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Pakistan Quake Photo Exhibit Opens
By Pouneh Qeisardehi
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Visibly shaken Pakistan Ambassador Iqbal Ahmed Khan ponders over photos of Pakistani earthquake victims at TehranÕs Artists House, Nov. 20. (Photo by Amir Rajabi)
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TEHRAN, Nov. 20--Pakistan’s Earthquake Photo Exhibition opened on Sunday at Artists House in memory of the quake victims and in sympathy with the survivors.
Organized by Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO)’s Cultural Institute, the exhibit captures the full-fledged human catastrophe in all its poignancy.
The inaugural ceremony was attended by ECO Secretary-General Ashkat Orazbayalso, foreign dignitaries, Iranian officials and journalists.
Addressing the ceremony, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Iran Iqbal Ahmed Khan thanked the international community for assisting the quake-stricken people of Pakistan. He also appreciated the Iranian government’s “swift, sensitive and substantive assistance“.
“The Pakistani nation rose to the challenge and is determined to rebuild the affected areas with the assistance of the international community,“ he said.
On Saturday, world donors pledged nearly $6 billion in aid for the rehabilitation of survivors.
Images speak louder than words. This strikes viewers in full force.
Photographs by Maryam Bakhshi, a young Iranian photojournalist who works for the Persian daily Jaam-e Jam, create indelible images of human hope and suffering.
The photographs were reminiscent of the devastation caused by the killer quake that hit the central Iranian city of Bam in 2003, which also left thousands dead in its trail.
The extent of human suffering caused by the 7.6-magnitude earthquake that hit large terrains of Pakistan on October 8 cannot be described in words.
The earthquake affected 30,000 sq km of land and left in excess of 70,000 dead and thousands injured. Nearly half of the affected are said to be under the age of 15.
The exhibition, held at Artists House (Mousavi Shomali St., Taleghani Ave.), will run until November 24 and is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
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Poet, Translator Passes Away
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Manouchehr Atashi
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TEHRAN, Nov. 20--Iran’s famed contemporary poet and translator, Manouchehr Atashi, passed away in a Tehran hospital.
Atashi, who had undergone kidney surgery, was rushed to a CCU ward due to heart problems following the surgery, ISNA reported.
Atashi was born in Dashtestan, Bushehr province, in 1931. He came to Tehran in 1960 and studied at Tehran’s Institute of Higher Education. He received his BA in English Literature before beginning to teach in Qazvin’s high schools.
Atashi began publishing his poems since 1954 and became one of the renowned contemporary poets. His first book of poems ’Another Song’ was published in Tehran in 1960. His other works include ’Song of Soil’ (Tehran, 1968) and ’Meeting at Dawn’ (Tehran, 1969).
Atashi translated a book titled ’Fontamara’ by Italian novelist, Ignazio Silone, in 1969. His other translations include ’The Woman of Andros’ by Thornton Wilder and ’Lenin’ by Vladimir Mayakovsky.
Atashi’s book was awarded ’Book of the Year’ prize two years ago. He was also appointed as the literary luminary of the current Iranian year (March 2005-6).
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President Seeks Majlis Advice
TEHRAN, Nov. 20--Majlis First Vice Speaker Mohammad Reza Bahonar said President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad seeks his advice in many cases.
Bahonar also told reporters on Sunday that the chief executive might have closer ties with some lawmakers and not with others, IRNA reported.
He, however, pointed out that he was informed about the proposed candidate for the post of Oil Ministry after Ahmadinejad had taken his decision.
The MP stressed that lawmakers are not the only advisors of the president.
Bahonar further said President Ahmadinejad has the right to decide for himself after seeking the advice of people.
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Mubarak, Mottaki Confer
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Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak (r) meets with Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki in Cairo, November 19. (AFP Photo)
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TEHRAN, Nov. 20--Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki met with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo on Saturday and the two discussed grounds for regional and international cooperation.
