Published By: The International Bureau of Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan Iranian Kurdis tan Bul le tin IRANIAN KURDISTAN BULLETIN NUMBER 4, NOVEMBER 2002 Inside this issue: PDKI’s Politburo Statement Remembering the Assassination of Dr. Sadegh Sharafkandi, the Party’s Secretary-general and 1 His Associates, Ten Years Ago The Execution of Three Political Prisoners in Islamic 3 Republic of Iran The Tragedy of Being Kurd in Iran 4 URDISTAN URDISTAN Dr. Ali-Reza Nourizadeh on the 10th anniversary of Dr. Sharafkandi K Secretary-general’s Letter to the Council of Europe’s External 6 Relations Office on the EU Human Rights Dialogue with Iran RANIAN I of EU to launch rights dialogue with Iran & 7 ARTY ARTY P PDKI Politburo’s Appeal to United Nations’ Human Rights Commission on the recent executions of Kurds in Iran News & ACTIVITIES: Victims of regime’s aggression and brutality, Kurdi- stan Province faces limitations?! Iran's Kurdistan province "safest" in country: Lari, 8 PDKI activities, visits and developments around the world EMOCRATIC EMOCRATIC D Messages of Solidarity Secretary-general’s congratulatory letters to German Social Democrats 10 and Green Party on the recent parliamentary elections Statement by the Socialist International Middle East Committee, 10 Kurdish Working Group Press Review: 11 Iran’s new debate: theocracy versus secularism - Financial Times NUMBER 4, NOVEMBER 2002 PAGE 1 PDKI’s Politburo Statement Remembering the Assassination of Dr. Sadegh Sharafkandi, the Party’s SecretarySecretary---generalgeneral and His AssociatesAssociates,,,, Ten Years Ago 17th of The police and September 2002, 10 judicial authorities very years has elapsed from seriously pursued the the assassination of Dr. terrorists, and with the Sadegh Sharafkandi, custody and the Secretary-general of prosecution of the PDKI, Fatah Abdouli, a perpetrators, they member of Central opened the files of Committee and the Mykonos tragedy Party’s international which attracted so representative, much public opinion Homayoun Ardalan, towards the case in the the Party’s process that took more representative in than 3 years. The court Germany, and Nouri at last delivered the Dehkurdi a friend of final verdict in April 10, the Party by the 1997 in regards to the mercenaries of the Islamic Dr. Sadegh Sharafkandi crimes of the perpetrators of the Republic of Iran. terror, including the regime’s In the evening of Tuesday period, he faded away the high ranking officials as the September 17th, while a few hours despondency and despair from order-givers of the crime, and it after the completion of the all those people that had fallen revealed once and for all the Socialists International’s sessions into by the loss of Dr. terrorist image of this regime to in Berlin, Dr. Sharafkandi and his Ghassemlou. At the meantime, the world public opinion. In this associates were discussing the he made the regime which way, it nullified all the regime’s circumstances of the country and believed with exterminating Dr. attempts to derail the procedures the need for further alliance of Ghassemlou, Democratic Party of the court or hijack public the Iranian forces with a number will demolish or face leadership opinion to escape the of Iranian opposition figures in a dilemma, confront another wave punishments of such an offence. restaurant, were attacked and of apprehension. Accordingly, Rather, this time it exposed the gunned down by several trained the regime in Tehran without terrorist regime’s true image of terrorists of Islamic Republic of learning a lesson from its past deceit with strong evidence and Iran (IRI) with the direct decree miscalculations, ordered the according to the decision of a and order of the highest elimination of Dr. Sharafkandi credible court in a European authorities of the regime. from its highest hierarchy, and country. The initiatives of almost Dr. Sharafkandi had taken conducted this terrorist act in all the countries of the European on the Party’s top position after Berlin by its sinful assassins. Union to recall their embassies in the assassination of Dr. The assassination of Dr. Tehran in reality was the Ghassemlou, then the Secretary- Sharafkandi, no doubts, resulted endorsement of the court’s general. In this position with his in a major loss for PDKI in verdict and admitting the ability and creativity, he very particular and the Kurdish regime’s terrorist nature. soon proved that he really resistance in general. It also led Tehran’s threats as a counter- deserved the succession of an to an enormous grief for the action to the verdict, despite enlightened and competent Kurdish nation, all the Iranian having effects on the position of leader such as Dr. Abdul Rahman freedom activists, and all the many of these countries, neither Ghassemlou. Dr. Sharafkandi in Party’s friends world wide. That affected the importance of