We recently received a communication from Azer Majedi , leader of the Organization for Women's Liberation, an Iranian feminist organization. Azer Majedi lives in exile in the UK. In her statement, she calls upon the people everywhere to join together and say,"No to a US military attack."
She was especially concerned with the recent meetings between George Bush and Nicholas Sarkozy, which resulted in some bellicose rhetoric directed against Iran. Her organization opposes the current Islamic regime in Iran and points out that along with the other misery that a war brings, it would make the job of the democratic resistance in Iran even more dangerous and difficult.
Her complete statement follows:
Statement by Organization for Women’s Liberation (8th November 2007)
We condemn the war against people in Iran !
The risk of a military attack against people in Iran is imminent. The US administration is adamant about an attack against Iran . The US government is trying to gain support of other states and the public opinion in the US for the attack. The French foreign minister has defended military attack against Iran . They claim war is inevitable if Islamic regime is to be prevented from producing nuclear weapons. On the other hand the Islamic regime is flaring up the fire of war. Both sides have escalated their war propaganda. Economic sanctions against Iran too are adding to the prospect of death and devastation.
The reason for waging war is said to be preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons. This is only part of the issue. However, in order to gain international public opinion and justifying US’s war policy, the focus is only on the former. In the case of Iraq too we were told that the reason for war was to destroy Weapons of Mass Destruction. However everybody knows now that this was just a lie which led to devastation and mass killings in Iraq . Possession of nuclear weapons by Islamic Republic is truly a horrendous thought. We must however remember that the first and only state using nuclear weapon is USA . The brutal killings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki are registered in history as dark episodes of humanity and that of US’s doing.
This is a war between the two poles of terrorism, state terrorism led by USA and Islamic terrorism. Having been defeated in Iraq , in order to consolidate its position as the super power, the US government sees no option but to wage war against Iran . The war in Iraq opened the gate for the Islamic regime to enter Iraq and the Islamists took over the destiny of the war in Iraq . Last summer, the military attack against Lebanon by Israel with the recommendation and total support of USA and Britain did not succeed against the Hezbollah, its supporters, Islamic Republic of Iran and Syria. Both Lebanon and Iraq wars ended up with the strengthening of position of Islamists and the Islamic Republic of Iran had a pivotal role in it. In the wake of New World Order policy, USA has no choice but achieve victory against the Islamic regime in Iran . The issue of nuclear weapons has given US an opportunity to invest in its policy.
Economic sanction is another inhumane weapon which is used by US and Western governments against people of Iran . The policy of economic sanctions is defended by the argument that it will cripple the Islamic regime, force it to surrender or it makes people to rise against the regime. However, the victim of such policy is not Islamic regime but the people of Iran . Sanction imposes hardships against people. It was claimed that economic sanctions were in place in Iraq in order to combat Weapons of Mass Destruction. However, the world witnessed that sanctions were indeed weapons of mass destruction. Those who think people under hardship rise up and revolt against the Islamic regime, and support this policy or diplomatically keep their silence, are not only wrong in their analysis but have also a sick point of view.
The War causes mass killings, devastation and destruction of the society. It is also an environmental catastrophe in Iran and the region. It consolidates the position of Islamic regime in the face of peoples’ ever growing protest movement. Islamic Republic of Iran is one of the most brutal dictatorships in the world. People in Iran hate the regime and are in constant battle with the regime to overthrow it. Mass social movements, women’s, workers’ movement for welfare, cultural emancipation and secularism are currently advancing. The Iranian regime will use the war to suppress any protest movement with greater ease. Intensification of suppression and dictatorship will be another consequence of the war. As though the present increased wave of arrests, torture, kidnapping of workers’, women’s, students and the families of the political prisoners by the Islamic regime is not enough! War will increase this suppression.
In addition to all the misery inflicted on people as the result of the war, the Islamic regime will intensify its suppressive machinery against women. At present the regime tries to impose Islamic values and laws in all aspects of the society. Women workers are ordered to wear the chador (the Islamic veil covering the whole body and the head). This process will be intensified even further under war and women will be the first victims. Attempts will be made to once again force women to stay home. Women will be the first section of the society to be made unemployed. Families whose main bred winners are women will bear the burden the most. At present prostitution in Iran is wide spread. Under war situation it will even be more with heavy consequences for women. We strive to organize a massive resistance against the suppression imposed by the Islamic regime.
Organization for Women’s Liberation urges all the people in Iran and internationally, activists of women’s movement, workers’ activists and all human rights organizations to condemn the war of terrorists. We must organize a massive movement against the war and the war propaganda of US and political Islam. Let’s unite and chant: No to war, No to Islamic regime, No to US military attack, Long Live Freedom, Equality and Welfare. We urge all to support this statement and join us to prevent another Iraq !
No to War, No to Islamic regime! No to US military attack!
Stop women’s suppression!
Long Live Women’s Liberation