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NATIONAL SPIRITUAL. ASSEMBLY

OF THE

BAHÁ'ÍS OF THE UNITED STATES

136 MIKRIDAN ROAD, WILMETTE, ILLINOM 400DI • (281) 1824-1·100 • CABLE: BAHA'I WILMETTE

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Recent events in Iran have raised fears for the future of religious minorities, particularly the largest of them the Bahá'í community. Since last September a number of anti-Bahá'í outbreaks occurred in various cities, towns and villages with some deaths and a great deal of injury to persons and properties.

The campaign directed against the Bahá'ís has reached the shores of America. On Thursday, February 8, 1979, Mansour Farhang, an Iranian who teaches at Sacramento State College, accused the Iranian Bahá'ís of hating Muslims and committing many crimes against the nation. He claimed that General Nasiri, former head of the Savak, is a Bahá'í, implying the guilt of all Bahá'ís by association. The fact is that Nasiri is not a Bahá'I. The February 14 issue of The New York Times reported the assurance given to Jewish leaders by a representative of Ayatollah Khomeini that all religious minorities except the Bahá'ís would have "full political, cultural and religious rights." The Ayatollah, it was said, regards the Bahá'í Faith as a "political rather than a religious movement.

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The Bahá'í community in Iran, like Bahá'í communities everywhere,
abstains from all political activity, is peaceful, works toward
brotherhood among nations and races, promotes religious tolerance,
and seeks mutual understanding with members of all faiths and groups.
It is therefore most regrettable that the more fanatical and extremist
elements among the Iranian Muslims have once again chosen the Bahá'ís
as scapegoats and have extended their campaign to the United States.
As representatives of the Bahá'ís of America, we wish herewith to
supply you and your colleagues in the Congress with some accurate
background information on the nature and history of the Bahá'í Faith.
And we stand ready to provide any further information you may desire.

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CLEMENT J. ZABLOCKI, WIS..., CHAIRMAN

L.M.INTAIN, M.C.

DANTE B. FASCELL, FLA.

BENJAMIN 8. ROSENTHAL, N.V.
LEE H. HAMILTON, IND.
JONATHAN BINGHAM, N.Y.
GUS YATRON, PA.
STEPHEN J. BOLARZ, N.Y.
DON BONKER, WASH.

GERRY E. STUDDS, MASS.
ANDY IRELAND, FLA.
DAN MICA, PLA

MICHAEL D. BARNES, MD.
HOWARD WOLPE, MICH.

GEO. W. CROCKETT, JR., MICH.
BOB SHAMANSKY, ONIO

SAM GEJOENSON, CONN.
MERVYN M. DYNALLY, CALIF.
DENNIS E. ECKART, OHIO
TOM LANTOS, CALIF.
DAVID R. BOWEN, MISS.

WILLIAM 8. BROOMFIELD, MICH.
EDWARD J. DERWINSKI, ILL.
PAUL FINDLEY, ILL

LARRY WINDL, JR., KANG.
BENJAMIN A. GILMAN, NY.
TENNYSON GUYER, OHIO
ROBERT J. LAGOMARSINO, CALIF.
WILLIAM P. GOODLING, PA.
JOEL PRITCHARD, WASN.
MILLICENT FENWICK, NJ.
ROBERT K. DORNAN, CALIF.
JIM LEACH, IOWA

ARLEN ERDAHL, MINN,
TOBY ROTH, WIS.

OLYMPIA J. SHOWE, MAINE

JOHN LIBOUTILLIER, M.Y.

JOHN J. BRADY, JR.

CHIEF OF STAFF

Congress of the United States
Committee on Foreign Affairs

House of Representatives

Washington, P.C. 20515

June 26, 1981

His Excellency Kurt Waldheim
Secretary General of the

United Nations

United Nations Plaza

New York, New York 10017

Dear Mr. Secretary General:

Attached is a copy of an appeal to you from
Mr. Glenford E. Mitchell, Secretary of the National
Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United
States, regarding the plight of his co-religionists
in Iran. Baha'is in Iran have long suffered tremendous
pressure and persecution. They are now being murdered
by the regime for adherence to their faith.

We appeal to you to do everything in your power
to alleviate the suffering of the Baha'is at the hands
of the Iranian government, including sending a special
representative to Iran as Mr. Mitchell asks.

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NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY

OF TUK

BAHÁ'ÍS OF THE UNITED STATES

830 HUKRIDAN ROAD, WILMETTE, ILLINOIS GOODI • (812) 250-4400 • CABLE: BAHA'I WILMETTE

16 June 1981

The Honorable Edward J. Derwinski

House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Mr. Derwinski:

We send herewith for your kind and immediate attention a copy of the urgent appeal we addressed yesterday to Dr. Kurt Waldheim, SecretaryGeneral of the United Nations, in the wake of the worsening persecution of the Bahá'í community in Iran.

