A day before the anniversary of the Bloody Friday incident of Zahedan that took place in Zahedan’s former Grand Musalla last year on Sept 30, the most influential Iranian Sunni leader insisted on legal punishment of perpetrators behind the tragedy.
“Trail of criminals is the main demand of all people, including the demand of families of the martyrs and the injured. We insist on the implementation of justice in this regard,” said Shaikh Abdol-Hamid.
He was talking to the people of Zahedan before the Friday prayers on September 29, 2023.
People did not protest because of foreigners
Poverty and indigence have spread a shadow on the country
The Iranian top Sunni leader complained of the problems that the Iranian nation has been struggling with throughout decades, saying: “Today, Iranians have really problems. They have endured all kinds of difficulties and hardships for 44 years, and today they are raising their voices and protesting to achieve their certain rights. The protesters are not protesting due to incitement of aliens, but the problems have put pressure on the Iranian nation.”
“The Iranian nation has been suffering from economic and livelihood problems. People’s income is not enough and they are ashamed before their family members and children as they cannot fulfill their families’ demands. Many cannot afford school stationery, uniforms and university supplies. Lots of people cannot afford food for their children. Many traders cannot collect their loans from debtors,” the Friday prayer leader of Sunnis in Zahedan believed.
All strata of people suffer from poverty and deprivation
The Friday prayer leader of Sunnis in Zahedan alluded to the critical economic situation of Iran, and said: “Employees, executives, owners of industries and manufactures have trapped in problems, and do not know what to do. Money is devalued and cannot solve problems. In the past, ten million Tomans was equal to ten thousand dollars and less than that. Even three hundred thousand Tomans was equal to thousand dollars, but today, ten million Tomans is equal to two hundred dollars.”
He questioned: “Who can live in this critical economic situation?”
“Drought has hit livestock and agriculture. How can people earn livelihood in this critical economic situation? Why do not the authorities think about this? The officials made promises, but they have not fulfilled their promises so far,” said Mawlana Abdol-Hamid.
Corruption and discrimination have spread in the country
Many authorities pursue personal interests instead of preferring people’s interests
The Iranian eminent Sunni scholar went on to mention “corruption and discrimination” as two main problems, saying: “People complain more about injustice and corruption. Unfortunately, corruption has infiltrated in country’s all bodies. Not all, but many employees and managers are trying to get personal interests instead of pursuing people’s interests. Discrimination and inequality has spread all over the country, but it is very intense in the areas where mainly ethnic and religious communities live.”
“The people of Balochistan have been suffering from discrimination and inequality for forty-four years. The presence of Sunnis and Baloch people in Zahedan (the capital city of the province) is very less. There is no justice in recruitment and distribution of jobs. We have been raising this issue for decades, but we have not got any result yet,” said the prominent Iranian Baloch scholar of Zahedan.
Imam of the Grand Makki Mosque of Zahedan further said: “There is discrimination in all bodies of the country; even many capable Shia citizens have complaints in this regard. Unfortunately, only a particular spectrum has been ruling the country. Freethinking and less-religious people are disqualified. Many capable people have migrated abroad, and many have stayed at home. Lots of people have been rejected due to ethnic, religious, and fanatic views of the selectors, and now they are old and have lost the opportunity to serve the society.”
Give people legal and legitimate freedoms
Changing domestic and foreign policies is a national demand
Shaikh Abdol-Hamid pointed out to the lack of freedom of speech and addressed the officials, saying: “Respect legal, legitimate, and international freedoms. Freedom of speech and political freedoms are vital. Critics, politicians, and thinkers should have opportunities to have their sayings. Unfortunately, there is no freedom in Iran. I remember, once an economic project was approved and someone criticized the decision. They (the authorities) arrested him soon. Later, it was proved that the economic plan was wrong. If there is no criticism in any society, that society will fall. Criticism should be with the intention of reform and should pursue national demands.”
Iran’s top Sunni leader urged on talking and getting along with people, saying: “Today, all Iranians have problems. Problems will not solve until you do not sit with the elites and powerful people and with politicians. Listen to them and think how to solve the problems of the country and the people. The moaning will not stop as long as there is pain. Pain should be treated with medicine.”
“People say that past policies have been failed; it is a national demand that these policies should change as other people of the world change inefficient policies. Domestic and foreign policies need to change. Until wrong policies and laws are not reformed, it is difficult to solve other problems,” said the Friday Imam of Zahedan.
