mehriran.de reports from Stuttgart – Conference on Gandhis path as a way to freedom and democracy in Iran

On Saturday, 8th of October 2011, Forum 3 Stuttgart hosted a discussion on the situation in Iran.

Dr. W. Sternstein as a Gandhi specialist and a researcher in the field of non-violent resistance and Dr. M. Azmayesh, International Organisation to preserve human rights in Iran, raised the question if there might be a possibility for the society in Iran to follow the non-violent path of Gandhi to freedom and democracy.

The audience was very concerned about how the regime forces treat the people in Iran. Some reported about their own travels in Iran, where they could  experience the supressive atmosphere by themselves. It became clear that the regime forces are trying to bring fear and depression into the hearts of the population by public hangings, torture in prisons and other violations of peoples rights. Dr. Azmayesh compared the nature of the system of Velayat-e-faghi to the Stalinist system of Russia.

When Gandhi lead the freedom movement in India in a non-violent manner he had to deal with a colonialist and injust power which cannot be compared to the bloodthirsty regime in Iran nowadays. Dr. Sternstein pointed out that Gandhi had had a path of development from a shy young man to a mature human being who cares for others and fears not its own death.

Which ever way the population in Iran will choose to overcome the dominance of the current sect, they will certainly need clear signals of support from the leaders of the western nations and of their population was the conclusion of the discussion.

Source : Inside Of Iran