January 29, 2014
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| Ahsan Alavi, Representative of Sanandaj, Divandarreh, and Kamyaran |
Ahsan Alavi, the representative of Sanandaj, Divandarreh, and Kamyaran, reacted to the opposition of some members of the Persian Language and Literature Academy to the proposed plan for teaching mother tongue languages in the provinces. He issued a letter of protest addressed to the academy members.
In the letter, Alavi referred to Articles 15 and 19 of the current Constitution, which state, “The use of local and ethnic languages in the press and their literature’s instruction in schools alongside Persian is permitted.” He asked the members of the academy, “Do these laws also carry the scent of conspiracy?”
The full text of Ahsan Alavi’s letter, as published on the official website of the representative, is as follows:
In the Name of God
With the establishment of a government of moderation and attention to rights that, for various reasons, had not been fulfilled until now, glimmers of hope were ignited in the hearts of people who chose prudence. The government’s action in implementing its promises to the heroic nation of Iran, especially ethnic and religious minorities, has further increased the people’s trust in the authorities.
Among these actions, the focus on Articles 15 and 19 of the country’s Constitution, which the honorable President has pledged to implement, is a highly commendable and valuable step. However, the opposition of the majority of the Persian Language and Literature Academy to the plan for teaching mother tongue languages through the Ministry of Education in the provinces—as announced by the government—is deeply regrettable. They have deemed the plan a serious threat to the Persian language and described it as a conspiracy to undermine the prominence of Persian.
When the Constitution clearly states in Articles 15 and 19 that “the people of Iran, regardless of ethnicity or tribe, enjoy equal rights, and distinctions such as color, race, and language will not grant privilege, and the use of local and ethnic languages in the press and teaching their literature in schools alongside Persian is permitted,” does this law also carry the scent of conspiracy?
For many years, no attention has been given to these rights. Now that the 11th government has entered this field with a new discourse, why is there obstruction instead of cooperation in recognizing the rights of ethnic groups? This perspective, derived from the sacred system of the Islamic Republic—which is a mosaic of various ethnicities—has been officially recognized in the law of this country and explicitly announced. Ethnic groups and minorities have borne the greatest costs for the revolution and the defense of this land.
Therefore, the government’s proposal represents the most basic rights of ethnic groups. Anyone opposing these rights has taken a position without proper understanding. It seems that such an approach is neither permissible nor appropriate in the current political environment of the country, especially given the conditions created in the region by hegemonic powers. Creating an atmosphere of ambiguity and discrimination is erroneous, and anyone making such claims is undoubtedly not in harmony with the views of the Supreme Leader, the system, or the country’s decision-makers. It would be better for us not to act as dissenters and not to play into the hands of the enemies.
Seyed Ahsan Alavi
Representative of Sanandaj, Divandarreh, and Kamyaran in the Islamic Consultative Assembly