Disturbing news has emerged that Baha’i kids in primary and high schools in Iran are being bullied and vilified by their teachers and school administrators.
Young Baha’is are being forced to identify themselves as Baha’is. They then have to endure a catalogue of abuses:
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Look at this picture.
Would you say history is repeating?
Where is the UN and where is the International Criminal Court? What more would it take for them to act? Haven’t we learned from the past? Isn
For the ohter parts of the human world, news about the sufferings from around the world generally comes like a “music”. So that they become familiar, that these things are kind of “normal”: Jews during II.World War, Bosnia, Rwanda, Sudan, Baha’is in Iran and many many others.
Can we feel an empathy, think ourselves in these children’s situation? So young, a fresh and open mind, hopeful about life. But facing behaviors that gives physical and pscychological pain.
I went to school in Iran. I was always deeply concerned and wished that one day the Baha
Amazing. There is nothing that exposes more fully the complete lack of moral authority of any system of thought or belief than when those who follow it pick on the most helpless members of society, children. I pray that God will show greater mercy to such misguided souls than they have shown to these children. It reminds me of the horrific treatment of the children who tried to integrate the segregated schools in the American South during the 50’s and 60’s, or the brave children who were subjected to water cannons that take of the skin and attacked by German shepherds for no other reason than attempting to march peacefully for their rights and those of their parents. It only strengthens my resolve to trumpet loudly throughout the planet that humanity is one!
It’s all exceptionally worrying and absolutely makes my blood boil. Surely the mark of a civilized society is how it treats its more vulnerable citizens, such as children and seniors.
Phillipe,
A historical fact that is not very well known is that it was the children in Birmingham and Montgomerey, Alabama, who were behind the early and critical events that led to the civil rights movement in the south. There is an excellent documentary showing this. I left my copy with Billy R. who might be able to share it with you.
I thought readers heremight appreciate the following remarks in a letter from the globally and democratically elected body at the apex of Baha’i adminstration in Haifa.
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The spirit of resourcefulness and practicality (the Baha’is in Iran) are displaying also brings great comfort to the anguished hearts of (their)fellow believers in other lands. When (their)children were expelled from schools because of their Faith, (they) created classrooms in (their) homes. Graduates of the institution (they) founded to meet the needs of university students, who are similarly denied education, are today distinguishing themselves in prestigious universities in other countries where their credentials have been gladly accepted. God willing, the day is not far distant when opportunities for the development of their capacities will be opened for the thousands of other Bahá’í youth still cruelly deprived. The sacrificial pooling of modest incomes is proving not only sufficient to ensure that members of the community are not left in want, but to produce funds for general activities. Under the most arduous conditions, a vibrant community life continues, with the far greater intensity that testing alone can produce. -With appreciation to the Universal House of Justice, “Letter to the Followers of Baha’u'llah in the Cradle of the Faith,” 26 November 2003.
Many thanks for posting the extract from the letter of the Universal House of Justice to the Baha’is in Iran. It is most illuminating.
On a paper it said many kids are being bullied by
there teachers why can’t they be brave and belive in there selfes. if i was the president of Iran, I would get Bahai’s and Moslems together
and they would be nice to each other.
I am seven 7 years old and I am brave.
Dear Noura,
Well said. Sadly, there are many groups, forces and historical pressures that keep both the President and the religious leaders from working out a peaceful solution. The official position regarding the Baha’is is that they are heretics and have no legal position in Iran. Of course, it is not possible to cover all the complexities of the situation of the Baha’is in a small space like this. -Ron Price, Tasmania
Dear Noura and Ron, thank you both for your comments on this post. It would be wonderful if Noura could be president of Iran!
Dear barney thank you for offering me to be a President! but I will always be too young for being a President of Iran.I have” Bahai” cousins in Iran .
Dear Noura, actually it’s probably better not to be a President of any country. Even the best motivated politicians never have as much freedom to do the good that they want to do as they think they will. They always end up being entangled by the competing pressures from different constituencies.
One can do a great deal by working in or for a non-governmental organization.
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