Page 43 - Shahrvand BC No.1248
P. 43
English Section
43 Open Letter to Filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf: Please Be
a Messenger of Freedom for Iranian and Palestinian People
1392 ریت29 جمعه- 1248 شماره/ سال متسیب Jul 12 2013 cleansing of 1948, the occupation of
by Jadaliyya Reports Palestinian lands since 1967, and the
In touch with Iranian diversity [The following open letter is being circulated current implementation of an apartheid Iranians who condemn the daily realities who today number more than 30,000.
to publicize and opposed Iranian filmmaker system. We are deeply dismayed at Mr. of oppression and state violence in We ask Mr. Makhmalbaf, whose movies
Mohsen Makhmalbaf’s participation in the Makhmalbaf’s disregard for the global Iran, we find it unconscionable that Mr. are reminders of life in ruins and
Jerusalem Film Festival and his acceptance of movement for Palestinian human rights Makhmalbaf has accepted to take part in displacement to remember and bear
an achievement award from the fesitval. The and the implicit support for Israel’s the Jerusalem International Film Festival. witness to the continued displacement
Persian and Arabic versions of the open letter apartheid policies that his decision to We would like to use this opportunity to of Palestinians by the Israeli government
follow the list of signatories.] attend a film festival directly sponsored remind Mr Makhmalbaf of the fact that by joining the BDS movement.
Open Letter to Mr. Mohsen Makhmalbaf: by the Israeli government represents, Palestinian civil society has appealed to As Iranians ourselves, we know the
Please Be a Messenger of Freedom for particularly given that he is being international artists not to take part in realities of state-sponsored oppression,
Iranian and Palestinian People prominently honored by the festival with cultural events taking place in Israel while violence and brutality against innocent
We, the undersigned, are a group of a special tribute. Israel continues to ignore United Nations civilians. This is especially true with
Iranian scholars, artists, journalists and Mohsen Makhmalbaf is a prominent resolutions, to flout international law, regards to the Baha’i community, the
activists who are deeply concerned by Iranian filmmaker who for years has and to deprive the Palestinian people subject of Makhmalbaf’s latest film.
the recent decision of Iranian filmmaker depicted the harsh realities of the most of their most elementary human rights. We recognize the repression that led
Mohsen Makhmalbaf to take part in the marginalized sectors of Iranian society In the past three years many prominent to Mr. Makhmalbaf’s own exile, and
Jerusalem International Film Festival in vivid detail. His 1989 Marriage of the artists have responded to the appeal by we sympathize with his suffering as a
from July 4-13, 2013. His participation Blessed, for example, staged the reality of refusing to appear in Israel, and others filmmaker who has been persecuted by
directly violates the International call for Iran-Iraq war and showed us the ethical who had initially accepted this invitation the Iranian regime. At the same time we
Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) and political struggles of ordinary subjects have cancelled their performances, insist again on the political and ethical
of the State of Israel issued by Palestinian within violent contexts. He showed us preferring to show their support for the responsibilities that we as human beings
civil society in 2005, as well as the specific how to bear witness to the reality of struggle of the Palestinian people against have to resist oppression and tyranny
call for Academic and Cultural Boycott of violence. His continued persistence on Israeli oppression. wherever they may be.
Israel issued in July 2004. truth and justice has forced him into exile
As human beings of conscience, we are from his homeland. How can we forget
appalled by the brutality Palestinians what he himself taught us when the
undergo at the hand of Israeli occupation plight of the Palestinians today demands
and we are supportive of the non- such a reckoning?
violent global BDS movement which We are deeply concerned that an artist
seeks to pressure Israel to implement so attuned to the brutalities of state
an equitable, just solution to the ethnic violence in his homeland would have
absolute disregard for the nonviolent
global BDS movement and its work to
peacefully pressure the Israeli state to
respect Palestinian human rights. As
Lawyers ICBC ﻭﻛﻼ Performing in Israel today is a political We cannot in good conscience stand
Claims ٦٠٤- ٩٨٢- ٤٠٥١ statement. Israel openly admits to by Mr. Makhmalbaf and his decision
604 - 982 - 4051 ٦٠٤- ٩٨٠ -٨٥٧١ using cultural events as a propaganda which will inevitably validate the Israeli
604 - 980 - 8571 tool, and we have no question that it occupation, apartheid and ethnic
will use Mr Makhmalbaf’s image for cleansing. We ask not only that Mr.
