Gender: Age: 65 Zodiac: Joined: 02 Mar 2007 Posts: 7 Location: George Town Tasmania Home Country: canada
Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 4:40 am Post subject: More On The Iranian Baha'is
Since my post here over two weeks ago, I thought it would be useful to add a more historical perspective to those initial remarks on the situation of the Baha'is in Iran. The current, the recent, experience of the Baha'is has roots deep in the 19th century if not long before. And so I add the following:
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Iran's crisis of civilization will be resolved neither by blind imitation of an obviously defective Western culture nor by retreat into medieval ignorance. The answer to the dilemma was enunciated on the very threshold of the crisis, in the clearest and most compelling language, by a distinguished Son of Iran Who is today honoured in every continent of the world, but sadly not in the land of His birth. Persia's poetic genius captures the irony: "I searched the wide world over for my Beloved, while my Beloved was waiting for me in my own home."
The world's appreciation of Bahá'u'lláh came perhaps most explicitly into focus on 29 May 1992, the centenary of His death, when the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies met in solemn session to pay tribute to Him, to His teachings and to the services rendered to humanity by the community He founded. On that occasion, the Speaker of the Chamber and spokespersons from every party rose, successively, to express their profound admiration of One who was described in their addresses as the Author of "the most colossal religious work written by the pen of a single Man", a message that "reaches out to humanity as a whole, without petty differences of nationality, race, limits or belief".
What has been the response in His native land to a Figure whose influence th has brought such honour to the name of Iran? From the middle years of the 19 century when He arose to champion the Cause of God, and despite the reputation His philanthropy and intellectual gifts had won, Bahá'u'lláh was made the object of a virulent campaign of persecution.
One of the most appalling afflictions, in terms of its tragic consequences, has been the slander of Bahá'u'lláh's Cause perpetrated by that privileged caste to whom Persia's masses had been taught to look for guidance in spiritual matters. For over 150 years, every medium of public information-- pulpit, press, radio, television and even scholarly publication--has been perverted to create an image of the Bahá'í community and its beliefs that is grossly false and whose sole aim is to arouse popular contempt and antagonism. No calumny has been too vile; no lie too outrageous. At no point during those long years were you, the victims of this vilification, given an opportunity, however slight, to defend yourselves and to provide the facts that would have exposed such calculated poisoning of the public mind.
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The spirit of resourcefulness and practicality that both the Baha'is in Iran and their expatriate fellows around the world are displaying also brings great comfort to the anguished hearts of their fellow believers in other lands. When Baha'i children were expelled from schools because of their Faith, they created classrooms in their own homes. Graduates of the institution they founded to meet the needs of university students, who are similarly denied education, are today distinguishing themselves in prestigious universities in other countries where their credentials have been gladly accepted. God willing, the day is not far distant when opportunities for the development of their capacities will be opened for the thousands of other Bahá'í youth still cruelly deprived. The sacrificial pooling of modest incomes is proving not only sufficient to ensure that members of the community are not left in want, but to produce funds for general activities. Under the most arduous conditions, a vibrant community life continues, with the far greater intensity that testing alone can produce.
For over a century this spirit has borne fruit both in Iran and throughout the entire world.......It would be difficult to think of any profession, any field of science or the arts, where Iranian Bahá'ís--particularly youth--are not powerfully manifesting the ideal of excellence so often reiterated by 'Abdu'l-Bahá. Such qualities do not burst forth in a people overnight, nor are they the product of mere human will. In the lives and work of Persian pioneers around the world today can be seen the fruit of the culture of learning and self-discipline in which they and their parents were lovingly raised in the land of their birth.
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-Posted by Ron Price, Tasmania Australia with appreciation to The Universal House of Justice, "Letter: 26 November 2003." Available at numerous locations on the internet especially <Baha'i Library Online.>
Gender: Age: 65 Zodiac: Joined: 02 Mar 2007 Posts: 7 Location: George Town Tasmania Home Country: canada
Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 4:13 am Post subject: Not Again! No Surprise Really
The story goes on and, I think, it is of particular interest to Iranian expatriates. Thanking you for letting me post here at your site. Many Iranian sites ban my posts, won't let me log in and in various ways keep the expressions of interest by Baha'is on the internet restricted. So, three cheers for this "Allo 'Expat Iran" site.
The following post was passed on to me by a friend in Michigan. It is a Baha'i World News Service(BWNS) item. It will keep the story in this thread up-to-date. -Ron Price, Tasmania
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IRANIAN BAHA'I STUDENTS SHUT OUT OF VOCATIONAL EDUCATION
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NEW YORK, 31 July 2007 (BWNS) -- Iranian Baha'is seeking to enter Iran's technical and vocational institutes have been effectively barred from admission for the coming academic year. The application to sit for the entrance examinations at these institutes leaves them with no option but to deny their faith. Baha'is refuse to be coerced into denying their faith.
The Baha'i International Community learned recently that the 2007 form for the entrance examination for undergraduate courses in the technical and vocational education system indicates that only one box may be marked for religion. The applicant is given three choices: Zoroastrian, Jewish or Christian--and if none of the boxes is marked, the form explains, the applicant will be considered Muslim. This is unacceptable to Baha'is.
"Under this system, Baha'is cannot fill out the application without a de facto denial of their faith. This is against their religious principles," said Bani Dugal, the Baha'i International Community's principal representative to the United Nations. "Accordingly, Iranian Baha'is will not be able to take this entrance examination, and so they are effectively blocked this year from obtaining technical and vocational education in Iran."
"Such a denial of access to education violates the internationally established right to education, to which the government of Iran has agreed, and reflects yet another facet of Iran's continuing persecution of the Baha'i community of Iran," said Ms. Dugal.
The Baha'i International Community decries the government's actions not only against Baha'i students - who are deprived of higher education solely for their religious beliefs - but also against any other Iranian students who are being denied access to higher education on clearly insupportable grounds, such as for giving voice to beliefs or opinions that are not officially endorsed, Ms. Dugal said.
Last autumn, after more than 25 years during which Iranian Baha'is have been banned from attending public and private universities, several hundred Baha'i students were admitted to various educational institutions around the country. This came about after the government stated its position that the reference to religion on entrance examination papers to nonspecialized universities and colleges would not identify university applicants by their religion. These applications would only give the religious studies subject on which they had been examined. This clarification was accepted by the Universal House of Justice, the international governing body of the Baha'i Faith.
The acceptance of Baha'i students at Iranian universities has, however, been short-lived, Ms. Dugal said. According to the latest figures from Iran, of the Baha'i students who took the national entrance examination last year, ultimately some 200 were admitted and enrolled. Over the course of the school year, however, over half that number - at most recent count, at least 128 - have been expelled as school officials discovered they were Baha'is. This has led observers to conclude that Iran's statements last year were nothing more than a ruse intended to quell international protest over the denial to Baha'i students of access to higher education.
"This latest news about the registration form for technical and vocational education only serves to further confirm that Iran continues to play games with Baha'i students in their country, and that its promises of access to higher education for them are hollow," said Ms. Dugal.
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That's all for now!-Posted by Ron Price, Tasmania, Australia, 14/8/07.
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