Instead of Dividing, Remove Discrimination

The most influential Iranian Sunni leader refused the plan of dividing Sistan-Baluchistan province and urged on removing ‘discriminations’ to make the province developed.
The official website of Shaikh Abdol-Hamid quoted his sermon of Oct. 27, 2017 as he reacted to the question of a member of Iranian Majlis (parliament) from the Interior Minister about the division of Sistan-Baluchistan and said: “One of the MPs has claimed the province of Sistan-Baluchistan had been deprived and undeveloped because it is so wide. In the case of dividing the province into two or three provinces, more budgets will be allocated for them.”
“It is right that the province suffers from poverty and developmental problems, but the reason is not the largeness of the province. The main reason has remained unspecified or the MP himself hid it. The main reason behind poverty in Sistan-Baluchistan is ‘discrimination’ and inequality,” he underlined.
The president of Darululoom Zahedan further said: “If the province is divided into ten provinces but without removing discrimination and inequality, still the poverty will remain in the region. Discrimination is the mother of material and cultural poverty, illiteracy, regression and etc.”
“Find out the reasons of backwardness and poverty by making specialized committees. Uproot poverty by justice and giving the due rights of all ethnic and religious communities,” he added more.
Criticizing the nationalist figures who want to hold all offices and positions, Shaikh Abdol-Hamid said: “The real sympathetic activists find out the causes of problems without any bias. The views should not be ethnic or religious. The nationalist elements, who only think of their own caste and community, are not the sympathetic of masses.”
He alluded to the case of ethnic and religious communities’ rights and said: “The issue of ethnic and religious communities has been dealt and highlighted by all candidates of the presidency and political movements. President Rouhani also talked about the issue; despite some positive changes, still there are some anxieties.”
“Discrimination does not suit the Iranian civilization and culture. Islam and civilized nations do not accept discrimination and inequality; the base of the Islamic Republic is on republicanism and Islamism and there should not be any discrimination. This blot should be removed from the face of Iran,” the Friday Imam of Zahedan emphasized.

Remove discrimination among all Iranian sects and religions
The prominent Iranian Sunni scholar asked the government of Hassan Rouhani to work hard for removing discriminations from the country. He said: “The land of Iran belongs to all Iranians, even those who are non-Muslims from Jews, Christians, Zoroastrian, or religious, unbeliever and atheists. They all have some rights and there should not be any discrimination among them.”
“Justice should be implemented equally and capable members of all sects and religions should be employed. It is astonishing to see discrimination among ethnic and religious communities.”
Shaikh Abdol-Hamid concluded his points by saying: “After the historical order of the supreme leader, the responsibility of the officials has become heavier. They should behave with all Iranians equally. When we expect all Iranians to maintain the security and unity of the country, there should be justice among them. Baseless biases ban any society from development and progress.”