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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 21, 1978)
Emerald Vol. 80, No. 57 Eugene, Oregon 97403 Champion Oregon runner Alberto Salazar outdistanced a field of over 200 runners to win the NCAA cross coun try championship Monday. Tuesday, November 21, 1978 Fresh Flake Flurries Photo by Dennis rtckoch Monday morning’s white blanket over Deady Hall didn't last a day, but the National Weather Service says Eugene might have snow for Thanksgiving. Today in Eugene, skies are dry, cloudy and cold, with 10 percent chance of rain. Highs are near 40 and lows 20 degrees. Boyd interviewed for State University where position, but he has now Eighty years after its creation in Poland, the ‘ artificial” language of Esperanto remains a tongue without a mouth. But Esperantists believe their lan guage is not dead. Pages 6 and 7. Thirty acres of radioactive sand fees buried near Lakeview. Federal funds may now provide the necessary money to permanantfy put this and other such sites to rest without danger to humans Page 12. Iranian group rejects protest against Shah By MIKE HOPKINS Of the Emerald While members of the Iranian Student Association marched in protest of the shah’s reign last Fri day, another anti-shah group of Iranians refused to participate. Members of the Iranian Muslim Association may appear identical to their ISA counterparts from the perspective of some American students. Both Iranian groups ad vocate the overthrow of Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, the es tablishment of a democratic gov ernment in Iran and an end to foreign, especially American, domination of Iranian political and economic affairs. But the Muslim group charges the ISA is “communist” and re fuses to associate with it. ISA member Ahmad Mobarez agrees that most people in his or ganization employ a Marxist anal ogy to explain Iranian historical developments, lo be an ibA member, he explains, one must advocate the overthrow of the shah and the establishment of a secular government based on the “toiling masses” of Iran. In addition, Mobarez says, the ISA regards the United States as the source of world imperialism and supports “progressive, anti imperialist movements" through out the world. The ISA condemns Russian and Chinese policies of support for the shah and opposes the -Moscow-aligned Tudeh Party, Iran’s Communist party, Mobarez adds. The IMA, on the other hand, re veres the exiled religious leader Ayatullah Ruhollah Khomeini, who advocates replacing the monarchy with a democratic Is lamic republic based on the Mus lim holy book, the Koran. Islam and communism, Khomeini pro claims, are totally incompatible. “If they (Marxists) come to power, they would establish a dic tatorial regime contrary to the spirit of Islam," Khomeini said last May. Ali Shariati and other IMA members echo this sentiment. “We won’t replace the shah’s dictatorship with a proletarian dic tatorship,” Shariati says. Ironically, several IMA mem bers formerly belonged to the ISA. Shariati helped found the University’s ISA chapter six years ago. Shariati explains he had re mained with the ISA until he says he saw Iranian students of Marxist orientation grow to dominate the group's ranks, substituting a Marx ist interpretation of the anti-shah movement for the Islamic view. As Mobarez explains it, the “leftist ideal” swept through ISA chapters on American campuses during the past five years, tending to alienate those who identified with Islam rather than some politi cal philosophy. Meanwhile, events in Iran influ enced Iranian student politics in the United States. Several older leaders of the Mojahedin, a group Mobarez says represented left wing Muslims opposed to the shah:' were imprisoned or exe cuted. Young Marxists assumed control of the organization and purged the 50 percent of its mem bership that refused to accept Marxist principles. wnen in spring, ly/oanewivio jahedin pamphlet appeared on an ISA information table in the EMU, Muslim members demanded its immediate removal. The ensuing heated argument almost had de generated into fisticuffs before non-Marxist Muslims stalked off angrily to form their own organiza tion. Today, the ISA at the Univer sity has about 50 members, ver sus-about 30 in the IMA. Neither group is anxious to pub licize their differences. Mobarez says his organization is “very dis appointed” with the IMA's hard line anti-Communist stance, pre fening that all “progressive” Ira nian students display a united front against the Shah. Another ISA member, Kaveh Ahangar. says his group always has invited the IMA to participate in anti-shah activities, but the Mus lims steadfastly have refused. Citing instances in Iran’s recent history where he claims, “Com munists have betrayed the Islamic movement,” Shariati believes Marxist elements among the anti-shah forces in Iran “will use us and when the time comes, they will attack us.”
