SERIOUS RELIGIOUS DISSIDENCE IN QOM

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEHRAN 0389



Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic

Review 30 JUN 2006



E.O. 11652: GDS

TAGS: PINS IR

SUBJ: SERIOUS RELIGIOUS DISSIDENCE IN QOM



1. IN MOST SERIOUS INCIDENT OF THIS SORT FOR YEARS, 5

DEMONSTRATORS WERE SHOT DEAD AND 9 INJURED WHEN POLICE

OPENED FIRE ON A CROWD ATTEMPTING TO OCCUPY A POLICE

STATION IN THE HIGHLY RELIGIOUS CITY OF QOM JAN 9. A

POLICE OFFICE AND 3 POLICEMEN WERE INJURED BY THE

DEMONSTRATORS AND ONE 13 YEAR BOY WAS TRAMPLED TO DEATH

IN THE STAMPEDE THAT FOLLOWED THE SHOOTING.



2. INCIDENT OCCURRED ON ANNIVERSARY OF LAND REFORM

LEGISLATION PASSED IN 1963. IT FOLLOWED A MUCH MILDER

PROTEST BY STUDENTS OF RELIGION SHOUTING ANTI-NATIONAL

SLOGANS ON JAN 7 THE 42ND ANNIVERSARY OF REZA SHAH'S

DECREE ABOLISHING THE VEIL FOR WOMEN.



3. ON THE 9TH A MOB OF PROTESTORS ARMED WITH STONES,

IRON BARS, AND WOODEN STAVES REPORTEDLY RAMPAGED THROUGH

THE STREETS SMASHING WINDOWS OF SHOPS AND DESTROYING

PREMISES OF REASTAKHIZ PARTY HEADQUARTERS. THEY THEN

TRIED TO TAKE OVER A POLICE STATION, DAMAGING POLICE

VEHICLES OUTSIDE. POLICE WARNINGS AND WARNING SHOTS INTO

THE AIR WENT UNHEEDED, AND POLICE THEN FIRED INTO THE

CROWD.



4. INFORMATION ON THIS INCIDENT WAS RELEASED TO THE PRESS

BY PARS NEW AGENCY AFTERNOON JAN 10. SAME INFORMATION WAS

GIVEN TO DCM BY COURT MINISTER HOVEYDA AT SHAH'S DINNER

THAT EVENING FOR VISITING CODE.



5. COMMENT: DEMONSTRATIONS ARE BEING ASCRIBED BY POLICE

AUTHORITIES -- ACCURATELY WE BELIEVE -- TO CONSERVATIVE

RELIGIOUS OPPOSITION ELEMENTS (THOUGH NOT SPECIFICALLY TO

FOLLOWERS OF KHOMEINI OR TO ISLAMIC MARXISTS AS SUCH).

THIS IS FIRST TIME IN MANY YEARS, IN OUR RECOLLECTION,

THAT POLICE HAVE KILLED SEVERAL DEMONSTRATORS BY FIRING

INTO A CROWD. SEVERITY OF THIS INCIDENT WOULD APPEAR TO

ARGUE AGAINST THOSE AMONG THE JOURNALISTS AND OTHER

OBSERVERS HERE WHO HAVE SUSPECTED MANY RECENT INCIDENTS

WERE COOKED UP BY IRANIAN SECURITY FORCES TO IMPRESS THE

SHAH AND/OR USG. BY THE SAME TOKEN, IT IS POSSIBLE TO

CONCLUDE THAT RELATIVE POLICE LENIENCY, AS FOR EXAMPLE IN

LACK OF EFFECTIVE REACTION TO STUDENT DEMONSTRATION JAN 7,

ENCOURAGED MORE VIOLENT DEMONSTRATION WHICH NECESSITATED

VIOLENT REPRESSION TO PUT DOWN. AT LEAST IT IS CONCEIVABLE

THAT THE MANY PROPONENTS OF THE MAILED FIST IN GOI

ESTABLISHMENT MIGHT SO ARGUE TO THE SHAH AND PRIMIN

AMOUZEGAR IN EFFORT TO REVERSE RELATIVE LIBERALIZATION OF

RECENT MONTHS.



SULLIVAN



CONFIDENTIAL



Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic

Review 30 JUN 2006