Memoirs of Marzieh Hadidchi (Part 21)

2017-12-12

Memoirs of Marzieh Hadidchi (Dabbagh)

Edited by: Mohsen Kazemi

Tehran, Sooreh Mehr Publications Company

‎2002 (Persian Version)‎

Translated by: Zahra Hosseinian

Chapter 2: Migration

Escape to England

In 1974, after discharging from hospital, I was still convalescing when I was heard one of our members has been arrested with a car full of explosives and weapons as he was crossing the border to enter the country. We knew him as "Mortaza". After tolerating torture and excessive pressures, he said that he has brought me those weapons, imagining I am still in the prison. While I wasn’t aware of that, and I did not know from where and for whom or which group he has brought them.

Due to the new situation, there was a risk of arrest. Some members of our group visited me and said that it is good for you and the organization to leave the country as quickly as possible. They were sure that I would be executed if I was arrested this time.

I needed my husband’s testimonial to accomplish the proposal of leaving country. Considering my difficult state, he did not object. In a short time, travel arrangements, in other words "my escape" was made. A faked passport provided for me and I was supposed to accompany a blind person who was planning to go to England for treatment. The works were done one after the other. The late Mohammad Montazeri sent my passport and ticket and other documents by one of the trusted members.

Trusted in God, we set out. Thanks to God we passed the customs clearance and airport control and stepped on the British ground!

As we arrived, I gave the taxi driver a written address, and he took us to an Indian hotel, in which the Iranian and the Asian gathered. After temporary settling and moving our properties, I took the blind to a clinic for treatment. Shortly after, the blind’s eyes were operated which unfortunately was in vain. After a few days the blind returned home just the same as he had come. And I stayed there with a world of loneliness.

I had no money for settling in the hotel and providing food; so, I asked the hotel manager to allow me to work there in exchange for accommodations. He agreed to pay me two pounds weekly, plus free breakfast. Most of the time I was fasting and often I broke my fast with two eggs I was given for breakfast. After a while, I got malnourished, but there was no way. And finally I got in touch with one of my friends. He took me to the meetings which were held on Saturday or Sunday every week. In these meetings, the Iranians came from London and other cities, and Dr. Soroush[1] spoke with them about monotheism, morality and religion and answered their questions. These meetings were very good and useful and the students and participants benefited greatly. Familiarity with Dr. Soroush and his family was a great opportunity for me and I needed to take advantage of the meetings. Dr. Ahmadi, Dr. Sharifeh Jafari and Mrs. Kazemzadeh were among the people whom I met in these meetings.

Dr. Soroush had leased a two-story building in London which was larger than other friends' houses; hence, many students and those who socialized with him, used there as a temporary residence.

After knowing of my livelihood in London, Dr. Soroush asked me to move to his house. And I lived there for a while. People like Dr. Soroush in London and Europe allowed the fighters to use their facilities. There was also a man named Abdullah, who had a house and allowed new arrivals accommodated in the rooms of his house.