December 7 (16th Azar solar Calendar) marks the Students
Day in Iran. On this day in 1953 three students activist were shot
dead at the hands of the former monarchist regime. This day has since
than been remembered by the students as day of defiance against
oppression. The Islamic regime has banned this day. In the past few
years progressive and militant students, in the face of the all the
dangers and threats have in one form or another commemorated this day.
This year, the Iranian authorities, in a pre-emptive move, under the
pretext of air pollution shut the entire education system for a few
days to prevent student protests. In a rally organised at Tehran
university on December 11, the following statement was read out and
supported by the participants. The original text is in Farsi .KOMONIST
The
statement adopted by students at the Teheran University Rally on the
occasion of the Students Day
16th
Azar (December 7) is the day of freedom and resistance against
despotism and injustice. We wholeheartedly salute this day. We, along
with other oppressed masses in this capitalist society, call for the
return of the all wealth, resources and oil revenues to their rightful
owners, the people. We, on this day, together with the deprived
people, call for the elimination of destitution and hardship. For us,
16th Azar, is the day of human emancipation from all the
discriminations based on class, gender and race. In today’s Iran,
students are the proponents of freedom and equality for all the
citizens.
This
day, is not a day to praise students but a day to celebrate liberty
and equality. We here declare that for us, the students day, is not an
official day to celebrate the students’ conformity and submissiveness.
It is a day to reaffirm our commitment not to succumb to reaction and
suppression.
We call
and fight for a world free from class exploitation, political
suppression and gender discrimination. In this path, we consider
ourselves as part of the toiling masses in the country, the world
working class and all the freedom loving people of the world. Any
other ways of bringing about changes such as reform of current regime,
federalism, advocating racial differences and foreign intervention are
not acceptable. The only alternative for us is returning to human
values and humanity. We, therefore, present the followings as our
demands:
-
Immediate and unconditional withdrawal of all the security
establishments from the universities
-
Release all the imprisoned students and bogglers (Over 300 students
are currently in prison). Lifting bans on banned publications.
Reinstatement of all sacked students and compensating them.
-
Unconditional freedom of organisations for all the workers, students
and independent NGOs. The freedom of expression must be respected
and no one should be allowed to violate it.
-
We
condemn discrimination against women and the sexual apartheid and
demand the abolishment of all discriminatory practices against
women.
-
The
current society is founded on capitalism and profiteering. Poverty,
exploitation, prostitution, drug abuse,.. are part and parcel of
this system. We fully support the struggles of all the workers,
employed or unemployed, all other toiling masses teachers, nurses
and doctors and together with them we will endeavour to build a
society worthy of human beings.
-
We
condemn the recent attacks on Kurdistan and the attack on the
offices of the Syndicate of workers of the Vahed Bus Company and we
demand the punishment of the perpetrators of these attacks.
-
We
condemn the prosecution of the five labour activists in the city of
Saqez, accused of organising May Day rally, and demand their
immediate and unconditional release. The students movement declares
its full support to these workers
-
The
nuclear issue has now become a major international concern. The
content of the current publicity campaign is to cover up the
building of nuclear weapons at the first place and cover up dumping
of the nuclear waste in the deprive areas. We are against military
use of nuclear power and against the destruction the environment
dumping of nuclear waste. We call for a world free from dangerous
nuclear activities.
-
We
struggle bring about an overhaul of the current academic practices
and the way the students and staff relationship is organised.