Experiencing Islam in Iran
Mennonites Wally and Evie Shellenberger talk about their three years in the Mideast
By Les Gehrett
Albany Democrat-Herald
When Wally and Evie Shellenberger traveled to Iran three years ago as part of a religious student exchange program, they had no idea of the changes that would soon take place in the world.
From the summer of 2001 until this February when they returned home, the couple had a unique view of the events involving the United States and the Muslim world. They lived during this time in Qom, Iran, a city that is a center for the study of the Shia branch of Islam.
They were there as part of a Mennonite Central Committee exchange program that brings Muslims to North America for study in a Christian setting and sends North American Christ-ians to Iran for a similar cross-cultural experience.
The couple is from southern Indiana, but has family in Albany, and they spent the past week talking to various church and school groups throughout western Oregon about their visit.
Their stay was certainly affected by world events, they said.
"To begin with, whenever people met us and realized we were from the United States, they were very excited, eager to talk about the United States," said Wally Shellenberger, a 65-year old psychiatrist.
In the immediate aftermath of Sept. 11, the couple received phone calls and visits from their new acquaintances who were saddened and horrified by the events. Neighbors brought them bread and other food, and they saw coverage of rallies in Tehran where students expressed sympathy for the victims of the attacks and their families.
As time passed, they did hear the opinion expressed that because of the United States' foreign policies, such an attack was bound to happen. But they didn't see any evidence of Iranians being happy about the attack itself.
Even when the United States decided to invade neighboring Iraq the Shellenbergers say they never felt any personal hostility.
"Everywhere we went in Iran, we were treated like royalty," Wally said.
The Iranians' attitudes towards the American war on terror and the accompanying invasion of Iraq are complex.
Iran and Iraq fought a bloody war in the 1980s and the Iranians are happy that Saddam Hussein has been toppled and captured. Still, there is strong opposition to the American presence in Iraq.
"The fear is that the Americans will stay forever," Wally said.
There is also no doubt that Iran in some ways supports terrorist activities. Groups such as Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Hezbellah receive funds from Iran.
At the same time, Iran is a country that is in a serious debate about its own future.
There is a conservative group of older clerics that hold much of the power, while a younger generation is seeking reform.
Already, there are signs of a loosening up in Iranian society. For example, satellite television access is illegal, but widespread and not really suppressed.
"There is change, considerable change already. Not as fast as many would like it to come," he said. "The conservatives now are not as conservative as they were 10 years ago."
One area where Iran differs a great deal from some of its Middle Eastern neighbors is in the place of women in society.
Evie Shellenberger, 62, said Iranian women fill every role imaginable in their country, in law, health care, engineering and other fields. They do not have to be accompanied by a male relative when they leave their homes, as is required of women in Saudi Arabia.
"Women drive cars, ride on motorcycles," she said.
Because it is a religious center, Qom has some of the most stringent expectations for womens' dress in Iran. But even in Qom, a woman must wear a head covering but is not required to cover her face or hands.
In other parts of Iran, women often wear their scarves so that some of their hair is showing and sometimes wear sandals without socks.
"Even in the three years we were there, we saw changes in womens' dress," said Evie, a family nurse practitioner.
The Shellenbergers think the Internet has played a large role in Iran's internal debate. Internet access is widespread and local service providers are common. Access is also fairly open, especially for basic information, while some sexual and violent materials are censored.
There is some level of free press and debate is allowed, within limits.
"Really aggressive or insulting articles could result in the paper being shut down," Wally said.
Since Sept. 11, there has been much debate over why America is a target for terrorist groups.
Based on their experiences, the Shellenbergers believe there are three basic factors.
First, some Muslims look at America, which is known to be a strongly Christian nation, and cannot believe what they see: sexual exploitation of women, widespread alcoholism, divorce and single parent families, and violence.
"To call ourselves Christian and have these problems, they don't understand," Wally said.
Second, there is disagreement with an American foreign policy that seems more interested in creating fear and intimidation than in spreading goodwill. If money that is currently spent on huge military programs was instead spent on extended education and aid, it could change some people's perceptions, they believe.
And finally, America has isolated itself by choosing to largely be on its own in Iraq.
"Arrogance is a word we heard all the time," he said. "We need everyone to work toward peace."
Despite all these obstacles, the Shellenbergers think there is still a chance to build more understanding and they are grateful for the opportunity they had to play a small role in doing this.
Evie remembered one small conversation during her time in Iran that summed up their experience. One day as they were shopping at a small fruit market, a young Iranian university student heard them speaking. The woman, who was studying English, asked the Shellenberg-ers where they were from and was surprised to learn that they hailed from the United States.
"Aren't Iranians enemies of the Americans? Why have you decided to come to live with people who are your enemies?" she asked.
Evie said they didn't think of Iranians in that way at all, an answer that brought a huge smile to her questioner's face. The woman then thanked her and welcomed them to her country.
http://www.dhonline.com/articles/2004/04/16/news/religion/religion01.txtIran - Poland ink defense memorandum
Apr 16, 2004, 23:29
Iran's Minister of Defense Ali Shamkhani heading a high-ranking delegation in a visit to Warsaw met secretary of the Polish Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Mark Schwitz on Thursday to hold talks on matters of mutual concern.
In the meeting, the two officials discussed mutual relations on security and defense issues on regional and international levels and underlined that negotiation on security would be a proper strategy in promotion of stability and sustainable peace.
For his part, Shamkhani expressed confidence that the visit and regular talks between the defense and security officials from both sides would be quite effective in reinforcing the foundations of trust and growing mutual understanding on joint interests.
"The current trend of affairs in Iraq irrespective of its domestic situation as well as the condition prevailing its surrounding area has disposed the country's sustainable security to serious threats," he added.
In the meeting, Schwitz referred to his recent visit to Tehran and rated the dialogues with Iranian defense minister and security officials on further introduction of the Polish forces to the situation in Iraq as positive.
Turning to dialogue and dismissing violence in Iraq as basic measures to secure the success of the multinational troops in Iraq, he said, "Polish forces have been in close contact with local Iraqi religious and ethnic leaders since their arrival in the country to work towards promotion of security in joint cooperation with the Iraqi people."
Schwitz extended an official invitation to his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rowhani to visit Poland and called for continuous dialogues between the officials of the two countries aiming to come upwith joint solutions for establishment of regional peace and security.
At the end of Shamkhani's visit to Poland, a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) on defense, military and technical cooperation was inked between the two sides.
http://www.iranian.ws/iran_news/publish/article_2057.shtml Comment: I anticipate that they discussed Sadr and his thugs in the Mehdi Army as well.