Article Added On: June 02, 2009 - over 2 years ago
Title: In the face of persecution, Baha'i man's faith still strong
Original URL: http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1593462
Author: SAL BOMMARITO
Publication: Brantford Expositor
Publication Date: June 01, 2009 - over 2 years ago
Faith Groups: Baha'i
Themes: religion in politics, other

Ron Jacobs is a study in serenity while sitting at the back of a downtown coffee shop.

From time to time, his gaze seems to focus on some distant point as he contemplates the plight of the world's Baha'is.

The 83-year-old city man, who has the appearance of someone younger, is a member of the local nine-person Baha'i spiritual assembly. He seems at peace while discussing recent developments in the arrest and detention of seven Baha'i leaders by the Iranian government.

On the surface, it appears to be a contradiction that Jacobs harbours no bitterness, hatred or anger toward authorities holding Behrouz Tavakkoli, Saeid Rezaie, Fariba Kamalabadi, Vahid Tizfahm, Jamaloddin Khanjani, Afif Naemi and Mahvash Sabet.

As a Baha'i who places harmony and unity above all else, he is precluded from admonishing the Iranian government despite his obvious concerns for the welfare of the seven detainees.

"We still love the Iranian people," he explains. "It's the things the government is doing that we object to."

It's paradoxical that a religion based on tenets that there's only one human race and that all the world's religions represent stages in the revelation of God's will and purpose for humanity should face such discrimination in Iran.

"Baha'is are a peace-loving people and obey the laws of the country," said Jacobs.

It's been more than a year since Iranian officials arrested the seven, who co-ordinated spiritual and community affairs for the religion.

The deputy prosecutor of Iran announced earlier this year that the prisoners were facing charges of "espionage on behalf of Israel, insult to the sacredness of Islam and propaganda against the regime."

However, Baha'is around the globe, including 15 members of the faith in Brantford, are still waiting for the captives to be formally charged.

"They have no legal representation and aren't allowed to meet with family members," says Jacobs.

"They've been held for over a year with no charges. Every time Iran makes a move, there's a groundswell of outrage, then they back off for a while."

Jacobs admits that, despite international condemnation of Iran's human rights violations, the government there hasn't budged on its position that the seven detained leaders are Israeli sympathizers and, therefore, a threat to the country.

He says the arrests are more examples of the ongoing persecution of Baha'is living in Iran, where a Persian nobleman called Baha'u'llah (glory of God) founded the religion in 1844.

"Their belief is very strong," he says of the 300,000 followers who remain in Iran.

"Many of them will never be allowed to leave. They can't get travel documents. The Iranian government is confiscating their properties, they're not allowed to hold jobs and their children are not allowed to pursue higher education."

That the mistreatment of Iranian Baha'is has captured world attention is a bittersweet triumph for a religion Jacobs describes as "the newest kid on the block."

Baha'is walk a fine line between keeping their difficulties in the public eye and lobbying world governments for action without being partisan, which goes against their values.

Recently, both the Canadian and British governments issued strong statements of support for Baha'is, urging Iran "to immediately release the prisoners and cease the persecution of members of their faith."

Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon announced last month on the anniversary of the incarcerations that "Canada continues to urge Iran to fully respect all of its human rights obligations, both in law and in practice."

Cannon also stated that the Canadian government believes the leaders "are being detained solely because of their faith."

The strength of their message lies in their beliefs, which have been praised by the United Nations, and have influenced and inspired many great leaders, including Canada's Lester B. Pearson and Pierre Elliot Trudeau.

Today, the Baha'i international community at the United Nations is accredited with consultative status at the UN Economic and Social Council, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and many other agencies.

In Iran, lawyer and human rights activist Shirin Ebadi, a Muslim who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003, has been condemned and even received death threats for defending the imprisoned leaders.

In Canada, the Baha'i community numbers about 30,000, some of whom have come to this country as refugees from Iran.

"They can't believe it when they come here. They can talk to each other and they can meet freely. They think they've died and gone to heaven. People here are very grateful to the Canadian government."