200 SENIOR CLERICS ANNOUNCE THEIR FULL SUPPORT FOR KHATAMI
TEHRAN 11th May (IPS) Hojjastoleslam Mohammad Khatami, the embattled President of the Islamic Republic of Iran received a stunning support from more than 200 prominent Shi'a ulemas in Qom who, in a statement, fully endorsed his reform process, warning the badly defeated conservatives clerics that "trying to impose a thought by dagger and propaganda would but ruins one's own house".
The statement, signed by senior clerical personalities from the Qom's progressive Theological Centre, including Ayatollahs Hossein Musavi Tabrizi, Mohammad Taqi Fazel Meybodi, Hossein Musavi Kho'eini, Mohammad Aki Shah-Abadi, Hossein Hashemian and Aba'i Khorasani explain that time has arrived to "respond both to a divine duty as well as one's debt to the people".
The almost unprecedented declarations hints to the deep divergences between high ranking Iranian clergymen, placed in pro-Khameneh'i and pro-Khatami camps.
Situated 150 kilometres south of Tehran, the city of Qom, dubbed as Iranian Vatican, is considered as the main cradle for Iranian Shi'a militants.
"This is undoubtedly a great point in favour of Khatami that would boost his position facing the conservatives", observed Mr. Mohammad Reza Darvish, a Paris-based political analyst close to the nationalist-religious current.
Speaking to Iran Press Service, he pointed out that most of the signatories are followers of the dissident Grand Ayatollah Hosseinali Montazeri who has always backed President Khatami and supported the reform movement. "They are the ones who are close to Mr. Khatami, voted for him and believe in the necessity of introducing reforms", he pointed out.
Living in Qom, Mr. Montazeri is living under house arrest condition since October 1997 after he denounced Ayatollah Ali Khameneh'i for his meddling in the daily affairs of the State, opposing President Khatami's reform programs as well as his lavish "king style" life filled with courtesans and yes men.
Printed by the remaining pro-reform dailies and ignored by the conservatives-controlled as well as the public media, the statement tells the ruling conservatives that are led by the leader of the Islamic regime, Ayatollah Khameneh'i that "contaminating sacred places such as Friday Prier tribunals or hostile threats or distorted analysis would never yield any result but add to people's despair (from the conservatives awakening) and make them more resolute (in supporting reforms).
Analysts in Tehran said the statement was to show the Iranians and the world public opinion that contrary to what the hard liners try to project, most senior and prominent religious leaders supports the reform process and stay close to the population's aspiration for changes".
The declaration comes after months of sustained offensive by the conservatives against the reformists who scored a landslide victory in the last February Majles (parliament) elections.
In a desperate rear-guard operation, the conservatives went as far as to openly menace the President of a coup.
"The statement shows that pro-reform clerics are putting an end to their silence and, feeling bad from the insults and humiliation suffered by the President at the hands of the hard liners, decided to organise themselves and come out publicly in his favour. This action is also the greatest challenge the leader is facing", Mr. Darvish added.
While publicly announcing a total backing for President Khatami, who's elections is described as an "auspicious and blessed event" that brought the supporters of faith and revolution "the best of occasions" the statement openly condemn the closure of 17 pro-reform and independent newspapers and other publications as well as the imprisonment of several journalists, intellectuals and religious-nationalist dissidents.
"The election of Hojjatoleslam Khatami was the most astonishing event that some still are incapable of believing it", the statement went on, reminding the conservatives that despite the full mobilisation of all state-controlled propaganda machines like the Friday Prier tribunes and most particularly Radio and Television in favour of one candidate, the people voted Mr. Khatami.
"What was the result then? Is it not better to get lesson, to realise that by closing the press and jailing reformist would not impress the people"? the declaration points out.
Explaining the objectives of the statement, Hojjatoleslam Ahmad Montazeri, the elder son of Ayatollah Montazeri said the conservatives, using the Radio and Television they control, had the public opinion to believe that all senior clerics are against the reform process while in fact the main body of theological centre in Qom supports both the president and the reforms and considers the changes to be in the line with revolution and not against.
Speaking to the Persian service of Radio France Internationale (RFI), Mr. Montazeri observed that pro-reform ayatollahs are denied access to Radio and Television and the aim of their outburst in favour of President Khatami was to prove that not only reforms process is much needed, but it has the backing of the majority of the clerics, both senior and minors.
"Unfortunately, seminaries and theological schools in Qom have been turn out into military garrisons (by the conservatives), forming elements that are in turn used by pressure groups such as Ansar Hezbollah to attack dissidents and stage demonstrations against the reformists, thus projecting a negative image in the public opinion against the clergy as a whole", he added.
The statement also culminated two major set backs suffered by the hard liners at the outgoing Majles they control, as deputies, including some from the conservative camp refused to endorse two bills aimed at placing the Intelligence Ministry under a Supervisory Committee to be directly under the control of the leader in the one hand and imposing jail sentence on everyone suspected to import, carry, distribute or even keeping films and video cassettes regarded by the orthodoxy as "dirty or immoral", meaning most movies produced either by Iranians but particularly Western film industry.
"Our objective is very simple and can be explained in few words: Defending and backing the people and their elected President and candidates, supporting the reform process in the framework of the Constitution; warning those who can not accept or support the changes that unpopular moves like closing newspapers and jailing journalists, intellectuals and dissidents would backfire on them and also warn the pro-reform people around Mr. Khatami to be aware of profiteers, of infiltrators who would harm the reformation", Ayatollah Hossein Musavi Tabrizi, an outspoken pro-reform cleric told the Persian service of BBC. ENDS PRO-KHATAMI STATEMENT 11500