Mottaki and Mubarak met on the sidelines of a three-day conference in Cairo to promote national reconciliation in Iraq, a statement released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry said, IRNA reported.
“Developments in Iraq, Syria-Lebanon crisis, the Palestinian problems and Iran’s nuclear dossier were among the topics discussed at the meeting alongside aspects of bilateral cooperation,“ it said.
Mottaki delivered President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s message to Mubarak, the statement said, without elaborating on its contents. The minister also appreciated Egypt’s support for Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear technology.
Mubarak described the ambience governing relations between Tehran and Cairo as “appropriate and positive“, stressing the need for strengthening cooperation between the two countries, according to the statement.
Iran and Egypt have not had diplomatic relations since the 1980s, but the two Muslim countries have maintained diplomatic contacts.
Meanwhile, Mottaki and his Syrian counterpart Farouk Al-Shara on Saturday stressed solidarity between the two countries in the face of escalating foreign pressures, the Syrian state news agency SANA said.
The two met on the sidelines of the Iraqi reconciliation conference and discussed Iraq as well as the UN investigation into the killing of the former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Al-Hariri.
Syria is on the receiving end with accusations of complicity in Hariri’s killing in a February bomb blast in Beirut, but the country denies the charges.
SANA said Shara reiterated Syria’s determination to continue cooperation with the UN team investigating Hariri’s death, but urged that “the committee should not be manipulated o undermine security and peace in the region“.
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EU Nuclear Chances Dim
BERLIN, Nov. 20--A leading German expert said uranium enrichment is Iran’s right within the framework of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, noting that the chances of European Union in stopping Iran’s nuclear activities are dim, IRNA reported. In an interview with the German daily Der Tagesspiegel, Johannes Reissner of the Berlin-based Institute for International and Security Affairs said, “The European Union will hardly have any chance by continuing to insist on Iran to end its uranium enrichment. Iran will not be dissuaded. This would mean to forswear on something which, according to NPT, you are entitled to have.“
The political expert pointed out that Iran has repeatedly pledged to offer guarantees on the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
Reissner said it was ’unlikely’ that Iran’s nuclear dossier would be referred to the UN Security Council.
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AIDS Spreading
TEHRAN, Nov. 20--A survey conducted by the United Nations Program on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) shows that the number of Iranians diagnosed with the killer disease has doubled over the past five years, announced UNAIDS representative in Iran, Ali Yazdan, on Sunday.
Addressing the seminar titled, “Media and AIDS“, Yazdan said although a disease might enter a country through its borders, but the causes of its spread should be sought within the community itself, according to Fars News Agency.
“The best preventive measure is raising public awareness and educating the youth before they reach the puberty age through school curriculums,“ he said.
Yazdan added that countries in North America and Western Europe have had the highest success in curbing the spread of the disease at 20 percent rate while Russia and Eastern European countries have recorded the highest growth rate, nearly 300 percent.
“Iran, Africa, Central America and East Asia, each with growth rates of 100, 30, 40 and 60 percent respectively, follow,“ he said.
Recently, the head of AIDS Department of Health Ministry’s Disease Management Center said 11,930 HIV-positive people and 539 AIDS patients were registered by late September, ISNA reported.
Speaking at a gathering held at the Association for Supporting the Socially Distressed, Sedaqat noted that 1,377 patients had already succumbed to the killer disease.
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Sufficient
AFTAB-E YAZD: Criticizing the performance of incumbent government is both easy and difficult. It is difficult because it seems a bit premature given the short period that the new government has taken office. Easy in the sense that the new administration has acted in a rather naive manner. Although it is only four months that the Ahmadinejad government is in office, different sections of the government have already informed the nation about their performances and achievements. This indicates that the new government considers this short period as sufficient for reporting on its achievements. Although President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had made some promises during the June election campaign, his government has not fulfilled even some of the pledges.
