PAGE 1

Sunday, December 29, 1996

Headlines:

-- PEN's latest statement on Sarkoohi affair
-- Journalists Society of the Islamic Republic of Iran
-- U.S.-Iran: prisoners of oratory
-- Afkhami on women's rights in Muslim societies
-- AOL A-Okay
-- Job gains in textile industry
-- Bahrain email discussion group
-- Site for soccer fans

From: Kourosh Parsa <kxp1@nynexst.com>

-- Disappeared Iranian author Faraj Sarkoohi reappears in Tehran

-- PEN [the international organization of literary writers and editors] calls on Iranian government to respect Sarkoohi's right to leave Iran, and calls for the safety of all Iranian writers, and for the respect of their right to unimpeded freedom of travel to and from Iran.

December 24, 1996-- PEN American Center today learned that Faraj Sarkoohi, the Iranian author who disappeared on November 3, reappeared on December 20. He is now at his mother's home, but he is not allowed to leave Iran.

Faraj Sarkoohi was signatory to the "1994 Declaration of 134 Iranian Writers," a document that circulated around the globe and called for an end to all censorship of literary endeavor in Iran.

In August, 1996, Sarkoohi attended a dinner at the home of the cultural attached of the German embassy in Iran, and was among six writers who were arrested and interrogated at the meeting. On September 8, 1996, Sarkoohi was also among twelve writers briefly arrested while meeting to sign on to a newly drawn-up mandate for a writer' association. Then, on November 3, Sarkoohi disappeared while attempting to leave Iran to visit relatives in Germany. On November 12, the official press insisted that he had indeed left the country--in the face of the undeniable fact that he never arrived in Germany.

PEN has since learned that prior to his attempted trip, Sarkoohi was offered help obtaining an exit visa from an Iranian security agent in charge of "intellectuals" in Iran, known to PEN only as Mr.. Hashemi, who had been Sarkoohi's interrogator on September 12.

Mr. Hashemi told Sarkoohi to but him a ticket and notify him of the date of departure, and to meet him at four a.m.. on the departure date so that Hashemi could personally escort Sarkoohi through airport security. Sarkoohi met Hashemi at the money exchange booth of the Tehran airport at the specified time, but never arrived in Germany.

In a letter PEN has obtained written to his wife before his disappearance but after his most recent interrogations, Sarkoohi stated, "I have no knowledge of the charged (that will be made) against (myself and other Iranian writers), but whatever they will be, and whatever may happen, I want you to know that I have been an innocent victim... In case...I am made a victim... I expect you to provide for the children and take good care of yourself. I give my love to you and the children..."

PEN is pleased to discover that Faraj Sarkoohi is alive in Tehran, and calls on the government of Iran to respect his right to leave Iran if he wishes. PEN furthermore calls on the government of Iran to ensure the safety of all other writers in Iran, and to respect their right to unimpeded freedom of travel to and from Iran.

For further information, contact PEN at (212) 334-1600. Before January 2, representatives can be reached at these numbers:

December 24- December 27: (617) 876-6143

December 28- January 1 : (212) 598-9147

Go to top

The Journalists Society of the Islamic Republic of Iran is taking steps to register itself with official bodies, the daily Hamshahri reported Saturday.

The society is headed by Safizadeh, the editor of the semi-official daily Abrar. The group announced its formation in a meeting with Majlis and Islamic Guidance Ministry officials.

To see the story (in Persian), go to:

//www.neda.net/hamshahri/751008/elmfa28.htm

NOTE: You need Persian fonts to see the news in Persian. If you have not installed it, go to these sites for free download and installation instructions:

//www.neda.net/hamshahri

or:

//www.payvand.com/persian

Go to top

From: Reza F. Bourghani <davood@ix.netcom.com>

In World Flux, a Constant: U.S. And Iran Still Foes

By ELAINE SCIOLINO The New York Times Sunday, Dec 29, 1996

TEHRAN, Iran -- In the heart of Tehran's business district, the 27-acre compound that once was the U.S. Embassy sits as a little-noticed monument to the most radical time in Iran's revolution, a time when anti-American fever ran so high that young militants held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days.

With its football field, swimming pool and tennis courts the compound still looks like a small college campus, and for years it has served as a school for Iran's Revolutionary Guards. They take their courses in the two-story chancery building and practice their drills in the parking lot.

