A Tribute to Wangari Mathaai, Memories of Heaven

I first met Wangari Mathaai on the sidelines of an international environmental event in Nairobi. Her attractive personality and her devotion for the environment would engage anyone who dealt with her. In 2004 during a conference for Women Leaders of the Environment, where women ministers had gathered to discuss policy on the environment, the UNEP undersecretary announced that Mathaai was chosen as the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. The excitement from this news and her presence in the session led many of us to congratulate her for her outstanding achievements for peace, eradication of poverty and protection of the environment. Wangari was a vanguard not only for African women but for women throughout the world. She had moved ahead in both education and civil society , despite her difficult conditions to serve women in her country and her continent. Her Green Belt Movement has planted more than 30 million trees in Africa and has helped nearly 900,000 women, according to the United Nations, while inspiring similar efforts in other African countries.
In 2008, after being pushed out of government, she was hit with tear gas by the police during a protest against the excesses of Kenya’s entrenched political class.

“Wangari Maathai was a force of nature,” said Achim Steiner, the executive director of the United Nations’ environmental program. He likened her to Africa’s ubiquitous acacia trees, “strong in character and able to survive sometimes the harshest of conditions.”

I stood at the podium that day and thanked Professor  Wangari  Mathaai and told her that since the year before Shirin Ebadi, an Iranian woman and human rights lawyer, had won the Nobel Peace Prize, , I wished to congradulate her, on behalf of Iranian women. The Peace Prize I said, was in fact transferred from Iranian women to African women. I also gave her an environmental emblem of Mount Damavand which was designated as an Natural National Monument in Iran. Wangari spoke that day and she mentioned that we all see eternal salvation as residing in Heaven. "Heaven is according to Divine scripture , full of gardens , trees , pure water flowing", she said. "All the natural beauties of this world fit with the description that we have of Heaven, but when we destroy those beauties, here on earth , how can we expect to enjoy them, as a reward for our actions in Heaven...."
We also planted several trees that day... . We pray for her soul now, she sought to realize and protect that heaven on earth, she worked for the impoverished , she served the environment and she sided with justice against oppression . May God bless her for what she was.

Peace Related Issues

On the 21st of September 1998, which is the International Day of Peace, President Seyyed Mohammad Khatami proposed the initiative of Dialogue among Civilizations to the United Nations General Assembly session in New York. In 2001 , the year named on that occasion,  the Twin Towers of New York were destroyed in a terrorist attack that prompted a pre-emptive attack by the neo-conservative government of George Bush first on Afghanistan then on Iraq. In that atmosphere peace lovers and freedom seekers in the world looked up to Khatami for his insight and forward looking initiative.  While the initiative was welcomed by many countries few did very little to change the conditions and prevent war and aggression. In the national scene many observers believed that Khatami's initiative should have translated into a national dialogue as well. This however did not materialize. It many be that even today a return to dialogue at the national level might be the ultimate solution to the current political stalemate in Iran.
Two other important events related to peace have hit the headlines this weak . Burhanedin Rabbani was one of the most influential political and religious figures of Afghanistan who led the National Peace Council . His assassination last week by radical Taliban factions is a serious blow to the peace process. No one will deny his instrumental role in promoting peace and understanding among political factions.
The historical speech of Mahmoud Abbas in the General Assembly and his bid for the creation of a Palestinian State was also an important milestone. Abbas took an important step for the Palestinian people and it is now upon the United Nations to respond appropriately.The Americans have lost their face as a peace maker, they have taken sides with the Zionist and public opinion in the world are well aware.
Excerpts from the 1998 speech of Khatami :
Now allow me to speak here as a man from the East,

the origin of brilliant civilizations and the birthplace of

divine prophets —Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Mohammed,

peace be upon them all. I come from the noble land of Iran,

representing a great and renowned nation famed for its

ancient civilization, as well as for its distinguished

contribution to the founding and expansion of the Islamic

civilization, a nation that has survived the strong winds of

despotism, reaction and submission, relying on its cultural

and human wealth. It is a nation which pioneered in the

East the establishment of civil society and constitutional

government in the course of its contemporary history, even

though, as a result of foreign interference and domestic

deficiencies, at times it may have faltered in its course; a

nation which has been at the forefront of the struggle for

independence and against colonialism, although its

national movement was subverted by a foreign orchestrated

coup. And it is a nation which carries the

torch of its popular revolution, not won by force of arms

or a coup, but by dethroning a regime of

coup d’état through the power of the enlightened word.

