Azarmehr Organization of Women of Kurdistan condemns Salafis sabotage in Ciwanro (Javanrud)

While Ciwanro city (Javanrud) was celebrating Eid al-Adha it was overwhelmed by atmosphere of horror triggered by Salafi-Jihadis who were carrying cutlass and black flags decorated with Quran verses on their motorcycles. They chanted slogans in Arabic like “Allahu Akbar”.

Some believe that the goal of these groups is to prove their presence and imposing extremist ideas through the use of force and intimidation on people of Ciwanro. Eyewitnesses reported the absence of government forces such as police in the city.

In 8 July 2013 Salafi groups set on fire a textile shop with a hand grenade in Shafei Street of Ciwanro and wounded shop owner with knife. This Salafis action has occurred many times among the local people leading in some cases to death. According to hearsay, hard- liners are equipped with a firearm, electric shocker, cutlass and dagger. In recent years, they have power in public through shooting firearms on the street, killing several people, extortion of shopkeepers and also threatening youth if they do not join them.

These groups, who are supported by the Iranian regime, have forced many plaintiffs to close their complaints against them in the courts through telephone threats, reports quoted. The growth of extremist groups called Salafi has had a devastating impact to reach peace on the Kurdish society in East Kurdistan (Rojhelat).

Azarmehr Organization of Women of Kurdistan believes that proliferation of Salafism can be an obstacle in the path of enlightenment in Kurdish community especially in women arena. It seems that the origins of Salafi extremists can be traced to the Middle Eastern countries like Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkey, Pakistan and Afghanistan. They have targeted the Kurdish identity with its military, financial and intellectual support.

Political interaction of classic groups in South Kurdistan (Başur) and East Kurdistan (Rojhelat) about events like Ciwanro incident, assassination and suicide operation also lack of attention to people’s ritual have outraged the religious sentiments and beliefs of the Kurds.

AZARMEHR assert that on the one hand, Salafi hard-liners want to take advantage of the cultural, social and political problems in the community and on the other to prevent sense of patriotism from strengthening among the Kurds.

It is important to say that Kurdish political parties and circles in the East of Kurdistan have emptied the field over the last years. This in turn has led to the emergence of extremist groups.

AZARMEHR strongly condemns any sabre-rattling by Salafi groups in city of Ciwanro, also warns seriously in connection with this reactionary thinking and propagate it among the Kurdish society. We invite the Kurdish nation, political parties, human rights organizations, religious figures, writers and journalists, Kurdish media and virtual spaces such as Facebook to condemn the cowardly measures by these groups. We hope that the Iranian authorities will prosecute the commander and perpetrators of these Salafi radical groups while 26 Sunnis activist are held on death row in Rajai Shahr Prison, Karaj. Iran regime should desist from divisive and hypocrisy politics to create panic among the Kurdish nation.

Azarmehr Organization of Women of Kurdistan
19.10.2013

Translated by Rojhelat.info