By Abdul Sattar Doshouki - February 21, 2011
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| Abdolsattar Doshouki, a political analyst, activist, and the director of the Balochistan Studies Center in London. |
Today, Monday, February 21, marks International Mother Language Day. Fifty-nine years ago, on this day (February 21, 1952), students in Bangladesh, which was then part of Pakistan, protested to demand the recognition of Bengali, a language ranked sixth worldwide regarding the number of speakers. The Pakistani army, whose official language was Urdu—a language ranked twentieth globally in terms of the number of speakers—responded to this natural and "inherent" right with molten lead, brutally suppressing the peaceful student gathering. At the time, Pakistan consisted of five major provinces: Bengal (now Bangladesh), Punjab, Sarhad (Pashtunistan), Sindh, and Balochistan. Urdu was the mother tongue of less than 4% of Pakistan’s population. It took nearly half a century for UNESCO’s General Conference, in November 1999, to declare that bloody day as International Mother Language Day.
Almost a decade later, in May 2009, the United Nations General Assembly, reaffirming Resolution 47/135 of 1992 on the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious, and Linguistic Minorities and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, adopted Resolution 61/266. This resolution obliges governments to fully support and safeguard the linguistic and cultural heritage within their countries.
According to the Ethnologue website, there are approximately 6,909 living languages and dialects in the world. While most of these are spoken by a limited number of people, they still represent significant diversity. For instance, Papua New Guinea, with a population of four million, boasts over 830 languages. Similarly, Vanuatu, with only 200,000 inhabitants, is home to 114 languages and dialects.
The Bible has been translated into over 2,287 languages, but 94% of the global population speaks only 389 languages. Persian is ranked 34th among the world’s living languages, with about 24 million native speakers in Iran, according to Ethnologue.
In this ranking, the Azerbaijani language is 49th, Kurdish 56th, and Balochi 97th. Despite its small population, Balochistan surpasses over two-thirds of the world’s countries in linguistic diversity. Yet, in Iranian Balochistan, education and publishing in the Balochi language are prohibited. In contrast, this is not the case in Pakistani Balochistan.
In Afghanistan’s constitution, Balochi is recognized as an official language. Many ethnic groups and nations around the world face similar linguistic and cultural oppression and discrimination, being systematically denied the right to education in their mother tongues. Tamil, a language ranked 18th globally, offers a poignant example. The Tamil people have faced brutal suppression by the Sri Lankan central government for their linguistic, political, and cultural demands, often with support from countries like Iran.
According to Article 15 of the Iranian Constitution, Persian is the official and common language of Iran. Official documents, correspondence, and educational texts must be in Persian, but using local and ethnic languages in the press, mass media, and teaching their literature in schools alongside Persian is allowed. However, despite this constitutional right, some advocate a narrow interpretation. For example, the Iran Boom website justifies cultural discrimination, arguing:
"The final clause of this article clearly states the freedom (not obligation) to teach local literature alongside Persian. It should be noted that ‘literature’ is only part of a language, not synonymous with it. Therefore, the phrase ‘teaching their literature in schools alongside Persian is allowed’ does not mean the constitution allows teaching local languages and dialects in schools."
This interpretation reflects discriminatory state policies, adding:
"Some might wish to interpret ‘freedom’ in this clause to imply that teaching local literature is an obligation. However, this article lacks any enforcement mechanisms. Moreover, when interpreting laws, we must consider legal principles and jurisprudence to clarify uncertainties."
Such justifications mirror the broader discriminatory attitudes entrenched in both the Islamic Republic and the Pahlavi regime before it. Both have historically viewed linguistic freedom as a security risk, favoring forced homogenization over pluralism, equality, and justice. This approach fosters hatred, ethnic divides, and long-term socio-cultural fissures.
Language, as the most significant cultural marker of collective identity, is not only a fundamental human right but also a crucial medium of communication and knowledge acquisition. Research consistently shows that education in one's mother tongue is the most effective foundation for learning. In places like Balochistan, this basic right is absent, exacerbating educational disparities.
Children in Balochistan, for instance, face not only severe poverty and lack of resources but also the challenge of learning in an unfamiliar language while witnessing their native language being denigrated. This systemic issue is a primary cause of educational underachievement and dropout rates.
Unfortunately, discriminatory attitudes toward non-Persian languages are deeply ingrained in Iranian society. Many fail to recognize the simple truth that everyone’s mother tongue is their “sweet language.” Balochi, for example, is described as “honey” by its speakers: "Baluchi mei wati shahdin zabanant" (Balochi is our honeyed language).
In a civilized and democratic system, these languages should be officially recognized, just as they are in neighboring countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Persian can and will remain the official and shared language of all Iranians. However, neglecting or suppressing other languages for the sake of national unity undermines social cohesion and human rights.
In conclusion, the medieval and authoritarian policies of the Islamic Republic starkly contrast with international human rights conventions it claims to uphold. Expecting this regime to honor linguistic and cultural rights is futile, as a Balochi proverb aptly states:
"Seeking shade from a burning sun,
Asking for water from a dry spring."
The link to the original article in Farsi on Asre-Nou:
آیا فقط فارسی شکر است؟