Language is an instrument of communication and a frame of thoughts in human society. Language is one of the main elements in the existence and prejudice of the nations, and without the language it is impossible to remain nation’s cultural formation and consistency.

Unfortunately, in countries where the state and the administration are based on the concept of “one language – one culture”, the process of destroying different nationalities begins with mother tongue and cultural assimilation. This process can continue until the nation is completely erased from the history.

In Iran, the modern state is based on the concept of “one nation – one language”, and different national groups have been diminished. Cultural extermination policies have sometimes been carried out by resorting to violence.
As a result of this brutal actions, the cultural infrastructure of non-Persian nations in Iran has been destroyed and confronted with the danger of extinction.

Today in Iran, economic, political and social and cultural rights of the non-Persian nations, especially their mother tongue, have been forfeited and sacrificed to fascist politics of the Iranian state. Unfortunately, the religious and national dictatorship in Iran punishes those who utter rightful claims instead of listening to them and eradicates those who confront this oppression.
Sadly, the concept of “one nation – one language” in Iran is not only state-based, but also deep-rooted in the inside-regime and anti-regime Persian opposition. As a matter of fact, an important part of the regime opponents today wants to revive and sustain the thesis of “one nation – one language” in different ways. But this mentality will bring nothing but the rebirth of dictatorship. Non-Persian nations and their political movements today have lost confidence confronting the Persian state, and the continuation of this process will further thicken the wall of insecurity.

We, as signatories of this declaration, on the eve of the International Mother Language Day, February 21, pay tribute of respect to the students who lost their lives for the their Mother tongue at Dhakka University in 1952 and national activists of non-Persian ethnicities, who still remain in Iran’s prisons;
Today, according to international law and globally accepted norms, education in the mother tongue and its free usage is the most basic and legitimate right of any social group. It is unacceptable that the non-Persian nations in Iran cannot receive educated in the mother tongue and do not have a right to the use it officially.

For years girls and sons of the oppressed nations of Iran have been struggling for their rights to dominate their fate despite the persecutions, tortures, imprisonments and punishments. The corrupt fascist regime of Iran has faced the legitimacy crisis and now is heading to its end. Today, all oppressed nations of Iran, in their own destiny see the long-desired salvation.

Through this declaration, we emphasize that it is extremely important and vital for us to work together as a group of parties and organizations of oppressed nations of Iran in order to obtain the mother tongue right once again and to be able to dominate our nation’s fate.

20 February 2018

Azerbaijan Democratic Party (GADP)
Azerbaijan Democratic Union (Birlik)
Azerbaijan National Resistance Organization (AMDT)
Azerbaijan Student Movement (AZOH)
Balochistan’s People Party
Qashqayi Human Rights Defenders Committee
Lorestanat party