Letters

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Wednesday
August 1, 2001

* What have they done to us?

So the alleged killer of 16 prostitues in Mashad is fast turning into some kind of religious hero in Iran. I read the news article 'Conservative press closes ranks around murderer of prostitutes' with horror and disbelief.

What have these mollas done to the people of Iran when people in this murderer's neighbourhood gather around and chant in support of him? Who are these so called writers in our newspapers who write: 'the killer must not be punished with death, becasue he did not spill the blood of innocents?'

So it is okay to kill women as long as they are prostitutes because then they deserve it?!! Who's next? Why not murder drug addicts, homosexuals, and non-Muslims? Or anyone that disagrees with this barbaric Islamic government?

The accused has said that 'I would have killed 150 if I had not been arrested.'

Instead of encouraging this way of 'cleaning up' the streets, why doesn't the government look at why prostitution is so rife in Iran? Why so much fanatacism? Why so much hate and blood? Why condoning of serial murders? Why the rule of the jungle rather than the rule of the law?

What have they done to us?

Mina

* One way, his way

Shahriar Zangeneh's letter 'More money, more torturer' contains several inaccuracies and misconceptions.

His claim that 'the people of India, South Africa, Chile and enumerable other nations achieved their emancipation once they concentrated all their energies and resources on establishing civil rights in their respective countries' is not entirely accurate. South Africans struggled for many years for civil rights and got nowhere until they persuaded the rest of the world to announce sanctions against everything from South African diamonds and wine, to the refusal to play rugby with the South African team. The South African struggle was very much about economic justice - i.e. the belief that those who labor should enjoy the fruits of their labor.

India did not focus on civil rights alone during her struggle for independence, Ghandi's strategy of passive resistance was aimed at the economic controls the British held over Indian natural resources and labor. In fact it was the steady return of key industries from British to Indian control that had cut the British off at the knees by 1947. The great Salt March organized by Ghandi in 1930 was not about civil rights it was about economic justice - the 200-mile march to the Arabian Ocean was arranged to collect untaxed salt for India's poor and to protest the taxes that had been levied by the British.

One has only to look at the civil rights of African Americans to understand that without real economic justice their community will continue to suffer from the lack of access to higher education, proper health care, and decent housing and the many attendant problems poverty brings. Economic justice has never meant 'economic boom' or even prosperity - it is simply the right to enjoy the fruits of one's own labors. Shahriar Zangeneh illustrates his own need for the people who know more about such subjects than himself >>> FULL TEXT

Minou

* Part of my life

I read with much interest your FAQ especially your bio. Thanks for your excellent work in creating and maintaining The Iranian website, which is now part of my daily life. I wish you all the best and many success. Keep it up!

Shodja Ziaian

* Honesty and openness

I read your bio ["FAQ"] in today's edition of iranian.com. Many thanks for your honesty and openness.

Abbas F. Saffari
Scientist

* Calm me down

I've been reading everything on your website since the day I discovered it! You calm me down and give me hope!

Thanks

Stephanie Badii

* Simply excellent

Mr. Nooriala,

Your poem ["Puzesh-khaahi"] was simply excellent. Thank You.

Amir

* Mazeh haye bi mazeh

aghaye hadi khorsandi, ["Gozaaresh", "Leila Pahlavi beh faarsiye saadeh"]

sheikh sadegh khalkhali ham pas az enghelab , be maghbareh rezashah raft va anra kharab kard . ba bil o kolang azeme takhte gamshid shod ta asar bastni iran ra nabood konad . che farghi beine shoma va ou hast?

dar paris maghbareh napelon ke faranse ra dar gang,hayash be naboodi keshid ( anvalid ) yeki az bozorktarin marakeze tooristi faranse be shomar miravad va dar mosko mooze raspotin maroof ast.

akkasan papazati dar sadade frooshe akshaii az pranses dayana gerefte boodand ba fohsh o kotak az rooznameh ha be birooneshan andakhtand.

chera ta konoon mazeh ie dar morede mogahedin ke sarbazane sadam hosain shodeh and nayandakhte id . shoma ya yeki az anha hastid va ya az regim gomhoori eslami pool migirid ke bein mokhalefin tafrafghe igad konid.

choob laye charkhe kesi ke mardaneh ghad alam kardeh va az mal o gan khod darigh nakardeh nagozarid va az ou hemayat konid . faghat oust ke mitavanad iran ra negat dahad .

be onvane yek irani be shoma tosie mikonam har che zood tar mazeh haye bi mazehtan ra az home page khodatn bar darid ke goloye zarar ra har koga begirid manfeat ast.

ba ehteram

Safavi

* Constitutional Velayate Faghih

Are you comparing us to the peoples of Spain, Britain, Holland, Belgium, Norway and Sweden?["Constitutional monarchy"] What parts of them are not similar to us? Their goverment? We also have constitutional Velayate Faghih. The only difference is that it is not hereditary yet. We are working on it. Be patient.

Peerooz

* Who stole the crown

Dear Agha, ["Join the people"]

For the sake of public enlightenment, will you be kind enough to let all of us know, who stole the crown from whom?

Regards,

H. Hakimi
Norway

* Gholam Hossein Paknejad

I'm looking for my ex-colleague Gholam Hossein Paknejad. We worked together in Eastman Kodak Co. Ltd Iran's Branch 1977-80 in Teheran. I appreciate any help in this matter.

My email address: d.a.gavafian@telia.com

D. A. Gavafian

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