1978_03 The Daily Collegian March 1978

              Commentary
Poverty, ruthlessness provoke Iranian strife
One of the greatest fears of the Shah
of Iran Is the student protest movement
which tos been fomenting during tbe last
seven years, both Inside and outside of
The students' main goal Is to bring
their cause Into the public eye.
Several Iranian students on the CSUF
campus talked recently about their
country --Its problems and its future.
"Iran is In the worst economic situation of any (country) In the world,"
said AU. "It Is one of the richest
countries but It has the poorest people."
"Workers are paid 25 cents an hour,
there are few doctors, Illiteracy Is 75
percent, and there are severe shortages
of food, water, housing, electricity, only
naming a few of Its biggest economic
problems," said a student we shall call
Hamld.
Hamld Is not his real name. It Is
the name he prefers to use to avoid
retaliation from the Shah.
"The fact Is that If other countries
did not send Iran rice, meat, eggs,
wheat and so on, aU the people in the
country would be dead In less than 31
days," said Ashraf, an economics student. "We are forced to rely totally
on other countries in almost allareas."
Most people do not understand why :
nany Iranian students like Hamld and
Ashraf eome to the U.S. to study. Ash-
raf explained, "In my country, more
than 3CO,OOOstudentsapplyforadrnlssloo
to a few universities each year. Only
30,000 are accepted."
"Because people are not able to get a
decent education, they are not able to
earn a decent living," said Ashraf. "The
average yearly Income In $100."
But Jaafar, another student at CSUF,
said the real reason for the bad economic
situation Is because of "tbe need for
the regime to satisfy foreign Investors,
especlany tbe United States, and their
demands for greater profits. Tbey do
not care about tbe struggling workers."
"We don't have unemployment Insurance or welfare," said Hamld. "So
the people had to do anything to feed
tbelr families."
Employers hire people who work 12
hour days under very bad conditions,
they said. Sometimes their wages are
reduced up to 30 per cent by taxes.
Many Iranians still cannot afford to move
Into houses. Instead, they live In small,
self-made huts, while the leaders of
Iran live tn homes worth minions of
dollars each. The Shah himself owns
five such homes.
Because of the drastic differences
between tbe rich and poor, there has
been growing unrest in Iran, Uie students
said.
"The people are rising up to fight
against the Shah's regime and U.S.
Imperialism," said Ashraf. "You saw
this recently In Washington, but in Iran
Itself the movement Is greater. In
Tabriz, the people recently bombed 76
banks and nine movies with molotov
cocktails. They also bombed the main
office of SAVAK (the Iranian secret
police organization). But much of the
news   Is  censored by the  UJ3. media.
Ashraf has been active on campus
in many demonstrations against Imperialism and its puppet Shah, but like
other Iranian students, she does not feel
this Is enough,
this is enough.
"In 1969, Iranians took to the streets
unarmed and without real leadership
to show their anger to the Shah's regime.
Over 15,000 patriots were murdered,"
she said.
"It was after this time that a new
kind of struggle was realized —the
people's armed struggle," said Hamld.
t have any choice
"The people did r
but to use arms."
On February 8, 1971, armed struggle
.was begun by the Organisation of tbe
Iranian People's Fedall Guerrillas
(OD?FG). At tbe same time the Organization of Mojahedeen of the People
(OMPI), which Is now at the bead of the
fighting, started their armed struggle.
When tbe people In the United States
bear the word guerrilla they think of ter
rorlsts. But OMPI and OIPFC are not
terrorists, they are patriots. They
are being kMed fighting for freedom ■'
said Hamld. j
The students agreed the people,
movement Is progressing.
"We will win Just as the people |_
Vietnam did and the time is near"
one member said. If the VS. withdrew/ we would have victory tomorrow."
Iranian New Year feted
An Iranian New Year merrymaking March 25 win Include
eating, dancing and singing at
the  Sheraton Inn at 5:30 p.m.
This event Is sponsored by
the Iranian Students Association
(ISA),  which   Is   a member of
the Confederation of Iranian Students. A shishkabob dinner from
6 to 7 p.m. will kick off the
festivities, which Include folk
dances, Persian music and group
dancing.
ISA representatives said
about 50 Iranian students have
been rehearsing a month and a
half for the program, which will
feature a puppet show In Persian
symbolicaUy criticizing the Shah
of Iran's regime and President Carter's poUcr towards that
country.
It will end on a happy note,
though, said the ISA representatives. "It win show that If
people get together, tbe victory
belongs to them."
Another play, In English, win
Involve tbe "Seven Sisters" of
the Shah. These "sisters represent seven big American corporations.
It will attempt to depict American Imperialism tn Iran, and the
way corporations are exploiting
Iran's resources, the representatives said.
Those sponsoring the event
said local Iranians respond favorably to the celebration, called
Norooz lnIran,because"Itshows
the real culture to the Americans,
and exposes tbe real nature of
the fascist Shah."
Tickets, which can be purchased In the student government
offices In CU 304, are $6. They
can also be bought at the Sheraton Inn before tbe celebration.
Club debt must be paid
"The Dally Collegian"
(Cont'd from pg. 1)
lution Tuesday asking tbe CSUF
Association to forego claims on
the money owed them as a result of the conference. Karen
Clark, AS legislative vice presl-
Ietter Is      being
drafted and win be
Association  erBirman, William
Holmes.
Holmes, who is also CSUF
executive vice president, said
be would have no comment until
be has received the letter.
