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Jews were made to wear stars to identify them in Nazi Germany.
Human rights groups are raising alarms over a new law passed by the Iranian parliament that would require the country's Jews and Christians to wear coloured badges to identify them and other religious minorities as non-Muslims.
"This is reminiscent of the Holocaust," said Rabbi Marvin Hier, the dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles. "Iran is moving closer and closer to the ideology of the Nazis."
Iranian expatriates living in Canada yesterday confirmed reports that the Iranian parliament, called the Islamic Majlis, passed a law this week setting a dress code for all Iranians, requiring them to wear almost identical "standard Islamic garments."
The law, which must still be approved by Iran's "Supreme Guide" Ali Khamenehi before being put into effect, also establishes special insignia to be worn by non-Muslims.
Iran's roughly 25,000 Jews would have to sew a yellow strip of cloth on the front of their clothes, while Christians would wear red badges and Zoroastrians would be forced to wear blue cloth.
"There's no reason to believe they won't pass this," said Rabbi Hier. "It will certainly pass unless there's some sort of international outcry over this."
Bernie Farber, the chief executive of the Canadian Jewish Congress, said he was "stunned" by the measure. "We thought this had gone the way of the dodo bird, but clearly in Iran everything old and bad is new again," he said. "It's state-sponsored religious discrimination."
Ali Behroozian, an Iranian exile living in Toronto, said the law could come into force as early as next year.
It would make religious minorities immediately identifiable and allow Muslims to avoid contact with non-Muslims.
Mr. Behroozian said it will make life even more difficult for Iran's small pockets of Jewish, Christian and other religious minorities -- the country is overwhelmingly Shi'ite Muslim. "They have all been persecuted for a while, but these new dress rules are going to make things worse for them," he said.
The new law was drafted two years ago, but was stuck in the Iranian parliament until recently when it was revived at the behest of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
A spokesman for the Iranian Embassy in Ottawa refused to comment on the measures. "This is nothing to do with anything here," said a press secretary who identified himself as Mr. Gharmani.
"We are not here to answer such questions."
The Simon Wiesenthal Centre has written to Kofi Annan, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, protesting the Iranian law and calling on the international community to bring pressure on Iran to drop the measure.
"The world should not ignore this," said Rabbi Hier. "The world ignored Hitler for many years -- he was dismissed as a demagogue, they said he'd never come to power -- and we were all wrong."
Mr. Farber said Canada and other nations should take action to isolate Mr. Ahmadinejad in light of the new law, which he called "chilling," and his previous string of anti-Semitic statements.
"There are some very frightening parallels here," he said. "It's time to start considering how we're going to deal with this person."
Mr. Ahmadinejad has repeatedly described the Holocaust as a myth and earlier this year announced Iran would host a conference to re-examine the history of the Nazis' "Final Solution."
He has caused international outrage by publicly calling for Israel to be "wiped off the map."
Iran does not yet have nuclear weapons, but Tehran believed by Western nations to be developing its own nuclear military capability, in defiance of international protocols and peace treaties.
The United States, France and Israel accuse Iran of using a civilian nuclear program to secretly build a weapon. Iran denies this, saying its program is confined to generating electricity.
Iran religion plan appalling, says PM
May 20, 2006 - 7:24AM
Prime Minister John Howard has reacted with horror to a new Iranian law forcing Jews and Christians to wear coloured badges.
The Iranian parliament passed a law this week setting a dress code for all Iranians, requiring them to wear almost identical "standard Islamic garments", Canadian newspaper the National Post reports.
The law, which has yet to be formally approved by Iran's "Supreme Guide", Ali Khamenei, before it comes into effect, also establishes special insignia to be worn by non-Muslims - a yellow strip of cloth for Jews, a red badge for Christians and blue cloth for Zoroastrians.
Mr Howard said he had not been formally briefed on the law but if the report was true, it would be totally repugnant.
"It obviously echoes the most horrible period of genocide in the world's history and the marking of Jewish people with a mark on their clothing by the Nazis, and anything of that kind would be totally repugnant to civilised countries," Mr Howard said.
"If it is the case, it's something that would just further indicate to me the nature of this regime. It's a calculated insult - if it's true - not only to Christians but most particularly to Jews and therefore it has direct connotation for the state of Israel, which has been the object of hate speeches and speeches of vilification. It would be appalling."
The UN is currently trying to resolve a stand-off over Iran's nuclear program.
Mr Howard's Canadian host and counterpart, Stephen Harper, said the new law should help firm the UN's resolve to take action against the country.
