It is about time, it is about time; I cried when I read this letter. Would this massive and bold response to BIHE arrests be the silver-lining for Luke Sky walker win over Dart Wader? Is this about crisis and victory in Iran for human rights? Have the innocent and the meek paid enough price? Have they be patient long enough?
It was on the morning of May 22 when at a conference of Baha’i scholars from all over the world, the news came that the homes of the faculty and students of the Baha’i Institute of Higher Education (BIHE) were raided by the Islamic Republic Regime of Iran and books and computers were confiscated and these valiant and innocent souls were taken to be violated by a system who knows no limit for inhumanity and cruelty all under the banner of Islam and in the name of God!
Baha'i students in Iran deprived of the right to education
I cried when I read the letter of protest written and signed by one thousand Iranians in an emotional defense of the human rights of their fellow Baha’i citizens to education, after the recent raid and arrest of BIHE faculty and students by The Iranian Regime, vowing that they will no longer stand by and watch this inhumanity continued in the name of religion. They noted that they feel saddened when they see the empty seats next to them that belongs to their Baha’i brothers and sisters in the universities in Iran. The site Population of Combat Against Educational Discrimination or P.C.E.D reported the welcomed news:
I noticed that half way through the letter I could not read anymore; tears blurred my vision. Thirty years of injustice and deprivation from education in one’s own homeland!! It is impossible for me to put into words the rush of mix of emotions I feel for this inhumanity perpetrated against a whole society in the name of religion for this long!! If it was not for the teachings of Baha’u’llah and its blunt and emphatic injunction to distinguish the reality of religion from human intervention and petty manipulations I would have had nothing to do with religion.
He (Baha’u’llah) sets forth a new principle for this day in the announcement that religion must be the cause of unity, harmony and agreement among mankind. If it be the cause of discord and hostility, if it leads to separation and creates conflict, the absence of religion would be preferable in the world.
Thanks to the people of conscience all over the world that have shared their outrage about this blatant human rights violation. How can education be denied to rightful citizens of a country, question the Directory of Persecuted Scientists, Health Professionals, and Engineers, amongst many. They put forth the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that says: Under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights:
- No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile (Article 9); and everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion (Article 18).
In Baha’u’llah’s Dispensation God has promised that He will take care of justice if His servants attend to love, compassion and mercy. The Baha’is of Iran have faith in this divine promise and now finally witness the people of Iran rising up for justice. This balance is win/win
Could this letter of protest by Iranian citizens be the silver lining for the victory of Iranian people over the long and dark night of persecution and injustice that has been perpetrated in that nation against all its people? The Baha’i writings talks about the dynamics of crisis and victory going hand in hand. Could it be that finally the long sufferings and loving patience of the meek Baha’i community is awakening the sense of humanity and justice in the hearts of the people of Iran and rising them to the opportunity the Germans missed when they stood by and let Hitler be their guide?
او هم مانند من شهروند این کشور است ، یک انسان ایرانی بهایی.
او به چیزی معتقد است که من نیستم اما هیچگاه نشده که مرا با عقایدش بیازارد ، کاری که سالهاست در حق او می شود. محرومیت بهاییان از حقوق شهروندی درد است.
دردی که سال هاست سرزمین مرا فراگرفته و امروز بیشتر و بیشتر شده است. با شنیدن خبر دستگیری مدیران دانشگاه مجازی بهایی متاثر شدم و متاسفم که این اتفاق رخ داده است. اگرچه خود ما نیز آنقدر که باید و شاید در دانشگاه هایمان آزادی نداریم ، اما سلب حق تحصیل از هموطنانمان ، فقط به دلیل بهایی
بودن چیزی نیست که بتوان ساده از کنار آن عبور کرد.
سال هاست هموطنان بهایی ما حق تحصیل در دانشگاههای سراسری کشور خود را ندارند. چندی بود که با همت و تلاش خودشان یک دانشگاه مجازی تشکیل داده بودند و به علم آموزی به سایر بهاییان محروم از تحصیل می پرداختند ، که چند روز پیش اعضای فعال این دانشگاه دستگیر شدند.
این محرومیت ها برگ سیاهی است در تاریخ سی ساله ی گذشته ی ایران که فرزندان خود را اینگونه میزبانی می کند..
اگرچه من هم دین او نیستم ولی هر دو انسانیم و هر دو ایرانی. هیچ کس این حق را ندارد به خاطر اختلاف عقیده هموطن خودش را از حق زندگی و تحصیل در سرزمین مادری اش محروم کند ، که یا بماند؛ اینطور سی سال به دنبال حق سلب شده اش باشد و روز به روز با مشکلات بیشتری دست و پنجه نرم کند یا از این کشور برود، فشار روحی و مالی را تحمل کند، استعدادش را در جای دیگر شکوفا کند و از وطن فقط خاطره ی تبعید را به یاد بیاورد.
جای آن ها سی سال است که درپشت میز و نیمکت های دانشگاه ما، خالی است.
من به عنوان یک غیر بهایی می خواهم که حق تحصیل بهاییان را به آنها برگردانید ، این حق مسلم آنهاست.
May God bless and protect the lovers of humanity.
Keyvan
