Iranian Islamic students oppose support of Hamas

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David ET
by David ET
07-Jan-2009
 

Iranian student group Daftar Tahkim Vahdat (Office for Strengthening Unity) in a courageous statement opposed the stated position of Ayatollah Khamenei by blaming Iran's government as a party to inflaming the Gaza situation.

In its statement the student coalition group stated: "Those who have armed and encouraged groups like Hamas - which only yesterday did not hide its sympathy for the criminal Saddam Hussein, and which declared three days of mourning after his death - have innocent blood on their hand in the hostilities. Now it is they who must be accountable to humanity, and it is they who must explain this tragic situation.....

....Israel's current crimes in Gaza are strongly condemned - but it is equally [important] to condemn the terror organizations that use kindergartens and hospitals as a shield against the [Israeli] attacks. [Hamas's use of human shields] prepares the ground for intensified bombardment [by Israel] and for the killing of children and civilians, and [therefore] it is an inhuman act.

...Daftar-e Tahkim-e Vahdat strongly condemns the current situation in the Gaza Strip and the killing of civilians and innocents. It believes that the sacrifice of defenseless people - especially children - is the result of other conflicts in the regional and international arena......It had been expected that peace and human rights organizations would have done more to stop this inhuman slaughter before the disaster reached such [devastating] proportions - despite the difficulties thrown up by certain leaders..."

Daftar-e Tahkim-e Vahdat secretary, Mehdi Arabshahi, stated: "Unfortunately, we see that in Iran itself, a faction that outwardly pretends to be sympathetic to the Palestinians, regards the [Gaza] tragedy as an opportunity to stifle the voices of the human rights. [This faction] has launched harsh attacks against human rights activists and against political factions critical [of the regime]. [Since the beginning of the Israeli offensive], the offices of [Shirin Ebadi's] human rights organization have been illegally closed; [union official] [Ibrahim] Madadi has been arrested; teachers were arrested today, and numerous students were expelled from the universities of Shiraz and Lorestan..."

Arabshahi then opposed the closure of daily newspaper Kargozaran, one day after publishing of the Daftar-e Tahkim-e Vahdat communiqué . He explained: "Sadly, those who have long been waiting for an chance to silence the media critical of Ahmadinejad, in advance of the presidential elections, have found that this moment - when the [Iranians] are emotionally preoccupied with the Gaza disaster - is a golden opportunity to realize this aspiration.......This group, which now raises a great outcry against any view different [from its own], has already shown that it does not believe its own proclamations in the slightest, and that its only goal is to settle political scores."

***

The DTV [Daftar Tahkim Vahdat] is made up of individual Islamic students' associations from over 60 of the country's universities. Within the organization, there are two factions: The majority faction, known as "Neshast-Allameh," consists of 50 to 60 Islamic students' associations and advocates a new democratic constitution based on the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights and its covenant. The majority faction no longer believes reform of the current Iranian system is possible. 

Full statement in Persian

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more from David ET
 
DW Duke

Hillary Clinton's efforts against child brainwashing

by DW Duke on

For years a number of individuals have sought to expose Palestinian educators' efforts to teach children to become suicide martyrs.  Hillary Clinton is one such person.      

//www.pmw.org.il/getresults/political/index.html#i214759


Darius Kadivar

FYI/France's Far Right LE PEN Highjacks Gaza Tragedy

by Darius Kadivar on

Well it seems all Extremists everywhere are highjacking this tragedy for other purposes. Like France's Far Right and Racist Politician Jean Marie Le PEN. His party lost the elections thanks to Sarkozy and now he wants to capitalize on this tragedy for Revisionist purposes and restore his party's lost credibility and win back parlimentary seats.

Does the "Burning of the Reichtag" in 1933 ring a Bell ?

//iranian.com/main/news/2009/01/08/gaza-concentration-camp-says-far-right-politician-jean-marie-le-pen-0


David ET

Very sad and sick

by David ET on

This systematic child brainwash is absolutely sick. Those who create such hatred in the hearts and minds of children are not worthy of being called a human and not even an animal, because animals care for the well being of their offspring with much more care than that.

You are right Dariush, the core of the issue is the culture of hate that is created by those who instigate war and death upon one another.   

I would prefer to keep a child secure at home than allow them to be "educated" with such sickness.


Darius Kadivar

FYI/HAMAS TV: Blame The Parents ...

by Darius Kadivar on

I don't like what is taking place in Gaza today but unfortunately this is the type of mentality which HAMAS has been propagating and encouraging in its ranks. And They Are Civilians NOT Militia ...  These Parents Below hardly cared if their kids would blow up in a suicide mission ... I wonder if they are truly crying today for the innocent kids or because THEY ARE being Bombed Along with their Kids ? Well I am afraid  this is what you get when you glorify martyrdom ... It is not just about having a land, it is about education and social and cultural emancipation. They say Hamas created schools and social welfare ( with money given by the IRI and Syria) for their people but to what purpose ?   Is THIS EDUCATION ? Mind you the Jews also had their Zealots in Masada ( Movie with Peter O'Toole based on Historical fact) who did exactly the same thing at the time of the Roman Occupation, They killed themselves rather than accept defeat. It has nothing to do with Patriotism, its plain fanaticism and the kids are the true and innocent victimes. Video 1 Video 2 Video 3 Video 4

Zion

Indeed

by Zion on

It is sad but not surprising.


David ET

Dear Zion

by David ET on

I just read the thread!!! I would not have expected differently .