Arasbaran

Nature lovers can find many attractive and beautiful sites in Iran. On the Eid Fetr vacation we found the opportunity to visit Arasbaran and the Aras river along with family members. The Aras river is located in the Nouth Western border of Iran, adjacent to the Republic of Azerbaijan and Armenia and the disputed Nakhjavan territory. This large river has green riversides with tall bushes. In that region,  we also visited two ancient Churches , the Church of Saint Stephanus ( the first Christian martyr) and the Church of Nana Maryam. The Church of Saint Stepanus was open for the public and parts were under renovation and protection as monuments of national heritage. The presence of these historical sites are a clear indication of the long history of peaceful coexistence among followers of divine religions in Iran.
As we traveled from the Aras river to the southwest we entered the perimeters of Kiamaki Protected Area and further down the Arasbaran Forests Protected Area.  This trip was reminiscent of the many visits I had as Head of the Department of Environment some years ago, only now I was with the family and not the DOE directors and personnel. The pristine Arasbaran forests of Iran are recognized as one of the important biodiversity hotspots of the globe, meaning that the diversity of flora and fauna in this region is very high.
As we enjoyed the magnificent scenes, news of the street clashes and arrests of protestors in Urumieh and Tabriz who had objected to the trend of drought in Lake Urumieh brought us back to the realities of environmental degradation. In the previous week ,I was asked to make several interviews on the policies and measures taken during my tenure to combat the trend leading to the drying up of the Urumieh National Park. I had given detailed explanations on the research project leading to a management scheme and the measures and strategies we had taken to engage both the water and agriculture sectors on this matter to provide the water required by the lake on a regular basis. The DOE had warned the officials in 1998 we had layed out a road map for the protection of the Lake. Many parts of that project were underway  in 2004 . These protection schemes and strategies were later abandoned by the ninth government and only reconsidered recently after serious protests rocked the region. No one can dispute the fact that the environment was never a priority for the government of Mr. Ahmadinejad.

Quds and Democracy

"And we conveyed to the Children of Israel in the Scripture that : You will surely cause corruption(mischief) on earth twice and most certainly  you will behave insolently with great insolence." Holy Quran , Sura Asra , Ayat 4.
The Holy Quran has made a correct prediction concerning the Jewish zionists who are now creating mischief for some time in the world. The fact that Israel was created based on the occupation of Palestinian lands and based on the massacre and mass expulsion of hundreds of defenseless Palestinians is undeniable. For years Israel has created an atmosphere of fear mainly with the support of the American government and the tacit support of pro American dictators such as Mubarak of Egypt and Ben Ali of Tunisia. It has regularly detained and imprisoned citizens of the West Bank and Gaza, it assassinated political figures and leaders whenever it wished and it has attacked and killed Palestinians in a regular strategy of terror and usurpation .  After its attack on South Lebanon and then its attack on Gaza , the zionist entity has lost its legitimacy in the face of the public opinion in most parts of the world including the US and Europe. Western governments however, have relentlessly stood behind Israel with the assumption that this state is necessary to curb the growing powers of the Muslim world.
The awakening of the Arab world and the downfall of dictators in recent months has further weakened this regime. In addition, zionists have awakened to the reality that in this spring of freedom and democracy , authentic Islamic values are still seriously safeguarded. Israel now has realized that the anti-zionist sentiments are stronger than ever.

Dictators in the region must also understand that pro-independence and anti-zionist policy cannot be employed as a pretext to close in on individual freedoms and curb democratic values. Islamic reformism alongside democracy will enable people to become aware and make wise decisions concerning their future.