"It boggles the mind that any regime on the face of the earth would want to do anything that could remind people of Nazi Germany," Mr Harper said.
"However, we've seen a number of things from the Iranian regime that are along these lines and the fact that such a measure could even be contemplated, I think, is absolutely abhorrent.
"And I would hope that as our allies wrest with the difficult issues surrounding Iran's apparent desire to obtain nuclear capacity, that they will reflect carefully on the nature of a regime that would even contemplate such actions or such thoughts."
© 2006 AAP
jillian said:And what's more scary is that it's nowhere to be found on CNN or Fox's websites. I did find an article about it in The Age, though.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/World...alling-says-PM/2006/05/20/1147545553617.html#
Bonnie said:I was thinking the same thing. None of the networks or cable news channels mentioned it either.
HopeandGlory said:I haven't heard anything about it over here in the UK either. This is truly frightening - the parallels are just too familiar.
Iran must feel it has largesse to do as it damn well pleases!
HopeandGlory said:I haven't heard anything about it over here in the UK either. This is truly frightening - the parallels are just too familiar.
Iran must feel it has largesse to do as it damn well pleases!
HopeandGlory said:I haven't heard anything about it over here in the UK either. This is truly frightening - the parallels are just too familiar.
Iran must feel it has largesse to do as it damn well pleases!
dilloduck said:Think it might be time for religions other than Islam to get the hell out of there?
Bonnie said:If I were a Jew or Chrtistian living In Iran now I'd be getting the hell out of dodge FAST!!!!!
I think the days of the rest of the world envisionsing some inside coup from Iran's youth happening have sailed into the sunset.
Yes it is, it was done 'recently' before. The following topic, along with the then 'threats' to blow up the Buddha carvings, had my 7th grade class mobilize a petition drive at our school and send it to Colin Powell, the then new Secretary of State. Note the date. We sent the petition within 3 days of the report, got a letter back from him saying that the situation was being looked into.Bonnie said:Iran eyes badges for Jews
Law would require non-Muslim insignia
Chris Wattie
National Post
Friday, May 19, 2006
http://www.canada.com/components/print.aspx?id=11fbf4a8-282a-4d18-954f-546709b1240f&k=32073
WOW this is scary!!!
23 May 2001:
Taliban Decides Badges For Hindus
PART I: The story according to the AP and other news sources.
PART II: Excuses, denial, and lies from Taliban & Jehadi sources
PART IV: URLs of Taliban/Jehadi propaganda sites that currently publish
justifications/revisions/denials of the Taliban Holocaust.
Part I
CITATION:
Salahuddin, Sayed "World Pressure on Taliban over Badges
for Hindus" Kabul: Associated Press 2001. Retrieved from
the World Wide Web at
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010523/ts/afghan_taliban_dc.html on 23 May 2001.
...
STORY:
The hard-line regime, which enforces its own strict
interpretation of Islam, has already faced harsh
criticism and international isolation for its treatment
of women and, more recently, for its destruction of two
giant Buddha statues dating back to the 5th century.
A Taliban Foreign Ministry official told ABCNEWS.com the
regime was considering a new policy that would require
Afghan Hindus to wear identity tags. It would also
require Hindu women to cover their faces in public like
other Afghan women instead of just wearing head scarfs.
In a telephone interview from Kabul, the Afghan capital,
Sayed Rahmatullah Hashimi said the proposal had not been
made into law yet and was still being considered.
Hindus, Jews Outraged
For the policy to be made official, it would have to be
approved by the reclusive Taliban supreme leader, Mullah
Mohammad Omar.
There were no details on what sort of identification
Hindus would have to wear and no date had been set for
implementation, Hashimi said.
The proposal has been widely condemned by Hindu groups
and Jews, who faced similar marginalization by the Nazis.
Although Muslims form the overwhelming majority of
Afghanistan's population, there are several thousand
Hindus and a small Sikh minority in Afghanistan. Most
minorities are traders who tend to live in close-knit
pockets across the Central Asian state.
While Sikh men are easily distinguishable by their unique
turbans, Hashimi said that if the new policy was
implemented, it would apply to the Sikh community as
well.
'It's for Their Security'
Hashimi said the identification of Hindus was a proposal
aimed at protecting both Hindu and Muslim Afghans.
"This is being considered because there are a number of
items that are illegal for Afghan Muslims - like shaving
their beards, watching TV and having idols at home. The
same things are allowed for the Hindu community. If the
Taliban asks them to wear badges, it is to be on the safe
side so that Hindus can be recognized," he said.
"This is not a discrimination against our Hindu
brothers," he added. "It's for their security."
