Is Iran planning genocide against its Bahais?

          
          FT. LAUDERDALE FLA.
          NEWS/SUN SENTINEL
          —S. 208805—.
          FT. LAUDERDALE METROPOLITAN AREA
          UUL 9 Illt i
          Iraii planning genocide against its Bahais?
          “n
          -By James D. Davis
          tte1igion Writer -
          • : Bahaisin Iran have faced systematic persecution
          — evictions, loss of jobs, executions — ever since
          the rise to power of Ayatollah Khomeini. But re-
          -c-ently stepped-up actions, and statements by off i-
          cials of that nation, carry the ominous ring of
          :extermination ,
          • In the last two weeks 17 Bahais, including seven
          :women and three teen-age girls, were hanged in
          Shiraz, bringing the number of Bahai dead in Iran to
          -142. And the same court is- considering 500 other
          :Bahai cases.,•
          On July l, two' of the nine national committee
          -members were kidnaped; And since June'29, some
          20 believers have been h d in a field without food
          or drink to make them renounce their religion.
          The actions are an apparent'iollow-Up to remarks
          :l t February by a Shiite Moslem judge in Shiraz,
          the.city where the Bahai faith was born in 1844. He
          ‘branded all Bahais as “germs of cOrruption” .and
          “offsprings of Satan,” warning that Iran soon would
          deal with them asit has “with other hypocrites who'
          have appear,ed in ‘more dangerous garb.”
          — - Iranian leaders “are stating publicly that they
          plafi genocide against Bahais,” charged Hannah ,
          Bessler of the. B'ahaT atteiibllhs' i ‘Hfli hiFd.T
          “They're trying to set up ,God's. government on
          earth, and that includes a plan to wipe Bahais out.
          • Our national committee fears that the pressure is_
          • mounting.” ,, ‘ ‘
          Fearing for the other 300,000 Bahais in Iran, their
          co-religionists in America have mounted a publicity
          campaign for wofid agencies to stop the persecu-
          tion. The 400 Broward Bahais will offer their case
          today at a ,memorial service for the 17 dead.
          - The ‘service is, set for nOon at the Lauderdale
          • Lakes Public Safety Auditorium, 4300 NW 36th St.•
          Featured will be' prayers, music and a talk by Karen
          • Pritchard of the national Bahai youth committee.
          • The service ‘also fa l1s on the, anniversary of the
          • martyrdom of the Bab, who heralded the' coming of
          • the universalistic prophet known as Bahaullah. Be,
          lievers revere Bahaullah —‘ whose name is Arabic
          • Iran's Bahais “have created, however ridicu
          lously, a ,state within a state, a government and
          administration different from that of Islam,” Qazai
          was quoted as saying. He added that' they declined
          to take part' in any. demonstrations against the
          deposed shah and did not take part in post-
          revolutionary elections.
          Accordingly, “any activities on the part of' the
          Bahais are against the Constitution,” ‘and all Bahai
          elections, feasts and meetings are crimes, the judge
          stated. He noted with approval that some Bahàis
          “return to the bosom of Islam every day and cruse
          the leaders of Bahaism.”
          it is the latter remark that unmasks the Shiltes'
          real aim, Mrs: Hessler said. “If they accuse Bahais-
          of spying for Israel, why do they offer to let them'
          off by recanting the faith? .‘ ‘ : -
          “The basic motive is religious. Bahais believe thai
          Bahaullah is the messenger. f Or this age, not Mu
          - hamxnad. Therefore, Bahais are accused ,of bOing
          disloyal to Islam.” , ,
          Paradoxically, she added, “I never gave Islam
          thought before I became a Bâhai. Now I give Mu-'
          hammadci edit as being a prophet.”:',' ,
          As for the claims of political enmity, she said:
          “Bahais are loyal to any goyernment in place: We:
          do,not participate inpolitics, such as running for..
          _______ ______ office or belonging to political parties. BUt ' we ‘obey”
          the laws, pay taxes' and vote in electiobe: '
          Mrs. Hessler added that 20,000 Bahais were mas-
          - sacred in its ‘early years, and. that as recently a
          - — ‘ - ‘ . 1954 — when the shah was in power ‘— at least one
          for “Glory of God” — as the latest of nine “manifes- statements of Hojjatol-Islam Qazai, Islamic reh- pogrom happened. So far, the Ayatollah Khomeini
          tations” of ‘the ‘Deity the others include Moses, gious judge, of the Shiraz COurt. ‘ has not begun that scale of killing, she said. -
          Jesus, oroaster, Buddha and founders of other in - In an Engllsh/translation of the interview in the “At least the human race seems hi have grown
          fluential religions. , ‘ ‘ news a r Khabar-I-Junub ‘furnished by U.S. Ba- out of such wholesale deaths, she said. She voiced
          Bahais also include Muhammad, founder of Islam ‘ h “azai called the Bahais “followers of the devil ‘, hope that world opinion, stirred by the Bahai publie-
          —,which includes the Shiite Moslems who dominate ‘ “ th' u er owers and their a ents”” ity campaign, would help stem the killings.
          Iran — as one of the manifestations. ,But the' Shiites an 0 , e 5 p p ‘ - “ ... But so far it hasn't,worked.ou,t well, she conceded..
          still see Bahais as blasphemers who refuse to ac Qazai mentioned the Bahais internal hierarchy On May 22 anniversary of the religion s birthdate, ,
          knowledge Muhammad as the greatest prophet and sepal-ate meetings He also accused Bahais of President Reagan asked the ayatollah to release 22
          However, religious debates become political ones being Israeli agents because the Universal House of , condemned Bahais. Instead, Khomeini said the ap-
          when the government itself is religious as in Iran Justice the world Baha government is based in peal was proof of their guilt and the executions
          Charges of Baham disloyalty laced the February Haifa Israel resumed - - — -
          “F,.
          BP000535
          Golden-domed Shrine of the I is centerpiece
          for Babel headquarters in Haifa, Israel. The
          site has g. a rise to accusatiOns by, Iran that
          Bahais are agent& of ,the Jewish state.