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April 02, 2005
Zahra Kazemi
Let us recall the words of then Prime Minister Jean Chretien following the murder in Iran of Canadian journalist, Zahra Kazemi.
"I am very unhappy that they would take a journalist and kill a journalist. It is unacceptable and I protested very strongly, but there is nothing I can do to bring her back to life," Mr. Chrétien told reporters after a cabinet meeting.
One year after Canadian journalist Zahra Kazemi was kidnapped, tortured, raped and murdered by agents of Iranian fascism Jean Chretien went on a goodwill visit to Iran on behalf of Alberta-based gas industry interests. Canadians knew this. We read an open letter by Kazemi's son Stephan, published in the National Post.
My conservative friends are outraged at the criminal inaction of our government either against the fascists or for our citizens and the people of Iran. We should all share their outrage. But let us not forget the business interests that explain much of our government's decision to maintain good relations with Tehran. Here is an earnest question: how much money are those mining and petroleum interests pumping into the Conservative party as well as their adversaries across the aisle and the government of Iran? I am serious. We need to know the answer to this question if there is to ever be a credible alternative to the thieves currently running our country.* I find it difficult to believe our former Prime Minister is the only vampire living the good life at the price of Zahra Kazemi's blood.
This is one time I believe we can all agree, "no blood for oil." And while we are at it... the hell with sanctions. We should declare our intention to topple the regime entirely. I am not certain what it means for this country that the only public voice I heard this week imagining "regime change" as a possibility is a former MuchMusic VJ.
This is yet another failure of our federal government but it is just as much a failure for the rest of us. Why isn't, for example, Jack Layton calling for the fall of fascism in Iran? Where is Margaret Atwood's voice now we find more evidence of a Handmaid's Tale turned into flesh and blood? Why isn't every shareholder and every customer of every Canadian corporation doing business with Iran demanding free elections and the immediate arrest of Kazemi's murderers? Why are we, as a free people presented with evidence of an atrocity and with certain knowledge of the fate that befalls anyone who crosses Iranian fascism, not making a decision of our own to bring about the liberation of Iran? It certainly sounds like an empty threat but I expect we could manage a round or two to congratulate the Israeli pilots we can all pray will presently be removing Iran's nuclear armaments capability. It is more likely come that day the federal government, the Toronto Star and the CBC will be having vapours over a violation of "international law" and have quite forgotten the torture, rape and murder of this Canadian and countless more like her in Iran. But then we have already been reminded that the loss of Canadian citizens with darker skin or the wrong sounding last name to terror and despotism does not count for much among our political and media establishment.
*Let's not forget the wheat industry (via Ben). It sounds laughable but we are presented with the spectre of wheat, barley and canola companies setting our foreign policy because they want to do business with rapists. Every dollar these bastard companies donate to political parties should be traced and made public. "No blood for bread."
Update: The Tiger in Winter and Let It Bleed offer further comment.
Posted by Ghost of a flea at April 2, 2005 06:27 AM
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Comments
Well put.
Posted by: Alan ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.ghostofaflea.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at April 2, 2005 09:13 AM
Indeed. By all rights, this should be a multi-partisan reaction. The Iranian government has violated everyone's standards of moral decency in this case.
Posted by: Ben at April 2, 2005 11:36 AM
Don't expect much from Atwood or her artistic supporters because, Nick, the only place The Handmaid's Tale was supposed to become real was Amerikkka, don't you know.
Posted by: rick mcginnis at April 2, 2005 09:11 PM
I had a look at the Canadain Wheat Board statistics: while about 8% of our wheat exports go to Iran, that represents over a third of their wheat imports (both on 10-year averages). Let the theocrats go without bagels and croissants, I say!
Cheers,
Dean
Posted by: Deaner at April 6, 2005 05:11 PM
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