Comprised of Afghans trained in religious schools in
neighboring Pakistan along with former Islamic fighters
or mujahadeen (holy warriors) who fought the Soviet
occupation, the Taliban follows a narrow interpretation
of Islam aimed at recreating what they call the "most
pure Islamic state."
But many Islamic scholars accuse the Taliban of abusing
Islam's tolerant tradition for their own ends.
Protests Erupt in India
As news of the proposals spread, there was widespread
criticism.
In Hindu-dominated India, angry protesters took to the
streets in the central Indian city of Bhopal, brandishing
a bearded effigy of a Taliban soldier and chanting,
"Taliban, die."
In the capital, New Delhi, a spokesman for the Shiv Sena,
a hard-line Hindu group, warned the new policy would
incite violent public reactions across the subcontinent.
"These are fundamentalist people, make no mistake about
it," said Mukund Mody, founder of Overseas Friends of the
BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party). "I wouldn't call it a
discrimination, I call it an atrocity."
The Hindu right BJP currently heads a coalition
government in India.
Nazi Overtones
For many Westerners, images of a minority population
wearing identification badges on their clothing called to
mind the start of the Nazi pogrom against Jews.
"Oh my God, we have learned nothing from history," said
Abraham H. Foxman National Director of the Anti-
Defamation League and a Holocaust survivor himself. "This
is going back to the Holocaust when Jews were separated
with yellow stars [of David]. . That led to 6 million
dead. One would hope that we had learned from history."
Mody called for international condemnation of the new
policy. "The world was slow to respond to Nazism then,
it's even slower to respond to this now because these
unfortunate people are from a different hemisphere. It's
difficult to get the West to respond until the fire
reaches their corridor."
The practice of forcing minorities to wear distinctive
clothing goes back to the Middle Ages, when Jews in
several European countries were forced to wear mandated
headgear and clothing to separate them from other
residents.
But it reached a crescendo in Nazi Germany, when policies
such as identification badges gradually led to the
Holocaust.
For Foxman, the resonances were especially disturbing.
"Back then, it was a marking for death," he said. "I hope
the world will wake up. It starts with monuments, now
it's marking people, what could be next?"
Foxman was referring to Taliban's destruction of two
giant Buddha statues in the Bamiyan province in March.
The Taliban's demolition of the statues, one of which was
once the world's tallest standing Buddha statue, drew
harsh criticism from the international community. The
statues were considered both religious symbols and
archaeological treasures.
Part II
CITATION:
Anonymous "Taliban and Emirate: Fine Rulers for an
Exemplary State" Afghanistan: "Islamic
Emirate"/Supporters of Shariah 2001. Retrieved from the
World Wide Web at
http://www.supportersofshariah.org/eng/taliban.html
on 23 May 2001.
STORY: (excerpt, italic/bold mine)
This article was published by the Islamic Emirate, the
official magazine of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. We
are pleased to make it available on our website for your
information. We have always supported the Taliban, mostly
because many of us have been to Afghanistan and have seen
their eforts and felt their sincerity in implementing
Shari'ah.
While the United States is celebrating a drop in crime to
28.8 million violent and property crimes, i.e. murder,
assault, property theft, etc., the Islamic state records
only a hand full of crimes since the Taliban has
implemented Shari'ah there. When I was in Kabul, the
calling of the prayer was announced (adhan) and merchants
quickly abandoned their goods to hurry to the Mosque.
When we all finished praying, there was no locks, doors,
alarms or chains to fiddle with, instead each merchant
resumed his position with all goods as they were left.
CITATION:
Anonymous "4 Top Rebel Commanders, 30 Others Killed"
Farkhar: Dharb-I-M'Umin, Internet Version 2001. Retrieved
from World Wide Web at
http://dharb-I-mumin.com/english/index.html
23 May 2001.
EXCERPT FROM STORY:
The Muslim world would be further strengthened if with
the mercy of Allah, Taliban succeed in their mission,
while God forbid, if the rebels succeed against the
Taliban, this would encourage anti-Islam forces in the
world. Under this situation, every Muslim in the world is
praying for the success of Taliban that would lead to
peace and prosperity in Afghanistan . The success of the
Taliban would enable Afghan Muslims to take part in the
process of development of the country and Taliban would
inform the Ummah about the blessings of Allah and real
meaning of Islam by establishing an exemplary Islamic
state.
CITATION:
Anonymous "Ufone and its Unethical Stand" Farkhar: Dharb-
I-M'Umin, Internet Version 2001. Retrieved from World
Wide Web at http://dharb-I-mumin.com/
english/index.html on 23 May 2001.
