27 آبان  1387    (2547 سال پاسارگارد)   17  نوامبر  2008        ============      کميته نجات پاسارگاد هيچ گونه وابستگی مذهبی و سياسي ندارد

 

A Letter To the United Nation Regarding a rug presented by the Iranian Government to the UN According to a report by IRI’s Fars Agency, a number of Iranian carpet weavers have begun to produce a rug named The World Peace. It is also reported that a number of IRI’s authorities have symbolically add a knot to the carpet as a show of their dedication to peace. The rug is supposed to be presented to the United Nation by the government of Iran. The interesting point is that a part of Human Rights Declaration of Cyrus the Great has been integrated into the design of the rug. The IRI authorities have claimed, as usual, that the rug, commissioned by the Supreme Leader is to show to the world that the Iranian government is the pioneer of World Peace! What is sad and painful is the recourse of this government to the memory of a great man who, three millenniums ago, when everywhere was plunged into barbaric wars and acts of destruction, brightened the world with his peace-seeking and liberating thoughts. Nevertheless, over the last three decades, this very historical figure has been the target of the most vicious verbal, written and practical attacks of the IRI. In fact, it is thirty years that this government has been involved in a bitter battle with Cyrus the Great, his human rights declaration, and all Iranian cultural traits that have been inspired by his thoughts. The functionaries of IRI, including the members of Mr. Ahmadi-nejad’s cabinet, along with the practical help of the Cultural Heritage Organization (CHO), have tried so many ways to discredit the personality of Cyrus and annihilate all that has remained from his era. By building the Sivan Dam, they have flood the Bolaghi Gorge which is considered as a part of his capital city. The dam also threatens a large part of Pasargad which is situated inside the area designated as a part of the world heritage by UNESCO. According to the reports by the Pasargad Mayor,as well as a number of experts and Mr. Rahim Mashai, the head of CHO, the humidity created by the Dam’s lake has encircled Cyrus’s mausoleum. A few days ago, two Iranian newspapers that are published inside of Iran, as well as some CHO’s employees, have reported that CHO has used layman stone cutters instead of real experts for the so-called “repair” of the mausoleum and a part of its ceiling is ruined by them. In addition to these physical damages, a hefty annual budget has been allocated by the government’s numerous organs to the production of books and videos against the personality of Cyrus and the original Iranian cultural achievements. Since four years ago, thousands of Iranian youth have decided to celebrate the 29th of October as Cyrus’s Day. The IRI government has not endorsed this decision and has advised Iranian universities and cultural centers not to allow the young people to use their facilities and amphitheatres for this occasion. Their anti-riot and security forces surrounded the mausoleum of Cyrus on that date, preventing the visitors to approach the site. This ceremony is not their only target. They do not allow publishers to mention the occasion of any Iranian festivity in their calendars. They are actually erased from all chronological publications. They consider all the pre-Islamic civilization of Iran as profane, belonging to the oppressors of the ancient times that are hated by the Moslems. They have even omitted this part of the Iranian history from the history text books of the schools. So, this is a legitimate question to be asked of them: On what grounds are you including Cyrus’s Declaration of Human Rights into the design of this rug that accompanies a booklet with the name of those IRI’s authorities who have added a knot to it, sending both to the United Nations? There is no doubt that the Iranian people are proud of their rational, up-to-date and peace-loving culture, which so powerful that its sworn war-monger enemies are now clinging to it in their historical moment of distress and endeavor to get  the attention of the world to their false claims of being after the world peace. Thus, we cannot possibly remain silent in the face of such fabricated shows and do not talk to the world and that very organization which bears the beautiful name of the United Nations, about the injustices inflicted upon our cultural heritage We expect the authorities of the UN and its cultural institution, UNESCO, to make their acceptance of this rug conditional to the acceptance of the provisions of Human Rights by IRI before any presentation ceremony. The minimal expectation from this government would be not to withhold the very freedoms that are mentioned by Cyrus, from the people of his country. The Iranian nation should be allowed to have a voice in celebrating the memory of the creator of this peace-based and librating culture as well as the preservation of his cultural heritage. On behalf of  ICSP Shokooh Mirzadegi www.savepasargad.com