======== I R A N D E M O C R A C Y W A T C H A Periodical Newsletter by Democracy Network of Iran Democracy Network of Iran is an internet-based network of individuals with focus on social, economic and political development in Iran, advocating creation of truly democratic processes in political and social realms. For more information, you can look at our web site: http://www.algonet.se/~farhad/dni/index.htm or send an email to dni@glue.umd.edu To subscribe to DNI discussion/action list send a message to majordomo@glue.umd.edu with the following in the body of the message: subscribe spi. ******************************************************************** Issue 3 Friday May 31, 1996 ******************************************************************** Contents: 1. A survey of the youth and students in Iran (Asre Ma) 2. Sattar Khan's grandson creates unrest in Azarbaiijan 3. Brief Reports from Iranian Newspapers 4. On Iran's Foreign Debts 5. Murder of Mazlouman in Paris 6. Rallies in Ardabil 7. Five hung in Tabriz 8. Fall of exports in Iran 9. Soroush in london 10. The election of Nategh as the temporary speaker of Majlis 11. Should US think twice? 12. D'Amato discourages Total from investment in Iran *************************************************************** Date: Fri, 24 May 1996 15:03:26 EDT Subject: Students' political inclinations in Iran The Political Inclinations of the Youth and the Students Asre Ma (Our Era), Political & Social (Biweekly) April 19, 1995, Vol. 2, No. 13, Page: 5 Word Count: 769 Some parts are deleted. Summary: A research conducted on Tehran's University students and youth indicates a trend of depoliticization. The youth are mostly thinking about getting rich. For this purpose, a research has been conducted at the universities and in the society to determine the political behaviour of the young generation and the students. The subjects of the research included 300 students and youths in Tehran. A part of the research findings are presented below for the benefit of the dear readers. *Students and Escape from Politics Around 27 percent of the subjects indicated a principal pessimism toward politics, while 41 percent expressed indifference, and only less than 32 percent voiced optimism toward politics. The research findings further showed that only 35 percent of the subjects followed up the day's political events, while 65 percent did not do so. The responses provided to another question on reading dailies showed that only less than 32 percent of the subjects regularly followed up the political news and read the dailies. *Students and Cultural Identity In response to a question about cultural identity, around 53 percent of the subjects said they experienced a feeling of nihilism and lack of identity. 18 percent did not respond to this question. In reply to another question about the tendency of the youth and the young generation toward religion, more than 81 percent believed that the two groups have a lower inclination toward religion. They expressed their ideals as becoming rich, wearing fashionable clothes, having unrestrained relations with the opposite sex, and being free of social norms and restraints. Faced with another question on the mode of dressing and unrestrained relations, 88 percent of the subjects said they favoured wearing fashionable clothes and having unbridled relations. *Students' Behavioral Model In reply to a question on the behavioral model of the youths and the students, around 61 percent of the subjects referred to western artists, while only 17 percent cited the country's officials as their behavioral model. Responding to a question about music, 50 percent of the subjects declared that they favoured Western music, while only 15 percent said they liked revolutionary songs and music. In response to another question on the extent of interest in Western music, 31 percent said they favoured classical music, 14 percent pop music, 24 percent jazz, and 21 percent electronic music. *************************************************************************** Date: 23 May 1996 21:57:34 Subject: Mahmoud Ali Chehregani-Tasuj Muhammad Ali Chehregani is grandson of Sattarkhan from Chehregan a town between Tasuj (Eastern Azarbaijan) and Salmas (Western Azarbaijan). Sattarkhan was very famous among three hundred families of Chehregan. he used to go house to huse mixing with people having their tea in their own "estekan" which was a sign of trust between him and people. Sattarkhan's grandchildren