 Frankly, here's the problem
Issues facing Iranian candidates for upcoming
presidential elections
Amir Nasiri
March 16, 2005
iranian.com
In the past few weeks I have being browsing Iranian Internet
sites and they all talk about the incoming presidential election
in Iran and who are going to be the likely candidate. As an Iranian
and someone who has followed the Iranian politics for a long time
I can not see any distinction amongst all these candidates; they
are all mullahs or
support mullahs, so they are corrupt and money/power greedy.
But
who cares about me? I know many of my fellow country
men and women will go to vote. Therefore I would like these
candidates to be clearer on certain issues and subjects that concerns
millions
of Iranians and try to explain these issues in frank and honest
way.
* First, I would like them to explain how they are going to create
millions of jobs and decrease the growing inflation.
* Second, I
would like them to explain why they are selling our natural resources
in its rawest form and then buy it's by products from the
same countries they sell to at high prices.
* Third I would like
them to explain how they combat the corruption and mismanagement
that has infested the Iranian society from government sector
to the private sector.
* Fourth I would like them to explain to me and millions of Iranian
parents how the government will combat drug addiction and drug
abuse amongst our beloved young people and the futures of Iran.
* Fifth I would like the candidates to explain what are they are
going to do about the increasing brain drain of our brightest
to other countries.
* Sixth and the final point I want the candidates
to elaborate to the Iranian nation who and how are they going
to
answer millions of parents, son and daughters, brothers and
sisters about the mass killings, tortures and rapes carried out
by this
regime.
Unemployment and inflation has hit every homes and families
in Iran. Most young people have no hopes, because they know after
they graduate the only job they will have is to drive their father's
car and shuttle people from one street to another. The unemployment
issue in Iran is so huge that the government in order to combat
it must generate over 100,000 jobs every year.
The funny thing
here is the fact that unemployment is high at the same time inflation
is growing in Iran at the rate that is unbelievable. Have you ever
asked someone you know that rents an apartment how much they pay
for rent? Oh believe me you don't want to know. For an average
Iranian to leave in Tehran is impossible given the unemployment
and the high inflation. So, I would like to know from our beloved
candidates how are they going to combat this issue.
Every day I hear in the Iranian news papers that Iran has signed
a deal with another country to export's Iran natural resources.
For example Iran signed a deal with Kuwait to export 10 billion
cubic meter of gas to that country. I started to wonder how these
deals are made and at whose cost. I am sure most of you are aware
about the southern gas fields which Iran's hares with Qatar.
In that agreement Iran is being totally screwed. Recent statistics
clearly shows that Qatar has being exploiting those fields and
have extracted ten times than allowed gas exploration on those
fields.
One interesting note is the fact that the French oil giant
Total is actually being contracted to do the job both for the Qatari's
and Iranian. So far the French oil giant has favored the Qatari's
in exploiting our gas fields. The thing to watch here is how our
government makes deals without the knowledge of public sector.
The government's covert engagement in business deals that involves
our natural resources has being for long very interesting to me.
 For example we export fresh water to our neighbors while some
of our cities have water shortages. The government also exports
oil
and gas while many people in major Iranian cities including the
capital are living in horrendous cold winter conditions because
they can not afford the heating fuel. Now as an Iranian don't
you wonder what is happening to your natural resources and why
our people are not getting any piece of this pie?
I also wonder
where all that money goes. I mean look at it the current fiscal
budget presented by Mr. Khatami for the whole nation is ridiculous.
And from that budget over $200 million dollar is given to the
terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah. I am asking the
candidates to
please help me to figure this out because I really have a hard
time understanding the way the country functions and manages
it resources and the revenues generated from these resources.
On the issue on corruption and mismanagement I really have nothing
to say because the candidates I fully aware of the situation. The
country is being hit by this disease in an epidemic proportion.
And if the government is not going to do anything about it the
country will eventually collapse. Along with corruption comes mismanagement
of our resources, and all governmental institutions. Iran spends
more money on government sector than any of its neighboring countries.
And it is mostly because of poor management and of course corruption.
So my question to the candidates is what are you going to do about
this, so that my country would not collapse?
Oh my god the topic of drug abuse and drug addiction gives me
chills. The thing is you might think that is funny and hey you
will say oh man I have smoked grass once or twice and nothing has
happened. My respond to you is that these young people are smoking
hashish and opium which is not costly at all and you can find in
every street corner in the Iranian capital. Almost one out of ten
young people in Iran is exposed to these drugs. Addiction is destroying
the roots and foundation of our country, our economy and is destroying
families. I would like to ask the candidates what you are going
to do about this important issue.
Brain drain or what I refer to as future killer or nation killer
has affected our country for sometime. This issue is very much
related to the previous issues, unemployment and corruption/mismanagement.
The country is not capable to produce the high quality jobs needed
for these young people.
The other reason is the fact that the country
has not invested in research and development sector for almost
over 20 years. The fact the matter is at the rate we are going
there will be no progress and the country will never be prosperous
as it desires to be. I would like the candidates to explain tom
me and others what plans of action they would implement which
would stop brain drain?
As far as the last point I would like to
stop
here and ask all of you who are reading this article to sit
back and give a five minute silence in the memory and the honor
of
all those who have died for the freedom and liberty of our country.
The candidates must explain these issues to all the Iranian
people and provide an apology from the senior clerics to the Iranian
nation
for the pain and sorrow they have brought upon us.
 In conclusion, there are many other issues that I want these
candidates to explain for example, the issue of building earth
quake proof houses in Iranian villages and cities in order to prevent
the killing of innocent people with a slim tremor. But the above
points are the main issues that most Iranians are currently concerned
with and would like to know more about it. The candidates must
be open and honest in their campaign and must provide facts and
statistics.
And I hope they stop using Koran as a source of campaign
tool.
Believe me, 90% of Iranians will not fall for religious BS anymore.
The candidates must prove to the Iranian nation that they care
and will do something for the good of the people and the country.
Believe me, no matter how hard they try, I will not fall for. But
remember: who cares about me?
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Frankly, here's the problem
