|
Iran confiscating minorities' land says UN
report
31.7.2005
|
|
|
|
TEHRAN, July 30
(Reuters) - Iran is denying basic amenities to its
ethnic and religious minorities and in some cases
confiscating their land, a preliminary U.N. report
said on Saturday.
The report focused on accounts of discrimination in
areas across the country's western borders, home to
Arab and Kurdish minorities, where ethnic unrest has
flared this week.
The findings were collated on a trip to Iran by
Miloon Kothari, U.N. special rapporteur on adequate
housing. His preliminary report will be discussed by
a U.N. human rights commission next April.
"Regions historically occupied by Kurds ... seem to
suffer disproportionate inadequacy of services such
as water and electricity and unsatisfactory
reconstruction efforts," Kothari's report read.
There was no immediate comment from the government
which has denied such charges in the past.
Kurds rioted in the western town of Mahabad this
month and three policemen were killed in a gunbattle
with Kurdish separatist guerrillas.
Kothari said the Arabs in Khuzestan were
particularly aggrieved to live in squalor when their
province sat on most of Iran's gigantic oil fields.
"Land confiscation and 'confiscation style' purchase
of lands by the government seem to
disproportionately impact on the land and property
of some religious and ethnic minorities," he said.
About 2 million of Iran's 67 million people are
Arabs. Since April, Arabs, often citing their dismal
quality of life and discrimination from Tehran, have
poured onto the streets in protest. Several have
died and hundreds have been arrested.
Kothari said there were also reports of the state
confiscating land from the Bahai religious minority.
Bahais, whose religion was founded in 19th century
Iran, say authorities have imprisoned and executed
hundreds of adherents of their faith since the 1979
Islamic Revolution.
They say Tehran, which regards them as heretics, has
confiscated tens of thousands pieces of property.
Nomads, such as the southern Qashqai tribe, are also
facing discrimination, with traditional pasture land
being sold to the private sector, the report said.
When asked about the attitude of regional officials
towards charges of ethnic discrimination, Kothari
said most governors denied there was any
discrimination in their provinces.
Reuters
Top |
Kurd Net
does not take credit for and is not responsible for the content of news
information on this page
|
® 