Posted on 09/16/2002 1:30:36 PM PDT by knighthawk
TEHRAN 15 Sept. (IPS) “The Islamic Republic of Iran, which is based on Islamic laws, not only is basically anti-democratic but also irreformable and therefore, the only way to replace it with a real democracy is a referendum, offering the Iranians to freely choose their preferred regime”, the outspoken dissident Akbar Ganji suggested.
In a 60 pages pamphlet written in prison, Mr. Ganji proposes “peaceful civil disobedience” as “the best mean” to “force the hands” of the present conservative rulers to accept referendum and describes as “euphemism” President Mohammad Khatami’s theory of “religious democracy”, saying that Islam is anathema of the ideal of equality and democracy, as seen in the situation of women or Muslims and people of other faiths in Islamic societies.
Analysts described Mr. Ganji’s new pamphlet as an invitation for his death, as most of his arguments run against the Islamic Republic – and many Islamic nations like Saudi Arabia or Pakistan stands for. Mr. Ganji, who is serving a five years jail on various charges, including offending the leader of the Islamic Republic and insulting Islam also questions Grand Ayatollah Roohollah Khomeini’s policies, reminding that before the victory of the Islamic revolution, he would always talk and defend democracy, while once in power, he proclaimed the “Velayat Faqih”, or the rule of a totalitarian cleric, a system which basically is anti-democratic. “Hence, until this system of the rule of a leader who concentrates in his hands all powers and is above laws is in place, there is no way for the Iranians to aspire and acquire democracy”, Mr. Ganji says, adding that however, conditions for reaching democracy are ripe.
Mr. Ganji goes further and openly states that it is Islam that is “irreconcilable” with the idea of democracy and in order to reach this system, he calls on all Iranian dissidents to unite their forces in order to “force” the officials to “yield” to referendum.
Mr. Ganji says the reforms supported by the embattled President not only are “dead”, but they no more responds to the people’s demands for radical changes, including secularism and the ideal of equality of all citizens, regardless of race, sex, colour or religion.
“The fact is that Islam recognises differences between mankind, as between men and women, Muslims and those of other faiths”, he points out, cutting in pieces the argumentation of so-called Islamic reformers, including Hojjatoleslam Khatami, who insist that Islam has place for human rights, pluralism, civil society etc, “knowing well that as Muslim, one has no right to converts to other religions”.
An authoritative investigative journalist who made headlines by accusing several ruling ayatollahs as being behind the assassination of hundreds of Iranian political and intellectual dissidents, Mr. Ganji touched on the growing gap between the people and the present rulers in the one hand and the gererations on the other, the widespread “political” corruption, the dwindling of morality in the society etc to conclude that the present conservative rulers were “incapable” of solving those “unsolvable” problems “unless, he says, they agree to vacate the power and let democratic forces to take over.
CAIR will not be promoting this book, and yes, Mr. Gandji is indeed a brave man, as these words invite martyrdom.
Live free or die.
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