Ahwazi Arab People Have Had Enough of being Oppressed by the Iranian Government

On a regular basis, Ahwazi Arabs are being arrested, imprisoned, tortured and executed by The Ministry of Intelligence of the Islamic Republic of Iran (also known as Ettela’at).

Demonstrators around the globe with peaceful demonstrations commemorating the anniversary of the 1925 occupation of Ahwaz and secondly, to commemorate the anniversary of the 2005 April Intifada.

Before Iranian regime raided Al-Ahwaz, Al-Ahwaz used to be called Arabistan, meaning land of Arabs. Al-Ahwaz’s last ruler was Prince Khazaal Al-Kaabi who reigned from 1861 to 1936. He struggled to keep his country self-governing, even though his larger neighbours, such as Iran, showed a great interest in Al-Ahwaz.

But there was much tumult between the west and the east at that time. Friends became enemies, and various countries became oppressive over their neighbours. It was during this unrest that the Iranian government, ruled by the racist and cruel Reza Khan, started to invade Al-Ahwaz in April 1925. Reza Khan entered with force and aggression to occupy Al-Ahwaz, my home, my land.

They captured the Leader of Al-Ahwaz, Prince (Shaikh) Khazaal Al-Kaabi and transported him to Tehran. They executed him in 1936. When the Iranian regime occupied Al-Ahwaz they disregarded all human rights and started executing any Arab Ahwazis who opposed them.

The biggest demonstration in Ahwaz was on the 15th of April 2005. It was brought about by the publication of a letter that outlined how the government planned to change the population of Al-Ahwaz via ethnic cleansing and forced migration of Arabs from the region.

15th of April Intifada (uprising) is to commemorate the anniversary of the 1925 occupation of Ahwaz and secondly, to commemorate the anniversary of the 2005 April Intifada.

In 2005 Ahwazi uprising thousands of political and human rights activists were killed or captured by the Iranian regime and charged with being “Enemies of God”. Since then, Ahwazi Arabs have shown their resistance against the Iranian regime by protests which occur every year at this time.

With all of the persecutions, executions, discriminations and racism, we can see that Ahwazi Arab People have had enough of being oppressed by the Iranian Government.

In the recent uprising which lasted for 10 days, Iranian regime captured more than 500 Ahwazi Arabs. This began on the 28th of March after Iranian national TV rejected Ahwazi Arab’s existence in their land. It was triggered by an advertisement on pro-Iranian national Media where a child placed dolls wearing traditional dress on an “Iran’s map” to represent each ethnic group within current Iran. They deliberately omitted placing a doll to represent the Ahwazi Arab. Thus, denying our existence.

Abdul-Al Duraqi is one of the detainees, a poet and human rights activist from Ahwaz has been tortured by the Iranian regime to get a false confession from him. Abdul-Al has been moved to Sepidar hospital on the 7th of April after severe torture in the Ahwaz intelligence center.

With having;

• Human Rights violations by Iranian regime.
• Karoon diverted to upper cities such as Isfahan.
• Forced migration and land confiscation.
• Air pollution.
• Iranian government looting Ahwazi national resources.
• High rate of unemployment.
• Undrinkable water.
• No education in Arabic.

This hegemonic rule of Iran on the minorities should be condemned. The arrests against Ahwazi Arab activists in recent weeks is deeply alarming.

We urge all humanitarian, human rights organizations and international community to act now on crimes against Ahwazi Arabs and other non-Persian nations such as Kurds, Turks and Baloch and Turkmen.
Written by Hossein Bouazar
Date: 16/04/2018