Given the gravity of the plight of our co-religionists, we respectfully request your support of our appeal to the Secretary-General for purely humanitarian reasons and in affirmation of America's traditional role as the champion of human rights.

Please be assured of our thanks and best wishes.

Very truly yours,

NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF
THE BAHA'IS OF THE UNITED STATES

Glenford E. Mitchell

Secretary

ZCZC 01 EVANSTON IL 15 JUNE 1981
PMS HIS EXCELLENCY KURT WALDHEIM
UNITED NATIONS SECRETARIAT

1 UNITED NATIONS PLAZA

NEW YORK NY 10017

BT

DEAR MR. SECRETARY-GENERAL:

DELIVER, DONT PHONE

WE HAVE LEARNED WITH HORROR OF YET ANOTHER GROUP EXECUTION OF
LEADING BAHA'IS IN IRAN. AT DAWN ON JUNE 14, SEVEN OUTSTANDING
AND RESPECTED MEMBERS OF THE LOCAL BAHA'I GOVERNING BODY IN
HAMADAN FACED A FIRING SQUAD AFTER HAVING BEEN IMPRISONED AND
TORTURED. THEY HERE: MR. HUSAYN MUTLAQ, MR. SUHAYL HABIBI,
MR. SUHRAB HABIBI, DR. NASIR VAFA)I, DR. FIRUZ NAYIMI,
MR. HUSAYN KHANDIL AND MR. TRRAZULLAH KHUZAYN. SIMILAR EXECUTIONS
HAVE OCCURRED BEFORE THIS IN TABRIZ, TEHRAN, SHIRAZ AND YAZD.

THE SUPREME JUDICIAL COUNCIL IN TEHRAN APPROVED THE EXECUTION OF
THESE MEN, AS IT HAS ON PRIOR OCCASIONS SINCE MARCH, ON THE BASIS
OF TRUMPED-UP CHARGES, INCLUDING CORRUPTION ON EARTH. FIGHTING
GOD AND HIS MESSENGER AND COLLABORATION WITH WORLD ZIONISM.
THESE CHARGES BEAR NO RELATION WHATSOEVER TO REALITY BUT SERVE AS
A REFRAIN IN THE SHRILL RHETORIC BEING USED BY THE SHIITE
CLERGY IN THEIR FANATIC OPPOSITION OF THE BAHA'I FRITH, WHICH
THEY REGARD AS A HERESY.

FAR MORE OMINOUS, HOWEVER, HAS BEEN THE VERDICT ANNOUNCED FOR THE
FIRST TIME LAST MARCH IN THE CASE OF THE TRIAL OF THO BAHA'IS IN
SHIRAZ MAKING MEMBERSHIP IN BAHA'I INSTITUTIONS AND TEACHING THE
BAHA'I RELIGION CRIMES PUNISHABLE BY DEATH. SINCE THEN THE
IRANIAN BAHA'I COMMUNITY HAS FERRED FOR THE LIVES OF THE MEMBERS
OF SOME 500 LOCAL BAHA'I GOVERNING BODIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY,
EACH COMPRISING NINE PERSONS, AND OF THE MEMBERS OF THE BAHA'I
NATIONAL GOVERNING BODY WHO WERE ABDUCTED LAST AUGUST AND TAKEN
TO AN UNKNOWN DESTINATION.

THE IMMEDIATE THREAT OF SUMMARY EXECUTIONS HANGS OVER THE SCORES OF PROMINENT BAHA' IS NOW BEING HELD IN PRISON IN A DIABOLICAL ATTEMPT TO FORCE THE RANK AND FILE OF THE BAHA'I COMMUNITY TO RECANT THEIR FAITH. IRANIAN AUTHORITIES HAVE REMAINED IMPERVIOUS TO THE THOUSANDS OF APPEALS ADDRESSED TO THEM BY THE BAHA'IS OF MORE THAN 300 COUNTRIES AND DEPENDENCIES. THE PERSECUTION OF THE IRANIAN BAHA'IS: ABETTED BY THE RECENT HIGH COURT RULINGS, CLEARLY HAS ASSUMED THE PATTERN OF A GENOCIDAL CAMPAIGN.

