Preliminary Platform

The Federal-Democratic Movement of Azerbaijan

 

Preamble:

 

Iran’s contemporary history has been a history of struggle for freedom and social justice, on the one hand, and a history of national liberationist movements of the nations of Turk, Kurd, Arab, Baluch and Turkmen, on the other.

 

The national-liberation movement of Azerbaijanis—which started with the establishment of Azerbaijan’s National Parliament along with the Local-Provincial Associations in the period of Constitutional Revolution and culminated in the establishment of Azadistan Government under the leadership of Sheikh Mohammad Khiyabani and the founding of Azerbaijan’s National Government under the leadership of Seyyid Ja’far Pishevari—has  continued in various forms, and after the 1978-79 Bahman Revolution, has acquired new impetus in recent times.

 

After the conspiracy of the imperialist coup d'etat initiated by Reza Khan against the lawful constitutional government, severe politics of assimilation against non-Persian nations of Iran were put in place by way of which it became an official policy of the government to create a single nation based solely on Persian language. Similar politics  were continued to be implemented in the period after the Bahman Revolution. In both periods, the struggle for the obtainment of national rights has progressively carried forward under various conditions and in variety of ways.

 

Alongside the improvements in the demand for socio-political and civil-cultural rights throughout the country, struggles of non-Persian nations for national rights have been elevated to new heights.  The deepening evolution of a conscious and forward-looking struggle for the attainment of national rights demands the necessity of organizing and mobilization of diverse nature on various levels, situating the much needed organizational issue high on the agenda of  its daily endeavors. In light of historical experiences, it can be argued that all social-political movements (e.g., national movements, women’s movement, the movement of social forces and classes), regardless of how extended and popular they may be, without benefiting from a conscious organizational capacity and in the absence of organized institutions will, sooner or later, be subject to demise. This is the internal logic of any movement and a historical necessity. In our view, professional organization is a most necessary factor in the maintenance, survival, and continuation of a movement towards victory. Thus, in line with international covenants and human rights principles, we consider it necessary to organize as a political movement in accord with  current conditions, for the creation of structural developments in socio-political foundations of Iranian society and for the establishment of a decentralized political system  based on national federalism (ethnicity-based) and democratic principles. We invite all freedom-loving and patriotic Turks-Azerbaijanis to join our common struggle for the purpose of  achieving the following goals:

 

 

Common Principles

 

1-    The country of Iran:

 

Iran is a multi-national country. The main nations inhabiting Iran include: the Turk-Azerbaijani nation, the Persian nation, the Arab nation, the Baluch nation, and the Turkmen nation. During both the Pahlavi monarchism and the Islamic Republic, the dominant central governments in Iran have been the driving force behind extreme forms of Persian chauvinism and nationalism. As representatives of the Persian nationalism, these governments have subjected the non-Persian nations of Iran to their politics of  ethnic oppression and assimilation.

 

2-    National Identity

 

The Turkish language (Azerbaijani-Turkic) constitutes the core and cornerstone of the national identity of Iran’s Turks. Our national identity is deeply intertwined with our language.

 

3-    The National Question and the Problem of Governance

 

The national question and national issues of Iran’s Turks are political in nature. The resolving of national issues and eradication of ethnic-based oppression are possible only and exclusively through the acknowledgement of the right of nations to their self-determination. The Islamic Republic of Iran is the main obstacle on the path of obtaining this fundamental right.

 

 

The Federal Republic of Iran’s Turkic Nation

 

1-     The Federal Republic of Iran shall be constituted of free and voluntary union of Iran’s constituent nations’ provincial governments as well as the governments of autonomous regions and distinct principalities. This union shall be based on democratic principles and national-federalist structure (ethnic-based), including the principle of creation of two parliaments: Regional/Provincial and Federal.

 

2-     The provincial government of the Azerbaijani Turks shall be established on historical Azerbaijani lands (i.e., the interconnected regions historically inhabited by the Turks); and the Turks of Khorasan and Qashqayestan (the Qashqayi Turks) shall have the right to establish their own local governments.

 

 

3-     Issues related to legislation, judiciary, policing, taxations, and other official and cultural affairs shall be within the jurisdiction of Azerbaijan’s local government, which, in accordance to Azerbaijan’s constitution, shall have the right to establish government, set up parliament, and choose the national anthem and the national flag.

 

4-     The Turks of Khorasan and Qashqayestan shall have the right to establish their self-governing organs for the purpose of materializing their rightful national demands.

