UNITED STATES OPERATIONS MISSION ACTIVITIES in FARS OSTAN T Phsical Description of Ostan and Proglems C'
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N UNITED STATES OPERATIONS MISSION ACTIVITIES IN FARS OSTAN t Phsical Description of Ostan and Proglems C' The technical aid and assistance rendered by this Mission to the peoples of Fars Ostan is affected, to a noticeable extent, by the areast physical characteristics, its social and economic structures and lines of communications. A brief review of these aonditioervil1'se&1ttone in evaluating the typs of tedhnical aid and assistance engaged in and their results to date. Fars Ostan (State) is approximately the size of the New England States with an estimated population of 2,000,000. About 15% or 300,000 are nomadic or tribal people belonging to one of the four major tribes; Kashghai, Boyer Ahmedi, Basseri or Arab. The rest live in one of the 4,o00 villages, towns or cities. The largest city is the capital, Shiraz, with a popplation of.:1g'9000, nlysizoothers have population over 10,000, the average of the villages being 400 or less. The Ostan is bordered by the Persian Gulf on the West, the Gulf of Oman on the South and the Ostans of Isfahan and Kerman on the North and Eabt res pectively. Mluntain ranges are numerous but afford uncounted valleys at elevations between four and eiht thousand feet. ' It is in these valleys and on these-mountain slopes that over 90 percent of the pop ulation dwell. A narrow ledge at sea level extends between the western most mountain range and the Fulfs but it is sparsely populated and neither agricultural nor fishing has been developed, to any appreciable 44 extent, commercially. The tribal groups produce the areas' supply of beef, lamb, wool and goatst milk. Aside from a small rug production this is their main contribution to the economy of Fars Ostan. Each of the tribes migrate from the Southern region in the spring to Northern camps., and reverse the procedure in the fall. Each tribe has their Khan or Chieftain who reigned as supreme ruler until recently. Of recent months some of the Khans have been exiled from the country, others reappointed under GO I 19h authority. An effort to settle the tribes in a five year plan is now being initiated by the GO. Land tenure in Fars is generally the same as that throughout Iran, though the percentaqe of "absentee farm owner" is higher than the national average. Since this area is chiefly an agricultural one farm ing has been the principal occupation of the people over the centuries. Farming methods, techniques s'dtr.aotices have remained the same from one generation to another. Only occasionally did a landowner adopt improved methods or techniques. When this happened he benefitted through economic gains. In many instances illiteracy made improvements in productivity of the soil most difficult if not impossible. Many villages produced only enough for their own sustence as there were no means .of conveying surplus items to ma-rket centers. There were inadequate storage facilities, and only available donkey or camel trains to transport 1V V produce. Only in the larger towns or in Shiraz itself was advanced education given attention. In the small villages, "education" consisted of learn ing the Koran. Generally the Mullah was the teacher. He read the Koran to his "Students" who had to memorize it directly as they were unable to read. When the mullah was unable to read himself, he quoted to his "clasd by memory. A meagre few qualified for the more adequate educational institutions of the capital. Even in these, education was limited. For exanple, history was limited to that of Iran (Persia) as was geography. Reading and writing and some arithmetic filled out the curriculum. Co education was not permitted and girls were denied the privilege of leqrn ing even dressmkaing, cooking, home-making and similar subjects. Vo cational schools in the region did not exist. A boy learned his trade by beginning his apprenticeship as early as five or six years of age. Public lealth and sanitation were at the level that might be ex pected from a high rate of illiteracy and lack of public interest. Malaria took a heavy toll each year and had its resultant effect on agricultural production. Bacteria infested water supply systems, men acing personal habits and filth contributed to frequent epidemics and a high mortality rate. The foregoing is merely an indication of the problems facing the American technician who arrived in Shiraz in late 1952. Though he had come to help the people h&lp themselves in accordance with the American- Iranian agreement be was encountered with humerous obstacles. The res pective Ostan agencies of the various Government Ministries were in adequately supplied with qualified personnel. Few had training in their fields of activity qualifying them for participation in development programs designed Ibr the improvement of the economic and social