its global campaign to camouflage its Makhmalbaf stand with the Boycott,
systematic violation of the most basic Divestment, and Sanctions Movement,
Vol. 20 / No. 1248 - Friday, July 19, 2013 human rights of the Palestinian people. but that he be a messenger of liberation
Mr Makhmalbaf’s presence will be for everyone, including both Palestinians
instrumentalized as a token for Israeli and Iranians.
“tolerance” while Israel continues to
implement the most intolerant of colonial Signatures:
ﺑﺮﺍی ﻣﺸﺎﻭﺭﻩ ﺣﻘﻮﻗﻰ ﻟﻄﻔﺎ ﺑﺎ policies against Palestinian people, and
advocates the most unprecedented Institutional affiliations are provided
ﺁﻗﺎی ﻛﺎﻣﻴﻞ ﻟﻄﻔﻌﻠﻰ and crippling sanctions against Iranian for identification purposes only. Views
people. Mr Makhmalbaf’s films will be expressed represent only individuals, not
screened before a segregated audience. organizations.
Only a few of his Palestinian fans in Gaza
. ﺗﻤﺎﺱ ﺑﮕﻴﺮﻳﺪ،ﻭﻛﻴﻞ ﻓﺎﺭﺳﻰ ﺯﺑﺎﻥ or in the West Bank- to say nothing of Ali Mirsepassi, Professor of Middle
the 4.5 million Palestinian refugees Eastern Studies and Sociology, New York
elsewhere who are similarly denied free University
movement in their homeland- will be Alireza Doostdar, Assistant Professor of
allowed to come and watch this film. Islamic Studies and the Anthropology of
Kamil Lotfali, lawyer Religion, University of Chicago
The Jerusalem International Film Festival Arang Keshavarzian, Associate Professor
ﺳﺎﻝ ﺗﺠﺮﺑﻪ ﺣﻘﻮﻗﻰ٣٠ ﻣﺆﺳﺴﻪﺣﻘﻮﻗﻰ "ﻧﻮﺭﺕﺷﻮﺭﻻ " ﺑﺎﺑﻴﺶﺍﺯ- is being held at Jerusalem Cinematheque, of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies,
located in between three Palestinian New York University
villages that were ethnically cleansed Asef Bayat, Catherine and Bruce Bastian
ﺩﺳﺘﻤﺰﺩیﺩﺭﻳﺎﻓﺖﻧﺨﻮﺍﻫﻴﻢﻛﺮﺩ، ﺩﺭﻳﺎﻓﺖﻧﻨﻤﺎﺋﻴﻢICBC ﺗﺎﺧﺴﺎﺭﺕﺷﻤﺎﺭﺍ ﺍﺯ- by the State of Israel in 1948. The ruins Professor of Global and Transnational
ICBC ﺩﺭﻳﺎﻓﺖ ﻫﺮﮔﻮﻧﻪ ﺧﺴﺎﺭﺕ ﺟﺎﻧﻰ ﻭ ﻣﺎﻟﻰ ﺍﺯ- of these villages today overlook the Studies and Professor of Sociology and
Cinematheque. We cannot forget, as Middle Eastern Studies, University of
the Israeli government wants us to, Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
NORTH SHORE LAW43 the history and the memory of Dayr Azadeh Shahshahani, National Lawyers
LLP Aban (1948 population: 2,436), Jarash Guild
6th Floor, 171 West Esplanade, North Vancouver, B.C. (1948 population: 220), and Bayt Nattif Banafsheh Madaninejad, Faculty,
(1948 population: 2,494), as well as the Southwestern University
klotfali@northshorelaw.com struggle of their refugee descendents
43 Open Letter to Filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf: Please Be
a Messenger of Freedom for Iranian and Palestinian People
1392 ریت29 جمعه- 1248 شماره/ سال متسیب Jul 12 2013 cleansing of 1948, the occupation of
by Jadaliyya Reports Palestinian lands since 1967, and the
In touch with Iranian diversity [The following open letter is being circulated current implementation of an apartheid Iranians who condemn the daily realities who today number more than 30,000.