 

5-     Issues related to foreign affairs, defence against foreign aggression, long-term planning of economic policies, monetary politics, positive environmental policies, and communication matters throughout the country shall be assigned to the central federal government.

 

6-     The languages of Turkish (Azerbaijani-Turkic), Farsi, Kurdish, Arabic, Baluchi, and Turkmeni shall constitute Iran’s official languages. All the official documents and correspondences of the federal government shall be conducted in all official languages of the country. Farsi shall be the language of coordination. Turkish (Azerbaijani-Turkic) shall be the official language in all governmental organs throughout Azerbaijan and the Turkic self-governing regions, where Turkish shall function as the language of official documents, education from elementary to higher levels, media, press, as well as cultural, artistic, and literary productions.

 

7-     Cosmopolitan cities like Tehran shall be governed by distinct governmental organs for the purpose of maintaining the ethnic/cultural distinctiveness of their diverse inhabitants.

 

 

Goals

 

1-     All citizens of the country, regardless of their gender, religion, political/ ideological  affiliation, and social position, are equal before the law. All citizens have the right to choose their own mode of dress and method of leading their private life. The individuals’ social, religious, and political identities are inviolable by the government and the governing organs.

 

2-     As a modern Federal and democratic government, all governing bodies, without privileging their religion, gender, and nationality, shall be elected through direct and hidden vote of the citizens over the age of 18.

3-     The pluralist nature of society and the inclusive freedom of thought ought to be realized for all citizens; unconditional freedom of assemblies, of expression, of press and media, along with free activity of all political, social, cultural, syndicalist, and business-oriented organizations of all individuals and groups such as laborers,  blue-collar and white-collar working groups, women, etc.,  ought to be materialized.

 

4-     Complete separation of religion and ideology from state: Religious belief and ideology are one’s private affairs. Individuals are free to have or not have any religious beliefs; they are free to believe in an ideology or to have no ideological belief at all. The practitioners of religious beliefs are free to observe their religious rites and ceremonies. Religion and ideological belief ought to be completely separated from the education system and the state.

 

5-     Equal rights of women with men in all the political, social, and economic spheres must be materialized. Females ought to participate in all governmental organs proportional to their population. In order to eradicate the existing unequal conditions between women and men necessary steps ought to be taken, including provision of additional opportunities for women. Necessary conditions ought to be created for the overall growth and development of women particularly in working class households. The establishment of independent women’s organizations should be supported.

 

 

6-     Free and mandatory education up to the ninth grade ought to be provided for all children and youth of the country and all citizens must be given equal access to a progressive education system. In order to alleviate illiteracy amongst the elderly, distinct schooling system and learning centers should be created and necessary funding for them provided. At the same time, facilities and conditions should be put in place towards the development of a free higher education attainable to all.

 

7-     Social justice should be improved and difficulties for poorer working classes alleviated; all citizens should have access to free social services, healthcare, education, as well as retirement and unemployment insurances.

 

8-     Social insurances ought to be established for the benefit of all, and a fair taxing system proportional to income, inheritance, and assets should be set up.

 

9-     Illegality of working for the youth under the age of 16 should be acknowledged. For the purpose of educating children and youth based on the demands of contemporary times, healthy athletic and entertainment centers should be set up; conditions for cultural and artistic flourishing in society be created; newspapers, magazines, libraries, and art centers be established. In short, positive conditions for technological and informational developments ought to be provided for all citizens, particularly for the youth from working class background.

 

10-The environment ought to be protected for the common use of all, where social development and universal welfare of all citizenry are guaranteed.

 

11-Favorable conditions for friendship, camaraderie and solidarity among diverse nations in Iran ought to be created.

 

12-Equal citizenship rights for all national and cultural minorities in Azerbaijan and throughout the Turk-populated self-governing regions ought to be realized.

 

13-Respect for human rights constitutes one of our main goals. We support all international conventions and covenants on human rights, and the rights of children and women. We demand the abolition of capital punishment and torture in any form and way.

 

14-Azerbaijan’s economy has suffered severely due to the existence of 80 years of national oppression, which has caused the draining of capital from our region. For this reason, Azerbaijan’s economic development shall be amongst the main goals of our national Azerbaijani government.

 

 

 

We realize that the above-mentioned goals are attainable only through the unified struggle of the Turks-Azerbaijanis and their solidarity with Iran’s other peoples. This struggle is an internal affair in our country. As such, we are against any external force seeking to influence our just struggle.

 

 

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