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