Saturday
Jan162010
Iran: The 15 Points of "The Secular Green Movement" (14 January)
Saturday, January 16, 2010 at 14:09 
The 15 points, published Thursday by "The Secular Green Movement" and now signed by more than 150 Iranians working and living abroad. Many thanks to an EA reader for translation:1. Iranians are suffering from different types of discrimination which have been a historical burden, especially Shi'a as official religion since the 1906 law of the Constitutional Revolution.
2. The solution is to build a new society without any discriminations.
Latest Iran News (16 January): Ripples
3. Iranians, as the real proprietors of this country, should strictly abide to the International Convention of Human Rights.
4. National unity and integrity can only be guaranteed by overturning all types of discriminations.
5. Iranian identity, besides its legal connotations, arises from our "national and historical" identity. Conservation of all kinds of cultural heritage, of all Iranians and all epochs, is necessary to strengthen this identity. At the same time critique of all periods is necessary to preserve it.
6. Iran will only belong to all Iranians when every office is open to anyone, regardless of religion, ideology, language, ethnicity, or gender.
7. The most important solution to ensure "acceptance of differences in a realm without discriminations" is the principle of qualification.
8. All natural resources belong to all Iranians. Private ownership must be respected, but should not be misused for social superiority. National policies should be made to foster social equality.
9. Dismissing discrimination from a multiple society requires a non-religious and non-ideological government, This should meet the demands of "all Iranians", represented by a legislatory parliament, whose members are elected without any interference.
10. No group is allowed to impose its values, festivities, or mournings upon others.
11. There should be acceptance of the inherent needs of different groups of society, prohibiting the imposition of a unified religion, rules, language, etc.
12. Every official is responsible for the duties of his office.
13. Political parties are essential, but should not impose their ideology or religion on government and social life. Any party can present its own programme, but it has to govern for "all Iranians", ruling in a democratic and secular framework. No ruler or party can govern without restriction; all officials serve the people and are not above them.
14. In an Iran without discrimination, which we demand, people must always have the right to criticize, protest, gather peacefully, and go on legal strikes. In parallel, freedom of press and media must be guaranteed by government. Complaints against published news must be judged by independent courts; government has no right to interfere. Freedom of speech requires that only national unity, freedom of the people, and installation of democratic organisations are "holy", and even these can be criticized.
15. Armed forces and security forces are not allowed to participate in political and economic affairs, except as private citizens and without state funding. They should abide to their legal duties, obeying the government and the people.
Reader Comments (37)
Sahar
"By the way do no forget that some 50 percent according to official figures usually do not participate in elections…"
Yes - this is sad. In the UK and US, not all the people vote.
Here , where I live in Australia (a Constitutional Monarchy) , although we are "democratic", we insist that ALL people vote in all levels of Elections (Federal, State and Local ) and voting is compulsory!!! Big monetary fines if you don't cast a vote in an election. :) EVERYBODY must participate in our Democracy!! :)
Barry
CORRECTION!! When I say everybody -- people under the age of 18 years are excluded , people in jail, mental asylums, etc.
Winston Churchill said " Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time." :)
Barry
Barry
Just one caveat in your country people don't vote because they do not see much of a difference between two major camps, because in terms of many democratic elements they have come closer together...in Iran they don't vote to say"NO" to the system as a whole! the regime says those do not vote just help the regime to be de-legitimized......so bad comparison
As for your earlier comment:
Actually I even think that human rights principles, the three principle of "Liberty, equality, fraternity (brotherhood)", are coming from religion after middle ages...when people tried to leave out details of religion and take a spirit of religion.
None of us said that a secular democracy should exclude religion...but that religion is a private matter and a politician can be a non-believer or can practice religion in the mosque or not....in that sense there is no difference with a western democracy, where you are not supposed to be judged because of your religion and whether you want to play a role in politics or not.
Although Israel problems may appear irrelevant...our Islamic state is using it as an excuse to justify its power, though nobody inside Iran buys that...I am not sure if Isreal as a "jewish state" also need an Islamic state in the region for similar reasons....for the moment I am sure we neither want nor do we need the term "Islamic" besisdes democracy"....I have problem with this term!
I also am not expert in Israel matter but I wonder if a state designed for just a specific race can be called democratic...maybe or maybe not...I am not going to comment about that but we did not have the same horrible experience that jews faced in the history....it is open to debate...but do not forget that nationalism in extreme form can be dangerous...the cause of all wars " my religion versus your religion....my country versus your country",.....
Sahar
I think we agree on almost everything :)
Democracy is not perfect. I have read that democracy can also become a "tyranny of the majority". I can understand that. The thinking of a majority is not necessarily correct - and even if it is, then the minority never ever get what they want. This is a problem particularly within a country which is a "Democracy" but whose people are ethnically or religiously divided. The minority always loses - and does not get what they desire (unless the majority are benevolent). I don't know how the Americans really thought that they could transplant Democracy quickly into Iraq - a country divided by ethnicities, religions and ancient hatreds. I think it is these things that are probably "incompatible" with Democracy.
Barry
I am not sure if we really agreed on many things though;-) I see lots of differences still;-)...but thanks for your comments.;-)!
But I am glad that you agree with me that we want democracy in Iran not mixed with religion!;-)
[...] 15 Points of the Secular Green Movement [...]
[...] (14. Januar 2010) Übersetzung Persisch-Englisch: Anonym Quelle (Englisch): http://enduringamerica.com/2010/01/16/iran-the-15-points-of-the-secular-green-movement-14-january/ Übersetzung Englisch-Deutsch: [...]
Laws and rules of religions were written for the purpose of improvements in the behavior of individuals and unify societies & normalized individuals actions by use of fear of punishment from a [mythical] God based on the time, era and location were prophets established their religions.
Now imagine trying to use Islamic laws designed to control Arab nomads of 1,400 years ago as the backbone of a 21st century country with a complex religious & social classes, people who grew up idolizing western culture and advancement as how they wanted to be and even more important than that, a nation that has the history of being the first civilization the world to respect human rights a nd equality among all religions as well as equality between women and men over a thousand years before Islam, now is forced to adopt a religious dictatorship that doesn't respect non of the basic rights of human beings
As an Iranian who've lived most of his life in Iran, have to tell the ones who claim what people outside represent does not reflect people's demand inside tell you that 1st we are all Iranians no matter were we live and 2nd secular democracy is the best proven political system for any religious or non-religious nation and people of Iran now that very well. as a matter of fact, the majority of Iranians wish the Shah regime wasn't overthrown mainly for the reason that it was a secular government and government officials back then were chosen for their qualifications and not their religious status
It is insane when you hear Americans or Europeans suggesting that since the majority of Iranians are Muslims, then a secular democratic system won't be practical. Do they prefer to have Catholic church rule their countries & preachers in all the offices since the majority of the country are Catholics???
I'm sure their answer is "NO" and therefore Iranians don't want such political system either
Secular Democracy is the will of all Iranians except the ones who have interest in Islamic Republic's stealing of Iran's resources
Cyrus
"Do they prefer to have Catholic church rule their countries & preachers in all the offices since the majority of the country are Catholics???"
NO_NO_NO_NO_NO!!! :) I don't think the Pope himself would say "Yes".
Barry
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