Iran is attempting to wipe out gentle, apolitical Baha’i faith

          
          NEW YORK, N.Y.
          TR ' SiJNE
          —B. 69000—
          NEW YORK CITY METROPOLITAN AREA
          (/UG 27 9 :j
          DANIEL GREBLER
          HAIFA,Israe l
          J' fficials at the Bahai World Center in Haifa
          U have accused Iran's fundamentalist Islamic
          rulers of trying to destroy the Baha'i com-
          munity in Iran. -
          “This systematic campaign is intensifying, and
          the intensity of our appeal and concern has
          increased:' said Donald Barrett, a retired American
          lawyer who is secretary general of the Baha'i inter-
          national community.
          “Baha'is dread the ringing of a telephone:' said
          Barrett. “Every time the, telephone rings, we fear
          that another Baha'i has been imprisoned or executed
          in Iran because of his faith:'
          According to a Baha'i report to the United
          Nations, at least 170 Baha'is have been among the
          more than 5,000 Iranians executed since the Islamic
          Revolution four years ago. Scores more have been
          “Baha'is dread the ringing
          of a- telephone,” said
          Barrett. “Every time the
          telephone rings, we fear that
          another Baha'i has been
          imprisoned or executed in
          Iran because of his faith.”
          imprisoned or have disappeared.
          The Muslim clergy have accused members of
          Iran's Baha'i communit3t which numbers more than
          300,000, of being spies for the United States and
          Israel.
          The Baha'i World Center has been in Haifa since
          1868,-but Iranian authorities of ten point to the fact
          that it is in Israel to support their spying charges.
          “Because we are here, the fundamental Iranian
          extremists look at Israel and the fact that Baha'is
          come here on pilgrimage and try to make a connec-
          tion:' Barrett said.
          Re ject spying charges
          Baha'i leaders reject all spying charges, empha.
          sizing that their faith forbids political activity.
          Some Iranian Baha'is charged with espionage
          signed declarations recanting their faith and were
          Daniel Grebler is a writer for Reuters.
          • Iran is attempting to' wipe out-
          gentle,, apolitical B iia'i faith
          set free, said Barrett. “This proves that the charges “Each age has a mediator or a prophet:' said
          of spying are absolutely false:' - Barrett- “Each major religion expresses a particular
          The Baha'i faith was founded in Persia during the facet of divine truth'
          , middle of,, the , Iast,century,,basedon,the, liberal Christians, Jews and Zoroastrians are recognized,
          religious preaching of Seyid Mohammad Au, known by the Iraniati ' d iiiitiuibdBut Baha'ihihë Ihi diU
          as the Bab (the gate), who was executed in 1850. minorit% ‘are not. This is primarily because the
          Despite its Persian origin and acceptance of the Baha'i prophet came after Mohammed, making his
          Koran, the faith is not a sect of Islam. The universal- teachings heretical in the eyes of strict Muslims.
          ist faith also preaches the tenets of Judaism, Zoro- But the fact that the Bab was a former Shi'ite
          astrianism, Buddhism and Christianity. mulish (priest) and that Baha'is were said to be
          prominent supporters of the late shah's rule also
          helps make the sect officially suspect today.
          The prophet Baha'ullah (the glory of God), whose
          coming was foretold by the Bab, was exiled from
          Persia to Palestine in 1868 and died in Acre in 1892.
          His foliowers made nearby Haifa their world center.
          No comment
          Until recently, officials here refrained from com-
          menting publicly on the persecution of Iranian
          Baha'is for fear of drawing attention to their ties with
          Israel. The center relied primarily on diplomatic
          appeals to world leaders in the hope that they could
          influence Tehran.
          But an upsurge in attacks on Iranian Baha'is led
          to a change in policy. “It just didn't seem to matter
          anymore that a report emanated from Israel:' said
          Barrett.
          Iran's leaders have embarked
          on a policy of confiscating
          Baha'i properly and,
          businesses, dismissing
          ‘Baha'is from jobs and
          ignoring their rights to -
          government pensions .
          Last June 22 Baha'is, including 10 women, wgre
          hanged in Shires despite appeals from world leaders.
          The 100,000 U.S. Baha'is persuaded,President Rea-
          gan to appeal to Iranian leader Ayatollah Ruhollah
          Khomeini to spare the accused.
          Among those executed were a 17-year-old girl and
          six women in their early 20s. -
          “There is something very heinous shout the hang-
          ing of innocent young girls on these trumped-up
          — charges because of religious fanaticism:' said Bar-
          rett.
          - At the same time; officials of the faith say Iran's
          leaders have embarked on-a policy of confiscating —
          Baha'i property and businesses, dismissing Baha'is
          from jobs and ignoring their rights to government
          — ‘pensions. ' ” ”
          While some 10,000 Iranian Baha'is have left for
          Canada, Britain and the United States, emigration
          does not appear a viable solution.
          “We've never considered it,” said Barrett. “Iran is
          their homeland. The Baha'is are loyal Iranians.”
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