Isn't it amazing that some even deny the statement by students  (which I have provided the link to) as propaganda or now attack the Iranian Muslim students! The same student group that they clapped for when they took over US embassy, but now that they have evolved to learn that they were being used and turned against the regime, they are called as supporters of "Zionists" and being questioned for their views!

After all "revolutions eat their own children" but as Nazanin sings  this was a "regressive revolution" and not an evolution! 

It is amazing how "old hatreds" can make some side with terrorists and Islamic Republic and turn against their own.


David ET

Dear D.W.

by David ET on

The college students are younger than Islamic Republic which means they experienced the educational and propoganda system of the Islamic Republic and they have lived it since they were born. This specific group of them actually identify themselves as Muslims.

Despite the censorship within Iran, yet they are more aware and objective about situation in Gaza and Iran than some people who live in the freedom of western countries


Zion

On brave Iranian women and men... and the mob

by Zion on

I can't say how much I respect Iranian students and activists who speak without fear inside Iran.
However, unfortunately our "friends" in this website have already stated their displeasure with them:
//iranian.com/main/news/2009/01/06/irania...

The mob is not happy... . :-)


David ET

Dear AI

by David ET on

I have mentioned here before too that the extremists on this site (of all kind ) actually do not represent the majority of Iranians who live in Iran and they only represent a small but loud percentage number of Iranians , especially those in diaspora as well as few whose personal benefits are protected by promoting "official views" .


DW Duke

Great Post David

by DW Duke on

David,

I am very pleased that you posted this particularly in light of our earlier conversation.  Unfortunately, what I am seeing for the most part is people who adopt one side or the other come hell or high water with no regard for truth or what is right.  They say, "I don't care what Israel does I am going to defend Israel," or they say, "I don't care what Hamas does, I am going to defend Hamas."  The are so caught up in the passion of their side that they lack the ability to see things objectively and they look like fools. 

Here we have a group of college students who are making fools out of the so called "seasoned generation."  They may not have received a perfect education in Iran but at least someone taught them the meaning of objective analysis. 


default

They are right about: anyone

by Anonymousas (not verified) on

They are right about:
anyone supporting saddam should be condemned.


Artificial Intelligence

Dear David

by Artificial Intelligence on

I had no idea. Wow. The funny thing is that most of the Islamic Republic's "defenders" on this site advocate a change from within the system. You would think that people outside the US would be with the students on this yet it is totally the opposite. Good example was Mr. Sadegh's blog from today. Thanks again.


David ET

Dear AI

by David ET on

DTV actually is the child of the Islamic revolution which has turned against the regime!!

Here are some info from wikipedia:

Daftar-e Tahkim-e Vahdat, is an Iranian student organization created in 1979, and has been described as "the country's most well-known student organization,"[1] and "Iran's leading prodemocracy student group".[2] Founded in 1979 as a conservative Islamist organization to combat leftist, more secular, student groups,[3] the OSU has evolved to support democracy and reform in Iran [4] and thus is now in opposition to the political heirs of its founders.Originally known as the Office for Strengthening of Unity Between Universities and Theological Seminaries, (Daftar-e Tahkim-e Vahdat-e Hozeh va Daneshgah), according to Iranfocus.com, the OSU was set up by Ayatollah Mohammad Beheshti, at a time when Beheshti was Iranian Supreme Ruler Ruhallah Khomeini’s top confidant and a key figure in the clerical leadership. Beheshti wanted the OSU to organise Islamist students to counter the influence of the opposition Mojahedin-e Khalq (MeK) among university students. [3]

The OSU played a central role in the seizure of the United States embassy in Tehran in November 1979. Members of the OSU central council, who included Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as well as Ebrahim Asgharzadeh, Mohsen Kadivar, Mohsen Kadivar, Mohsen Aghajari, and Abbas Abdi, were regularly received by the Ayatollah Khomeini himself. [3] (One of the first political offices held by Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was as representative of students at his university, Elm-o Sanaat, at the OSU in 1979.[3])

During the crackdown on universities in 1980, which Khomeini called the Islamic Cultural Revolution, Ahmadinejad and the OSU played a critical role in purging dissident lecturers and students many of whom were arrested and later executed. [3]

Sometime around or before the 1997 election of reformist President Mohammad Khatami the group changed its orientation. The OSU was the most important supporter of reformist President Mohammad Khatami in his first term.] However they became critical Khatami as it became clear he was not able to promote democracy in Iran.

In 2001, Ali Afshari, one of the leaders of OSU, was sentenced to five years in jail: four years "for acting against national security by participating in the Berlin Conference, six months for establishing a crisis centre" in the OSU, and "six months for disseminating propaganda against the Islamic Republic of Iran."[5] He and Akbar Atri gave a controversial lecture in a lecture hall in US congress in 2006.

In 2005 the OSU was "divided into two wings" over the question of whether to boycott the presidential election. "The majority 'Allameh' faction" wanted "to withdraw from the political system" and boycott the election, "whereas the minority 'Shiraz' faction" generally favored participation and "operating within the current political framework." [1] In November 2007, Ali Nikunesbati, the spokesman for OSU was detained as part of crackdown on student activists in Tehran. [4]

The directors of the office are annually selected democratically from Iranian University students all over the country. 


Artificial Intelligence

Very Interesting David. Thanks!

by Artificial Intelligence on

Do you know how large this organization is compared to other student organizations in Iran?


Darius Kadivar

FYI/Student seems to echo same concerns (youtube)

by Darius Kadivar on

Don't know if this is a recent video or not but he also says why Ahmadinejad and his government squander Iran's money on the Palestinian cause rather than invest in our poor economy

//es.youtube.com/watch?v=9VXoyJWv5e0