the this imperative responsibility is why it has attracted such an verdict nor did it succeed in acted so intelligibly and extensive international reflection leaving the regime with any comprehensibly that in a short and coverage. honor or respect. PAGE 2 NUMBER 4, NOVEMBER 2002 Dr Sharafkandi democracy; still, he did observe that how firm the Party was a patriot and a not view the existing has stood on the difficult path of democrat who had a socialism without any struggle; furthermore, it has strong belief in short-coming, nor did he enjoyed such an international democracy. He accept the dictatorship and domestic prestige and regarded the struggle of proletariat. He credibility to the extent that it has of bringing democracy disagreed with some of become the trusted Party of all to Iran as the duty of the right-leaning leftist the people of Kurdistan. It is every citizen and every parties and the disappointing that the IRI despite Iranian freedom radicalism of some having a gloomy record of terror activist. He considered others. He never and terrorism, has not been cooperation and concealed such beliefs, treated and punished the way it solidarity among and he would openly should have been by the patriotic Iranian forces spell them out; as a international community at the as the key to the victory result, he played an era of the global war against of Iranian peoples and important role alongside terrorism; consequently, terror the defeat of despotism our legendary Kurdish and turmoil have not been ruling Iran. In this leader Dr. Ghassemlou abandoned by the regime, rather regard, he worked as to adopt “Democratic the forms have only changed. hard as he could, and Socialism” as the long- In regards to the unfortunately in the term objective of the appeasing policies of some course of this struggle Party. Such attributes countries in regards to the IRI, he sacrificed himself. had granted this leader the people of Iran especially in Dr. Sharafkandi, with such a the last few years have stepped with all of his heart, felt revolutionary and into struggle in different forms the oppression that the democratic image in the for the ousting of the despotic Kurdish people and real sense of the word. regime to replace it with a other peoples of Iran Dr Sharafkandi democratic one. Such a struggle had been facing, and was a political- and resistance is so much regarded the struggle intellectual character apparent that even the high aimed at eradicating who devoted his life ranking officials of the regime such an injustice as serving his nation; truth can not conceal their fretfulness legitimate. He had a and justice were the over the fragileness of their reign. firm belief in the rights attributes that this man Without any doubts, the of the peoples of Iran to was known for. It is broadening of such a struggle self-determination in the evident that the loss of a leader will realize the hopes of the framework of a democratic Iran. such as Dr. Sharafkandi for PDKI martyrs of freedom and it will for Meanwhile, he considered the and any patriotic Kurd is a major ever force the regime to retreat. Kurdish brothers and sisters in impairment. However, with the In the tenth anniversary other countries as part of a single loss of Dr. Sharafkandi, PDKI of Dr. Sharafkandi and his nation, and he would always once again proved this reality associates’ martyrdom, once keep the interests of the nation as that it can carry heavy wounds, again, we renew our pledges his priority even at the expense of but it would never bow to the with the souls of these the Party interests. enemy. It is a Party that can heal companions and all the martyrs Dr. Sharafkandi was a the loss of great leaders such as of Kurdistan that until the devoted democrat and an Ghassemlou and Sharafkandi attainment of their wills and experienced leader who with collective leadership to wishes, we remain faithful to supported social justice and prevent the realization of their objectives, and keep the flag opposed any sorts of regime’s cruel intentions. of PDKI still standing. discrimination. In the process of It is an honour that after establishing social justice, he 10 years of Dr. Sharafkandi’s believed in the values of social martyrdom, friends and foes can NUMBER 4, NOVEMBER 2002 PAGE 3 The Execution of Three Political Prisoners in Islamic Republic of Iran 12 October 2002 - According to the two statements Therefore, regardless of ethical and humanitarian of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan’s (PDKI) principles and standards in rejecting executions, abolishing Political Bureau, Hamza GHADERI, Khalid SHOWGHI and death penalty is essential for the attainment of freedom of Jalil ZEWAYEE, all members of PDKI, after spending years consciousness, religion and expression in brining social and in prison have been hanged within the last week, and their political democracy.