Fortieth Day of Martyrdom of Dozens of Baloch and Call for Action Today, Wednesday

Today, Wednesday, November 18, marks the fortieth day of the martyrdom of dozens of Baloch who took to the streets in protest against the aggression of a Sepahi member against a Baloch girl.

Today, the people of this city cry out for Balochistan, which has been overlooked for decades and denied everything. One of those killed is Khodanoor Lajei, a cheerful and vibrant young man free from his city’s problems, who danced. Khodanoor’s dance and that image of him tied to a pole represent the ultimate contradiction and a mirror image of the entire era in which we live. The beautiful innocence of life has been chained, and now the repetition of his name cries out his legacy.

The people of Iran have announced that today they have come to the streets to seek justice for our oppressed countrymen in Zahedan and will not allow their blood to be trampled. This nationwide call is for the people of all of Iran, especially to be held in Tehran as well.

The people of Iran, especially Tehran, have announced that in no historical period have we looked at one another with such widespread scope and such closeness of heart. The Islamic Republic government wanted to frighten us with separation, but they do not know that we have now become blood brothers and sisters. Today we carry the grief of a brother; we in Tehran and other cities commemorate our brother’s fortieth day in Sistan.

Today we all stand beside our Baloch brothers. We have stood firm and will fight to reclaim Iran, so that we no longer witness these injustices.