Source: The Committee to
protect the rights of students and Dervishes
During recent years and in
particularly during the presidency of Mahmud Ahamedinejad the followers of
Gonanabadi Sufi order have been under severe restrictions. Under the reign of
this executive branch which places emphasis on hard line Shiite doctrine the
Sufis of Gonabadi order have been under consistent attack and threats both
physically and through rumours and innuendoes which have support from the
Ministry of Information.
These forces publish and dream
up false rumours and innuendoes in order to influence public opinion against
Sufis. These attacks provide ammunition to the central and local government
authorities and help to mobilize certain hooligan elements within the system,
such as Basiji forces, in order to destroy Sufi house of worships in different
Iranian cities such as in Qom , Isfahan , Borujerd and Kish . These attacks are
cantered against all Sufi places of gathering around the country. These
government backed hooligans are funded from large sums of Money that are
supposed to go towards helping Islamic brotherhood but instead are used to fund
mercenary groups disguised as ordinary citizens with mission to destroy the Sufi
movement which stands for peace and tolerance.
A destroyed house of
worship of the Gonabadi dervishes in Isfahan - February 2009
Today, those who control power
structure within Iran are in effect member of an anonymous cult with non Islamic
agenda whose worship is not oriented towards Mecca or Islamic values but instead
is oriented towards what they call "Hnysa" and represent value system that is
totally in opposition to tolerant Islamic values.
Their extremists views will
not stop at destroying places of worship of Muslim brothers and will not end
with destruction of cultural, geographical Patriotic centres and value systems.
These people who are able to simply wipe a historical place such as (Beydokht -
Gonabad) from the map of the country and Geography books, will not be able to
safe guard the geographical boundaries of the country.
International Committee for
Student and Sufi rights in Iran , while condemning such actions on the one hand,
with all seriousness also demands an end to the destructive actions of this
extremist cult. It asks those who are in the Iranian power structure
to compensate the Sufis for material, moral and emotional damages they have
suffered as results of threats and physical abuses they have suffered. They
demand permanent halt to all forms Human Rights violations. It also asks those
in power to respect all the international community standards and rights for all
and Iranian citizens and put a permanent stop to all forms of oppression.
Some of the demands of Sufis
in Iran that has reached the committee for support of student and Sufi rights in
recent years are as follows:
1 - To compensated the Sufis
for the physical, emotional and financial hardship they have suffered from
assaults that they and their families have endured as result of plainclothes
thugs who are supported by Basijis and funded by the Iranian government ;
2 - To allow Issuance of
building permits for rebuilding of Hosseiniehs (Sufi House of Worship) in the
cities of Qom, Borujerd ,Kish and Isfahan which belonged to Gonabadi Sufi order
and were subsequently destroyed by plane clothed thugs and hooligans backed by
the regime.
3 - Compensate the Sufis for
the cost of rebuilding the above houses of worships.
4 - Eliminate the ban on Sufis
from being buried in the cemetery Gonabad;
5 - Reinstate the name of town
of Beydokht and Gonabad in geographical maps and textbooks;
6 - Stop the social
discrimination of Sufis and recognise their rights as citizens and allow them to
hold positions in public schools and universities especially in the fields of
social and religious education
7 - Allow permits for
development of Mazar-e Soltani and extension of pilgrim area around the site.
8 - Allow Defence lawyers to
represent the rights of Nematollahi Gonabadi Sufis and allow lawyers who are
Sufis to practice the law.
9 - Prevent spreading and
issuance of false rumours and innuendoes against the Gonabadi Sufis and stop
funding anti-Sufi movements within the local and central governments
departments.
10 - Eliminate all travel
restrictions on Sufis within the country especially on Sufi masters and the
Grand Master: Nour Ali Tabandeh. Also remove the restrictions in place on Nour
Ali Tabandeh visiting and living in his hometown of Beydokht in Gonabad;
The Committee to protect the rights of students and Dervishes
Brussels, Washington and Toronto
Tuesday, 11 Esfand 1388
2 March 2010
... Payvand News - 03/07/10 ... --
