Mr. Hugo Chavez,
Your two-day visit to our country and meeting with the Iranian regime authorities, has urged us to write you this letter to express those issues which are in the minds of thousands of Iranians from democratic and left forces. We hope it will help you and other leftist leaders in Latin America to reassess your relations with the Islamic Republic.
As far as we know, this is not your first trip to our country. Within the last two years, this is the fourth time you and Mr. Ahmadinejad have met. This is an indicator of warm and special relations between you and the Iranian authorities. You and your country are not the only ones who have warm relations with the Islamic Republic. Other Latin American leftist leaders have also met with the Iranian regime leaders and have talked about their warm and brotherly relations with the Islamic Republic. A few weeks ago Mr. Daniel Ortega had a two-day visit to Tehran and Mr. Evo Morales, the President of Bolivia will visit Tehran within the next few weeks.
There are no resemblances between the democratic and leftist states and the Islamic Republic. They have proclaimed bringing about just ideals as their strategic goals and have obtained their legitimacy from free elections. By violating voting rights and other basic rights of the people, the Islamic Republic is trying to strengthen the theocratic regime in Iran and export it to other countries. A normal relationship between the Islamic Republic and the Latin American countries is justifiable, but your relationship with the Islamic Republic leaders is beyond diplomatic and normal relationship between two countries.
Mr. President,
Within the recent years, our country’s left forces were pleased to see emerge of left leadership in the Latin America and their consecutive victories in various elections. In Latin American countries, left has come to power by free elections, not by revolt or coup d’état. It has committed itself to democratic principles and political freedoms. This fact was promising to the rise of democratic left in Latin America, a force that believes in a strong bond between democracy and social justice, acknowledges people’s votes, and accepts the outcomes.
At the same time, the emerge of left in Latin America, after changes in the former Soviet Union and East European countries during the 90’s, kept this hope alive that socialism and human ideals were coming to existence again, but this time, in a democratic form and committed to democratic principles and human rights.
We and other left forces expect you, as sentry of the democratic left, not to base your relationship with other countries on national interests and fight against the US government only. We expect you to pay especial attention to human rights and democratic freedoms. We expect you not to have brotherhood covenant with dictator regimes, especially the Islamic Republic who has intermingled religion and state and has established theocratic dictatorship. But you have not acted this way.
Mr. Hugo Chavez,
You have warm and close relationship with a regime which has ruled our country with brutality, imposed a despotic theocracy on our people, and has suppressed all opponent parties and organizations for nearly three decades. All opponent parties and organizations, including our organization which is fighting for democracy, social justice, and establishment of socialism, are banned. The Islamic Republic violates people’s rights with brutality and its reaction towards various social groups’ resistance, such as working class, is imprisonment and torture. Since its first day of existence, the Islamic Republic has executed tens of thousands of freedom-fighters for expressing their views. A large number of those who were executed belonged to the left camp and fought for the same ideals you have proclaimed as your ideals.
You have concluded brotherhood covenant with a regime that chronic poverty, widespread unemployment, and a profound gap between poverty and wealth are the results of its policies. Wealth of the country is at the possession of a small portion of the people and the wealth-power mafia is dominating the society.
Apparently, you and other leftist leaders of the Latin America have based your close relations with the Islamic Republic not on its commitment to social justice and human ideals but its opposition to the US government. But the Islamic Republic hostility towards the US government is not rooted in a progressive position; on the contrary it is rooted in a reactionary position, hostility towards foreign states, and its expansionist policy in the region which have damaged our national interests during the last three decades. In order to delay its last days, the Islamic republic needs to have enemies which gives it excuse to relate its opponents to them and then suppress them.
Apparently, you and your friends in Latin America only hear Islamic Republic leaders’ hostile positions against the US government, and its brutality against our people is not your concern. Whereas all progressive forces and international institutions have condemned Islamic Republic’s violation of human rights, you and your friends have been silent in this regard.
Mr. President,
Your relations and other leftist leaders of Latin America, with the Islamic Republic are improving, whereas the ultra right wing, the most reactionary faction of the regime, who orchestrated the “chain murders” and slaughtered freedomfighters, has come to power and has exposed our national interests and country to tragedy by its persistency in pursuing nuclear program. After the ultra right wing seized the power the Islamic Republic became isolated in the region and in the world more than ever. But your relations and other leftist leaders of Latin America are helping it to continue its adventurous and anti-democratic policies.
Mr. Chavez,
We express our deep concern about your warm relations, and other leftist leaders of Latin America, with the Islamic Republic and your inattention to democracy, human rights and sacrificing them with excuse of fighting the US government. We believe your position in this regards is against democratic process in our country and harmful to the left ideals. We deeply believe that there is strong connection between democracy and socialism. We believe that just ideals will not come to existence without democracy.
Mr. Chavez,
Iranian left forces, inside and outside of Iran, are willing to familiarize you with the anti-democratic policies of the Islamic Republic within the last three decades. Our organization will be delighted to discuss with you or your representatives the various dimensions and injurious consequences of inattention to democracy and human rights, with regards to our country.
Respectfully,
The Political-Executive Board of The Organization of Iranian People’s Fedaian (Majority)
July 2, 2007
