The European Parliament voted overwhelmingly in favour of a motion that included a strong condemnation of Iran's treatment of Ahwazi Arabs.
The British Ahwazi Friendship Society (BAFS) joined forces with Paulo Casaca, a Member of the European Parliament representing Portugal's ruling Socialist Party, to persuade the European Parliament to condemn the treatment of Ahwazis and other Iranian ethnic minorities.
The resolution was approved by a cross-party consensus, backed by the centre-right European People's Party and European Democrats, centre-left Party of European Socialists, centrist Alliance of Liberals and Democrats, the Greens and the left-wing European United Left. It stated that the European Parliament "condemns the treatment of minorities such as ... the inhabitants of the area around Ahwaz city, the provincial capital of the ethnic Arab dominated Khuzestan province, who are being displaced from their villages according to statements by Miloon Kothari, UN Rapporteur on Adequate Housing." Thousands of Ahwazi Arabs are being forced from their homes in a campaign of ethnic cleansing in Khuzestan, while those who have taken to the streets in protest have been shot at by the security forces and paramilitaries. Hundreds of intellectuals, professionals, tribal leaders and workers have been rounded up and arrested as the regime has sought to silence dissent.
The resolution called on Iran to "recommence the EU-Iran Human Rights dialogue with the European Union" and called on the European Commission to monitor human rights abuses further, calls upon the Council and Commission to "intensify contacts and co-operation with the Iranian civil society and independent media."
Addressing Parliament, European Commissioner Jan Figel, speaking on behalf of Benita Ferrero-Waldner (European Commissioner for External Relations), underlined the "excessive use of force to suppress unrest in the provinces of Khuzestan and Kurdistan" as a matter of "deep concern." He added that EU would not sign a trade and cooperation treaty unless human rights issues and concerns over Iran's nuclear programme were addressed.
BAFS Chairman Daniel Brett praised the stance taken by the European Commision and the European Parliament and the work under-taken by Paulo Casaca to highlight the issue of ethnic minorities. He added: "The EU's position is clear: there must be an end to the Iranian regime's policy of violent repression and displacement of Ahwazi Arabs. The Commission and Parliament are making such human rights issues central to EU relations with Iran. We hope that member states will follow the line taken by the European Parliament and prioritise human rights. It is important that the oppressed ethnic and religious minorities, women and opponents of the regime are not forgotten during EU-Iran negotiations."
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keywords: ahvaz ahwaz ahwazi arabistan khuzestan khuzistan khuzestani arab arabistan iran iranian human rights security oil news ahmadinejad ethnic cleansing
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