Condemn the Attack of Islamic Ethnic “Alhoda” to the Activists of Campaign to Defend Women’s Rights in Iran

Press Release
Soraya Shahabi,
President of the International Federation of Iranian Refugees
October 21, 1998

At the end of September, Canadian Labor Congress held a conference on “ Human Rights and Anti Racism” in Montreal. The activists of Action Committee on Women’s Rights in Iran had participated at this conference very effectively. “Alhoda, Lebanese Moslem’s Society” had objected the participation of ACWRI.  This objection was not accepted by the conference participants an its organizing committee. They have supported the ACWRI.  So, the protesters have to keep silence.

ACWRI activists could draw the attention of media and gain their support towards the terrible situation of women in Islamic countries. Especially, Shiva Mahboobi, spoke person of CDWRI could publish a corner of the facts regarding women’s lives in Iran on the news paper “Now”.  Following these actions and when the conference was ended, “Alhoda” started its objection again. Writing a letter, “Alhoda” accused the CLC of being racist and hurting the feeling of “thousands of Canadian Moslems” because of CLC support of participation of women activists at the conference.

 

“Canada Islamic Society” and the “Hurt Feeling”

It is not clear that when and through which democratic process the Lebanese – Islamic ethnic was elected and became the spoke person of “Canadian Moslems Society”.  Who had elected them to be responsible for measuring the hurt of the feeling of hundred thousands of people who escaped the hell of Islamic countries such as Iran, Afghanistan, Algeria, Pakistan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia……and came to Canada.  This ethnic and its self-elected representative claim that they are protesting against CDWRI activity on behalf of a population of hundred thousands with the name of “Canadian Moslems Society”.

The people who are not familiar with the societies such as Canada, might come to this misgiving (skepticism) that “Alhoda’s” protest is the protest of a great number of fugitives from Islamic countries. So, it is said that CLC ‘s support of the presence of CDWRI activists in conference and distribution of the CDWRI literatures had hurt the feeling of a society with hundred thousands of members.

Taking advantage of the atmosphere of “Multicultural Society” is a common seduction among ethnic groups such as “Alhoda”.  In fact, this is the protest of a small corporate that is formed by a few anti-women and bigoted Moslem men whose relationship with the Islamic republic should be investigated.  These bigoted Moslem men are lying.

In Canada, according to the common definition of “The Moslem Society”, “The Jews Society” and other minority societies, every one whose birth certificate is issued in one of these countries - their children and grand children and even second and third generation and some times fourth generation born in Canada - are considered as members of these societies.  For example, I and my atheist and non-Moslem children, despite of our wishes, upon arriving into Canada became members of “Canada Moslem Society”, because it happened that I was born in Iran.

Millions Iranian, who fled the Islam barbarism and whose hundreds of most beloved one were executed by Islamic Republic death squads, are considered members of “ The Moslem Society”.  Thousands of thousands who escaped from the Taleban barbarism, girls and youths who belong to the Moslem families while hating Islam, are also included in this false society, the society that “Alhoda” has claimed to be its representative and spoke person.  This is the society that every Iranian and their next generation become its members despite of their inward wishes.  It is very difficult to get rid of this membership.  In reality, the society of “Few hundred thousand of Canada Moslems” is a false definition.

In face, we are countering with the protest of a few pro-Islamic Republic Moslems. Otherwise which honorable person, Catholic, Jewish, Moslem and non-Moslem, can defend the stoning or oppose the distribution of the literature protesting the stoning.  Which honorable human being, regardless of the place of the birth, gender, race, religion, aims and beliefs, can defend the thugs with Islamic sword looking for Taslima Nasrin on Bangladesh streets.  She is a writer whose crime is the divulgence of the reality of the terrible lives of the women and girls in the Islamic societies.  You have for sure heard of the campaign for murdering this women writer in Bangladesh.  The Islam verdict for murdering her was issued by ethnic groups like “Alhoda” in Bangladesh.  “Alhoda” lies so impudently in the free and democratic society of Canada and.  They are willing that the mouths of the women representatives, who search for the reality, be shut.  Worst of all, they accuse the CLC of racism and the CDWRI of distributing the anti-“Moslem people” literatures.  You can imagine what would this kind of belief do where it has the proper tools and power.  In Bangladesh, “Alhoda's" brothers brawl against Teslima Nasrin and in Britain they are determined to murder Salman Rushdie, because they are writers and what they wrote is hurting the feeling of bigoted Moslem men.  In Italy, Japan and Norway, the translators of Salman Rushdie’s book are assassinated. Only the Norwegian translator is alive.

Who can respect the laws that justify the murder of the critics and protesters of Islam in order to soothe the hurt feeling of Islamic ethnic such as “Alhoda”?  Who can hear about the gender circumcision of small girls in Somali, the stoning in Iran and the rape of small girls with the excuse of getting married to “9 year young women”, but not protest to this barbarism?  The inhumane dirty sentiments not only is not respectable by any freedom loving, but also in contrast is being hated.  The “Alhoda” Islamic ethnic is not allowed to extend its inhumane feelings and beliefs to the hundred thousands of population and insult them.

Racism or Expectance of Tolerating the Barbarism

The offices of Campaign to Defend Women’s Rights in Iran are loaded of the pictures, films and documents that are displayed every where and at each conference or session.  There has been no response to CDWRI other than support by honorable people such as the participants at CLC conference.  “Alhoda” dares not only to expresses its existence, but also to protest in this kind of othmosphare. This is because of poor culture in the countries like Canada.

Although the dimensions of the atrocious acts against women in Iran and Afghanistan are obvious and known to all, and even if it is 20 years that fugitives from Iran, the victims of the regime of 150 thousands executions, are restating the facts regarding Iran and revealing the barbarism of the Islamic Republic, still the “Cultural Relativity” racism justifies these atrocities.  In the name of “Cultural Relativity” the racists tell us that it does not matter, tolerate! It is your culture and religion.  You cannot demand the same rights that Canadian or Swedish women are demanding.  “We” and “You” are different from each other.  Every one belongs to a different culture.  Be careful that the attack to your religion and culture could be considered racism!

In the name of “Equal civil and social rights for Moslems”, the “Cultural Relativity” defends the rights of the members of the Moslem families to oppress their girls and wives.  “Alhoda” takes courage to accuse the CLC in racism and to protest its support of distribution of women’s literatures.  This only shows that “Alhoda” is taking advantage of the athomosphare of “Cultural Relativity”. The theory of “Cultural Relativity” violates all human being values and rights.  It also makes the content of racism meaningless.

If the respect to the rights of girls and women in Islamic countries and the claim for equal human rights for the women captured by Islam are racism, then the name of Hitler fascism should be taken back from German Aryan proud.  The young girls in Moslem families are prohibited from loving, even from thinking about it, by threaten, beaten and imprison.  If the reiteration of this reality is called racism, then the tragic atrocities done by Hitler fascism should be taken into account as “German Culture”.  If the reiteration of the destiny of the victims of Islamic regimes is racism, then all perceptions of the issue of racism, up today and by human being’s history, should be denied.  If defending equal rights for children in all societies, including societies dominated by Islam, is racism, then all contents of the written conventions based on equal rights for human being, regardless of their beliefs, aims, gender, race and the place of birth, should be written again.  Only anti human beings groups, such as Islamic Republic, are able to call racism the belief of universal women rights and universal human rights.

In fact, the “Cultural Relativity”, which is nothing but the racism of civilized west world against people of “third world”, has given a protest opportunity to this reactionary Islamic ethnic.  Otherwise, all truth that CDWRI is reiterating is not deniable.

 

Who Owes an Apology?

The “Alhoda” group should be condemned for the insulting of the participants in the CLC conference and for the accusing this congress to racism.  They must apologize the president of CLC, Bob White, and the activists of Campaign to Defend Women’s Rights in Iran and its spoke person Shiva Mahboobi.  It is good that the supporters of women’s oppression, such as “Alhold” group, say what they think about the commandment of murdering of Salman Rushdie, and about the dangerous situation of Taslima Nasrin, the Bangladeshi writer who is living in hidden because of the fear from the Moslem groups attacks.  They should say their opinions about the sexual apartheid in Iran and the daily protests of millions of women in Iran, who have been forced to cover themselves by dint of the armed gangs, and who had to obey the laws of separation in society by the force of prison, torture and execution.

Hereby, I would like to thank the CLC and its president Bob White on behalf of the International Federation of Iranian Refugees that through its more than 40 representative offices had saved the lives of thousands of fugitives from Iran, among them thousands women fled from the Islamic barbarism.

CLC’s support is the support of providing opportunities for free activities of activists of CDWRI and also is the defense of human rights of hundred thousands of people who escaped Iran in order to escape execution, torture and imprisonment.  This is to support the free activity of people who are fighting to a wild regime such as Islamic Republic.  Therefore, I thank this congress and the president and believe that their actions are a sign of solidarity to the women’s struggle in Iran.   

 


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