Extracts from an open letter by a group of University students in Iran to Hugo Chavez

Your Excellency Hugo Chavez

Greetings

As defenders of the Venezuelan Revolution, at the time of your trip to Iran we would like to inform you of issues regarding your relations with the Iranian regime. Workers and toilers in Iran have followed the events in Venezuela and are anxious about the future of that country’s revolutionary movement. No doubt, following the defeat of the imperialist coup in Venezuela , this movement is advancing in your country .

Iranian workers overthrew the Shah’s regime in 1979, however they had no share in the Islamic regime that subsequently came to power. In the 1980s all trade unions, workers syndicates were closed down and all worker activists and leftists were arrested (without exception), thousands of whom were executed.  The systematic elimination of leftwing forces which culminated in the mass execution of prisoners in 1989 was completely ignored by the imperialist mass media and all ‘human rights’ organisations. The significance of this fact can only be realised if you know that this period coincided with major interventions by the World Bank and the IMF in Iran leading to imposition of neo liberal solutions on Iran ’s economy. It was after this period that the policy of economic adjustment started in Iran , with disastrous consequences for the working masses.

Mr President

The struggles of Venezuelan workers against enforcement of the neo liberal policies of imperialist companies, lead to the revolutionary resistance of workers and as elected  President of Venezuela you have often maintained the need for the unity of the South against Imperialist neo liberalism.

Contrary to what you say, in Iran the onslaught of capitalism against the working class is getting worse day by day, following the massacre of the Left. Not a day passes by where the state run radio and television doesn’t bring out its ‘economic experts’ all praising privatisation, in a manner that would put Milton Friedman to shame. The Islamic Republic has even embarked on a major privatisation of state sector mines, natural resources, banks and major industries, in clear breach of article 44 of its own constitution.

Now the question posed by workers in  Iran is : “How do you intend to unite with one of the most pro capitalist countries of the world against Neo Liberalism?”

In Iran the imposition of privatisation and depriving working people of minimum income has been achieved with repression, Here we list a few examples for your attention:

-In 2003, the regime embarked on privatisation of Universities. Students organised large demonstrations throughout the country.  The government mobilized all its

security forces to attack the students and refused to change its position. Thousand of students were arrested in 2003.

-Last year the workers in syndicate of Vahed Bus Company  went on strike against the detention of one of their leaders  Mansour Ossanlou . the regime attacked these workers homes arresting then with their families . In prison the arrested workers, their wives and children were subjected to beatings and vilifications and Ossanlou is still in Evin prison, without being charged and many syndicate activists have been sacked by the company.

In Iran any trade union, worker activity is banned and the state only allows Khaneh Kargar ( Labour House) and Islamic councils to operate in workplaces. These two organisations act as agents of the state used to control the workers.  In any section of the working class tries to organise in workers organisations independent of the state they face security and intelligence forces. Strikes are illegal and any worker going on strike to defend his interests is considered a criminal.

Your Excellency

The destiny of the Venezuelan working class is tied with that of workers throughout the world and in particular in the third world. One cannot be a supporter of Venezuelan workers at the same time ignore the plight of Iranian workers.  This mistake will in the first place harm the Venezuelan revolution and toilers in your country who seek the class solidarity of fellow workers in Iran . To claim that  the Iranian regime is revolutionary – the mistake you have made- is to deceive the people of Venezuela and will deprive them of the solidarity of their main allies in Iran , the Iranian working class.

 Mr Chavez

Islamic fundamentalism has deceived many leftists during the last century. The support of the Soviet Union for dark dictatorships in the Middle East brought it nothing but shame. If the apparent anti US stance of some of these fundamentalists deceived some people in the twentieth century, today  the difference between their rhetoric and anti imperialism is clear to everyone. At a time when millions of victims of capitalism are looking at Venezuela , what better gift for imperialism than to associate the name of that country with Syria and Iran .  Please stop the imperialist propaganda that portrays Ahmadinejad as your equal.

With the hope of victory for the Venezuelan Revolution

Students from a number of Iranian Universities.

Translated By Workers Left Unity - Iran
http://www.etehadchap.org