Madam, – As an organiser and participant in the demonstration against Iranian foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki’s visit to Ireland, I feel inclined to answer some of the accusations posed by the Iranian ambassador (June 16th).
Reading his letter, one is led to believe that the demonstrations were indeed a plot by the Israelis to divert attention from the outrageous attacks on the ship taking aid to the Gaza strip. However, that is far from the reality of the situation. The demonstration against Mr Mottaki and his presence in Ireland relates directly back to the nature of the Iranian regime and the disgraceful human rights record.
As an Iranian living in Ireland, many of us were informed of the conference only a few hours before. There was no “operation” or conspiracy to divert attention from the Gaza tragedy. Many of us have taken part in demonstrations and campaigns for the plight of the Palestinian people in the past.
On the contrary, it is the Iranian government which is trying to divert attention from the crimes being committed in Iran. Needless to say we did not act in order to secure refugee status.
Over 100,000 have been executed in Iran in the past 31 years, 30,000 of whom were executed in a massacre in 1988. My father was one of the thousands. In the past year, since the popular uprisings after the sham elections in June, hundreds of thousands of people have been arrested, hundreds executed and many are still unaccounted for. This is the reason for our protest, and more importantly, we objected to Ireland welcoming a representative of a dictatorship.
Looking back in history, countries that appeased regimes like the Nazis’ are condemned. However, it is shocking that in the 21st century conferences such as the recent one in Dublin are even taking place.
Furthermore, the actions of the Iranian security guards clearly demonstrate what goes on in Iran.
The reaction to heckling a speech in democratic countries is not beatings, prison or worse, which is why the Irish security did not intervene as the Iranian ambassador wished. – Yours, etc,