1, 2, 3... testing
The demands of the people of Iran

December 27, 2002
The Iranian

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- The People of Iran (TPI) wish to appeal the Government of Iran to consider several respectful suggestions to improve and streamline its overall governing process which has been criticized by many leading experts both inside and outside Iran.

In the past weeks the Government of Iran has violently turned down the protests of TPI requesting legitimate, reasonable reform and moderation in the application of Islamic principles to the governing structure of Iran.

TPI call upon the Government of Iran to moderate its application of strict Islamic Law and allow peaceful, open and free public discourse on determining the evolution of Iran's governing systems towards all who are entitled to the human right to peacefully express opinion, objection, and offer alternative ideas. History has proven time and again that when government suppresses these basic freedoms it is detrimental to the advancement of that society.

TPI further recommend that the Government of Iran focus its efforts on improving human rights and economic conditions and cease all support for questionable foreign activities that have no bearing on the advancement of Iran's rightful place as an honorable nation in the world community.

Substantial accusations indicting Iran as an active supporter of various identified world terror network organizations, is the best example of this kind of international involvement that does not help the advancement of Iranian society and wastes valuable resources that could be put to much needed better use developing Iran's infrastructure.

TPI call upon all individuals who wish to voice their objections and opinions to exercise the utmost public safety and commit themselves to peaceful, non-violent, effective and efficient methods with which to make their positions and points clearly to the country's leaders, in order that they may understand them and hopefully see the logic in improving Iran's overall political situation.

Furthermore, TPI wish to suggest that the current governing structure of Iran can be drastically improved by allowing the collective wisdom of the free electorate to control key structures such as the Armed Forces and the Judiciary via the office of the elected President rather than the current system wherein the Supreme Leader and Guardian Council control these functions independently without consequential accountability to the people of Iran.

Because these entities are self appointed by a relative few individuals as opposed to the collective wisdom of a free electorate, the risk of corruption and abuse is high. This is the very root of the current opposition being voiced in the past few weeks.

The Supreme leader and Guardian Council should self appoint and function as an independent board offering general guidance and counsel on social and religious issues as pertains to Islamic Philosophy and offer its opinions for the President to consider when deciding on issues of moral concern. The Guardian Council should not vet Parliamentary or Presidential candidates.

TPI are in effect recommending a separation of Mosque and State, which we believe allows each to flourish in its most natural form. The Mosque must focus on the extremely valuable moral issues of the self and the individual, while the State can focus on the procedural and more mundane day-to-day governance issues of the general social structure. If each does its job effectively, a forward thinking just society based on guiding individual moral principles will emerge.

The Armed Forces should protect the country from any outside threat and fulfill this duty under the leadership of the sitting President. The President would nominate qualified candidates for the Cabinet and the Judiciary, to be approved by the Parliament. The Parliament and President should be elected by a free electorate with appropriate term limits based on the reasonable time to complete their duties as elected representatives of the people.

The collective voice of the people of Iran is incorruptible. Should a President or member of Parliament mis-perform, they will not be re-elected and may even be impeached by the Parliament as deemed necessary. In this way all functions of the government are entirely accountable to the people and their elected representatives.

END

Founded in 6000 BC, TPI are a borderless organization comprised of expatriate and inpatriate Iranians. TPI are dedicated to improving opportunities for and promoting the recognition of TPI from a wide range of disciplines, professions, arts and sciences. TPI have a variety of political and religious affiliations. For further information please visit: thepeopleofiran.org (currently under reconstruction). Press Contact: dontshoot@thepeopleofiran.org

Does this article have spelling or other mistakes? Tell me to fix it.

Email your comments for The Iranian letters section