Ahmad Ahmad Memoirs (11)

Edited by Mohsen Kazemi

Ahmad Ahmad Memoirs (11)
Edited by Mohsen Kazemi
Soureh Mehr Publishing Company
(Original Text in Persian, 2000)
Translated by Mohammad Karimi

 Female Pioneers of Fight
When the families of Coalition members or the free ones became aware of the prisoner members situation, their first priority was to free their comrades or at least make a better condition for them in the prison.
A month after the martyrdom of the ones who killed Masour (Bukharai, Amani, Saffar Harandi& Niknezhad) while the worries of prisoners families were growing the other members of Coalition began thinking on a strategy to put pressure on the regime to create a better condition for the prisoners.
After long and clear consultations, the wives and family members of prisoners were advised to take the flag of fight in their own hand. They had always been sympathetically supporting their men in the past, but now they became forerunners in the fight to create a bigger epic in the history of the country.
The coalition chose Haj Mahmood Shafiq (Haj Mahdis brother) & me to provide and coordinate the womens gatherings. Of course, this matter was announced officially because of the stifling conditions.
It was decided that the meeting should be held in front of Prime Ministers office. We contacted the families and informed them about the time and place of the gathering.
It was in hot summer day of 1965 that about 150 veiled women gathered in front of Prime Ministers office to make a calm peaceful rally. We told them to go in front and we, the men, would follow them with a short distance and would watch and care the condition around.(1)
The women reached in front of Prime Ministers office. Some of began to speak including the sister of Martyr Sadegh Amani(2) who was a brave lady. She talked enthusiastically and it aroused the sensitivity of the guards. The guards took position but did not make any attack. Mrs. Amani declared whatever the prisoners families wanted. One of the guards started to speak to impede conflict and promised the announced demands of prisoners families would be considered.
We told the ladies:  "Dont be tricked and dont leave the place. These are hoaxes."  I saw some ladies were present there while carrying their babies such as Mrs. Amani. These scenes were full of beautiful epics. Mr. Mahmood Shafiq and I were there in all those enthusiastic hours watching around.
In the Coalition it was decided to continue the presence of women to achieve the goals. So in another program a meeting with the Ulema and grand ayatollahs in Qum was predicted. For this meeting we needed strong provisions. The necessary attempts were made. Some buses were rented to take the ladies to Qum. It was decided that Mr. Shafiq and I go along with the ladies.
The trip was scheduled to begin from Mohammadiyeh (Edam) Square. My mother, my sister and I were there at 8 oclock. The rest of ladies were also gathered there till 8:30 and moved toward Qum.
In Qum we noticed that other friends from Coalition were watching the condition around. Wherever we went, we could see their attempts and coordination. We did not feel strange there. Some people passing by might have greetings with us and go. We could understand they were from Coalition friends and had come for this assignment. We found out the possibility of meeting grand clergy and solving some problems had happened because of their communications and coordination.
The first meeting that the ladies could make was in Ayatollah Shariatmadaris office. At first one official there told: "His holiness is busy." We said: "What does it mean? We have come from Tehran to visit him. They have killed our youth; then you say he is busy? You are sitting at home and would not understand what is happening to our Muslim youth and us."
After a long discussion they went inside and then said: " Mister permitted…go inside the rooms and sit, his holiness would come right now."
We were guided to the rooms. It was an interesting scene. All the audiences were ladies and kids except Mr. Shafiq and me. We were also carrying one baby in our arms and one or two kids had their hand in our hands. The kids had become familiar to us and would call us "Uncle!"
After some minutes Ayatollah Shariatmadari came in. After greetings, ladies started to speak and explained the matter. At the end, Ayatollah Shariatmadari said: "Ok. Ill call the Senator and ask him to contact the court to check the conditions in prison and stop torturing your husbands and sons."
This meeting was over without any particular outcome. We came out of his office. It was noon then. Our friends told us to go to Ayatollah Golpayganis office. We said: "Its not a good time. We should feed the kids." They said: "Forget the lunch."
By the experience we had by going to Ayatollah Shariatmadaris office, I told the ladies not to care about the doorkeeper and enter Ayatollah Golpayganis office by force. After a short dialogue we were led to a very big room. Since it was near the noon, the weather had become warmer. The babies and small kids were irritated. The officials there brought a fan and turned it on. Mister came in after some minutes and ladies delivered their report of the events. Martyr Sadegh Amanis sister stood and began to speak: "They have arrested our husbands, brothers and sons and killed and tortured them and have made our kids orphans. And the Ulema are sitting in happy shadows and say it will be ok, it will be this and that…how long should we mourn for our children while the Ulema would not do anything?"(3)
Mrs. Amanis speech affected everyone in a way that all were weeping. Ayatullah Golpaygani who had not say anything till then took a handkerchief on his eyes and started crying because Mrs. Amanis enthusiastic speech. Then he went out of the room without saying anything. We had not got any result yet. We waited for some moments. Nothing happened. We had decided to go out that Mister came in and said: "…I see what a mischief has happened to you. I swear to Prophet that I will do whatever I can for you." Then he asked us to stay there for lunch. We did not accept first. Mister did not let us to go without having lunch and said: "these ladies and kids are tired and sad. Stay here and after having lunch and a rest, do whatever you prefer."
We happily accepted the Misters offer by heart. The lunch was ready and we had a delicious lunch there. We were much happier because of having lunch with the presence of Ayatollah Golpaygani. I still taste that delicious food under my teeth despite passing few decades.
About 3 oclock we came out of Ayatollah Golpayganis office and went to visit other grand clergy. After a complete propaganda attempt we returned Tehran and went to Ayatollah Khansaris office.
By these attempts "Islamic Councils Coalition" could survive its thoughts after the death of Mansour and the arrest of some of its members.

1- This arrangement was because of the weak possibility of attack by guard against the ladies. The regime would avoid such action to keep his prestige. Islamic Councils Coalition could success by using this technique and avoided the attack by guards.
2- At that time Mrs. Sadiqeh Amanis brother, Haj Sadegh, had been martyred and another brother of her (Haj Hashem) and his son (Assadollah Badamchian) were in prison.
3- Mr. Assadollah Badamchian says in his memoirs: "…My mother [Sediqeh Amani] had made a very enthusiastic speech in Ayatollah Golpayganis office in Qum that had made everyone including the seminary students and other audiences cry…"
Oral History Unit Archives-The Bureau for Islamic Revolution Literature
4-"Islamic Councils Coalition" was founded by the coalition of council of Amin-uddowleh Mosque in Darvazeh bazaar, council of Sheikh Ali Mosque and the council of Isfahanis in 1963. These councils were active individually before 1963 and the passage of Provincial Societies Bill and the related referendum in 1963. Most of the pioneers of these councils were sympathizers of "Islamic Devotees Community" and Navvab Safavis friends. They have written in their manifest that they have chosen a path for: "1-Better acknowledge of Islamic social and individual laws that each Muslim should obey. 2- Better acknowledgement of these laws for others. 3- Better execution of these laws. 4- Finding a clear and executable way for making an Islamic Society which is active and moving while being clean and safe."
(See: 1- Heyathaaye Motalefeh Eslami, Assadollah Badamchian, Ali BanaI; 2-Ashenayee ba Jamiyathaaye Motalefeh Eslami, Assadollah Badamchian)