IRAN MUST HAVE A SECULAR REGIME, MRS EBADI SAYS

PARIS 11 Oct. (IPS)          The time for revolutions is over. We are for a reform, both for civil and political rights as well as social and economics. The Iranian people are deceived by the Islamic revolution that alongside with the War against Iraq, thousands of families have lost children and parents. The people are also deceived by (President Mohammad) because when he was elected, he was talking about introducing reforms, thinking the idea as possible”, Mrs. Shirin Ebadi, the winner of the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize told the French influential daily “Le Monde”.

        The decision of the Norwegian judges angered the ruling Iranian ayatollahs, but elated Iranians all over the world, who saw the prize, given to one of their compatriots, as a victory for all Iranians fighting for freedom and democracy.

        “Thanks, Shirin, thanks for all you have done for human rights, for restoration of democracy and freedom in Iran, for the children and women of Iran”, Mohsen Sazegara, a dissident journalist and politician who has just come out of prison wrote to the laureate, according to the French daily.

          In Mrs. Ebadi’s view, Mr. Khatami has lost “many of occasions”, however, she hoped that the fight for reforms and changes would not stop once Mr. Khatami´s term ends in about two years time from now.

 Rejecting the idea that this prize has a political message, Mrs. Ebadi said the prize she won on Friday would “encourage all those who in Iran struggles for the instauration of a civil society and respect of human rights, adding more to the troops”.

« I hope that the people would continue pushing with its demands, the most important of all being the government’s bills for changing the present electoral system (which allows the leader-controlled Council of the Guardians to reject any candidate to any election) in order to allow the people to elect their representatives for the Majles”, she said, warning that in case the bill is definitely rejected (as it seems to be the case), the people would boycott the coming legislative elections due next February, “as they did for the last city and rural councils”.

Stating that she stands for a secular system and explaining that her position is not against Islam, Mrs. Ebadi said in case the present rulers do not come out with the idea of change, it would be imposed on them.

          In her opinion, it is not Islam that is against democracy and freedom, “but the systems in Muslim nations ».

          « There are always pretexts for not respecting human rights and freedom of the people. In the former Communist regimes, the ideology was put forward. I have struggles for years demonstrating that Islam is against discrimination and social injustice, but there are corrupt regimes in Muslim countries that profit from religion for justifying the illegitimate governments”, she explained in the interview that was published on Saturday.

        She said one of the first reforms she would like to be adopted in her home country is to replace the present Islamic Canons by modern laws that prevent amputation, stoning, forced marriage of girls under the age of 13. “This is essential as it concerns freedom, life and the security of the nation”. ENDS EBADI LE MONDE INTERVIEW 111003