Friday, July 24th 2009
Solidarity with the Iranian freedom movement! No deals with the Iranian regime! Security for Israel!
Weekly information desk Every Friday, 4-7 PM, Mariahilferstraße/Neubaugasse (1060 Vienna)
While demonstrators in Iran are being beaten, arrested, tortured, killed or driven to exile, European – including Austrian – leaders confine themselves to verbal condemnation of these actions taken by the Iranian regime. Putting an end to thirty years of appeasement and collaboration is overdue. Isn’t it high time to side unmistakably with the part of the Iranian population that is struggling under mortal danger for liberty, secularism, rule of law and democracy? The Iranian regime is currently transitioning from a clerical-fascist mullah dictatorship to a fascist and apocalyptic military dictatorship. Isn’t it high time to respond with harsh sanctions instead of supporting this regime by continued economic relations?
No recognition of the regime!
Demanding new elections to make up for the farce that has taken place is by far insufficient. Also the plea signed by several members of the Austrian parliament issuing the necessary demands for releasing the imprisoned protesters, for an end of violence against demonstrators and for admitting free press report is still unsatisfactory, not only because it does not mention consequences. Europe’s leaders must cease to recognize the pseudo-elections in Iran as well as the Iranian regime itself; They must deprive its economic basis, expel ambassadors of the "Islamic Republic”, press for free election of a sovereign Iranian parliament and offer any conceivable support for the Iranian protesters. Furthermore, the European states need to assure right of residence to those persecuted.
The population of Iran has to fight the battle for liberty by itself. Notwithstanding this fact, any support and legitimacy that this regime receives from the outside, especially from Europe, must be withdrawn. We call upon the Austrian government to use Ahmadinejad’s inauguration day in August as an opportunity to revoke its recognition of the Iranian regime. Furthermore, we call upon Austria to use its seat in the UN Security Council for promoting these measures internationally. A large number of those Iranians who are currently protesting are not demanding to get a new president. They have shown their contempt for the regime as a whole and expressed their hopes for true change. The confirmation of Ahmadinejad as president by the supreme leader Khamenei by means of evidently fraudulent election results triggered a power struggle within the system. Important parts of the movement have tried to avoid being exploited through this conflict and use it for their own purpose instead. Questions about the election results have long become obsolete. The question "Where is my vote?” is just as outdated as demanding new elections within the existing system. Not only since Khamenei has confirmed Ahmadinejad as president a significant part of the ongoing protest is directed openly against the system of the "Islamic Republic”. The international solidarity movement has to acknowledge these facts and support this struggle in its actions and demands.
Security for Israel! STOP THE BOMB!
Its hatred of homosexuals and emancipated women is as much as its anti-Semitism a condensation of the Iranian regime’s anti-Western furor. Amongst its consequent opponents there must be no neutrality towards hatred of Israel and threats of extinction against the Jewish state. The fight against anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism cannot be separated from the vindication of freedom for the people in Iran. "Espionage for Israel” is one of the accusations habitually brought forward against oppositionists in Iran. This is only one example showing how closely the fight against anti-Semitism is linked to the struggle for freedom in Iran. Also, members of the Iran-funded anti-Semitic terror organizations Hamas and Hezbollah are being deployed in Iran for the persecution of Iranian oppositionists. The fight against nuclear weapons in the hands of the Iranian regime needs to be part of the opposition movement. The bomb threatens Israel and the West, but even more so the population of Iran as it would strengthen the government and lead to even greater internal terror. We call upon all opponents of the regime to integrate the fight against the nuclear weapons program and the anti-Semitic policy of the "Islamic Republic” offensively into their actions for a free, democratic and secular Iran.
People in Iran deserve support for their struggle as much as they are in dire need for it. We commemorate the slogan chanted by Iranian women who in 1979 protested by tens of thousands against the introduction of the veil:
"Emancipation is neither Western nor Eastern – it is universal!"
