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A Brief Report on Azerbaijanis in Iran Prepared
by
The World Azerbaijanis Congress
June 01th ,2009
To SwitzerlandParliament members and United Nations High Commission on Human Rights
01 June, 2009
The Special Representative ofSwitzerland Parliament members and The United Nations High Commission on
Human Rights
The situation on Islamic Republic of Iran,
With Especial reference to South Azerbaijan,
First, we deeply appreciate your giving us an opportunity to bring our peoples’deep grievances to your attention. We also would like to thank you for defending all those whose basic and ethnic human rights have been grossly violated, especially millions of Azerbaijani Turksthat have been exposed to forced assimilation and Persianization. We hope you will give due voice to over 30 million Azerbaijanis in your reports to the UN General Assembly. Helping us in our efforts to fight the systematic destruction of ethnic identities will promote freedom andequality worldwide. Only if you report these injustices to the world community can proper actions be taken to terminate the systematic destruction of ethnic identity and gross violation of human rights in Iran over the last 70 years. Azerbaijanis are looking for your help.
Iran is a multiethnic, multicultural and multilingual country. Persians(Farsis), Azerbaijanis (Azerbaijani Turks), Kurds, Arabs, Loris,Beluchies and Turkomans have lived in Iran for thousands of years. Untilthe 1920s, they all retained and promoted their unique culture, historyand language, without harming each other's identities. However, theinception of the Pahlavi dynasty's supremacist policy in the 20s hasendangered this semi-harmonious way of life.
With his alleged national unity policy, Reza Shah Pahlavi designed aplan, forcing all non-Persians to sacrifice their ethnic identity andlanguage, in order to fulfill his vision of purely Persian Iran.Unfortunately, his successors, including the Islamic Republic, followedand perfected his inhumane conduct. Subsequent results have been brutalagainst all persons not of Persian descent. Azerbaijanis, Kurds, Loris,
Beluchis, Arabs and Turkomans have been under tremendous Persianization. Iran's reformist leader, President Khatami, deceived the global communitywith his talk of "dialogue between civilizations," meanwhile suppressingthe people of Iran by ignoring Human Rights in general and Azerbaijani Turks in particular. However the reaction of World Human Rights’ organizations to this assimilation and rather cultural genocide has been very slow and ineffective due to lack of objective information from South Azerbaijan (Iran).
More than 30 million Azerbaijanis are on the verge of losing theirlanguage and rich cultural heritage, which they have preserved forthousands of years. They are paying heavy tolls to obtain Iran'spurported "national unity." This “national unity” with “Islamic” and fanatically supported theocratic government is determined to annihilate Azerbaijani national and ethnicidentity, the Iranian government has participated in forced assimilationand other methods ofPersianization to create a monolingual "nationalunity." We would like to briefly highlight some of them:
Policy on Language
The Constitution of Islamic Republic of Iran in the article 15 claims:"The state and common language and script of Iran is Persian. Documents.Correspondence, official texts and text books shall be in this languageand script. However, the use of local and ethnic language in the pressand for the mass media and the teaching of their literature shall beallowed, besides the Persian language."
The Constitution Revolution in 1905-1911, the Democratic movement in1945-46 and subsequent agreement by the Iranian government to guaranteeethnic rights as well as the constitution of Islamic Republic have forsome degree taken ethnic grievances into consideration. However, theIranian governments have all been against honoring their promises and theconstitution.
The Iranian government has banned the Azerbaijani Turkish language inschools. Education is available only in the Persian language. Manyfirst grade school children struggle to understand school books writtenin Persian. Those children unaccustomed to Persian suffer high drop outrates. To prevent this, some parents teach their children Persian astheir primary language, rather than their native Azerbaijani Turkish.Said Persian instruction usually comes at the expense of children'smastery of Azerbaijani Turkish, thus children areencouraged to replace Persian with their mother tongue for social and job advancement.
Television and radio broadcasts help to propagate the hybridized
Azerbaijani Turkish, considered a local language. So-called "locallanguages," however, are rarely used and thus marginalized, with Persianpredominating Iranian media. Azerbaijani Turkish ,in fact, has no place Islamic Republic’s midia.