Iranian reformists seek open political atmosphere

Iranian reformists seek open political atmosphere

Imam Ali and the Downfall of the Dictator of Libya

We have been celebrating the nights of Ghadr or "value".This has been an opportunity to gather and pray together.  Imam Ali Ibn Abitalib was martyred on such a night in the month of Ramazan  40 years after the hejira. He was then, the leader or khalifa of the  Muslim  society . Ali had a unique status among the companions of the Prophet , his attractive and strong personality, his thirst and sacrifice for the truth and for justice were qualities  revered among both enemies and friends. Ali had proven to be reliable, and trustworthy. He was considered to be the most qualified successor to the Prophet of Islam in personal attributes and behavioral traits. He had the substance and compassion to forgive his enemies and to withstand the oppressors. However, those who  claimed to be Muslim but only in name, those who could not tolerate his justice  and his values became aligned against the symbol of righteousness . The hypocrites had begun a smearing campaign against Imam Ali which led to his martyrdom.

The unique personality of this man, his lifestyle and his teachings, gathered as the Nahjul-balaghe, have been studied and reviewed by scores of scholars from all faiths and backgrounds. Many point to his four- year government as an example of a just and efficient system of governance, unprecedented in those ages. Many examples of Imam Ali's practices are now taken by Reformists as cases that prove that certain practices of the current Iranian government are not in tune with what they claim to be as followers of Imam Ali.  The self criticism of Imam Ali and his respect for those who criticized him and his struggle against despotism and tyranny are among some of the issues that Reformists point to.
The coincidence of these nights of Ramazan with the transformations in Libya and the downfall of one of the most despised dictators of our age is also interesting.

With astonishing speed overnight,  revolutionary forces have entered Tripoli, signaling the end of  the reign of a four decade old dictator. After months of struggle and hundreds of martyrs, the Libyan Revolution against tyranny and oppression is coming to a culmination. It seems that Dictators, like Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Saddam Hussein, Ben Ali, Mubarak, Ali Saleh and now Ghazzafi have awakened to the reality only when it was too late. This is a common feature of unlimited, endless and unregulated power in the hands of men who were actually at one time revolutionaries themselves.
The footage emerging from Benghazi and Tripoli shows the jubilation of the people, the calls of Allah o Akbar and the religious atmosphere among the revolutionaries indicates that religious beliefs are key factors in this movement. They now feel that the suffering and sacrifices they experienced was worth it. It seems that the Libyan people expect NATO to leave the future of Libya to the people and Western forces are expected to refrain from interference. We all hope that the revolutionary forces learn from the lessons of other revolutions and fill the power vacum with a transitional government to bring order and pave way for democratic and constitutional changes.

A Street in Tehran Named After an American Woman

We approved a street in Tehran to be named after Rachel Aliene Corrie in the Tehran City Council last Tuesday. This street was named after an American activist who was crushed to death by an Israeli military bulldozer in the Gaza Strip in 2003.

Corrie, a pro-Palestinian activist from Washington, was trying to prevent what she and other campaigners believed was a push by the Israeli military to demolish nearby Palestinian homes. She was 23 at the time of her death. I think this was the first time an Iranian street has been named after a US national since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Before the Revolution, we had at least three high streets in the Iranian capital which were named after former US presidents: Dwight Eisenhower, John F Kennedy and Franklin Roosevelt. They were all changed to revolutionary names later. Eisenhower was changed to Azadi or freedom. Roosevelt was changed to Mofatteh , a revolutionary figure martyred in that street. Now we have a street named after an American citizen, not a President, but a hero and martyr for humanity. Considering the recent news that the Israeli government has approved 1600 new houses to be built in occupied Jerusalem , this decision of the Tehran Council is a strong sign of ongoing support for Palestinians . Nevertheless, considering the escalation of violence in Syrian cities many Iranians also sympathize with Syrian protesters , many feel that they have much in common with them.

On a similar move, I made a proposal last week to name a street after Ameneh Bahrami the Iranian woman who pardoned the convict who had sprayed acid in her face and had permanently disfigured her face and left her blind. She pardoned him only after the man was convicted  and was set for Ghesas meaning legal compensation or retribution in which he would be blinded with acid. Ameneh made it clear that she wanted this to be a lesson for men who practiced this inhuman act.  She also  has set a mark for those who did not understand that in pardoning and forgiveness there were great  lessons for all. "She is a heroine who deserves recognition", I said in the Council . "The Iranian society needs compassion and forgiveness above all , we need to disseminate the message of forgiveness in order to confront the hatred and violence in our society." I noted.