[mobglob-discuss] Kingsway NDP on Iran - Emergency Resolution

[Alan Ward]

Dear friends,

    The following resolution is being submitted by the Vancouver-Kingsway
NDP Executive for discussion at the upcoming meeting of the BC NDP
Provincial Council to take place this weekend at the Crown Plaza Hotel on
Georgia St.  Letters to Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham were sent in
late 2003 by Jack Layton, Svend Robinson, Libby Davies, Alexa McDonough, and
several other NDP MPs calling attention to the atrocities being committed by
the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and alerting to the danger of
returning Iranian refugees to Iran.  We hope that our resolution will help
our brave Iranian Canadian companeros in their fight to bring some respect
for human rights to that country and prevent deportations back to Iran like
the one being faced by the 3800 members of the opposition now living in
Iraq.

    For more information as to how to help, please call Farideh at 922-8030.
    Regards,
        Alicia Barsallo
        604-879-3246                                                    -
Our apologies for any duplicates -



EMERGENCY RESOLUTION ON IRAN
To be considered by delegates at the BC NDP March 2004 Provincial Council
meeting

WHEREAS in 2003 Canada sponsored a resolution at the UN General Assembly's
Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural) calling upon the
Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to abide by its obligations under
the International Covenants on Human Rights;

WHEREAS in 2003 the UN General Assembly's Third Committee expressed its
concern about the persecution for the peaceful expression of political
views, including detention without charge or trial; crackdowns by judiciary
and security forces against journalists, parliamentarians, students, clerics
and academics; and harsh reactions to student demonstrations, including
imprisonment, and use of university disciplinary committees against those
who participate;

WHEREAS peaceful, democratic, political opposition to the ruling regime in
Iran is punishable by arrest, torture, disappearance, and execution;

WHEREAS evidence that basic civil liberties remain unavailable to Iranians
are the 2003 murder of Canadian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi while in police
custody, and the arrest of 4,000 demonstrators in Tehran in June 2003;

WHEREAS Iranian Canadians are concerned about the fate awaiting those
Iranians who seek refugee status in Canada and are returned to Iran;

WHEREAS Iranian Canadians are also concerned about plans by the Iraqi
Governing Council to deport more than 3800 members of the Iranian opposition
group The People's Mujahideen, including 17 Canadian citizens, to Iran.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED
that the BC NDP Provincial Council representatives take back to their
constituencies news of these atrocities and suggest action along the
following lines:

(a) write a letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs requesting that Canada
act to protect the lives of Iranians working in opposition to the current
Islamic Regime and, in particular, to prevent the deportation of Iranian
refugees back to Iran by the Iraqi Governing Council.

(b) write a letter to the Minister of Immigration requesting that Canada
cease the practice of sending Iranian refugees back to Iran.

(c) establish links with Iranian Canadians struggling to make public the
ongoing human rights violations in their country of origin.