed opposition group, Jondallah, and was
executed in public at the site of the bombing.
Jondallah, which has carried out a number of armed attacks on Iranian
officials and has on occasion killed hostages, reportedly seeks to defend
the rights of the Baluchi people, though government officials have claimed
that it is involved in drug smuggling and has ties to terrorist groups and
to foreign governments. In March 2006, Jondallah killed 22 Iranian officials
and took at least seven hostage in Sistan-Baluchistan province. Following
the incident, scores, possibly hundreds, of people were arrested; many were
reportedly taken to unknown locations. In the months following the attacks,
the number of executions announced in Baluchi areas increased dramatically.
Dozens were reported to have been executed by the end of the year
Amnesty International condemns unequivocally the killing of hostages and
urges Jondallah to desist from such and similar practices immediately.
However, Amnesty International is concerned that Nasrollah Shanbeh-Zehi's
"confession" may have been forced, and that the rapidity of his execution
indicates that he did not receive a fair trial and was not permitted an
adequate opportunity to appeal against his death sentence, if that was
imposed by a court.
Arabs
In January and February 2007, Amnesty International deplored the execution
of eight Iranian Arabs convicted after unfair trials of bombings in
Khuzestan province in 2005. Other Iranian Arab prisoners are also at risk of
execution after unfair trials.
AI Index: MDE 13/020/2007 (Public)
News Service No: 039
26 February 2007
