So the people of Scotland, through a referendum, voted against independence from the united Kingdom. Good for them. Good for the people of the United Kingdom.
Almost 36 years ago soon after the anti Monarchist revolution in Iran there was a “referendum” of a sort in Iran…well, kind of a “referendum”… on the future of the country. The referendum had only two options: Yes or No, to the Establishment of the” Islamic Republic”. Not only pople were denied any other options, but also no information was given as to what this “Islamic republic” meant. No constitution, nothing but a few vague promisses around the general Revolutionary ideals: Independence, Democracy, Social justice….
Those who voted for Islamic reoublic, today deprived of independence (remember, Putin is the de facto ruler of Iran), democracy and social justice must feel somehow diappointed with their choice.
But one group of Itranians gave a decisive NO response to that sham of a “referendum”. They were the Kurdish Iranians. And they have been paying a very heavy price for their “NO” vote ever since. Immediately after their rejection of this sham of a referendum, Khomeini sent in his armed troops into Kurdistan. There were mass execution of members of the kurdish political parties. Inhabitants of entire Kurdish villages …men..women..children…babies… were mass murderd (Gharna mass murder). The murder continues to this day. In fact the execution and murder of Kurdish people has sharply accelerated since the appointment of the so called “Moderate” president, hassan Rouhany, currently the darling of the western New-Liberal and their Oild cartel sponsores, all lining up to loot Iran’s massive oild reserves at scales never heard of in the past. Iranian Kurdistan has been under virtual military occupation for the past 36 years.
Which brings me back to my original question: Don’t Kurdish people deserve the same voting rights as Scots? After all, given their Initial “NO” vote to the Islamic Republic, they proved that they are much more politically mature and aware than the rest of iranians.
The Scottish referendum will be the gold standard for all other attempts at self-determination. British democracy showed great respect for the aspirations of the Scottish people, gave them a chance to express it peacefully and without intimidation. Why not allow it in other parts of the world? What are we afraid of?
why just Kurdistan? suppose Tehran, ishahan, yazd, or khorasan wants referndum for independence, should they be allowed to? after all the at the end of the day all politics are local. And what about a referndum for our lost Iranian terrritory to join the fatherland., should that be allowed to?
Let suppose you hold these kind of referendum and people voted for independence, you have any idea in a place like Iran where every family has reletives from another region and no region has pure ethnicity, what kind of blood bath you will end up having once you open a parndora box? (Please don't give me the example of switzerland,we are not even close!)
Let's just not wish or opt for things that we don't have any knouledge, experience, and undrestanding. Case and point our disasterous venture to republicanism in 1979, now that speaks a volume, case closed.
MRX, I see your point. Personally I do not support separatist sentiments either, But I do support peopel's right to self determination. People;s right to speak in their lown language, follow their own way of life, get a fair share of their natural resources, whilst contributing to the "bigger couintry". People only follow the separatist path if they are denied all above.
BTW, Scots did not vote against independence due to Nationalistic sentiments towards United Kindgdom. They did so because they know know they'd be economicaly better off as part of the United Kingdom.
When it comes to many aspects of politics, religion, etc., I think Middle East and the sorrounding region will be in 500 years where Europe was 100 years ago!
"......Putin is the de facto ruler of Iran...."
Roosbeh jaan, this is not only true, it's priceless!
That style of referendum could bring chaos to countries like Iran whose majorities are made up of minorities...and would easily cause the balkanization of their territories!