have been very active in Tasuj, Shabostar and they were involved in 1357 Revolution against monarchy. A.A. Governor General of Tabriz Admits Unrest, Radio Israel, May 19 Following the reports in recent days from circles inside Iran and Iranian opposition abroad regarding unrest in [northwestern] city of Tabriz, the speech of the governor general of the city was published in state-run daily Salam in Tehran. In his speech, he effectively confirmed the widespread unrest, gatherings and protests of demonstrators. In this speech he blamed Mahmoud Ali Chehregani, Tabriz's candidate for Majlis, for leading the unrest... The governor of Tabriz called the protesters saboteurs who wanted to disturb the elections process and the security to pretend our city is in discontent. He then added the group of protesters most of whom did not even know Azari [the ethnic language of Tabriz residents] and were brought from out of province to maneuver in Tabriz. But the alertness of authorities and decisive reaction of security forces ended this episode.... On the same time, Salam reported that security agents attacked several "operational houses" and arrested a number of people who had ties with Chehregani... *********************************************************************** Date: 26 May 1996 15:31:09 Subject: Briefs from Iranian Newspapers Tuseday may 21 96 Abrar: Khamneyi: In the IRI, the media is dominated by confused and stupid views and thoughts which does not allow "Islamic thought, the true views" to be presented. Rafsanjani: Universities should increase their communication with scientific and research centres of the world. (In other words, do not listen to Khamneyi's bullshits, there is not enough experts among lecturers in the IRI universities and we need to send academics abroad despite Seyed Ali's madness." AkhbAr Khamneyi: Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidence has become the centre of "rafiq bAzi and khat bAzi". Ettela'at: Rafsanjani: dAneshmandAn va AlemAn motaeahhed (such as Dr. Soroush) arzeshmandtari sarmAyehAye ensAni hastand. Jomhuri Eslami: Khamneyi: All "degarandish" students and lecturers should be silenced. Rafsanjani: AnsAr Hezbullah who endanger discipline and respect for laws of the universities should be punished seriously. Salam: Khamneyi: The report published by Asr mA regarding "fasAd va Pusidagi fardhangi" among students and youth were carried out in the USA indicating that Americans are fed up from "fasAd va Pusidagi fardhangi". Rafsanjani: In an Islamic states, (vali faqi and Nateq Nuri's faction) should respect laws and discipline. Keyhan: Khamneyi: I order the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidence to throw all established artists out the country replacing them with artist members of "Ansar hezbullah". Rafsanjani: Do not let some corrupt "modirs" appointed by my ministers to increase the prices of the goods. **************************************************************************** Date: Sun, 26 May 1996 20:56:16 +0200 (MET DST) Subject: foreign debt Source: Reuter According to Reuter "A parliamentary body investigating Iran's central bank has charged it with mismanaging the country's finances by allowing overspending, resulting in a foreign debt of $43 billion in 1995. " "Another committee presented a highly critical report about Iran's largest state-affiliated economic conglomerate in the final days of the outgoing parliament which held its last session on Sunday. " ************************************************************************* Date: Wed, 29 May 1996 01:00:50 -0400 Subject: Former minister killed Source: Reuter "A former Iranian cabinet minister who served under the late Shah was found shot dead at his home near Paris on Tuesday, justice sources said. The sources identified the man as Reza Mazlouman, a political refugee in France since 1982, and an Iranian deputy education minister before the 1979 Islamic revolution. " Subject: Iranian Azeris demonstrate Date: Wed, 29 May 1996 15:45:01 -0700 (PDT) ************************************************************************** Subject: OMRI Daily Digest I, No. 104, 29 May 96 OMRI DAILY DIGEST No. 104, Part I, 29 May 1996 TRANSCAUCASIA AND CENTRAL ASIA IRANIAN AZERIS PROTEST ARRESTS IN AZERBAIJAN. A rally protesting the arrest of nine Islamists in Azerbaijan took place in Ardabil, in the Iranian province of East Azerbaijan, AFP reported on 28 May. The report did not say how many Iranian Azeri protesters took