SMCCDI (Information Service)
October 21, 2005

The controversial meeting which is to take place on October 26th, at the WDC based “American Enterprise Institute” (AEI), is mobilizing Iranian activists across the world. Protesters are objecting to the conference named “The Unknown Iran - Another Case for Federalism?” that they see it as a gradual promotion of a policy intended for splitting and the disintegration of Iran.

The protest campaign which has started, by the “Committee for Defense of Iranian Territorial Integrity” (CDITI), is now being amplified by several abroad based Iranian satellite TV or radio networks. Iranian opposition - to the Islamic regime - press or websites are also reporting the case and are helping increase the general awareness. Public Protest letters, to AEI and the conference’s organizers, are circulating on the Internet. Many of the writers were known for their friendly regards toward the AEI and its scholars.

An online protest petition is getting more and more endorsements, as Iranians and Americans are becoming aware of its existence. This petition entitled “Defend Iran’s territorial integrity from separatists” can be visited and/or signed at: http://www.petitiononline.com/O4N7L2Y6/

Many Iranians are believing that the AEI’s suggestions are well listened by the Bush Administration and that the famous think tank institute was looking, till now, to help Iranians to free themselves from the tyrannical and terrorist rule of the Islamic republic. Such positive thought had become even stronger following the July 16, 2005, comment of President Bush who stated: “America believes in the independence and territorial integrity of Iran!”

Most Iranian opponents, to the Islamic regime, would have never dreamed that AEI could host meetings that could open a Pandora box and jeopardize the future of Iran and Iranians. They also fear that the demagogue Islamic regime will use the AEI’s mistake to reverse the pro-American feelings of millions of Iranians by stating: “You see, what they did in the Balkans or in Iraq?.. Now they want to split your country!..” Such propaganda has already started in part of the state-controlled media in Iran.

It is in reaction to the such a grave mistake and its consequences that the dissident “Hez e Mellat e Iran” (Iran’s Nation Party) has sound the alarm in its communiqué issued yesterday in Tehran. The ‘illegal’ -labeled by the clerical regime - group which its historical leaders, Darioush and Parvaneh Foroohar, were slaughtered in 1997 by the Islamist security agents, has condemned strongly the conference.

Dr. Michael Ledeen, who’s the moderator of the event, is stating that the meeting is just “to inform the Americans on Iran’s diversity” and that “no separatist subject would be allowed in the conference”. Nerveless concerns are increasing on the future impacts of the event. It’s sudden and strange timing and especially the choice of most of its speakers, who are separatist elements, is leading to legitimate questions.

One of the speakers, named “Rahim Shahbazi”, is mainly known by some internet-user circles and is lacking of a real social or historical knowledge or of a credible academic background. The later is notorious for promotion of dark goals, such as, turning Iran into a blood bath and to split the Iranian province of Azarbaijan. An investigation of his background and the astonishing finding, via www.google.com search engine, of a 1999 comment has increased the worries of many Iranians who are seeing the pattern of a genuine fascist, racist and genocidal element.

In his comments, Shahbazi’s writing: “Aryan ponk (meaning Iranian), remember my name, also remember that I am from Tabriz, South Azerbaijan (meaning the Iranian province). I hope one day I will see bastard in some place, I will make you eat you own Aryan s..t you S. O. B.” …”We are able and we will kick you Persian A.. wipes and throug you s..t head, out of our country South Azerbaijan” … “Hope to see you in front of Sniper you basterd, we South Azerbaijanis will teach you a listen that you never and ever forget” (Most parts of Shahabzi’s kind of political manifesto have not been reported or have been censored in this SMCCDI Information Report due to extreme use of hate language or vulgarity. The integrality of his comments can be seen by visiting this link.

Responding to a written protest which was formulated by Aryo B. Pirouznia, the SMCCDI’s Coordinator, Mr. Ledeen has responded: ” Some of the speakers MAY have had separatist ideas but this is no more the case”.

Dr. Ledeen has been, in the past, in relation with a notorious separatist element named “Chehregani”. This individual who was openly calling for the separation of Azerbaijan, had to chose a low key profile and started to claim having become a “federalist” just few years ago. This sudden change of position happened after the publication of several consecutive American reports on the deep rejection of separatism by the absolute majority of Iranian-Azaris. It’s believed that Chehregani and Shahbazi likes have only changed tactic and are waiting for a more favorable circumstance that in their mind might happen in the months or years to come. Then they would reach their long dated dream of turning Iran into another Yugoslavia.

Even the Iranian “United Front of Baloochistan” has objected to the conference and has issued a written protest about the misuse of its name as the sender of an official speaker to the conference. Abdol-Satar Doshooki, the speaker of this regional movement and opponent to the clerics, has condemned strongly the AEI in several interviews made with Iranian opposition -to the Islamic regime- media.

The AEI had initially ’selected’ four speakers in the name of the Iranian-Azari, Iranian-Kurd, Iranian-Arab and Iranian-Balootch ethnicities. Such questionable selection which was curiously just limited to Iran’s border zones has helped fuel the controversy. But a supposed member of the Iranian-Lor ethnicity has been added to the panel, as of yesterday and following several days of the start of the protest campaign and its increase among Iranians. It’s believed that this sudden additive selection, is in reality just a tactic in order to place a more friendly individual in the conference in order to give it a kind of legitimate aspect.

The daughter of this last minute solution has been reported, by several sources, as having started a smear campaign against those involved in the protest movement against the Conference.

Many Iranians and Americans would have hoped that a credible conference on Iran’s Territorial management would have been focused on genuine and important factors which are apparently not on AEI’s agenda at this time. Credible speakers could have been involved with strong academic background and impartial views. Also many other Iranian ethnicities, such as, Guilaki, Deylami, Turkman, Khorassani, Sistani, Persian, Ghashgha-i, Bakhtiari and many others have been left from a panel which is supposed to “inform the Americans”.

The protest campaign should increase in days ahead and complementary information would be provided.

Note: SMCCDI’s website is down and its mailing system can be stopped also, at any minute, but you can check updated news in reference to this campaign, by visiting: http://marzeporgohar.org/

For contacting smccdi, use: smccdi@hotmail.com

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The “Student Movement Coordination Committee for Democracy in Iran” (SMCCDI) / “Komite e Hamahangui e Jonbesh e Daneshjoo i Baraye Democracy dar Iran”

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Related: Iran

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