In the early hours of 29 may 1979, Iranian militia waged a bloody massacre against the Arab population of Mohamarra city, whereby more than 300 Arabs were killed.
Below is an article by UNPO:
The 29th of May is a date carved in the memory of all Ahwazi Arabs. On that day, the massacre of Al Mohamarra took place over the course of three full days in 1979, the year of the Iranian revolution.
The Arab minority in Iran played an important role in the success of the Islamic Revolution, by participating in demonstrations and showing their dissatisfaction with the Shah’s rule.
By supporting the Revolution, Ahwazi Arabs had hopes their rights would be better protected in the subsequent regime. After all, Ayatollah Khomeini, the spiritual leader of the Iranian Revolution, had promised that all Arabs would be able to claim their full rights in case the Revolution succeeded. Sheikh Shobeir Khaghani, the spiritual leader of the Arabs in Iran, was, like most people at the time, deceived by these kinds of promises. Khomeini never intended to grant the Arabs their basic rights, and this became clear after the Revolution took place.
In the early days of the Revolution, Arabs in Iran used the political vacuum to establish cultural centers in different cities such as Ahwaz, Abadan and Mohamarra. The latter was considered to be one of the most active cultural centers, and many Arab activists from different backgrounds would engage in debates and activities.
In order to crack down on these activities, Khomeini assigned Ahmad Madani as the military governor of the region. On Wednesday 29 May 1979, Madani announced “Zero Hour” at 4am in the morning; more than 300 Arabs were killed in a massacre that lasted three days. The name of the city of Mohamarra was changed into a Persian name khoramshahr, in an attempt to erase the Arab identity of the town.
On this day, UNPO wishes to commemorate the atrocities that took place in Mohamarra. UNPO furthermore condemns any violence committed against civilian populations, and wishes for the Ahwazi Arab population in Iran to enjoy full civil, political, cultural, human and economic rights.
– See more at: http://www.unpo.org/article/17187#sthash.pYizBPtT.dpuf