Zahedan’s Bloody Friday crime was unexpected, and it was the result of discrimination
Judges of Bloody Friday cases are under pressure
“What happened on September 30 last year was bitter, and it worried the free-minded Iranians. Such an incident with a huge amount of dead and wounded did not happen anywhere in the world. In that incident, nearly one hundred people were martyred, and about three hundred were injured. Among the injured, some are blind and some are paralyzed. No one expected this to happen,” the Iranian prominent Sunni leader referred to the anniversary of Zahedan’s Bloody Friday tragedy.
He continued: “In Musalla of Zahedan, we have talked about the elections, unity and brotherhood and the officials used to come here and deliver speeches. This place is one of the centers that has called towards unity, and boosted security of the country. We have always moved towards the path of moderation and stood against extremists.”
Khateeb of Zahedan said more: “Islamic and legal punishment of the perpetrators of this crime has been the main demand of the people. People do not have unjust demands. They say that in an Islamic country, criminals should be tried according to Islamic rules and laws. I thank my people for their patience and tolerance after the officials did not address the issue. As we insisted, many families of martyrs and injured have pursued the case through legal means, and some did not file cases because they were disappointed.”
“Unfortunately, in our country, judges do not have full authority and complete independence. We know this through the lawyers of the case or through the families of the martyrs who went to the court and even through the people who are tried in court that the judges of the Bloody Friday cases are under severe pressure from different places. Therefore, we do not have any hope that these judges will be able to address the issue and provide justice,” the president of Darululoom Zahedan insisted on punishing the perpetrators behind the crime.
He added more: “We are satisfied if the officials punish the perpetrators of the crime and this is not excessive. We are not extravagant. As a scholar who knows the Islamic rules, I believe that the perpetrators of this crime should be punished and retaliated. If someone convinces us with reason and proof that these criminals should not be retaliated, we will be convinced.”
“Some have said that we give blood money to the families of the martyrs, and will compromise. As already we mentioned, people are not satisfied with blood money. Today, the families of the martyrs and the injured of Bloody Friday are present in this Friday gathering. They say that although many of us need money, we will not calm by receiving blood money,” Shaikh Abdol-Hamid said.
“I thank all Iranians inside and outside the country who sympathized with us on the incident of Bloody Friday. The people of this region have been oppressed severely. Many of our compatriots have not been oppressed to this extent, so maybe they do not know how much oppressed we are. What happened in Zahedan is the result of discrimination. Discrimination affects different branches,” he added.
If officials address national demands, we are ready to tell people to forgive
The Friday prayer leader of Sunnis in Zahedan asked the officials to address national demands, saying “If you address national demands and solve the problems of all Iranians, we as Iranians are ready to request the affected people and families of martyrs to refrain from revenge and punishment. The people of this region may not be much educated, but they are intellectuals and have the ability to analyze events well. I am sure that the people of this region have the courage to forgive their rights if you solve the problems of all Iranians.”
Shaikh Abdol-Hamid addressed the officials, and said: “You in charge should sit with the Iranian people and solve their problems, which are actually your own problems, through negotiation and dialogue. Free the political prisoners including men and women, and those who got old in prisons or are under house arrest, and listen to them. If you solve national problems, we will ask all the people of Iran to pardon the killers of their dear ones, so national reconciliation and unity will establish. Unity is not a slogan. Unity is not about gathering and talking about unity.”
“Whom do you unite with? Iranians are civilized people and we see a lot of merit in them. If people’s voices are heard and their satisfaction is achieved, it will lead to a great national reconciliation in the country,” he said.
I am never satisfied with violence and fratricide
The most outstanding scholar of Iranian Balochistan further said: “If problems of the Iranian people are not dealt with, we will wait until the Islamic investigation takes place, and we are satisfied with what the Islamic law suggests. I emphasize maintenance of the territorial integrity of the country. We love our country and our fellow citizens, and we are never satisfied with violence and killing people. I say clearly as I can that I am not satisfied with war, violence, fratricide, and sedition, but I emphasize on struggles that have legal legitimacy in the whole world and in Iran.”
“I am saying to the high-ranking officials of the country to think about the issue of Zahedan and other issues of the country. We are your will-wishers not enemies; we are well-wishers of all. We have compassion for everyone. Do not ignore the dispute that has arisen in the country by relating it to foreign countries,” Shaikh Abdol-Hamid addressed the officials.
He concluded his points by saying: “Sit with critics and solve all problems. Pay attention to the demands of the nation and solve problems through love, and mutual respect. The Iranian nation is a great nation. Iranians should live together as one strong nation, and must enjoy equal rights and opportunities.”
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