Discrimination operates in other ways, as well. In cities like Tabriz,
where Azerbaijanis comprise more than 99% of the population, thejudiciary and government systems still must operate solely in Persian. Incredulously, proceedings for a lawsuit comprised of a Azerbaijaniplaintiff and an Azerbaijani defendant in a Azerbaijani city, with anAzerbaijani judge, prosecutor and defense lawyer, must be conducted in,not Azerbaijani Turkish, but Persian.
The Iranian government's destruction of language is one part of themulti-pronged attack to eliminate Azerbaijani ethnic identity. If thispolicy persists, Azerbaijani identity is doomed to perish.
The following CARTOONS show the attitude and view of Iran Islamic Republic and Persian chauvinism
Policy on History
Azerbaijani Turks have been living in the Iranian plateau for thousandsof years. Their history dates back to 5,000.BC . Their contributions tohumanity include the creation of peaceful civilizations and theinvention of the first alphabet, cuneiform,and written laws. Persiantribes migrated to the southeast and central Iranian lateau some 2700years ago. Before Persian entry existed the Sumerian, Ilamaite, Assyrianand Mead civilizations, among others. Their histories should not beexcluded from Iranian history lessons in schools, but, as it is, Iranianschoolchildren are taught to believe the birth of the Iranian peoplecomes with the arrival of the Persian tribes. This revisionist historyalleges that Azerbaijanis were actually Iranian Aryansforced to changetheir language, upon the arrival and subsequent rule of theMongolians800 years ago. Stemming from this distorted history is the argumentthat Azerbaijanis should forget their language, that is, the language offoreign invaders, and accept Persian as their true and originallanguage. MovingWestward, Mongolians first had to conquerpredominantly Persian areas, before occupying Azerbaijan. Mongolianshad no impetus or wherewithal to arbitrate which portion of the Iranianplateau's inhabitants should accept their language and which portionsshould be left untouched.
Contrary to the claims of the Persianization policymakers,Azerbaijanis, like the Persians, Arabs and Kurds, had their own distinctlanguage, culture and governing bodies well before the arrival of theMongolians. Iranian children'shistory books should reflect all ethnicgroups' historical roots, rather than the Persian-only revisionism. Policymakers bend history to create the allusion of inclusiveness tofool Azerbaijanis into thinking they are a people without history.
Policy on Historical Monuments and Geographical Toponyms
The Iranian government has attempted to destroy monuments not servingtheir assimilation policy or has left them to be destroyed naturally.Furthermore, they have changed or distorted geographical names, inefforts to eliminate Azerbaijani Turkish names in Azerbaijan. Iran hasnot tried to preserve any historicalmonuments, deliberately destroyingsome. Recently, the Iranian governmentbulldozed a vast expanse of the700-year-old ErkCastle in Tabriz, leaving on the central grounds intact. Bulldozing was said to make room for Friday prayers.
In further attempts to erase Azerbaijani culture, the Iranian government has repeatedly fractured Azerbaijan into increasingly smalleradministrative territories and eliminated the name "Azerbaijan" frommost of the aforementioned areas. Over the last 60 years, parts ofAzerbaijan have been divided into five Azerbaijani-controlled areas,with some outlying areas partitioned to other non-Azerbaijani governingbodies. Portions of the once-Azerbaijani territory have since been
redistricted into the provinces of Gilan, Merkezi Tehran, Qazvin andKurdistan. Of the five Azerbaijani-controlled regions, three, Zanjan,Hamadan and Ardabil, no longer retain the name Azerbaijan.
Within these provinces, names of geographical sites and cities havebeen altered, translated into Persian or reassigned derogatory names. Ineither case, actions have been made to remove all original Azerbaijanimeaning and historical references.