part in the rally, which was held during the Ashura ritual of mourning for Imam Hussein, the seventh century Shiite Muslim martyr. The agency noted that authorities in Baku arrested three Islamists on 21 May, and charged them with illegally transporting Azerbaijani citizens to Iran. -- Lowell Bezanis ********************************* Date: 30 May 1996 13:25:30 Subject: Five hung in Tabriz: Mohammad reza Sharifi, 21 Davood marjani Dahr 23 Seyed Reza Bahraini 21 Ja'far Faraj Pour 21 Alireza Nik Jah 23 They were accused for killing 4 people in their 50s and 60s in 1372 during armed theft. ************************************* Date: Fri, 31 May 1996 10:05:53 -0400 Subject: Fall of Exports Source: Reuter "Exports of Persian carpets, Iran's second largest hard currency earner after oil, have fallen by 40 percent due to tough government foreign exchange rules, an Iranian official was quoted as saying on Wednesday. Hossein Arouri, head of the state Handicrafts Organisation, said carpet exports fell to $968 million in the Iranian year that ended on March 19. Arouri blamed the fall on the rules adopted last May requiring exporters to return their hard currency income to state banks and exchange it at the official rate, Resalat said." **************************************** Date: 1 Jun 1996 13:57:36 Subject: News London (Movahhedin): A hall with 1000 seats capacity which was allocated for Dr. Soroush speech was full. Some of the crowd was not aloowed inside and they had to leave the Imperial College. Local Media showed interest in the lecture, but was not allowed in. The meeting started with recitation of the Qoran. The talk was academic. Soroush: I have said that "howzeh" is different from "dAneshgah", because howzeh is fed only from "din" but daneshgah is fed from various sources. Therefore, the could be a red line in howzeh but there can not be a red line in daneshgah. Soroush in answer to a question; Q: If some one found that a "system-e-fekri" is not correct, can he change it addopting a new "system fekri". Soroush: Muhammad in Quran asked from people to challaneg Quran and if the opponents could bring a better one, Muhammad would follow them. It means that if a Muslem today finds a book better than Quran should follow the book rather than Quran. It is itself Quranic and Islamic. ****************************************************************** Date: Sun, 2 Jun 1996 17:15:35 -0400 Subject: Reuter:Nategh Nouri Source: Reuter: "The official Iranian news agency IRNA said Nateq-Nouri, who has served as parliament speaker for the last four years, won 132 votes out of the 241 deputies present. Former interior minister Abdollah Nouri won the remaining votes, it said." "Iran's clergy-based Guardian Council, which reviews parliamentary bills, has recognised 248 deputies. The remaining members of the 270-seat parliament would be elected in by-elections later this year. " ******************************************************************** Subject: Iran official: U.S. should think twice Date: Sun, 2 Jun 1996 23:22:26 -0700 Source: Reuter Iran official: U.S. should think twice "Iran's military is strong enough to stand up to anyone, and even the United States should think twice about a possible confrontation, a senior Iranian commander said in comments published Sunday." Brig. Gen. Ahmad Dadbin, commander of the army's ground forces, told the Kayhan Havai: "We are strong enough to defend ourselves whoever the aggressor may be," Dadbin was quoted as telling the English-language paper. "The Americans should think twice before attacking us. I believe no country in the world would dare to attack us." ************************************************************************** Date: Mon, 3 Jun 1996 15:17:54 +0200 (MET DST) Subject: Total Source: Reuter "French oil company Total SA has received a letter from U.S. Senator Alfonse D'Amato warning it of probable American sanctions if it goes ahead with planned investments in Iran, the International Herald Tribune reported on Monday." D'Amato: ``We in Congress view any business deal that provides Iran with the hard currency to develop its energy sector as a direct threat to U.S. national security,'' it quoted the letter saying. ***************************************************************************** Democracy network of Iran newsletter dni@glue.umd.edu http://www.algonet.se/~farhad/dni/index.htm To subscribe send a message to majordomo@glue.umd.edu The body of the message should be "subscribe spi"