SHAKEN AND DISTRESSED BY THE DARK FATE RAPIDLY ENVELOPING THE
ENTIRE COMMUNITY OF OUR BELEAGUERED CO-RELIGIONISTS, HE URGENTLY
APPEAL TO YOU, MR. SECRETARY-GENERAL, IMMEDIATELY TO LEND THE
FULL WEIGHT OF YOUR INFLUENCE TO ARRANGING TO SEND A SPECIAL
REPRESENTATIVE OR A UNITED NATIONS COMMISSION TO IRAN AT THE
EARLIEST POSSIBLE MOMENT TO ASCERTAIN THE CONDITION OF THE BAHA'IS
AND TO TAKE FORTHRIGHT MEASURES TO LIFT THE OPPRESSION BURDENING
THIS PEACE-LOVING, LAW-ABIDING PEOPLE, WHOSE ONLY GUILT IS THEIR
BELIEF IN THE ESSENTIAL UNITY OF THE WORLD RELIGIONS, THE ONENESS
OF ALL THE RACES OF MANKIND, THE EQUALITY OF MEN AND WOMEN, AND
THE BENEFITS OF COMPULSORY EDUCATION AS NECESSARY MEANS TONARDS
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A UNIVERSAL AND LASTING PERCE.

PLEASE BE ASSURED OF OUR GRATITUDE AND RESPECT.

NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF

THE BAHA'IS OF THE UNITED STATES

GLENFORD E. MITCHELL, SECRETARY
536 SHERIDAN ROAD

WILMETTE, ILLINOIS 60091
NNNNENDJ

[From the Congressional Record, July 24, 1981]

RAMSEY CLARK, WHERE ARE YOU WHEN WE NEED YOU?

(Mr. DERWINSKI asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. DERWINSKI. Mr. Speaker, hardly a day goes by in Iran without the radical government there announcing it has executed someone else for antirevolutionary activity. More than 200 Iranians have been shot in the wake of Bani-Sadr's ouster from the presidency. The cruelty of this regime is abundantly clear, yet I have detected no expressions of outrage from those "human rights" activists who were so long critical of the Shah. Indeed, the silence is deafening from the likes of Ramsey Clark and company who were so quick to condemn the Shah and embrace Khomeini as an alternative. Such silence is particularly perplexing, given the fact that most of the victims have been from the left end of the political spectrum Mr. Clark identifies with.

Admittedly, the Shah and his associates had their shortcomings. But this regime makes them look thoroughly benevolent in contrast. In fact, the Islamic militias and secret police have resorted to tactics that are far worse than those attributed to the Shah's SAVAK.

I also want to call the attention of the House to the continued persecution of members of the Baha'i religious group in Iran by the Khomeini government. The Baha'is in Iran have long suffered tremendous pressure and persecution but they are now being murdered by the Khomeini regime for adherence to their faith.

Mr. Speaker, it is high time that this Congress spotlighted what is happening in Iran. Therefore, today I am asking the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee's Human Rights Subcommittee to hold hearings post-haste on the human rights situation in Iran. In view of his consistent record on human rights, I am confident that the chairman of that subcommittee, Mr. Bonker, will respond in a forthcoming

manner.

FOR BAHA'IS IN IRAN, A THREAT OF EXTINCTION BY HON. EDWARD J. DERWINSKI OF ILLINOIS, IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1981 Mr. DERWINSKI. Mr. Speaker, in late June, my distinguished colleague, Dan Mica, and I wrote to U.N. Secretary General Kurt Waldheim, to appeal on behalf of the Baha'is in Iran. "Baha'is in Iran have long suffered tremendous pressure and persecution," as we reminded the Secretary General in our letter. We appealed to him to do everything in his power to allevate their suffering at the hands of the Iranian Government.

Firuz Kazemzadeh, professor of history and chairman of the Committee on Middle Eastern Studies at Yale, and a member of the national governing body of the American Baha'i organization, wrote a moving column in the New York Times on August 6 describing the treatment of Baha'is in Iran. It is reprinted here for the benefit of the Members.

FOR BAHA'IS IN Iran, a Threat of Extinction, AUGUST 16, 1981 1

(By Firuz Kazemzadeh)

NEW HAVEN.-The Baha'is in Iran are in danger of extermination. Not a week passes without a sinister incident. Already more than 60 people-storekeepers, artisans, teachers, Government employees, doctors and a distinguished university professor-have been lynched by mobs or executed by revolutionary firing squads. Hundreds have been dismissed from jobs; thousands have lost their homes and possessions.

From every province pour in accounts of atrocities. Two men are burned alive in Shahmirzad; a clinic is dynamited in Kata; a community center is burned to the ground in Tavil; graves are desecrated at Hoseynabad; houses and shops are set on fire in Zenjan; mobs attack Baha'is in Ardistan; families that refuse to recant their faith are driven out of several villages near Hamadan; a man, his wife, their 7-year old child and 4 year-old grandchild are beaten nearly to death with iron-tipped staves near Birjand; the Baha'is are forbidden to bury their dead in the cemetery at Chahbahar; the Baha'i hospital is confiscated in Teheran; seven Baha'is are executed in Yezd... .

1 Copyright 1981 by the New York Times Co. Reprinted by permission.

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