Ethnic politics of Khuzestan: Encyclopedia II - Ethnic politics of Khuzestan - Political organisations

Ethnic politics of Khuzestan - Political organisations

There are a number of Iranian Arab political parties operating in exile, but no known political party representing other ethnic groups in Khuzestan. The ideology of Arab parties varies, although most are secular in their political outlook. Ideology, tactics, tribal loyalties and personal ambition have prevented these parties from forming a united front. Some advocate armed resistance, while others believe in non-violent action. Most refer to Khuzestan as al-Ahwaz or Arabistan, although some define Arabistan as also including territory along the Gulf coast to the Straight of Hormuz. Whether these views are popular or even accepted amongst most Iranian Arabs is uncertain. Khuzestan's deputy governor Rahim Fazilatpur claimed that the Arab Martyrs of Khuzestan, the Al-Ahwaz Arab Peoples Democratic Popular Front (AADPF) and the Ahwaz Arab Renaissance Party (AARP) were given support by the British and US governments to carry out the bomb attacks of June 2005.[41]

The Ahwazi political parties are divided into two camps: those seeking a separate state and those seeking regional autonomy within a federal Iran. Critics of these parties claim that separatism has no support among Arabs, pointing to the decision by many Ahwazi Arabs to defend Iran during the Iran-Iraq War. They also contend that separatism has always been instigated by foreign governments - particularly the British - to weaken Iran in order to control the country's natural resources and extend their influence over the Middle East.[42] Many make no distinction between separatists and federalists, claiming that those seeking federalism have a separatist agenda and that the devolution of power to regional ethnic groups would lead to the break-up of Iran.

Some Iranian opposition parties operating abroad launched a campaign to stop the American Enterprise Institute hosting a conference entitled "The Unknown Iran: Another Case for Federalism?" in October 2005.[43] A petition to stop the event attracted more than 1,000 signatures from members of the Iranian diaspora.[44] Some added that the meeting indicated a new alliance between US neo-conservatives and Iranian separatists, ahead of a possible invasion of Iran by the US and its allies. Dr Ali Al-Taie, a member of the Democratic Solidarity Party of Ahwaz which upholds a federalist agenda for Iran, said at the debate: "When it comes to ethnic rights, Persian opposition groups are on the same side as the terrorist Islamic Republic. If this continues, we will see the Balkanization of Iran."[45] But he added that: "Despite the long history of persecution, the Arabs of Khuzestan/al-Ahwaz are Iranian. There will never be, nor should there be, disintegration or separatism in Iran. Rather, all Iranian people, regardless of their ethnic background, should live under a pluralistic, tolerant, and federal society."[46]

Ethnic politics of Khuzestan - Islamic Wefagh Party

The Islamic Wefagh Party is the only known Arab group to have been tolerated by the Iranian government. Jasem Shadidzadeh Al-Tamimi is the party's secretary general. He was a member of the Sixth Majlis (2000-04), representing Ahwaz as a member of the Islamic Iran Participation Front, but was barred from standing for election in 2004. Following the unrest in Khuzestan in April 2005, Al-Tamimi wrote to the then President Khotami calling on him to remove the "wall of mistrust between the proud Iranian ethnicities, so that the infected wounds of the Arab people of Ahvaz may heal." He added that "our wishful thinking about reforms in Arab affairs by the Reformists has been only a mirage," indicating that he no longer had faith in the Participation Front. [47] He listed a number of grievances, including:

• violence against Arab demonstrators by security forces
• land confiscation
• the destruction of Arab residential compounds
• the high level of drug abuse among Ahwazi Arabs, which he claims is rooted in poverty
• racial discrimination and the official view of Arabs as a security threat
• the government's failure to issue activity permits for the Islamic Wefagh Party and affiliated non-governmental organisations

He indicates that he opposes separatism and the ideology of "extreme Persian nationalism" he associates with the previous monarchist government. The Islamic Wefagh Party claims to have an "extensive" base of support in Khuzestan, although the government's failure to give it an activity permit means that it cannot test this in any election held in the province.

