A voice that should be heard: Shirin Ebadi and the roots of chaos in the Middle East

The Iranian Nobel prize laureate, Shirin Ebadi came, on April the 25^th, to the Hamline University in order to give a public lecture about the origins of chaos in the Middle East region, focusing, in particular, on the historical reasons of today conflicts and on the possible solutions for the future.

In a witty and straightforward speech, Mrs. Ebadi presented the three main causes for the Middle Eastern unrest.

According to her, the first main cause is the non-existence of democracy and the persistent violations of Human Rights in the region. Indeed, the majority of governments in the area are not really elected by the people since the electoral systems affect only superficially the established order (the case of Syria is, at this regard, emblematic!). This distance between governments and citizens brings to a lack of representation and, above all, to a lack of governmental provided security. Among the poorest and desperate people, this situation may lead to the phenomenon of crime and terrorism.

However, a particular that seems to complicate even more this situation is the fact that these non-democratic governments are privileged partners of the US and it is because of this relationship that a sense of anti-Americanism (or, better, an active opposition to the US foreign policy) is spread among the people in the area.

A particular exception is the Islamic Republic of Iran, where, she specifies, the non-democratic establishment in power is not directly connected to the US. According to Mrs. Ebadi, even though Iran is not a democratic state, its political leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad seems to attract a lot of young Arab supporters who, while ignoring the real intern condition of the Iranian state, see in him a form of resistance to US power.

To this first cause, Mrs. Ebadi suggests that the US should stop supporting non-democratic states in the region, lowering their diplomatic relations with them and make people of the area acknowledge about the real inner political condition in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

While talking about democracy, Mrs Ebadi decided to focus particularly on the conditions of women in the area and on their fundamental role for its future. According to her, the peaceful way of struggle in their daily life should be considered as a pattern for the rebuilding of democracy in those states.

The second main cause for the Middle Eastern unrest is the Israelo-Palestinian conflict: until a solution will not be found, any peace in the area will be possible.

Finally, the third main reason is the invasion of Iraq. Indeed, since 2003 terrorism and fundamentalism have enormously grown while the conflict hase augmented the problems for people that, now, have to face such as hunger, violence and dictatorship.

Continuing her passionate speech, Mrs. Ebadi remembered how the chemical weapons of Iraq have been used during the Iran-Iraq conflict, a conflict in which, she underlines, the US administration supported Saddam’s regime and foreign policy. Why then did this administration decide to attack its old ally? Mrs. Ebadi has not doubt at this regard: Iraqi oil is the answer.

After having discussed about the origins of the chaotic situation in the Middle East, Mrs. Ebadi wanted to talk about human rights in her country, since it is there that her daily struggle against injustice take place.

In Iran, one of the main human rights violations is gender discrimination, which has been introduces after 1979. According to the law, today, the like of a woman worth half of the life of a man. Divorce for a woman is practically impossible, while men can have up to 4 wives at the same time and divorce without a particular reason.

Also the freedom of religion is not assured in the republic and some examples have been provided at this regard. In the capital of Iran, Teheran, no Sunni musk has been build while the illicit relationship (non married) between a Muslim woman and a non-Muslim man is punishable with death penalty for the latter.

Freedom of speech is not ensured and an active censorship prevent “unconvienient” books to be published.

Notwithstanding all these problems, Mrs. Ebadi is convinced that democracy is a process and comes along with the culture of the people. Reminding to the audience how, before the revolution and the Shah’s government, Iran used to be a democratic state Mrs. Ebadi asserted that, therefore, there is the possibility that democracy will be established again. Nevertheless she warned the audience that democracy is not a merchandize to be exported and, thus, it cannot be established throughout the use of bombs. That is why she proudly opposes to a military and, above all, foreign, intervention.

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