Students United For A Free Iran (campaigns Committee Motion)

Campaign Proposal Students United for a Free Iran Resolution WHEREAS, the world has recently born witness to the on going brutality of the Iranian regime when faced with dissident protestors, primarily students, pleading for democracy; and WHEREAS, to date, well over 120 000 political prisoners, many as young as 12, have been prosecuted, tortured and killed by the Iranian regime; and WHEREAS, hundreds of Iranian-Canadian and Canadian students alike at the University of Ottawa find themselves struggling with the need to defend the rights of their families, friends and fellow students in Iran; and WHEREAS, human rights organizations concerned with the issue are calling for tougher sanctions on the Iranian government for their continued crimes against humanity; and WHEREAS, the Canadian government prides itself on our human rights reputation yet has taken the route of silence following an initial statement by Prime Minister Harper on June 23rd 2009 condemning the “brute use of force” by Iranian officials following the arrest and prosecution of an Iranian-Canadian Maziar Bahari; and WHEREAS, the Supreme leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei, recently announced that the government should pay serious attention to Iranian Universities, threatening a crackdown and the cancellation of fall classes scheduled to begin Septermber 23rd following the use of intimidation tactics such as plainclothes security thugs sending students a message by storming a dormitory at Tehran University, wielding axes, and murdering approximately half a dozen students to discourage unrest; therefore BE IT RESOLVED THAT the SFUO adopt and support a campaign to promote the basic human rights of freedom of speech and assembly as well as unite in relaying the voices of Iranian students risking their lives for freedom and democracy to local policy makers, members of parliament and similar institutions throughout Canada, meanwhile condemning the inhumane acts of the Iranian regime against political activists across the country.

Strategy 1. The awareness of members of the uOttawa community about the ongoing demonstrations, prosecutions and crimes against humanity taking place in Iran, primarily against youth 2. Promoting support for the adoption of tougher Canadian foreign policy encouraging respect for freedom of speech and assembly 3. Opposing the current appeasement policies of the Canadian government with regards to the Iranian regime and their silence on the issue of the atrocities being committed Tactics 1. Speaker events with notable persons from the human rights community including past Iranian-Canadian political prisoners, former and present members of parliament, and human rights organizations 2. Letter-writing campaign to the federal government 3. Petition campaign to the federal government 4. Movie nights exposing the atrocities taking place in Iran 5. Student discussion forums to better understand and address the human rights issue at hand 6. An organized rally to express the support of Canadian students for the plight of students in Iran on parliament hill. Resources 1. Logistical assistance in booking rooms for speaker events 2. Placing petitions and letters at Campaigns outreach events 3. Coordinating meeting with BOG Student Representative 4. Coordinating meeting with uOttawa Center for Equity and Human Rights 5. Logistical assistance in booking rooms for movie nights 6. Minor financial assistance for posters for rally and movie nights