Sample of Names translated to Persian
A river formerly known as Aji Chay is now known as Telkhiyye Rood
A river formerly known as Qara Su is now known as Siyah Rood
A region formerly known as Qara Dagh is now known as Siyah Koohor
Arasbaran
A mountain Formerly known as Goy Dagh is now known as Kuh Sabz
A district formerly known as Devechi in now known as Shotorban
A city formerly known as Qoshachay is now known as Mianduab
Sample of Names Misrepresented (to make it look as if it is Persian)
A mountain formerly known as Savalan is now known as Sebelan
A region formerly known as Serderi is now known as Serdrud
A district formerly known as Yam is now known as Peyam
A mineral Fountain formerly known as Erkoyun is now known as Erkevan
Sample of Some Assigned Derogatory Names
An area formerly known as Akhma Qaya is now known as Ahmeghiyyeh
"Akhma Qya" in Azerbaijani Turkish means "giant rocks on the move"while "Ahmeghiyyeh" in Persian refers to "stupidity, land of stupidpeople"
An area formerly known as Sari Qaya is now known as Sareghiyyeh
Sari Qaya in Azerbaijani means "Yellow Ston or Yellow Rock" while"Sareghiyyeh" in Persian refers to a "place of thieves and robbers"
Sample of Names simply replaced
A city formerly known as Savuc Bulaq is now known as Mehabad
A city formerly known as Sulduz is now known as Neghedeh
A town formerly known as Tufarqan is now known as Azer Shehr
Policy on Economy and Migration
In comparison to Persian areas, Azerbaijani-inhabited regions have beenpurposely underdeveloped. Most heavy industry is concentrated incentral Iran, chiefly occupied by Persians. The government has fostereda better climate for investment in central Iran. Most Azerbaijanibusinessmen flee to central Iran, seeking better returns on theirinvestments. In turn, Azerbaijanis in increasing numbers relocate tocentral Iran to find work. Having migrated to primarily Persian areas,Azerbaijanis appropriate Persian language and culture. Already, morethan ten million Azerbaijanis live in central Iran, with most unable tospeak Azerbaijani Turkish. The Iranian government uses the economicsituation to promote its agenda of Persianization.
Policy on Original Azerbaijani names
The Iranian government Prevents Azerbaijani parents from naming theirnewborns with meaningful Azerbaijani names. Said parents are often askedto translate their favorite Azerbaijani names into Persian . Difficultto translate names are asked to be replaced with a "common Iranian name"Birth certificates are given to infants with a government approved nameonly.
Sample Azerbaijani names that must be translated before issued a birthcertificate
Aynaz (Azerbaijani) to Mehnaz (Persian)
Gozel (Azerbaijani) to Ziba (Persian)
Deniz (Azerbaijani) to Derya (Persian)
Azerbaijani names such as, Sevda, Sevgi, Aygun, Altan, Turkan, Yashil,
Gungor, Tomriz, Sevil, Chichek, Qaflan, .. are not allowed while all
last names have been Persianized.
Political Parties and Associations
Every attempt in rallying against injustices towards ethnic rights havebeen denied. All political parties and associations must be nationwide,approved and licensed by the government. Political associations concentrating on ethnic issues are shut down immediately. Groups orindividuals defending ethnic rights are arrested and either charged with"spying for foreign countries" and executed or imprisoned andtortured.Parliamentary representations are under strict scrutiny. Any candidate
campaigning on human and ethnic rights is disqualified and arrested immediately. Numerous petitions to Iranian authorities by Azerbaijanis(i.e. academicians, university students and journalists) to lift the banon Azerbaijani language have been ignored.
Conclusion
Iran is a multiethnic, multi-culture and multilingual country andsignatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted andproclaimed by United Nations General Assembly resolution 217 A (III)December 10, 1948. Iranian governments have been engaged in destructionof ethnic identities and forced assimilation of more than 30 millionAzerbaijani Turks. While most articles of the Universal Declaration ofHuman Rights, including articles, 1, 2, 19, 20-1, 21-3, 26,3, 27-1, havecontinuously been violated by Iranian governments, the victimizedAzerbaijanis are looking for help from the same universal body, theUnited Nations, that adopted and proclaimed these resolutions.
On December 18, 1992, The UN General Assembly (A/RES/47/135) reaffirmsthat on of the main purposes of the United Nations, "Declaration on theRights of the Persons Belonging to the National or Ethnic, Religion andLinguistic Minorities," as proclaimed in the charter of the UnitedNations, is to achieve international cooperation in promoting andencouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms forall without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion. Article1, 2 and 4 of said resolution declares:
Article 1
1. States shall protect the existence and the national or ethnic, cultural, religious and linguistic identity of minoritieswithin their respective territories and shall encourage conditions for the promotion of that identity.