STORY:
The recently introduced cellular phone service 'Ufone' in
Pakistan, has not so far changed its stand on maintaining
a column of "mother's name" instead of "father's name" of
the subscriber. This decision of the authorities
concerned, while being against the religion of Islam and
religious thoughts and beliefs of Muslims, is also
against the social and cultural norms of, Pakistanis.
Despite strong criticism from various quarters, the
authorities who have taken this step for reasons best
know to them, are not only continuing with their ulterior
motive, but they have not even made their position clear
on the issue. This, proves that the influential Western
culture has badly infested our society and particularly a
certain class of people who are unable to differentiate
between right and wrong. This also shows that we have
gone sunk so low as to be least bothered about our
religion and traditions. Rather we avoid our culture and
traditions just to show that we are civilized and this is
all because we want to make our Western lords happy.
The authorities concerned are urged to immediately cancel
the form, carrying mother's name column, which is a
definite source of making fun of the Ummah and damaging
the prestige of the Muslim world. The officials concerned
must also extend an apology for their unwise decision.
The authorities should issue the correct forms to avoid
causing unrest among the people.
CITATION:
Anonymous "Saudi Honour for Afghan Hajj Minister"
Farkhar: Dharb-I-M'Umin, Internet Version 2001. Retrieved
from World Wide Web at
http://dharb-I-mumin.com/english/index.html on 23 May 2001.
STORY:
The Saudi government has honoured the Hajj Minister of
Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Maulvi Ghyasuddin Agha by
awarding him an honorary shield for his remarkable
performance during Hajj when he made all-out efforts in
providing the best possible facilities to the Hajj
pilgrims.
This shield was given by the Saudi Minister for Hajj,
Ayad Madani to the Afghan Hajj minister after reviewing
his services rendered to the Hujjaj after consulting with
Governor Makkah, Amir `Abdul Majid and Interior Minister
Amir Naif Bin `Abdul `Aziz.
According to reports, received from the Holy Land,
remembering the services rendered by Muslim rulers and
government officials, the Afghan Hajj minister was excel
in serving the Hajj pilgrims. Besides making better
boarding and lodging arrangements he also helped Hujjaj
in carrying out their Hajj obligations. The Afghan Hajj
minister even lifted the baggage of pilgrims on various
occasions. This led to a decision that the Afghan
minister was honoured. Taliban officials have presented
such examples on various occasions that are termed as a
valuable gift for the Ummah.
Their role is encouraging for the Muslims and a reason of
keeping the religious traditions alive. It is a live fact
that if Muslims take Islam in its true sense their simple
and selfless life would present an example of heaven on
the earth and they would be taken as marvellous community
instead of being considered as distressed.
Rulers and administration, through their simplicity,
sincerity and selfless service while win the favour of
masses they are remembered even after their decline or
stepping down from the power. If our rulers come to know
this secret of remaining alive in the hearts of people
they would leave no stone unturned to serve the nation
without any discrimination...
Bonnie said:I was thinking the same thing. None of the networks or cable news channels mentioned it either.
Nope, the same happened with Afghanistan, well the Buddhas got some coverage, but not the pieces of cloth. Don't you get it? The 'have nots' can do no wrong, evil only comes from US/West.jillian said:I heard it on my local newsradio. But doesn't the deafening silence strike you as odd?
Bonnie said:If I were a Jew or Chrtistian living In Iran now I'd be getting the hell out of dodge FAST!!!!!
I think the days of the rest of the world envisionsing some inside coup from Iran's youth happening have sailed into the sunset.
You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Bonnie again.Bonnie said:Iran eyes badges for Jews
Law would require non-Muslim insignia
Chris Wattie
National Post
Friday, May 19, 2006
http://www.canada.com/components/print.aspx?id=11fbf4a8-282a-4d18-954f-546709b1240f&k=32073
WOW this is scary!!!
Jewish MP denies Iran badge plan
From correspondents in Tehran
May 20, 2006
IRAN'S only Jewish MP strongly denied reports in a Canadian newspaper overnight that Iran may force non-Muslims to wear coloured badges in public so they can be identified.
"This report is a complete fabrication and is totally false," Maurice Motammed said in Tehran. "It is a lie, and the people who invented it wanted to make political gain" by doing so.
The National Post newspaper quoted human rights groups as saying that Iran's parliament passed a law this week setting a public dress code and requiring non-Muslims to wear special insignia.
Jews, Christians and Zoroastrians would be forced to wear a yellow, red or blue strip of cloth, respectively, on the front of their clothes, it said.