to publicize and opposed Iranian filmmaker system. We are deeply dismayed at Mr. of oppression and state violence in We ask Mr. Makhmalbaf, whose movies
Mohsen Makhmalbaf’s participation in the Makhmalbaf’s disregard for the global Iran, we find it unconscionable that Mr. are reminders of life in ruins and
Jerusalem Film Festival and his acceptance of movement for Palestinian human rights Makhmalbaf has accepted to take part in displacement to remember and bear
an achievement award from the fesitval. The and the implicit support for Israel’s the Jerusalem International Film Festival. witness to the continued displacement
Persian and Arabic versions of the open letter apartheid policies that his decision to We would like to use this opportunity to of Palestinians by the Israeli government
follow the list of signatories.] attend a film festival directly sponsored remind Mr Makhmalbaf of the fact that by joining the BDS movement.
Open Letter to Mr. Mohsen Makhmalbaf: by the Israeli government represents, Palestinian civil society has appealed to As Iranians ourselves, we know the
Please Be a Messenger of Freedom for particularly given that he is being international artists not to take part in realities of state-sponsored oppression,
Iranian and Palestinian People prominently honored by the festival with cultural events taking place in Israel while violence and brutality against innocent
We, the undersigned, are a group of a special tribute. Israel continues to ignore United Nations civilians. This is especially true with
Iranian scholars, artists, journalists and Mohsen Makhmalbaf is a prominent resolutions, to flout international law, regards to the Baha’i community, the
activists who are deeply concerned by Iranian filmmaker who for years has and to deprive the Palestinian people subject of Makhmalbaf’s latest film.
the recent decision of Iranian filmmaker depicted the harsh realities of the most of their most elementary human rights. We recognize the repression that led
Mohsen Makhmalbaf to take part in the marginalized sectors of Iranian society In the past three years many prominent to Mr. Makhmalbaf’s own exile, and
Jerusalem International Film Festival in vivid detail. His 1989 Marriage of the artists have responded to the appeal by we sympathize with his suffering as a
from July 4-13, 2013. His participation Blessed, for example, staged the reality of refusing to appear in Israel, and others filmmaker who has been persecuted by
directly violates the International call for Iran-Iraq war and showed us the ethical who had initially accepted this invitation the Iranian regime. At the same time we
Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) and political struggles of ordinary subjects have cancelled their performances, insist again on the political and ethical
of the State of Israel issued by Palestinian within violent contexts. He showed us preferring to show their support for the responsibilities that we as human beings
civil society in 2005, as well as the specific how to bear witness to the reality of struggle of the Palestinian people against have to resist oppression and tyranny
call for Academic and Cultural Boycott of violence. His continued persistence on Israeli oppression. wherever they may be.
Israel issued in July 2004. truth and justice has forced him into exile
As human beings of conscience, we are from his homeland. How can we forget
appalled by the brutality Palestinians what he himself taught us when the
undergo at the hand of Israeli occupation plight of the Palestinians today demands
and we are supportive of the non- such a reckoning?
violent global BDS movement which We are deeply concerned that an artist
seeks to pressure Israel to implement so attuned to the brutalities of state
an equitable, just solution to the ethnic violence in his homeland would have
absolute disregard for the nonviolent
global BDS movement and its work to
peacefully pressure the Israeli state to
respect Palestinian human rights. As
Lawyers ICBC ﻭﻛﻼ Performing in Israel today is a political We cannot in good conscience stand
Claims ٦٠٤- ٩٨٢- ٤٠٥١ statement. Israel openly admits to by Mr. Makhmalbaf and his decision
604 - 982 - 4051 ٦٠٤- ٩٨٠ -٨٥٧١ using cultural events as a propaganda which will inevitably validate the Israeli
604 - 980 - 8571 tool, and we have no question that it occupation, apartheid and ethnic
will use Mr Makhmalbaf’s image for cleansing. We ask not only that Mr.
