Taher Shir Mohammadi - Deutsche Welle Persian - January 15, 2010
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| Why don't national and ethnic minorities support the Green Movement? |
While arrests continue in Tehran, the detention of ethnic activists also persists. However, the role of ethnic groups in the Green Movement appears to be "minimal." Yousef Azizi Benitorof, an Iranian Arab writer and member of the Iranian Writers' Association, explains the reasons.
Deutsche Welle: Mr. Benitorof, in recent days, protests have continued in Tehran and other Iranian cities, yet we have not witnessed similar protests in regions and cities where ethnic groups reside. Why have the elites or people in ethnic regions not actively participated in these protests?
Yousef Azizi Benitorof: Iranian society has a relatively strong civil society compared to other Middle Eastern countries, primarily concentrated in Tehran, whereas it is weaker in the peripheral areas. Another issue is the distrust that has grown over decades, as expressed by non-Persian ethnic activists. They point out that during the democratic uprisings in Khuzestan, Kurdistan, and Azerbaijan in 2005-2006, there was no assistance or support from the "centralized" groups, and they were instead suppressed. As a result, they refer back to those years.
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| Yousef Azizi Benitorof |
If this massive force of non-Persian peoples in Azerbaijan, Ahvaz, Baluchistan, Turkmen Sahra, and Kurdistan were to join the stream of struggles in Tehran, Isfahan, and Shiraz, what an ocean it would create.
Deutsche Welle: What impact would the active participation of people in ethnic regions, or the involvement of ethnicities in the Green Movement protests, have?
Yousef Azizi Benitorof: If this vast force joins the protests and demonstrations in Tehran, Isfahan, Shiraz, and Mashhad, it could lead to quicker results. Currently, with the struggle limited to Tehran and two or three other cities, the fight becomes prolonged, and there may even be doubts about its success. This is not a sign of the regime's strength but rather an indication of divisions within Iranian society, stemming from the lack of trust between non-Persian peoples and Tehran.
Deutsche Welle: To overcome this distrust, what policies should the ethnic elites or Green Movement leaders adopt to involve people from ethnic regions?
Yousef Azizi Benitorof: In my opinion, coordination must be established between the Green Movement leaders and the leaders and activists of the non-Persian peoples. Ideally, this should happen domestically, but if that's not feasible, it must occur abroad. There needs to be a form of coordination between Green Movement activists and non-Persian ethnic forces who believe in collaborating with the movement. This coordination should first be established inside Iran, but if the security conditions don't permit it, then at least coordination between non-Persian ethnic activists and Green Movement leaders should take place abroad. Otherwise, the people's struggles will face obstacles and difficulties.
Deutsche Welle: How do you assess the strength of these ethnic groups in Iranian society?
Yousef Azizi Benitorof: In modern Iranian history, from the Constitutional Revolution to the 1979 Revolution, Tehran has never succeeded in bringing revolutions to fruition without Tabriz. In the Constitutional Revolution, it was Sattar Khan, Bagher Khan, and the Azerbaijan movement that ultimately secured its success. Similarly, during the 1979 Revolution, the uprising in Tabriz on February 18, 1978, the closure of oil facilities by Arab workers in Khuzestan, and the struggles of other Iranian ethnic groups led to its victory.
Now, with the separation of non-Persian peoples' activists from the freedom-seeking and pro-democracy movements in Tehran, Mashhad, Isfahan, and Tabriz, I believe this movement will either fail or become prolonged. Even if it succeeds without the participation of non-Persian peoples, the victory will be incomplete, and the national issue of non-Persian peoples will resurface. Therefore, establishing coordination and unity at this critical moment is the best solution.
Deutsche Welle: In your opinion, would involving ethnicities in the Iran protests ensure this movement's success?
Yousef Azizi Benitorof: Undoubtedly. Considering the past century's historical experiences in Iran, current global conditions, and the growing awareness of oppressed peoples in the Middle East, the Arab world, and even the West, I firmly believe these ethnicities possess extraordinary potential. If merged with the current Green Movement protests, this combined struggle could achieve remarkable results in favour of democracy, freedom, human rights, and, most importantly, the rights of these very non-Persian peoples.
Editor: Jamshid Faroughi
The link to the original article in Farsi on DW:
جنبش سبز و نقش قوميتها