July 2002
Radio International: What
was the importance of Mansoor Hekmat’s role in the International Federation of
Iranian Refugees (IFIR), this thirteen year-old organisation that unequivocally
defends refugee and civil rights?
Maryam Namazie: The
International Federation of Iranian Refugees (IFIR) has had a unique role and
an important place in the organising of Iranians and Iranian refugees abroad.
It was Mansoor Hekmat’s idea and plan to respond to the refugee flow as a
result of the Islamic Republic of Iran's repression. Thirteen years on we are
witnessing IFIR’s effects on the lives of innumerable people. Its impact on the
refugee and civil rights movement is undeniable. IFIR has managed to organise
one of the most vulnerable segments of society, i.e. asylum seekers, people
without proper legal status, without rights, who are isolated and ghettoised,
living in imposed poverty and misery and who are daily humiliated. IFIR has
succeeded in organising the progressive section of this group, uniting them
around maximum rights and demands, and placing this immense force alongside the
working class, freedom-loving people and other progressive movements in the
societies they live in. IFIR has been able to portray a progressive image of
asylum seekers and the people of Iran to the general public and oppose inhuman
ideas such as patriarchy, nationalism and religion. IFIR has also exposed the
Islamic Republic of Iran as the main reason for the flight of countless human
beings from Iran and continues to exert political pressure on the regime.
These are some of IFIR's
activities during its 13 year existence. We have shown that even under the
daily assault of capital on people’s lives, dignity and humanity, it is
possible to defend maximum civil rights and strive for and secure improvements
in people's lives. We have demonstrated
that under circumstances in which states attempt to isolate people and force
them into hopelessness and despair, it is possible to organise people around
positive action. IFIR has not only raised the expectations of asylum seekers in
regards to their maximum rights, but also raised society’s expectations as a
whole on the universal rights of human beings. It is not an exaggeration to say
that during this time IFIR has had an unprecedented and unique role in the
history of activism of Iranian’s abroad. I also think it has had a unique role
in the activist history of the societies we are living and struggling in. These
are undoubtedly the gains of Mansoor Hekmat and his movement and party.
Radio International: What
was Mansoor Hekmat’s particular role in IFIR’s current achievements?
Maryam Namazie: Mansoor
Hekmat has had the most vital role in the creation of IFIR and in its
significant 13 year existence. Mansoor Hekmat wrote the initial plan of IFIR,
wrote its preliminary documents, and was personally responsible for its
implementation. While many people have worked actively in the IFIR, their and
IFIR's special status is because of Mansoor Hekmat's ideals and methods. Our
type of work at IFIR is very different from other refugee rights organisations.
For example, in the UK, one of the main slogans of refugee organisations is
that 'refugees are welcome here'. We, though, consider this a rights issue;
whether people are welcome or not, they have a right to seek refuge and be
here. Saying certain people are welcome means they are temporary guests that
can wear out their welcome. Or in Australia, refugee rights organisations have
held hunger strikes to support asylum seekers there. We on the other hand see
hunger strikes as a negative form of activism and work hard to dissuade asylum
seekers from harming themselves. These organisations limit the demands of
asylum seekers and classify them as second or third class citizens. They
undertake negative and at times reactionary means of activism. IFIR, however,
defends the maximum rights of people and its struggle is a positive and
progressive one. Our differences are in fact nothing but Hekmatism and
worker-communism. Mansoor Hekmat brought back Marxism and Marx’s critique of
the present world, as well as a Marxist and deeply humanist solution towards
contemporary society. This is why IFIR is where it is today. Without Mansoor
Hekmat, his party and movement, the refugee rights movement would have been
much bleaker just as the situation of the people in Iran and the world without
him would have been such.
In a letter to us, Mansoor Hekmat
had written that he is honoured to have had a role in the Federation. I believe
though, that in fact the honour is completely ours to have been able to
implement his project. We are honoured to be in his movement, to have worked
closely with him, to believe in his ideals and humanity. We are honoured to
have lived in an era in which the greatest Marxist and humanist of the
contemporary world was among us.