its global campaign to camouflage its Makhmalbaf stand with the Boycott,
systematic violation of the most basic Divestment, and Sanctions Movement,
Vol. 20 / No. 1248 - Friday, July 19, 2013 human rights of the Palestinian people. but that he be a messenger of liberation
Mr Makhmalbaf’s presence will be for everyone, including both Palestinians
instrumentalized as a token for Israeli and Iranians.
“tolerance” while Israel continues to
implement the most intolerant of colonial Signatures:
ﺑﺮﺍی ﻣﺸﺎﻭﺭﻩ ﺣﻘﻮﻗﻰ ﻟﻄﻔﺎ ﺑﺎ policies against Palestinian people, and
advocates the most unprecedented Institutional affiliations are provided
ﺁﻗﺎی ﻛﺎﻣﻴﻞ ﻟﻄﻔﻌﻠﻰ and crippling sanctions against Iranian for identification purposes only. Views
people. Mr Makhmalbaf’s films will be expressed represent only individuals, not
screened before a segregated audience. organizations.
Only a few of his Palestinian fans in Gaza
. ﺗﻤﺎﺱ ﺑﮕﻴﺮﻳﺪ،ﻭﻛﻴﻞ ﻓﺎﺭﺳﻰ ﺯﺑﺎﻥ or in the West Bank- to say nothing of Ali Mirsepassi, Professor of Middle
the 4.5 million Palestinian refugees Eastern Studies and Sociology, New York
elsewhere who are similarly denied free University
movement in their homeland- will be Alireza Doostdar, Assistant Professor of
allowed to come and watch this film. Islamic Studies and the Anthropology of
Kamil Lotfali, lawyer Religion, University of Chicago
The Jerusalem International Film Festival Arang Keshavarzian, Associate Professor
ﺳﺎﻝ ﺗﺠﺮﺑﻪ ﺣﻘﻮﻗﻰ٣٠ ﻣﺆﺳﺴﻪﺣﻘﻮﻗﻰ "ﻧﻮﺭﺕﺷﻮﺭﻻ " ﺑﺎﺑﻴﺶﺍﺯ- is being held at Jerusalem Cinematheque, of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies,
located in between three Palestinian New York University
villages that were ethnically cleansed Asef Bayat, Catherine and Bruce Bastian
ﺩﺳﺘﻤﺰﺩیﺩﺭﻳﺎﻓﺖﻧﺨﻮﺍﻫﻴﻢﻛﺮﺩ، ﺩﺭﻳﺎﻓﺖﻧﻨﻤﺎﺋﻴﻢICBC ﺗﺎﺧﺴﺎﺭﺕﺷﻤﺎﺭﺍ ﺍﺯ- by the State of Israel in 1948. The ruins Professor of Global and Transnational
ICBC ﺩﺭﻳﺎﻓﺖ ﻫﺮﮔﻮﻧﻪ ﺧﺴﺎﺭﺕ ﺟﺎﻧﻰ ﻭ ﻣﺎﻟﻰ ﺍﺯ- of these villages today overlook the Studies and Professor of Sociology and
Cinematheque. We cannot forget, as Middle Eastern Studies, University of
the Israeli government wants us to, Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
NORTH SHORE LAW43 the history and the memory of Dayr Azadeh Shahshahani, National Lawyers
LLP Aban (1948 population: 2,436), Jarash Guild
6th Floor, 171 West Esplanade, North Vancouver, B.C. (1948 population: 220), and Bayt Nattif Banafsheh Madaninejad, Faculty,
(1948 population: 2,494), as well as the Southwestern University
klotfali@northshorelaw.com struggle of their refugee descendents