Mr Motammed said he had been present in parliament when a bill to promote "an Iranian and Islamic style of dress for women" was voted. "In the law, there is no mention of religious minorities," he added.
MPs representing Iran's Jewish, Christian and Zoroastrian minorities sit on all parliamentary committees, particularly the cultural one, he said.
"This is an insult to the Iranian people and to religious minorities in Iran," he said.
Australian Prime Minister John Howard said overnight, during an official visit to Ottawa, that "anything of that kind would be totally repugnant to civilised countries, if it's the case, and something that would just further indicate to me the nature of this regime. It would be appalling."
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said he had only seen reports about the law but that he would not be surprised by them.
"Unfortunately, we have seen enough already from the Iranian regime to suggest that it is very capable of this kind of action," he said.
"It think it boggles the mind that any regime on the face of the earth would want to do anything that could remind people of Nazi Germany," he added.
"The fact that such a measure could even be contemplated, I think, is absolutely abhorrent."
Harper's parliamentary secretary, Jason Kenney, told the House of Commons that Canadian officials were trying to verify the claims.
Diuretic said:
dilloduck said:Wow--maybe the media is making sure something is true before they jump all over it. Amazing !!!
Jewish leaders [in Iran] reportedly are reluctant to draw attention to official mistreatment of their community due to fear of government reprisal
jillian said:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persian_Jews
Jews have one representative in the Iranian parliament and he's forced, by dhimmi status, to take on the positions dictated by the Muslims.
Just curious....if this story came out of Nazi Germany, do you think they'd have said "yeah, sure. we're making jews, catholics, gays and gypsies be identified by special badges" or would they have said "no way"? You know, like they said there were no death camps.
dilloduck said:I personally have no idea what's really going on--I have to rely on others for my information too--I'm sure the Mossad knows if this is true and if its not, I'm sure they know who is making the claim.
My comment was a very simple statement stating basically that if there are conflicting reports, maybe the media is waiting for some verification before looking stupid again.
New Iranian law to require Jews to wear yellow band
By JPOST.COM STAFF
A new dress-code law reportedly passed in Iran this past week mandates the government to make sure that religious minorities - Christians, Jews and Zoroastrians - will have to adopt distinct colour schemes to make them identifiable in public, the Canadian National Post reported on Friday.
Under the new law, which still awaits final approval from Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Jews will have to wear a yellow band on their exterior in public, while Christians will be required to don red ones.
If the law is approved, it is scheduled to go into effect at the beginning of next year.
Internal Security Minister Avi Dichter responded to the new law Friday night, saying, "Whoever makes Jews anywhere wear the yellow star again, will find themselves in a coffin draped in black."
Furthermore, according to the law, the Iranian government has envisioned that all Iranians wear "standard Islamic garments" designed to remove ethnic and class distinctions.
The purpose for the law was to prevent Muslims from becoming najis "unclean" by accidentally shaking the hands of non-Muslims in public.
Ophir Paz-Pines, minister-without-portfolio responsible for culture, sports, science and technology, who is also a member of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee in the Knesset, called on the government's secretary to ensure the issue be immediately addressed during the next Cabinet meeting.
"The State of Israel was created after the Holocaust in order to ensure it would not be repeated. The yellow star is a bright red warning sign that obligates us to muster the entire world in the face of events there [Iran]."
Paz-Pines also called on Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to make the issue his top priority when he visits Washington D.C. next week to meet US President George W. Bush.
Meretz Chairman Yossi Beilin said, "Israel could no longer be satisfied with warnings, and that the moment Jews are forced to wear the yellow band, Israel must act to evacuate all Jews from Iran." He added that, "Israel must stand at the forefront of efforts to separate Iran's crazy and Hitlerite regime from government control."
"The new law resembles the Holocaust," said head of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles, Rabbi Marvin Heir, and warned that, "Iran was nearing Nazi Ideology."
According to Army Radio, Wiesenthal Center officials sent a letter to United Nations Director General Kofi Annan urging him "not to ignore" the new law, and reminded him that, "The world ignored Hitler for many years."
The new law was drafted during the presidency of Muhammad Khatami in 2004, but was blocked. That blockage, however, has been removed under pressure from current President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
According to Ahmadinejad, reported the National Post, the new Islamic uniforms will establish "visual equality" for Iranians as they prepare for the return of the Hidden Imam.
The final shape of the uniforms is yet to be established but there is consensus on a number of points.
The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations released a statement saying, "We have been seeking to clarify these reports but do not yet have confirmation. There are clear indications that various Iranian government agencies, including the Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, are working on new uniforms to be introduced in the fall.
