Majid Dari: “Students Stand Tall Against Tyrants!”

HRANA News Agency – Majid Dari is an imprisoned student activist expelled from Allameh Tabatabai University (ATU) in Tehran. He studied literature at ATU and was a member of the Advocacy Council for the Right to Education. In July of 2009, Majid Dari was arrested by Iranian Intelligence Agency and locked up in Evin Prison.

Following a trial and an appeal, Majid Dari was sentenced to 6 years in prison and exiled to Khuzestan Province. In August 2010, without prior notice, prison officials placed Majid Dari in shackles and transferred him to a prison in the city of Behbahan. Since then, he has been serving his prison term in exile.

Majid Dari has written the following statement from Behbahan Prison on the occasion of the new school year in Iran:

Rain, pour in torrents
Pour and shed my falling rotten leaves
Pour till I fall into a fruitful slumber
to the gloomy melody of rain
-- Mohammad Shams Langeroodi

It is difficult to talk about September, school and its reopening and hard to dig up school memories. It is naïve to talk about the resistance in universities and what effects they’ve had. It is equally gullible to mention all the scathing criticisms and trashing aimed towards universities and to remember the never-ending hollers towards the occupiers.

All of these are already known by everyone. We know that universities didn’t tolerate oppression and rejected injustice even under the most difficult circumstance. We know that universities gave blood to irrigate the tree of liberty and boasted of sacrifices made while proudly passing the baton to the fresh blood coming through the gates to repeat the cycle…

There was a time when we screamed not to concede an inch for the day would come when they could dictate what we were allowed to utter, read and wear. Although we stood alone, at the end, we prevented universities from becoming monolithic institutes devoid of diversity and stopped the second Cultural Revolution from taking place.

To our utter dismay, the tale has reportedly taken another turn without our knowledge. September begins again while these tragedies take place together all at once. Even worse, university students go along with the prevailing tide, submit to it and accept it. And the depths of the disaster widen. Thereafter, permissible thoughts are dictated and allowable beliefs are announced while the so-called brave students with their silent screams bend and capitulate.

When the time for talking, bragging and showing off had ended, and it was time for action, the on-going resistance was considered foolish. To those of us still standing, they said, “We haven’t backed off; our tactics have changed.” Thus, this change in tactics effectively buried the next generation under a pile of compromise and brought about a disaster unprecedented in the history of universities and their students.

Now, where are those who must answer? Where are those who must compare the weight of their raves and rants against their actions or at least express some remorse? Are they still adamant that their change in tactics has been effective and blame us for what has conspired?

I wanted to hail the university, but given the fact that universities have their own distinguishing characteristics, I won’t because this place resembles a high school more. I wanted to hail all college students, but these individuals liken to junior schoolchildren.

Therefore, begging your pardon, I must say, “Hey, I am talking to you! Hey, you, the ones I recognize not. I am happy for not being by your side now or during the past four years. I am pleased with not shaming myself to attend college in such a place. I am delighted for having been expelled but not humiliated in this manner. I am overjoyed with the thought of being alone instead of having friends such as you, the ones I know not.”

College students possess and universities hold within themselves certain reverence and sanctity such that they bow to no one, accept no humiliation and stand tall against tyrants. They fear not but challenge and defeat the enemy. They offer their lives while standing erect. They offer blood and remain steadfast. They dedicate their lives to bring about growth and change. To those who know who college students and what universities are, if this tree dries up and dies, we are all responsible. Yes, all of us.

College students! Universities! I miss you all, and my heart aches for you. Therefore, this time too, swallowing the knot in my throat, I shout once more:

Hail Majid Tavakoli! Hail Mahdieh Golro! Hail Zia Nabavi! Hail Abdollah Momeni! Greetings to Bahareh Hedayat!

Majid Dari
Expelled Student of Allameh