[antiwar-van] Interverntion in Iran and deportation of Iranian Refugees

[shannon bundock]

Response to “STATEMENT ON THE POSSIBLE WAR IN IRAN AND DEPORTATION OF IRANIAN REFUGEES” issued by Iranian Federation of Refugees BC and endorsed by No One is Illegal

On May 18th, 2005, the Iranian Federation of Refugees BC released a document endorsed by No One is Illegal Vancouver, and entitled “STATEMENT ON THE POSSIBLE WAR IN IRAN AND DEPORTATION OF IRANIAN REFUGEES”. In this document, there are a number of contradictions, flaws and political problems, which do nothing to advance the interest of the antiwar movement in Vancouver or beyond. In fact, the impact of the position outlined in this statement is dangerous for the antiwar movement. The statement serves to confuse the issue of self-determination for oppressed countries and adds fuel to the US-imperialist war drive that is expanding across the Middle East. Before expanding on this further and going into the bulk of the statement, first we must identify and set aside the points that we are in agreement with. 

First off, the statement correctly targets and opposes the Canadian government for its racist immigration and refugee policies. Policies adopted by the Canadian government, such as the Safe Third Country Agreement and the replacement of the appeals process with the Pre-Removal Risk Assessment are the basis for denying third-world refugees the right to stay in Canada. We oppose the deportation of Iranian refugees alongside opposing the deportation of any third world refugee back to their country of origin. Opposition to Canada’s racist immigration and refugee policies is part of opposing attacks on oppressed people by imperialism. Also, the statement correctly refers to the US’s history in Iran as an oppressive and colonial force. However, to use the fight against detention and deportation to attack third-world nations when they are under attack by imperialists, instead of the imperialist state, only serves the imperialist war drive. 

There are contradictions in the call to “…fight both the US and the Iranian dictatorship…” For the antiwar movement, this call does not place the antiwar movement on the side of oppressed countries and does not place the antiwar movement directly against the imperialist war drive. This position attempts to place the antiwar movement in the “middle” and serves to split the unity of the antiwar movement on the question of sovereignty. 

In fact, when an imperialist country is attacking an oppressed country there is no “middle road”. Claiming to take a “middle road” or that “we are against BOTH of them” is to side with the more powerful country… in this case it is to side with imperialism against Iran.

The statement by Iranian Federation of Refugees shows political confusion and a lack of any real understanding of the political question of self-determination. It is not a question of self-determination only for those fighting for “democracy” or other “progressive” principles that many leftists subscribe to. Iran, like any oppressed country, is populated by many people opposed to US imperialism, whether they support an Islamic government or a secular government for Iran. The character of the Iranian government should not even be a question for the antiwar movement; it is only a question for the Iranian people. 

Additionally, the statement goes on to claim that we must “…fight both the US and the Iranian dictatorship as our brothers and sisters of the Iraqi resistance are courageously doing.”  This statement is flawed from the very premise. Number one, the Iraqi people are not in the same situation. The government that they are fighting is the puppet-dictatorship imposed on them by occupation forces. Second, if before the possible US military intervention in Iran, the Iranian people do not overthrow current regime or replace it with a popular government, then they will have no choice but to line up with current Iranian regime against any imperialist intervention. They have no choice since they have no adequate means or army or weapons to defend themselves separately from the Iranian government. 

As well, for the antiwar movement, defending the government of Iran is not really defending the government at all; it is in fact, defending people of Iran against imperialist attack in order to give them enough time to organize themselves. If the people of Iran do successfully organize against imperialism then it is possible that, when class struggle heats up, this dynamic can be turned against their own government. 

In Vancouver the impact of recent demonstrations against the Iranian government have proven to be fuel for generating anti-Iran and pro-imperialist responses in major media news reporting. These demonstrations have been taken by major media and used to politically back-up the case for intervention and reported on as part of news items dealing with US, EU and Israeli threats on Iran. Given what we have already outlined, this impact is not surprising and was not unpredictable. 

The approach of the antiwar movement to the threats against Iran is a delicate and very serious question. The impact of taking an incorrect approach is becoming ever more dangerous as the threats against Iran increase. 

The statement released on May 18th, by the Iranian Federation of Refugees and endorsed by No One is Illegal is an example of how a seemingly “progressive” line can in fact work directly against the interest of oppressed people. 

“The importance of Iran for the antiwar movement is that its right to self-determination be defended and that Iran regardless of its position of being a “reactionary” or a “progressive” state, be allowed to remain a country politically, economically, and militarily independent of US and EU imperialism. Iran must be defended against these attacks on the basis that all oppressed countries have the right to govern how they see fit, without intervention, and free from the greedy hands of imperialism.” – From “US Out of the Middle East! Stop Attacks on Iran! Oppose imperialist intervention in Iran!” Printed in Fire This Time Issue 22/23 (February/March 2005) full article at www.firethistime.net

With this understanding we oppose the statement released by the Iranian Federation of Refugees and endorsed by No One is Illegal Vancouver, as a politically dangerous position. The demands of the antiwar movement must be strong, clear and in no way compromise the interest of oppressed countries against imperialism. The call for self-determination must be at the forefront and must be unconditional.

