IRGC Intelligence Agents Arrest Arab Aid Workers in Guriyeh Village, Khuzestan
Karim Daheimi, a human rights activist from Khuzestan, told the Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that two rescue workers from Khuzestan, Ahmad Kaabi and Yaqoob Kaabi, were arrested by IRGC intelligence officers on Friday morning, April 6, while they were helping flood victims in the village of Gorieh. According to Daheimi, nine people who had gone from Mahshahr to Gorieh village were also arrested on Sunday evening, April 8. In recent days, people living in Khuzestan have voluntarily gone to help flood victims in the province.
Karim Daheimi, who lives in London, said, referring to internal sources in the village of Guriyeh : “ Ahmad and Yaqoob Kaabi, who were working in the camp to provide aid, were arrested by the IRGC intelligence agents for unknown reasons, and we still do not know where they are being held. ” According to this human rights activist, Ahmad Kaabi, 36, a master’s degree holder in law, is married and has two children. He is a cultural activist in the city of Shushtar. Also, according to Karim Daheimi, Yaqoob Kaabi is also an artistic and cultural activist in Shushtar.
Gorieh village is one of the villages in the city of Shoaibieh, in Shushtar County, Khuzestan Province. In recent days, many people from surrounding cities have voluntarily gone to Gorieh village and other villages in Shushtar City to provide assistance.
Karim Daheimi told the campaign about the reason for the arrest of these humanitarian workers : " We still do not have accurate information about their arrest. But according to information from friends in this village, these Arab youths themselves wanted to distribute the food and aid they had collected among the people and were arrested due to their disagreement with the officers and their argument with them. Some also say that the IRGC arrested these people in advance, who were known activists and some of whom had been arrested before. "
Regarding the reason for the disagreement between Arab youth and the IRGC over the distribution of goods and food among the people, Karim Daheimi said : " Today I have news from inside that some youth from the city of Hamidiyeh who wanted to take food and blankets to the flood victims were stopped by security forces. The officers said, 'Get off, we will take you and your belongings because the route is dangerous.' But halfway through the journey, they transferred some of the belongings to another car in response to their protests. And they only transferred a small part of the belongings to Guriyeh. In recent days, there have been many clashes between Basij and IRGC forces and Arab relief workers living in Khuzestan over the issue of distributing relief supplies."
On the other hand, Gholamhossein Ghaibparvar, head of the Basij Mostazafan Organization, claimed on April 9 that the “counter-revolutionary” media is trying to pit the people against the IRGC and the Basij during the floods. He said during his visit to the flood-affected areas of Khuzestan Province : “ The counter-revolutionary media is trying to pit the people against the IRGC and the Basij through dishonest propaganda, and they will take this mortal wish to the grave. ”
The head of the Basij, Mostaezan, stated that " there is no need to worry ," adding, "The Basij and the IRGC have been with the people during the difficult flood conditions and have used all their resources to help the people and alleviate the suffering of the flood victims." However, contrary to what Gharibparvar believes, many people in the flood-affected areas of Khuzestan have protested in the released videos about the lack of facilities, the lack of food and clothing, and the inaction of IRGC officers.
On the same day, April 9, a video was widely circulated on social media showing a flood-affected Khuzestan citizen protesting against the governor of Khuzestan. The citizen told Gholamreza Shariati, the governor of Khuzestan, who had gone to inspect their situation, “You are not helping us because we are Arabs. We have nothing left. Why are you not helping us when you go to Syria? ” The governor of Khuzestan insultingly told him , “ Don’t talk nonsense. You are an anti-regime, uneducated person. Go outside. Go. What are you talking about? ” and his bodyguards escorted the protesting flood-affected citizen away without receiving a response.
Social media users, civil and political activists, and journalists expressed their strong protest against the Khuzestan governor's behavior. Mehdi Gademi, a journalist living in Iran, wrote on Twitter: "Seeing a disrespectful governor call a flood-stricken citizen who is protesting "uneducated, anti-regime" was the most bitter scene for me in the past few weeks. When there are whispers in Khuzestan that they are directing water towards Arab villages so that they will drown first, the duty of every official is to build trust, not to make enemies of the tired and angry people."
Former political prisoner Abdullah Momeni wrote on Twitter : "The dwarf and uncultured manager's response to Khuzestan Governor Shariati's response to an old man complaining about poverty and misery is a sign of Lympneism and shows the decline of the moral determinations of some government officials, which is damaging the spirit of the nation. Managers like this are so fascinated and intimidated by power that morality is dead to them."
Majid Dori, a former student activist and prisoner of conscience, wrote on Twitter: "#Shariatism The governor of Khuzestan, in response to the protest of an Arab citizen, calls him an opponent of the uneducated system. Really, Mr. Governor! A servant of the system! What is the news about the construction of the Karun sanctuary? What is the news about the tower that was being built in the middle of Karun? How much of the budget was wasted there? Why were these permits issued? Who gave the permits?
Journalist Nelly Mahjoub also wrote: "#Shariati_Governor_of_Khuzestan What kind of crisis manager are you? How can you allow yourself to be caught up in stigmatizing people? #Flood "Shut up. Be ashamed of the people who work with their hearts and souls and those who came to help their people. Because these are all people, people. Understand."
Journalist Saba Azarpeik also tweeted: "The security and intelligence agencies are #Shariati_ Governor_ of Khuzestan Teach how to deal with people in distress and with houses that have been destroyed! This GovernorIt provokes people! If Alavi was the Minister of Information or Aziz Jafari of the IRGC were in this scene, they would certainly speak calmly and cheerfully to this Arab compatriot. #Flood_Khuzestan»
Another user, Shahin Milani, also tweeted criticizing the silence of parliamentarians over the flood, writing: "The Arab citizen who asks the governor of the Islamic Republic about spending in Syria is actually mocking the incompetent parliamentarians who have not even once mentioned the costs of intervening in Syria."
Journalist Shahram Rafizadeh also wrote: "#Gholamreza_Shariati Governor #Khuzestan He does not allow a middle-aged flood-affected protester to speak, asking him, "Are you doing anything for us Arabs (Iranians) or just for Syria?" and angrily tells him, "Don't talk nonsense, you uneducated opponent of the regime, go away, I said go away." #Khuzestan_Flood»
Another user, Agha Bahman, wrote sarcastically: "They called the governor of Khuzestan from Syria and said: Now you have to be a little more restrained."
Another user named Ilya wrote on Twitter: "You have no right to tell people what to think or not, Mr. Governor! People like to ask why their money is being spent elsewhere, you are the one who is uneducated and doesn't know how to talk to people." #Shariati_Governor_of_Khuzestan»
In the more than two weeks since the floods began in various parts of Iran, news and protest videos have repeatedly been released showing the presence of IRGC and Basij officers in flooded areas. There have been promotional videos of IRGC officers standing in the middle of the flood, smiling at the camera, and chanting slogans or praying, promising to improve the situation.
Source: Human Rights Campaign
