Open Journal Montreal

i was on the Amnesty Internation website today, checking in on the Urgent Actions. these are cases where your letters could be the difference between life and death for someone in the next few days. reading through some of these cases it feels like fear is in control- turning people against each other and against peaceful groups who seem threatening because everything seems threatening. In the case of the 173 people who are missing after a demonstration in Qom Iram, according to Amnesty International: “The protest and its repression by the authorities came amid concern about what appears to be increasing “demonization” of the Sufi Muslim group. In September 2005, a religious jurist in Qom, Ayatollah Hossein Nouri-Hamedani, called for a crackdown on Sufi groups in Qom, labelling them a “danger to Islam”.” At dinner last night we were shaking our heads at mistakes that have been made by colonial powers, and at stories of child soldiers, and the cascading patterns of fear and violence that seem to have us in their power. Communication historians know that in the midst of ideological warfare and in the face of the controlling nature of fear all we can really judge each other by is our actions, and all we can stand for are human rights. This partial history of the Human Rights movement outlines how tricky and important a task this has been. Anyway. Here’s my letter below. Maybe it will trigger another kind of cascading pattern, prompting whoever takes a look at this today to go look for someone who needs to you stand up peacefully for them. keep well guys.

Your Excellency

I am writing to express my deep concern at the incommunicado detention in Fajr prison, Qom, of 173 members of the Nematollahi Sufi community following their arrest on 13 February, after an apparently peaceful demonstration. Detainees have allegedly been tortured during interrogation- not only does this damage the reputation of the state and the people of Iran in the world’s eyes, but confessions extracted under duress are prohibited by Article 38 of the constitution of Iran. “All forms of torture for the purpose of extracting confession or acquiring information are forbidden”.

I do not presume to know about the complexities of running a state. I respect the difficulty of your position but cannot support violence against peaceful people. In addition, the Sufi people have historically been able to bring peace and a space for productive conversation.

Sufi scholars went to great lengths in establishing a sense of continuity and evolution amongst the various revealed faiths – such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam. In helping to reconcile formally differing beliefs amongst Christians, Manicheans, Jews, and Muslims, the Sufis were instrumental in limiting political tensions and in facilitating a modicum of social peace and stability.

This ability is not a threat but is, instead, God’s greatest gift to his people: the ability to love and respect each other no matter how different we seem.

Therefore I am calling on the authorities to grant the detainees immediate access to their families, lawyers, and any necessary medical treatment.

Myself and thousands of others are calling on you to stand up for human rights, and for the constitution of Iran. These 173 missing people should released immediately and unconditionally unless they are to face recognizably criminal charges and to receive fair and prompt trials in accordance with their rights under international law.

Thank you so much for your time, and for your prompt attention to this matter.

Sincerely,
Risa

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[ originally posted on Saturday, March 4th, 2006 at 10:09 am and is filed under Communication, Everything, Letters. ]