HANDS OFF IRAN!

In Solidarity,

Shannon Bundock

Coordinator - Fire This Time Movement for Social Justice

www.firethistime.net | info at firethistime.net | 604 322 1764


No One is Illegal-Vancouver <noii-van at resist.ca> wrote:STATEMENT ON THE POSSIBLE WAR IN IRAN AND DEPORTATION OF IRANIAN REFUGEES

The Iranian Federation of Refugees in BC is a community based group with
hundreds of members and supporters. Our organization is a vital part of
the anti-war movement and the movement for justice for immigrants and
refugees. Today it is our duty to speak out against any potential invasion
of Iran by the U.S government and to voice our opposition amidst all other
voices to protect the lives of thousands of Iranians in Canada and within
Iran.

Aside from all the bloodshed of an imperialist war, a US invasion or
intervention would give the Iranian theocratic dictatorship, against which
we have struggled for decades, an excuse to repress and imprison political
dissidents in Iran. For over half a century, the US has intervened and
sabotaged all social and mass progressive movements within Iran in the
process of securing its own economic and political interests. Upon the
possible commencement of a war against Iran, we will have to fight both
the US and the Iranian dictatorship, as our brothers and sisters of the
Iraqi resistance are courageously doing. The history of US involvement in
Iran and in other countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Columbia, Panama,
Vietnam, and countless other places demonstrates that the United States
has always supported the most dictatorial and repressive forces in its
self-serving covert and overt operations. The United States cannot install
or export democracy to Iran via military occupation and invasion. Only an
uprising of the Iranian people can produce genuine democracy. The Iranian
people have a rich and long history of struggling for democracy and
independence since the early 20th century. These relentless struggles have
taken place in the face of British colonial interests, US Imperialism, and
repressive internal regimes.

The racism so deeply entrenched against Arab and Muslim peoples in the
Middle East replicates itself in the West, where hundreds of Iranian
refugees, readily deemed ‘terrorists’ or ‘fanatics’, are increasingly
facing deportation. For the overwhelming majority of Iranian refugees,
refugee determination in Canada is a one-step process because there is in
fact no full merit based appeal in Canada. For example, one of the limited
avenues in the refugee process, the Pre-Removal Risk Assessment, had an
overall national acceptance rate of less than 3% in the year 2004.
Meanwhile, the Canadian government has signed the Safe Third Country
Agreement, disallowing refugees from seeking asylum in Canada if they
first arrived in the U.S. This major attack on asylum seekers mimics
historic Canadian immigration policies such as the “None is Too Many”
policy against Jewish refugees. Our struggle against deportations of
Iranian refugees continues within the context of a larger movement of
immigrants and refugees throughout Canada, who are standing up to the
exclusionary policies of Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

For over 20 years, the Iranian Federation of Refugees in BC has been
organizing collectively against deportation, detention, and for status, by
actively engaging in political campaigns with the support of thousands of
people across the country and the world. We have, for example, struggled
with Haleh Sahba, an Iranian women’s-rights activist, who was deported in
December 2004. The Canadian government, in deporting Haleh, assured her of
her safety in Iran. Yet it is now widely reported that she was detained
and faces serious charges. At the present time, there at least 20 other
Iranians- political dissidents, activists, and women’s rights activists-
face imminent deportation in coming weeks.

The U.S government and its imperialist allies say they want democracy in
Iran, but continue to detain and deport Iranian political activists who
are seeking asylum- Iranian refugees who are the real fighters and
defenders of democracy. We are oppressed and repressed from the Iranian
dictatorship and the governments of the West. We call upon all
peace-loving people opposing war, militarization and racism to stand up
for the rights of Iranian people in Iran and in Canada. We demand an end
to deportations and detentions of Iranian refugees from Canada and
regularization of status for all Iranian refugees. We also stand in
support of our Iranian sisters and brothers in Iran who oppose both U.S
imperialism and the repressive Iranian regime and who continue to fight
for genuine democracy and self-determination for all Iranian people.


The Iranian Federation of Refugees.
Endorsed by No One is Illegal


TO SUPPORT:

- Endorse the statement by emailing noii-van at resist.ca or call 778-552-2099

- The Iranian Federation of Refugees will be organizing several upcoming
events on the deportation of Iranian Refugees and the current political
situation in Iran. Please support these events by attending and spreading
the word.


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The No One is Illegal campaign is in full confrontation with Canadian
colonial border policies, denouncing and taking action to combat racial
profiling of immigrants and refugees, detention and deportation policies,
and wage-slave conditions of migrant workers and non-status people.

We struggle for the right for our communities to maintain their
livelihoods and resist war, occupation and displacement, while building
alliances and supporting indigenous sisters and brothers also fighting
theft of land and displacement.

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