Student leaves
dorm; confli ts
(Cont'd from pg. 4)
prised by Kong's claims.
Nicholas Roth, a physical therapy major, said, "we (snlUv
mates) are aU pretty loose an.
kld each other about different
things, but he might have taken
them seriously."
Kirk Peterson, the freshr_in
Usted in Kong's complaint to
bousing, said tbe conflicts probably stem from a "breakdova
In communication."
Roth feels that tn dorm ■
"you need a lot of give and
take."
They said Kong's departure
was unexpected, but had notle-
ed a change intemperamentfron
the previous semester.
Roth said Kong was "alrlf*'
'  last semester but "took a harder
line when be got back."
Despite these conflicts, IW
feel Kong should have gotten his
money back.
Kong acted on emotion firsi,
Roth said, without thinking about
tbe consequences of the actio.
bewas talcing.
Arnold said if it bad anybody
else besides Kong, without Ms
kind of personality, be mW*
agree with bousing; but Kong's
personality was "so different-
that Ms reasons are acceptable.
events
■» Free dance — "Tomcat,"
:■:•: on March 16 at 8:30 p.m. In
W CU Lounge.    Open to CSUF
5 students and their guests only.
"HIS Players"--Christian
6 theatre group performs
:x "Christ In the Concrete City"
» at the College Church of
g Christ, 1284 E. Bullard on
S March 17 at 7:30 p.m.
Intervarslty Christian Fel-
:••: Icrwshlp meets March 16 at
: 7 to 8:30 p.m. In the Univer-
':>. slry ReUgious Center on Shaw
v Ave. near CSUF.
Poetry reading — Don Jones
:■ at Upstert Crow bookstore
:•: and restaurant, Monday March
£ 27 at 7:30 p.m.   Admission
"Cuba: Island of Mystery,"
y Is tbe top of a slide show
;: to be held Thursday, March
jjj 30  at 7 p.m.  In Our Store
food co-op, 1940 Echo St.
Tbe show focuses on
:= changes In Cuba since the 1959
•: revolution. Also to be dls-
: cussed is this summer's XI
: Youth Festival in Cuba, which
; wlU be attended by   50,000
youths from around the world.
Cafl Mike Rhodes or Pam
:  Whalen at 229-1284 for more
Information.
A speech on "Nigeria and
. the New Economic Structure
.; of West Africa" will be given
':■ Friday, March 17 at the Col-
: lege Union Lounge at noon.
.; O. Eflong, assistant to the
•: Nigerian Consulate-General
:• In San Francisco, wlU speak.
: The event Is sponsored by the
CSUF Nigerian Students' Association.
(Photo by John Walker)
sports
Tennis -- CSUF vs. SF &
State, March 17 2 p.m. at g:
campus courts; CSUF vs. San :j:j:j
Jose State, March 28 at San •:■$
Women's tennis -- CSUF vs. ...
Sacramento State, March 17 y
Women's softball - CSUFS:
vs. West Hills College, March 8
16 at 1 p.m.
Badminton  --   Community:*
CoUege Invitational, Muti
at 9 a.m. g:;!
Track - CSUF, Fresno ...
Pacific, Cal State Bakersfleld ::::::
tri-meet March 17, 1:15 p.m. £.:
at campus track; CSUF at:¥*
Stanford  Relays,  March  18. ::g
CALENDAR
movies
Video Tape Programs -
"Cocaine Fiends," and"W.C.
Fields, Dentist," March
27-31, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
In the CoUege Union.
Free Movie — "Ida Amin
Dada," March 30 at 7:30 In
CU Lounge.
Friday movie -- "Annie
Hall," March 31, 2:30 p.m. in
IA 101. 7 and 9 o.m. in CU
theatre
Dance concert — Portable
Dance Troupe, nightly through
Saturday In John Wright Theatre at 8 p.m. Group performs the 1919 production,
"Soaring," choreographed by
rOama Pinska;''Shankar Concerto," with soloist Hae-Shlk-
Klm; "Water, Earth, Air and
Fire," by CSUF faculty member Ruth Grifftn; and "Song
for the Other, Song for Myself."
Baseball - CSUF vs. St,
Mary's CoUege, March 17 at
7:30 p.m.; doubleheadcr vs.:
St. Mary's, March 18 at noon;:
Central Vaney Baseball Tour- :■:•
nament - CSUF, CSU.LA;!.:
Portland State; Oregon State. ..
AU games at CSUF's BeidenS:
Field.
Golf - CSUF Classic iti
Fort Washington country club,::::
March 17-18; CSUF at Far-:;:
Western IntercoUeglate meetS
In Santa Cruz, March 22-24. JS
$    '
etc.
March 31 Is the las; hq
register for the Vintage Days:..:;
Crafts Falre. |:;:§
..Iranian  New  Years  cele-::x:
oration at tbe Sheraton inn, ■>:■:■
March 25 at 6 p.m.   Dinner .■':.•'
and entertainment    bad i
with $6 ticket. Call 268-29021
The San Fernando   Valley
College of Law    \
Interviews for Prospective Law Students
DATE: MARCH 29 TIME: 8=00-5:00
CAREtH PLANNING & PLACEMENT ROOM 207
' JOYAL ADM. BUILDING
Accredited  by  the  Committee  of Bar
Examiners, State of California. Three-year
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8383 Sepuiveda Boulevard
Sepulvedi (Lo« Anjeku), CA 91343
(213)894-5711
PLACE:
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