2. States shall adopt appropriate legislative and other measures toachieve those ends.
Article 2
1. Persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic
minorities (hereinafter referred to as persons belonging tominorities) have the right to enjoy their ownculture, toprofess and practise their own religion, and to use their own language,in private and in public, freely and without interference or any
form of discrimination.
2. Persons belonging to minorities have the right to participateeffectively in cultural, religious, social, economic and publiclife.
3. Persons belonging to minorities have the right to participateeffectively in decisions on the national and, where appropriate,regional level concerning the minority to which they belong orthe regions in which they live, in a manner not incompatiblewith national legislation.
4. Persons belonging to minorities have the right to establish andmaintain their ownassociations.
5. Persons belonging to minorities have the right to establish andmaintain, without anydiscrimination, free and peacefulcontacts with other members of their group and withpersonsbelonging to other minorities, as well as contacts across frontiers withcitizensof other States to whom they are related by national or
ethnic, religious or linguisticties.
Article 4.4
4. States should, where appropriate, take measures in the field ofeducation, in order toencourage knowledge of the history,traditions, language and culture of the minorities existingwithin their territory. Persons belonging to minorities should haveadequateopportunities to gain knowledge of the society as awhole.
Iranian governments dismissal of UN resolutions and its insistence oncultural genocide against Azerbaijanis need to be brought to worldsattention. We hope you will help to stop Iranian governments' criminalactivities against humanity.
Professor Gholam-Reza Sabri-Tabrizi,
President of World Azerbaijanis Congress
Gross violation of Human Rights in South-Azerbaijan
(May 4 ,2006 up to now as a case study)
“ On December 10, 1948 the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights the full text of which appears in the following pages. Following this historic act the Assembly called upon all Member countries to publicize the text of the Declaration and "to cause it to be disseminated, displayed, read and expounded principally in schools and other educational institutions, without distinction based on the political status of countries or territories."
PREAMBLE
In truth the violation of Human Rights within any country is the main cause of endangering peace on international level. For this reason the protection of Human Rights, regardless of different opinions, believes, nationality, gender, language and observed for international peace and humanism.
Herewith the World Azerbaijanis Congress presents this report of Human Rights violation in South Azerbaijan (Iran) during 2002-2007.Al though this is a partial section of our report, however, we do hope that this will enable attracting the attention of international organizations and hopefully will help disclosing the violation of all Human Rights in South Azerbaijan.
The violation Human Rights is, in general, taxiing place all over Iran on every level of life. Azerbaijan Turks, who form about % 50 of whole population in Iran, live under cultural, ethnic and socio-political pressure and imprisonment .This violation of Human Rights in such an scale would indeed disturb peace and stability in the country and area .Above all there is no freedom of speech, criticisms and writing in mass media at all.
The open street protests on May 4th 2006 in South Azerbaijan.A caricature had been published in the government paper “IRAN”,Deminising Azerbaijan iTurks in very cheap and inhuman way. Thiscaricature brought out the pentup anger and protest like volcano.Thousands of protesters filled the street Tabriz,Ardabil,Urmiyeh,Zanjanand all over South Azerbaijan.All demostrations were peace and orderly,demanding cultural and political freedom.There were three demands 1-The recognition of Azerbaijan language and culture as official language of South Azerbaijan.2- the medium of teaching in schools must be in their mother tongue-namely Azeri Turkish.3- all arrested students and political groups must be freed and dealt by acivil court. None of these requeats was accepted by Islamic Republic government, instead military and police forces were Deployed in all cities of South Azerbaijan.In a small town like SULDUZ16 people were shot dead in streets.Meny were killed and injured in Tabrizi,Ardabil,Zanjan and Urmiyeh.Hundereds of protesters and Leaders,like Abbas Lisani from Ardabil,Chengiz Bakhtavar from Tabriz Were arrested and imprisoned without trial.Since May 4th 2006 Thousands have been arrested,tortured,imprisoned or killed by Various unknown ways.A breif list of those who have been arrestedAnd sentenced without trial and defece lawer; even Those lawers who had Offered themselves to act as defence lawer were arrested and imprisoned as criminals are registered as follows: