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| In Iran, the government stigmatizes Qashqai customs such as public dancing, traditional music, and colorful clothing, labeling them "immoral" and "anti-Islamic." |
The Qashqai are a diverse group composed of settled, semi-settled, and pastoral nomadic households. Primarily residing in the Fars region of Iran, their language, Qashqai Turki (a form of Turkish), has been an integral part of their heritage. As noted on the Qashqai website, accessed in 2009, "The Qashqai speak Qashqai Turki (Turkish). Most of them also speak, at least, Persian (Farsi)." Despite their proficiency in Persian, the Qashqai have long struggled to maintain their linguistic and cultural identity in a nation dominated by Persian speakers and a government that often suppresses ethnic diversity.
Dr. Reza Molavi and Dr. Mohammad M. Hedayati-Kakhki, in their 2008 report for the Advisory Panel on Country Information (APCI), highlighted that Qashqai people, alongside other nomadic groups, are subjected to discrimination by the Iranian government. According to the report, “In addition to established ethnic minorities, a number of nomadic groups and tribes are targeted for discrimination, for instance the Gheshghay [another version of Qashqai].” It goes on to mention that Qashqai people make up about 2% of Iran's population, with Shiraz being the largest center of their activity. Despite their sizable population, the Qashqai are still viewed with suspicion by the Iranian government, particularly after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
One of the most striking episodes in the Qashqai struggle for rights occurred after the revolution, when Khosrow Khan Qashqai, the leader of the group, returned to Iran from Germany only to be arrested and publicly executed for advocating for the rights and autonomy of the Qashqai people. This tragic event has left a legacy of mistrust between the government and the Qashqai, who are often viewed as a "potentially volatile" ethnic group due to their historical pursuit of autonomy.
Religion has also played a significant role in the Qashqai's persecution. While the Qashqai are Shia Muslims, their religious practices do not always align with the official state interpretation of Islam. The government has targeted certain Qashqai customs, labeling them "immoral" and "anti-Islamic." Practices such as public dancing, playing traditional music with oboes and skin drums, and performing stick-fighting games to music were banned after the revolution. "Following the Islamic Revolution, various Qashqa’i customs… were declared immoral and anti-Islamic by the new government," according to the APCI Report.
Despite the fact that the Qashqai are Shia Muslims, their cultural and religious practices have been deemed a threat to the state's orthodoxy. This has contributed to a climate of ongoing discrimination, where Qashqai individuals face challenges in various aspects of life, including property rights, employment, and education. As the APCI Report suggests, while ethnicity alone does not lead to prosecution, Qashqai people may face discrimination on the basis of their ethnicity and the government's policies of dispossession.
In recent years, the Iranian government's policies have led to land confiscation and forced migration of minority groups, including the Qashqai. In 2005, Miloon Kothari, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing, condemned the confiscation of land belonging to minority groups such as the Qashqai. According to human rights activists, the Iranian government's objective behind these actions was to implement "ethnic restructuring" by forcibly moving minority groups out of resource-rich regions like Khuzestan. “Tehran’s objective with these policies… was to implement ‘ethnic restructuring’ by forced migration out of the oil and sugar-rich Khuzestan province,” stated the APCI Report.
Beyond land confiscation, the Qashqai also face the loss of their traditional pastures to the private sector, which further undermines their livelihood. This ongoing process of economic marginalization has contributed to the community's struggles and their fight for recognition and autonomy.
The discrimination faced by the Qashqai Turks is a clear reflection of the Iranian government's broader policies of ethnic homogenization, which seek to suppress the diverse cultures and languages of the country's minority groups. As the Qashqai continue to face repression, their resilience in the face of adversity remains a testament to their enduring fight for cultural and political recognition in a country that has long marginalized their people.
The story of the Qashqai is not just about a minority group struggling for its survival in the face of government policies. It is a story that echoes the broader issues of ethnic and cultural suppression in Iran, where minority groups continue to fight for their rights, their land, and their very identity.