This year we are welcoming the arrival of 8th of July, the fifth anniversary of the university students' epic uprising for democracy in July 9-13th 1999, at a moment when the student movement itself has arrived at the threshold of a very significant development. This movement which suffered from the influence and control of the Islamic Republic's ruling apparatus and its related branches in the past years, has come to full grasp of the fact that the realization of its democratic ideals and objectives are only possible in lieu of critique of the ruling system and abandonment the groups and currents the system sponsors.
After the failure of the so-called "reform movement" we have witnessed great changes within the universities' Islamic and reformist groups. Their radical and fundamental critique of the "reformist" current, which mostly focused on its ideological beliefs and principles, has resulted in great changes for the student movement.
The plan for formation of a Student's Parliament by the OCU (Office of Consolidation of Unity), which until very recently was regarded as the student arm of the reformers and one of their most important bases, and publication of a 10 page proclamation which emphasizes necessity of political independence of universities, unity and formation of a unified front participated by all student groups, indicate important changes within the student formation. The students' departure from the reformists' camp and their radical ideological stance against the ruling power and declaration of presence and participation of all student and secular groups in the Student's Parliament clearly underscore fundamental changes in OCU and their allegiance with the democratic political currents.
Failure of reform and, subsequently, the student movement's rejection of the reformers' beliefs and views, and also their thrust towards modern and secular concepts can be very much witnessed in their current literature. Even a casual glance over the statements of the Islamic councils associated with the universities is enough to see that a new chapter in their political dialogue has been opened.
As a result of an internal process, a significant portion of the student movement body that had suffered great losses by following the reformers, engaged in a critical analysis of the ideological foundation of the reformist currents. Concepts such as religious democracy, religious enlightenment, function within the framework of the constitution, fighting the agendas through the parliament, adherence to law, government accountability, invincibility of reforms, and many of the reformist slogans and mottos are now subjected to serious doubts by the student movement.
Experiences of losses of past years became the impetus for revising and restructuring the ideological foundations within the student movement; so much that now Islamic political literature have been replaced by modernist views.
The so-called reformers who by insisting that the "system can be reformed," tried to maintain their political hold on the society, weren't able to deliver with their claims and rapidly lost their status and position within the society and headed towards political annihilation. The analysis of the reasons of the reformists' failure is indeed a very educating lesson by itself. Their thought process which was a product of two contradicting elements, religion and democracy, eventually failed to meet the society's heavy demands and was subjected to severest criticism.
The reformers' haphazard views that lacked any originality garnered no more than confusion and chaos for themselves and their followers. In a way, utilization of conjoined contradictory terms had effectively transformed them into strange amphibious political creatures during a period of transition from tradition to modernity! Their beliefs were supposedly based on worldly and rational interpretation of religion, and they aimed to structure a socio-political system based on Islamic concepts. But the results were that the paradox of religion and democracy denied them a clear and realistic observation of the truth and the important fact that it is the human's own volition that forms the basis for a political establishment.
With the view of government as an organism, within the context of modern philosophy, and rationalism, as the sole provider of order in the social arena and rejection thereof of any connection between the human mind and the supernatural, the basis for the modern government as a product of man came to being and citizens right of participation, which is the pillar of democracy, came to stand against the traditional world of a heavenly prescribed system relying on guidance from above! So therefore, by a comprehensive observation it can be said that the modern political school of thought, which is the vehicle for democracy, by departing from religion and "heavenly power" and arriving at concepts of self-belief, earthliness, and refuting sanctities through critical rationalizing, rejects any point of basis outside of the confines of society. Hence terms such as "Islamic Republic" or "Religious Democracy" can only be products of pure rational disarray.
In another aspect, the reformers failed to reform the system of Islamic Republic due to existence of unbreakable bonds that they enjoyed with the system. They knew very well that taking steps towards changes could cause the collapse of the totality of the system and that was not an outcome they desired. So they consistently chose the side of the system against establishing the rule of people. It became apparent that the reformers sole objective had been to come to power and to realize that goal they set aside fulfilling the needs of people. They were not true to their mottos and eventually met defeat. Undoubtedly, the reformers' defeat wasn't only because of the conservatives' disruptive interference, rather it was due to their own dishonesty with the people.
The incident of 9 July 1999 was by itself a telling example of the reformers' political double standards. While people were out in the streets supporting the students, the reformers by bringing pressure on the student movement and forcing the students to just conduct a sit-in in the campus, effectively separated the students from the people and laid the grounds for the crackdown on their uprising. In this midst, the role of Khatami and his explicit orders to crackdown on people is also very important to note as he always hurries to support the government of supreme jurisprudence whenever there is a popular action.
But what is sprouting today out of the ruins and ashes of the reform movement, is the growth of modern thinking, rationalism, and humanism which will push religion out of the political arena. We can definitely call today the end of tradition and beginning of the modern era in which the role of the student movement and their transition out of the reformism is very significant. A secular current, which in the beginning was called the Third Force, has emerged out of the depth of the society and is going to become a powerful replacement to the current rule by reliance on secularism and rejection of religious interference.
But it must be kept in mind that what is being called the critique of reforms isn't just an analysis of a bankrupt political current. Rather, it is a critical look at the path of a historic evolution that is to bring about a great social renaissance. So therefore, the results of the student movement has now climbed in status from the level of change and reform to a greater level of society's push towards modernity and rationality. That can be a historic turning point in the entire eastern world.
In this venue, the most determining factor is existence of an organizational and structural function within the student movement that must take more than 1.5 million students into its mold. Success in a political struggle can not be achieved without group and organizational work. So creation of student organizations and expansion of theoretical and analytical work within the universities, and dissemination of ideas out of the universities through an organized mechanism for the purpose of elevating people's level of political knowledge and creating hope and a sense of belief in self among them and a purpose to fight amongst the youth are of the most important affairs that must be integral parts of the student organizations agendas.
As it honors the 9th of July event and cherishes the memory of all freedom fighters and political prisoners in Iran, The Student Movement Coordination Committee for Democracy in Iran (SMCCDI) requests from the noble nation of Iran to keep alive the epic struggle of this great day with their all out presence in the ceremonies and shout their slogans for freedom of political prisoners and liberation of Iran from the clutches of despotism.
Long live Freedom!
Long live Secularism!
Established be Democracy!
Tehran, July 8, 2004 (18th Tir 1383)
The "Student Movement Coordination Committee for Democracy in Iran (SMCCDI)