Naming Names
AFARINESH: Head of the State Expediency Council, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani said that although campaign against economic corruption is essential, such moves should not target those who have nothing to do with corruption in its different forms and manifestations. To put it differently, the judiciary must be transparent while speaking about crime and corruption. Judicial officials should exercise caution and not speak vaguely or concentrate on generalities. When it comes to naming names of the corrupt, two different theories are floated.
The first says that the relevant body should not make public the names of those implicated, suspected or found guilty. As per the second, names of corrupt people must become public information irrespective of their power or privilege.Those who support the second theory maintain that by revealing the names of those involved in corruption will enhance the status of the government and concerned institution and convey the message to the masses that the ruling establishment is serious about fighting corruption and promoting openness and transparency.
Propaganda Machine
JOMHOURI-E ESLAMI: Some western states usually turn on the rumor mill about Tehran’s nuclear program concurrent with the meetings of the International Atomic Energy Agency. For example, they unleashed venomous anti-Iran propaganda when Tehran was in the middle of sensitive negotiations with the so-called EU3 to find a solution to the dispute and close the nuclear dossier. The newest case of baseless western propaganda is some laptop allegedly containing sensitive information about Iran’s plans to acquire nuclear weapons that has fallen in the hands of the Bush administration! Hitler’s propaganda boss, Joseph Gobbles, believed that a lie should be so ridiculous that the people accept it as truth. This is exactly what the regime in Washington is pursuing towards Iran’s peaceful nuclear program. Since the US is Israel’s top bankroller and ardent supporter, it is natural that it does not want to see Muslim countries, especially in the Middle East make progress.
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From: Aidoh@aidoh.dk> To: Iran-daily@iran-daily.com Subject: Unique Protest in Belgium Date: 2005/11/18 10:46
An eight-meter high biblical Golden Calf coated with 24-carat gold foil will take the lead in a procession of artists, the Clown Army, samba dancers and citizens. They will siege the banks in Ghent, Belgium, to denounce the unethical investments of banks.
The two-ton heavy Golden Calf in bronze and pure gold created by the controversial Danish artist Jens Galschiot will join the Gold Fever event organized by Netwerk Vlaanderen on 23 November. The calf will be carried along the banks on the Kouter Square and then raised on its six-meter high legs. The sculpture will stay on the square until 10 December, International Human Rights Day.
Netwerk Vlaanderen has just launched the report “Where are the borders?“ in which especially bank groups AXA, DEXIA, FORTIS, ING and KBC are blamed for their cynical investments in arms industry.
Belgian campaigner Mathias Bienstman says: “One can see the Golden Calf as a symbol of the idolatry of return and profit. The sculpture will call the banks to account. Why do our savings go to weapons, dictators, sweatshops and other unethical investments?“
The following groups and collectives will participate in Gold Fever:
* A team of artists with Jens Galschiot (DK)
* Orchestre International du Vetex (BE/FR)
* M.O.M. (BE)
* Sambagroep JNM (BE)
And the Clown Army, Cirque del Mundo and co-workers of Nieuwpoorttheater
More information about Gold Fever: www.mijngeldgoedgeweten.be
Mathias Bienstman, mathias@netwerk-vlaanderen.be
Further information and photos available on
http://www.aidoh.dk/?categoryID=136
Jens Galschiot, 51, sculptor, stakes his art to defend the ethical values of our society, regardless of political, religious or economic interests. He is internationally known for his art manifestations, especially “My Inner Beast“ set up in 20 European cities as a warning against increasing racism and “The Pillar of Shame“ erected in Hong Kong, Mexico and Brazil as a remembrance of bloody massacres.
Netwerk Vlaanderen vzw campaigns for another approach to money. Not the maximum profit, but global justice counts. In her new campaign, Netwerk Vlaanderen demands the banks to develop a human rights policy on investments. Savings of clients may never go to companies and projects that violate human beings and their rights.
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