struct ure. No agency had means of transportation which would enable its em ployees to reach the bulk of the people. This resulted in almost total neglect of the above referred to problems. Practices employed through the centuries were firmly entrenched and reluctance to improve was over ktelming. Resentment to foreigners was noticeable and an air of distrust prevailed. A climax was reached in Anril 1953 when an anti-American campaign exploded into mob violence, Americans narrowly escaped with their lives and a considerable amount of property was &estroyed. In spite of all this, the spirit of the Mission and the firm determination to succeed in the achievements of objectives established by the combined American-Iranian Governments stands today in the monumental form of everlasting mutual respect and friendship between America and Iran. The accomplishments are many and varied, extending into all facets of the economic and social pattern of the area. They may be divided into two categories, one "construction", the other "continuing". In the first category are a road, public health center and several other diversified undertakings. All are completed and in successful use at operation. All other projects or programs are "continuing" such as Agricultural Extension-work. The continuing projects are neow under the demonstration and authority of the proper Ministry with Americ'an Technicians as Advisors. 2 The operational aspects of the various programs are now the res ponsibility of well-trained Iranian specialists who have been returndy: to the Government Agencies as the first step in Integration. Some were schooled in the United States under training grants though most were tr-'alb trained locally under the direct supervision of American technicians. For the first time in Iranian history have the Ostan government depart ments been staffed with qualified pe rsonnel in so many fields of econ omic and social endeavor. For the first time, has the government reach ed out to the far corners of the region to give technical assistance that is leading to economic improvement and better living conditions. PROGRAM ACHIEVEMENTS I. ECONOMIC AND INCUDSTRIAL A. Construction (The general purpose of aid in these programs was to avert the consequences of growing unrest by providing employment and aid toward economic recovery during one of the most critical times in Iran ts recent history). 1. Shiraz to Airport Highway Purpose: To provide employment. To make possible vehicular traffic to and from airport. Participation: Rials 8,500,000 - in form of a grant. Remarks: Contract awarded Farcar Construction Company being the lowest bidder among several. Construction was commenced in earty 1954 a and final acceptance made in June 1954. This highway is escellently constructed and h1in withstood such traffic as heavy military tanks with out showing a single crack or defect todate. This highway remains the best designed and constructed, by far, of any of the roads leading out of Shiraz and contributes much to the pride of the people of the city. It gave employment to apprrzimately 400 men. 2. Fars Cement Company Purposer To contribute to a needed national cement industry in tended to offset the growing importation of this commod ity as one measure to improve the countrze economy and employment. Contributions: Capital investment by stockholders of Corporation Rials 200,000,000. Loan from Plan Organization Rials 100,0000. Loan from Iran-American Joint Commission' $1,259,000. 5 Remarks: Vast deposits of calcium near Shiran encouraged the local people to build a cement plant near it resulting in a Corporation being formed in .1946. Under a letter of credit of $2,225,056 the tesiP of and the manufacture and delivery of cement making machinert and electric al 0qui ment were subsequently contracted for with the Kennedy Van Saun Company of 2 Park Avenue, New York City and the Westinghouse Internation al Company, h0 Wall street, New York City. Land for the enterprise was purchased, design of structures contracted for and a number of essentials such as fresh water supply, surrounding walls, mobile cranes, bulldozer, Robertson roofing also had to be secured. At the time there was a short age of dollars in Iran and a loan of $1,259,000 was obtained through the Joint Commission The plant is designed to produce 200 tons of cement a day. The plant has demonstrated its ability to produce'to capacity and maintain a high grade cement conforming with American Portland Cement specifications, surpassing the quality of available imported cement. The plant has been in operation now for approximately one year and exporting 90 percent of its sales to Kuwait. Local demand is increasing and there are indications that this demand will exceed one full year t s capacity production. These indications are.based on proposed nearby concrete structures recently approved by the Plan Organization and for military purposes in adjacent areas.