SMCCDI-Freedom-loving Women of Iran:

May Your Struggle be Victorious!

For the Persian version, please visit:

http://iona.ghandchi.com/Groups/Sepass-zanan.pdf

SMCCDI (Public Statement)
January 10, 2003

Once again, Tehran and the other cities became a display of
the tyrannical regime's horror and hopelessness. The
woman-hating leaders of the Islamic Republic, whether the
fake Reformists who are within the regime or the Religious
fundamentalists, in an obvious alliance, placed Law
Enforcement Forces, Basij Forces, and the 'plain-clothed'
thugs in a formation just like that of martial law from the
early morning hours of Tuesday, January 7th [17th of Dey]
in the streets and squares of the cities in order to
prevent the gathering of you freethinking fighters. Such
futile thinking!

Hail to each of you dear ones who took to the streets
despite the wide-scale gathering of the fundamentalist and
tyrannical regime's lackeys, including the display of force
of the Leader's thugs. Even though they attacked and
dispersed your gatherings with brutal savagery, yet your
presence showed that the Iranian woman will not retreat
from regaining her rights. Hail to you freedom-loving
Iranian women who by burning your headscarves at the
opportune moment displayed your furious protest to the
enforced hejab [Islamic dress code for women]. Hail to
you predecessors of the civil disobedience movement who
tossed your half-burnt headscarves in the streets as a
symbolic objection to the various oppressions that the
unwise patriarchs [of the regime] have done. Hail to you
freedom-loving men and youth who rushed to the side of your
mothers and sisters. Hail to you fellow countrymen and
countrywomen abroad who by performing a glorious
demonstration, made the voice of the oppressed Iranian
women and the ensnared people of our country reverberate
throughout the world.

The "Student Movement Coordination Committee for Democracy
in Iran," is of the belief that January 7, 1935 [17 Dey
1381] is a milestone in the free-thinking and modernist
struggles of the Iranian women. This day should rightfully
be considered the day of liberation of women from the
religious restrictions and the beginning of the effective
participation of women in the various social, economic, and
political arenas. The fervent opposition of the mullahs
with any kind of civil rights for women, whether at the
advent of constitutionalism, at the time of The Unveiling
(of women) [kashf e hejab], or during June 1963 [Khordad
1342] were all clear statements on the backward views of
the religious fundamentalists toward Women's rights. It is
exactly along this backward view that the religious
fundamentalists, at the first opportunity, placed the
return to the enforced veil on their agenda. Even though
the free-thinking and struggling women of Iran came to the
proverbial battlefield then with their slogan of "No to the
Veil, No to Persecution"; that day, many political
structures claiming to be freedom-lovers-- out of spite for
the monarchy-- refused to affectively support the Women's
Movement. Today, as well, they repeat the same mistake, and
in-step with the 'Islamic anti-woman Republic,' they are
petrified of the observance of the historical Iranian
Women's Liberation Day.

The observance of January 7 [Dey 17], is the observance of
the Iranian women's human rights, paying homage to the
rights of Iranian women in opposition to the backwards
anti-
woman mullahs, and a struggle to establish a secular
democratic regime in the free Iran of the future.
Reclaiming the rights that Iranian women had since January
7, 1935 [17 Dey 1381] and until before the establishment of
the shameful rule of the mullahs, requires the unyielding
struggle of the freedom-loving women of our country and the
widespread support of organizations that claim to seek a
democracy. Any kind of legislation for providing women's
fundamental rights, even if it is ratified by the Islamic
Majlis [parliament], will never be approved by the
proverbial dam of the Gurdian's Council.

The female representatives present in the Islamic Majlis
are more of a dummy-display for human rights observers than
defenders of women's rights. The only way women can be
liberated from sexual discrimination and civil oppression
to obtain their rights is to go beyond the Islamic Republic
and establish a secular democratic government.

By utilizing the historic national days of Iran and
world-wide observance days, we will place ever-more
pressure on the rulers of tyranny until their European
masters and
Hezbollah comrades understand that the Iranian people,
whether young or old, and whether woman or man, have all
bravely risen.

Freedom-fighters! Remember that during martial law, it is
the Law Enforcement agents and the mercenary lackeys of the
mullahs in the cities who get worn out and lose hope so
that they have no other way left other than to join the
roaring proverbial river of the freedom-fighters. Now, the
nation is determined to uproot the flimsy illegitimate rule
of the Islamic Republic and replace it with a popular
secular regime that is based on liberty, and to join the
family of civilized nations.


Long Live Freedom!
Established be Secularism!


January 10, 2003 (20th of Dey 1381)

The "Student Movement Coordination Committee for Democracy
in Iran" (SMCCDI)


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Neveshtar be Farsi be soorat e PDF dar peyvast mibashad.
Persian/Farsi text is attached in PDF format.

Nazariyat/comments: smccdi@daneshjoo.org