Tudeh News International Bulletin of the Tudeh Party of Iran – April 2013 - No
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Tudeh News International Bulletin of the Tudeh Party of Iran – April 2013 - No. 281 International Dept. Address: BM Box 1686, London, England, WC1N 3XX Fax: (Berlin: 324-1627) (London: 208-392-2653) e-mail: [email protected] - URL: http://www.tudehpartyiran.org ascending curve. Two years ago the deficit of a New Iranian Year, High household was more than the 2 years before that...” Prices, Inflation, Economic ...This gap must be carefully reviewed because in those mentioned 2 years, factors like the Pressure, and Continuing implementation of “targeted subsidies” and Concerns of the Working economic sanctions did not exists. Even before the “targeted subsidies” the income-expense gap in People working families was around $156 [as a reference: (From "Nameh Mardom", Central Organ of the Tudeh Party of the minimum wage for the current year is $152]. Iran No. 917, 25th March 2013) ormally at the end of a year and the start of a At that time, although there was no sanctions and new year, everyone expects that the hope for elimination of subsidies, but the astronomical oil the improvement of the socio-economic income was in place... Since the Central Bank NN reports are published one year later, we have to circumstances of the people, would present positive outlooks. Although during the 30+ years of the rule wait another year to see the data for this past year. of the theocratic regime in Iran such perspectives has In another report, the Central Bank published the price indices for consumer goods and services in been a great yet unachievable expectation, but negative and worrying developments in the past few urban areas of Iran, which attests to the living years and particularly since the implementation of condition of the people. According to this report, only in “seven months of last year, the index the anti-people plan of “targeted subsidies” [i.e. elimination of subsidies] and escalation of increased by 27% compared to the same period in imperialist sanctions (under the pretext of the nuclear the year before.” Also, “the inflation in the period ending the end of summer of last year is 24.9%”. program of the Islamic regime), has created even broader and more extensive problems and concerns The alarming point is that the fluctuation of prices compared to previous years, which will undoubtedly is noticeable compared to the month before, let alone comparing to the same month in the last continue in the New Iranian Year (starting March 21st). There is no promising sign based on which an year. For example, the Report reads: “in the first optimistic analysis could be possible. It is exactly month of the autumn, the price index of food and beverage increased by 4.1% compared to the due to this situation that a brief browsing through the domestic and international media would reveal previous month.” Such an increase in only one sensitivity to these problems and concerns. month is a very telling fact. The concern is that these increases impact the most immediate needs About the situation of the working people of our nation in the last year, the data published by the of the people, including food, beverage, housing, official organs of the regime, and not guesswork and utilities, health care and transportation. Compared to the same period in the last year, there has been a unofficial information, clearly shows that the mounting pressure not only has not declined, but its price increase of 42% in food and beverage, 45% growing process is very concerning. The Central in clothing and shoe, 15% in housing and utilities, and 25% in health care. The Report categorized the Bank report published in early March lists the level of incomes and expenses of the people in the year percent change in price index on a basis of month- before last. Donyaye Eghtesad (World of Economy) over-month for each province as well. The least increase was 3.4% in Lorestan, and the highest paper wrote about this report: “in the past 3 years, the gap between income and expense has had an increase was in Hormozgan with 7%, which shows Tudeh News, International Bulletin of the Tudeh Party of Iran April 2013 - No. 281 Page 1 of 6 a similar trend across the country... Comparing to Hormozgan provinces. The growth of parasitic Hormozgan [a smaller province] price increase index operations and businesses in Iran’s economy has in Tehran [where the capital city is] during the same definitely had an adverse impact, even in local month was 4%... Normally this was the other way economies of various areas across the country. around, and usually the large cities and particularly Another example is the bad news we hear about the capital cities experience higher fluctuations. To the tea-farmers, which is due to the same better understand the depth of the economic disaster approaches among the higher officials of the in Iran, let’s compare the price of one food item. regime. The same is true about the rice-farmers of According the report of the Central Bank, the the Northern provinces. In January there was a percentage change of the price index compared to report in Ebtekaar paper on the occasion of the the previous month for fish and sea food was 612.8 death of the “King of Sugar”. Ebtekaar wrote: in Hormozgan while 445.8 in Tehran. The province “Iran’s ‘King of Sugar’ purchased many of the of Hormozgan traditionally has been one of the main sugar manufacturing factories by getting millions fishing cores and many of the local people work in of dollars bank facilities such as so-called ‘crisis fishing and other related industries. The main dish of loans’ with very small or no interest. Then after a the people in this province is naturally seafood... The few months he claimed bankruptcy, laid off all the same trend could be seen in the northern province of workers, and started building construction on the Mazandaran as well. This precarious phenomenon land of the factories and pocketed millions more.” might possible be related to the economic Certainly the “King of Sugar” is not the only person who took this devastating approach. In the theocratic regime of Iran this has become a normal phenomenon... The presence of astronomical cash in the society that belongs to these parasitic groups and is in no way utilized in productive businesses is due to such approaches. In January, Bahar paper quoted a member of the Industry and Mining Commission of the parliament that: “according to a recent report of the Research Centre of the parliament, about 70% of industrial plants, whether state or privately owned, have been closed down.” Mentioning that besides the problem of securing raw material, the production units in the country are faced with other challenges as well, he counted shortage of cash in industry as one of these challenges. Another paper quoted Alireza Mahjoub in February that out of each 10 manufacturing approaches of the regime in the past which has been plant, 8 are in crisis. And yet another report in heavily founded on non-productive and parasitic Bahar paper in early March about economic course modes... Those who follow up the economic and its impact on the working people of the nation situation in Iran are well aware that debt (loan) noted: “It is true that in those years the motto of payment to banks is one of the problems that the the economic planners was to care for regime is facing. Donyaye Eghtesad, referring to marginalized economic strata like workers, but the about $22 billion that are owed to the banks, wrote: political polices were drafted and implemented in a “much of these debts are due to hefty loans that have way that workers and other marginalized groups not been utilized in the manufacturing and were penalized more than all others by these production sector and this is the result of the policies. There is no doubt that in today’s world weakness of the government’s monitoring system workers can enjoy a desired and relative welfare and inefficient power of the banking system.” Such only in a manufacturing-based economy.” In approaches will lead to phenomena which were February, Fararou website quoted the Statistical noticed in comparative statistics between Tehran and Center of Iran that “67 to 76% of all unemployed Tudeh News, International Bulletin of the Tudeh Party of Iran April 2013 - No. 281 Page 2 of 6 are the youth between 15 to 29 years of age.” Such Press Release of the Secretariat of the Central economic disasters do not happen without the Committee of the Tudeh Party of Iran on: knowledge and approval of the highest ranks of th power in the regime. Ali Khamenei [the Supreme Holding the 6 Party Congress Leader] in a speech reported in summer of 2012 he 6th congress of the Tudeh Party of Iran confirmed such policies by saying that “if the was convened with participation by cadres, policies of the Article 44 of the Constitution are T party officials, and members of the central T th implemented as it was meant to [i.e. privatization] it committee. The 6 congress began its work with a will certainly not lead to despicable capitalism, and minute of silence in honor of the party martyrs and capitalism becoming the axis of decisions in the all those who have lost their lives for the liberation country... we must be careful not to allow the of the nation. The delegates then discussed and socialist outlooks become the dominant economic exchanged views and comments about the New views.” There is no doubt that Iran’s economic Program of the party and after some revisions, plans are not socialist, and it must be said that they ratified it.