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 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.
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 Saturday, 11 Esfand 1388
2 March 2010
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