December 7 (16th  Azar solar Calendar) marks the Students Day in Iran. On this day in 1953 three students activist were shot dead at the hands of the former monarchist regime. This day has since than been remembered by the students as day of defiance against oppression. The Islamic regime has banned this day. In the past few years progressive and militant students, in the face of the all the dangers and threats have in one form or another commemorated this day. This year, the Iranian authorities, in a pre-emptive move, under the pretext of air pollution shut the entire education system for a few days to prevent student protests. In a rally organised at Tehran university on December 11, the following statement was read out and supported by the participants. The original text is in Farsi .KOMONIST

 The statement adopted by students at the Teheran University Rally on the occasion of the Students Day

 16th Azar (December 7) is the day of freedom and resistance against despotism and injustice. We wholeheartedly salute this day. We, along with other oppressed masses in this capitalist society, call for the return of the all wealth, resources and oil revenues to their rightful owners, the people. We, on this day, together with the deprived people, call for the elimination of destitution and hardship. For us, 16th Azar, is the day of human emancipation from all the discriminations based on class, gender and race. In today’s Iran, students are the proponents of freedom and equality for all the citizens.

 This day, is not a day to praise students but a day to celebrate liberty and equality. We here declare that for us, the students day, is not an official day to celebrate the students’ conformity and submissiveness. It is a day to reaffirm our commitment not to succumb to reaction and suppression.

 We call and fight for a world free from class exploitation, political suppression and gender discrimination. In this path, we consider ourselves as part of the toiling masses in the country, the world working class and all the freedom loving people of the world. Any other ways of bringing about changes such as reform of current regime, federalism, advocating racial differences and foreign intervention are not acceptable. The only alternative for us is returning to human values and humanity. We, therefore, present the followings as our demands:

 

  1. Immediate and unconditional withdrawal of all the security establishments from the universities
  2. Release all the imprisoned students and bogglers (Over 300 students are currently in prison). Lifting bans on banned publications. Reinstatement of all sacked students and compensating them.
  3. Unconditional freedom of organisations for all the workers, students and independent NGOs. The freedom of expression must be respected and no one should be allowed to violate it.
  4. We condemn discrimination against women and the sexual apartheid and demand the abolishment of all discriminatory practices against women.
  5. The current society is founded on capitalism and profiteering. Poverty, exploitation, prostitution, drug abuse,.. are part and parcel of this system. We fully support the struggles of all the workers, employed or unemployed, all other toiling masses teachers, nurses and doctors and together with them we will endeavour to build a society worthy of human beings.
  6. We condemn the recent attacks on Kurdistan and the attack on the offices of the Syndicate of workers of the Vahed Bus Company and we demand the punishment of the perpetrators of these attacks.
  7. We condemn the prosecution of the five labour activists in the city of Saqez, accused of organising May Day rally, and demand their immediate and unconditional release. The students movement declares its full support to these workers
  8. The nuclear issue has now become a major international concern. The content of the current publicity campaign is to cover up the building of nuclear weapons at the first place and cover up dumping of the nuclear waste in the deprive areas. We are against military use of nuclear power and against the destruction the environment dumping of nuclear waste. We call for a world free from dangerous nuclear activities.
  9. We struggle bring about an overhaul of the current academic practices and the way the students and staff relationship is organised.