Outside the compound, where demonstrators once shouted for "Death to America," passers-by pay scant attention to the huge anti-American slogans painted on the embassy's outer wall.

Since the founding of Iran's Islamic Republic in 1979 and President Carter's breaking of diplomatic relations over the seizure of the hostages, the Cold War has ended and the world's strategic balances have shifted. But one constant remains.

Although revolutionary fervor has waned, Iran still officially regards the United States as its greatest enemy. And both countries are prisoners of oratory that has left them unable to make any conciliatory gesture toward the other...

***

To see full text, go to:

//www.nytimes.com/yr/mo/day/news/world/iran-us.html

NOTE: This link may have moved. If so, search it at:

//www.nytimes.com

Go to top

From: Reza F. Bourghani <davood@ix.netcom.com>

A Manual on Rights of Women Under Islam

By BARBARA CROSSETTE The New York Times Sunday, Dec 29, 1996

For several years, an informal group of Muslim women from around the world has met to spur discussion among Muslims everywhere about the rights of women. Now, with the shadow of a repressive Islamic regime in Afghanistan hovering over the debate, the group has produced a manual on the rights of women under Islam.

Intended to be adaptable to a wide range of cultures at the grass-roots level, the new publication, "Claiming Our Rights: A Manual for Women's Human Rights Education in Muslim Societies," will be tested over the next year in five very different countries: Bangladesh, Jordan, Lebanon, Malaysia and Uzbekistan.

The plan is to assemble discussion groups to exchange ideas on the subject. There has already been a quiet trial run among a group of university women in Iran.

"There is a great change in self-awareness among women in Muslim societies," said Mahnaz Afkhami, executive director of the Sisterhood Is Global Institute, a private organization based in Bethesda, Md.

Ms. Afkhami directed the effort on the manual, which the institute produced with the help of the National Endowment for Democracy and the Ford Foundation...

***

To see full text, go to:

//www.nytimes.com/yr/mo/day/news/world/muslim-women.html

NOTE: This link may have moved. If so, search it at:

//www.nytimes.com

Go to top

From: Karim Ardalan <karim@misinc.net>

Here is more on the AOL issue....looks like AOL gave up! Now people can see THE IRANIAN and other Web sites previously locked on America Online.

If you want to read more about it, go to:

//www.news.com/News/Item/0,4,6532,00.html?dtn.head

Take care

Karim

Go to top

From: Reza F. Bourghani <davood@ix.netcom.com>

WHAT ON EARTH? A WEEKLY LOOK AT TRENDS, PEOPLE AND EVENTS AROUND THE WORLD

Saturday, December 28 1996; Page A17 The Washington Post

JOB DRIFT

Jobs in the textile, clothing and shoe industries have moved steadily from Europe and North America to Asia and other parts of the developing world, where wages are much lower.

World-wide, 23.6 million workers are employed in these industries, but the International Labor Organization estimates that 10 times that many people work in the industries' informal sector, which includes home workers and those moonlighting in small companies and clandestine workshops.

Percent of job losses in the textile, clothing and shoe industries from 1980 to 1993:

United States -30.1 Percent

Argentina -32.9

Australia -34.7

...

Iran: 34

***

To see full text, go to:

//www.washingtonpost.com/cgi-bin/displaySearch?WPlate+43104+%28iran%29% 3Adescription%26and%2619961227%3Cevent%5Fdate

NOTE: This link may have moved. If so, search it at:

//www.washingtonpost.com/

Go to top

From: "dona utania" <utania@hotmail.com>

A list for Bahrain has been setup to provide for a forum for the exchange of opinions and for debating issues freely among all parties interseted in Bahrain.

You are invited to join the list. To subscribe to the list send an E-mail message to: bahrain-request@Esosoft.com with the following command in the body of the message:

subscribe

To unsubscribe to the list send an E-mail message to: bahrain-request@Esosoft.com with the following command in the body of the message:

unsubscribe

To post a message to the members of the list, send it to:

bahrain@Esosoft.com

Go to top

From: Kourosh Amiri <kourosh@8x8.com>

Soccer fans, check out this site:

//www.kendis.com

Also, check out the bouncing mini soccer balls in the price list menu!

K.

Go to top