I read the dreadful news of yet another attack on the Baha’i community of Iran in a post written by Rothwell Polk on Hoffington Post titled:

The Declaration of the Bab: Baha’i Holy Day Marred by Fresh Wave of Persecutions in Iran

The sad news was reported by NPR and many other world media as they referred to may 23, 1844, the Baha’i Holiday of Declaration of the Bab.

Yes, May 22, 2011 marks another violent and orchestrated attempt by the Islamic Republic Regime of Iran to execute its carefully planned cultural, economic and social genocide of the Baha’i community of Iran. As the rest of the world was busy with its daily concerns, at the early hours of the morning of May 22, 2011, in many cities of Iran the Islamic Republic government officials raided the homes and scared the hell out of the Baha’i citizens and especially traumatizing the Baha’i children. They broke into the homes of the faculty and students of Baha’i Institute for Higher Education, (BIHE). The Gestapo like raids and search of home in early hours of the morning is ordered and designed to frighten and scare the Baha’i community and whoever dares to defend the human rights of this peaceful religious minority in Iran.

In the past 30 years, the Islamic Republic Regime’s government officials such as Mohammad-Javad Larijani continue with their strategy of Distortion and Disinformation to fool and confuse the civilized world while they carry out their vicious plan of annihilation of the Baha’i community and any other minorities of Iran they fear.  I am not sure if or when they get it that the civilized world shows nothing but a sense of dismay outrage and mostly disgust not mentioning a whole set of other reactions to the violations of human rights in Iran.

Iranian Baha’is have been the target of a carefully planned scheme of genocide by the Islamic Republic Regime ever since Ayatollah Khomeini took over the rule of Iran in 1979. The document including the details of the plan was discovered and disclosed by the UN commissionaire in 1993.

The window to education for every human being  should remain open throughout one’s life time. But realistically this window  is limited to the high school and college age in most parts of the world. College education is associate with better opportunities of job availability and economic self sufficiency. College education provides the youth with a greater opportunity of service to the community and ability to be involved in the betterment of the community you live in. Both of these abilities are central to the ideal Baha’i life style.

The Baha’i Institute of Higher Education (BIHE) is a global humanitarian response to 30 years of human rights violation by the Islamic Republic Regime of Iran which has banned the Baha’i students from attending university unless they lie about their religious identity!!

What can you do?

• If you are faculty of BIHE, please continue to teach your students if you can.
• If you are a student, please continue to study and learn and take your exams if you can.
• If you are a human rights advocate, please talk to your government representatives asking their intervention in this human right violation.
• If you are an academics, please blog about the human rights to education for all, talk to your colleagues, have your students discuss the subject, research and write about it.
• If you believe in the power of prayer, join the prayer chains and Causes of support for BIHE on Facebook.
• If you can think of other actions, please do let us know.

Keyvan