Ethnic politics of Khuzestan - Al-Ahwaz Arab Peoples Democratic Popular Front

The Al-Ahwaz Arab Peoples Democratic Popular Front (AADPF) is based in London and is led by Mahmud Ahmad Al-Ahwazi, aka Abu Bashar. The group calls for human rights and democracy for Ahwazi Arabs and believes that Al-Ahwaz was occupied by Iran in 1925. The ADPF has a number of activists in Iranian custody. Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani, the Minster of Defense and Logistic Affairs of the Armed Forces, accused Mahmud Ahmad Al-Ahwazi of involvement in the April 2005 unrest, while simultaneously claiming that his group had "zero popularity" amongst Arabs in Khuzestan [48]. The ADPF has also claimed it led what it calls an "intifada" in Khuzestan. Shamkhani added that Mahmud Ahmad Al-Ahwazi was a

It is not known how much, if any, of Shamkhani's claims are true.

Ethnic politics of Khuzestan - Ahwaz Arab Renaissance Party

The AARP is another separatist group advocating armed resistance to the Iranian government. It was originally set up in the 1990s by the Syrian government, but has since moved its leadership to Canada. In April 2005, it claimed on a pro-Iraqi Ba'athist website that it had exploded a bomb on the Ahwaz-Tehran pipeline. [49] It also claimed responsibility for the June 2005 bombings in Ahwaz City. Two other groups also separately claimed responsibility for the attacks. It is led by Sabah al-Musawi, a Canadian resident.[50]

Ethnic politics of Khuzestan - Democratic Solidarity Party of Al-Ahwaz

The Democratic Solidarity Party of Al-Ahwaz (DSPA), based in the US and the UK, has risen to prominance in recent years through its membership of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation (UNPO), where it represents the 'Ahwazi' people. The DSPA's ideology is different from the separatists in that it explicitly rejects the use of violence and advocates what it calls "internal self-determination". It also limits its territorial focus on Khuzestan, making no stand on Arab-populated living outside the province.

The DSPA claims that Khuzestan's historical Arab identity means that the province should be given autonomy within a federal political system, but it says it respects Iran's territorial integrity. To achieve its ends, it has formed a coalition with like-minded parties representing Kurds, Azeris, Baluchis, Turkmen, Bakhtiaris and Lurs, some of which have been in armed conflict with the Iranian state. Formed in London in March 2005, the Congress of Iranian Nationalities for a Federal Iran (CINFI) brought together the DSPA, the Baluchistan United Front, Federal Democratic Movement of Azarbaijan, Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan, Baluchistan People's Party, Organization for Defense of the Rights of Turkmen People and Komalah, a Kurdish opposition party.[51]

The DSPA also began a campaign of intensive lobbying to raise the international profile of its cause. The BAFS, the Ahwaz Human Rights Organisation and the Ahwaz Education and Human Rights Foundation regularly co-operate with the DSPA in its lobbying activities.

The DSPA's most prominent members include Mansour Silawi Al-Ahwazi, a journalist and broadcaster and the treasurer of the BAFS, and Dr Ali Al-Taie, an associate professor of sociology at Shaw University.

Ethnic politics of Khuzestan - Ahwaz Liberation Organisation

The Ahwaz Liberation Organisation (ALO), based in Maastricht in the Netherlands, was formed out of the remnants of three Iraqi-backed groups - the Democratic Revolutionary Front for the Liberation of Arabistan (DRFLA), People's Front for Liberation of Arabistan (PFLA) and the Arab Front for the Liberation of Al-Ahwaz (AFLA). The DRFLA was the most notorious, having been sponsored by Saddam Hussein. It was founded after the newly-installed Islamic government fired on Arab demonstrators in Khorramshahr, killing many of them. The DRFLA was behind the May 1980 Iranian Embassy Siege in London, taking a number of hostages in an effort to draw attention to its demands for the self-determination of the Arab population of Khuzestan. The British Special Air Service (SAS) stormed the building and freed the hostages. The one surviving hostage-taker was brought to trial and imprisoned.

The ALO's constituent groups operated as a mercenary force on behalf of Saddam's regime during the Iran-Iraq War, carrying out assassinations and attacking oil facilities. Bomb attacks on oil and power facilities have continued since the end of the Iraq War, although the ALO has not formally claimed responsibility. The ALO's leader, Faleh Abdallah Al-Mansouri, has been living in exile in the Netherlands since 1989, shortly after the end of the Iran-Iraq War. He has declared himself to be the "President" of Al-Ahwaz, which he claims extends beyond Khuzestan, including much of the coast of Iran. His perceived influence amongst his Arab supporters in Khuzestan has largely diminished following the end of the Iran-Iraq War, which led to a radical reduction in Iraqi funds.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Political organisations", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki