International Department:
Dear Friends and Comrades
I am writing to you on behalf of the Central
Council of OIPFM to give a summarised review of our Fifth
Congress which was held recently, 3rd -8th January 1998. The
Congress discussed and passed several resolutions of political,
ideological and organisational importance. Representatives of the
Tudeh Party of Iran, The Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan,
The People's Democratic Party of Iran, The Organisation of
National Republicans of Iran, were also invited to the fifth
Congress. This was the first time that such broad spectrum of
Iranian democratic forces attended our Congress. The Congress,
which was held in Germany, opened on due date and time and the
mandates of all delegations were passed. The report of the
Central Council (CC) was the first agenda, which was discussed in
the Congress. The Congress appreciated the active role of the
Central Council, particularly its efforts to echo the voice of
Iranian dissidents and the victims of state terrorism in the
course of the Mykonos Trail1 , as 'effective and appreciable'.
The Congress also conducted a critical assessment of the Central
Council's decision to encourage people not to participate in the
presidential election and declared it ' a mistake'2 . The final
task of the Congress was to elect OIPFM's CC. Due to the
optimistic view of Iranian politics, the Congress decided to
expand the number of its members from '14' to '17. Such optimism
also doubled the number of candidates willing to enter the CC in
compare with the fourth Congress (1995). The exciting event of
the Fifth Congress was the unexpected success of the female
candidates to enter the Central Council. Now women make up one
fourth of the CC membership. The Congress also decided to set up
an Executive Bureau to raise the efficiency of the political
activity of the CC. The Executive Bureau would be responsible for
all duties of OIPFM between its half-a-year Central Council
plenary meetings. Now, I would like to draw your attention to an
outline of four resolutions passed by our Fifth Congress:
OIPFM campaigns for democracy, progress, social
justice and socialism. Peace is the worthiest gift to the human
kind and is the prerequisite to all of our goals.
We are against all kinds of inequalities and oppressions
including those based race, class, gender, age, nationality and
religion. We are for a world with less inequality and with higher
standards of living for all.
We look after our national interests and independence. We
strongly support internationalism and ask for changes positive
changes in the North-South relations.
Protection of the earth and its resources is among our main
tasks.
We are for modernisation and reject unjust traditions that we
inherited from the past.
We oppose patriarchy and stand against sexism.
The notion of socialism was discussed broadly in the Fifth
Congress. There were different interpretations. 'It is our
failure', the document mentioned, 'if we try to confine ourselves
to any specific and understanding of our ideals and respected
values'. We do not promise that our access to power is the key
solving all social problems. Our society needs deep and prolonged
cultural and economic progress. Socialist values should be upheld
now on, step-by-step in all aspects of social life.
In this document OIPFM opposes Iran's established political system, the Islamic Republic, and its incumbent government. The document reiterates that OIPFM is for a government, which is based on free elections, secures human rights and respects economic and social justice for all Iranian citizens. In such a political system there is no leading position or body, which is not periodically elective. We are against monarchism and religious oligarchy. We wish, and do our best, that Iran's transition process towards democracy develops peacefully.
The document proposes a decentralised federal government and recognises the rights of ethnic minorities to form their own local governments. To promote social justice it offers a series of reforms in the governments' policies on employment, education, housing, pension and health to improve living standards of working class and all other low-income layers of our society.
The Political Resolution of the Congress, which passed by a majority of 83 per cent, emphasised that it would not be true if it is said that: 'It was just Mr. Khatami that brought 30 million of Iranian people to the ballot boxes'. On the contrary, it was the level of political awareness of Iranian people that let Mr. Khatami to stand against the expressed wishes of the Islamic clerical establishment. The resolution mentions that 'Iran has arrived at the verge of the major political changes'.
The most powerful political circles, which control the key top positions of the Islamic government under the leadership of Mr. Khamenei, are not able to maintain their existing level of power, as they did previously. Our people also, particularly youngsters and women, do not want to tolerate the current situation any more. The balance of power is extremely critical and fragile. The position of Mr. Khamenei, the religious leader of so-called Islamic Revolution, is weakening and the power of those who try to underpin liberal values in Iran is increasing.
'How to deal with the different factions in the Islamic government?' This was one of the main questions in front of our fifth congress. The political resolution says all efforts of our people should be concentrated and should be aimed at Mr. Khamenei, the leader of the IRI, to make his hands off from the existing Iranian political system.
Regarding to the president, Mr. Khatami, we predict that while he keeps his promises, as far as he tries to implement his reforms, and whenever he is under the blow of the right wing of the government, the people are ready to give him assistance to overcome these obstacles. The prudent and cautious character of Mr. Khatami is the source of our concern, which may detain him to resort to the people to cope with the right wing pressure. However we do believe that there is no way for both factions of the government to ignore the 'people's factor'. Our society has reached to the point that would be ungovernable if the people's consent is totally ignored. This is why the Political Resolution of the Fifth Congress looks to the future optimistically.
The question is not whether Iran heads towards democracy. The question is how much to pay for it; and how far it is expected to extend.
The problems and difficulties which Iranian women are faced to are urgent and appalling and the Congress received a proposal to include discussion on a resolution on the woman's issues into its agenda. The move was approved by majority vote.
The resolution demands that:
Abolition of all religious discriminatory laws and regulations
imposed on women.
All women must have right to compete for and be appointed to
high-ranking positions both in public and private sectors.
Equal wages and salaries should be paid to both sexes for equal
work.
People must be allowed to choose their clothing without any
restrictions or obligations. Law should secure this preliminary
right of human being.
The girl's age of consent for marriage should be increased to 18
years3 .
The rights and obligations of both sexes should be equal in
marriage and divorce.
The right of the mothers for the guardianship of their underage
children should be recognised and secured by law.
Polygamy should be totally outlawed.
Women should have either the right to avoid pregnancy or access
to abortion.
Legal support should be provided to women who are victims of
domestic violence. Rape and sexual abuse of women by their
husbands ought to be recognised as crime.
Dear friends
Further information about our Congress is available on request. Meanwhile it will be a good opportunity for us to discuss issues of mutual interests with you. We also do need your support in our campaign for Democracy for Iran and in return we wish success for you in your efforts aiming to provide better life for your people.
Yours truly,
Farrokh Negahdar
The Secretary of International Department
1 The trail was held in Berlin, Germany and found Iranian top
officials guilty in killing four Iranian Kurdish dissidents. The
trail continued for more than four years.
2 The election of 23 May 1997 in which Mr. M. Khatami was elected
as the Seventh President of IRI.
3 According to the amendments made to the Civil Act (the 1210th
paragraph, passed on 1981/11/5), the age of consent for females
are announce 8 years and 9 months.