Mahmudali Chehregani

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Mahmudali Chehregani (Azerbaijani: Mahmudəli Babaxan oğlu Çöhrəqanlı, Persian: محمود علی چهرگانی‎‎) (also known as Mahmudali Chohraganli) is an Azerbaijani separatist leader, born in Shabestar, East Azarbaijan Province, Iran, in 1958. After the expulsion[1] of SANLM (CAMAH) by Piruz Dilenchi, he founded (1995)[citation needed] the Southern Azerbaijan National Awakening Movement (SANAM or GAMOH), a separatist political group that claims to represent the interests of Iran's estimated 12 to 23.5[2][3][4][5] million Azerbaijani minority (approximately 16-25 percent of Iran's all population).[6] Chehregani was a professor[citation needed] of linguistics at Tabriz University.[7]

According to Professor William Beeman, "The Bush administration also flitered with supporting the Mujaheddin-Khalq (MEK) in their efforts to overthrow the Tehran government, and supporting Mahmud Ali Chehregani, leader of an Azerbaijani separatist movement calling for a federated Iran."[8][citation needed]

Biography

Chehregani's father was arrested and tortured on charges of treason and separatism during the era of the Shah.[9] Chehregani himself entered politics after his course teaching Turkish linguistics was closed by Iranian authorities.[10][unreliable source?] Chehregani was arrested by agents of Iran's Ministry of Intelligence in December 1999, effectively preventing him registering as a candidate for the Majlis (Parliament) election within the specified time. He was tried by a revolutionary court on charges including smuggling shampoo[citation needed], and sentenced on 18 February 2000 to six months' imprisonment. Amnesty International believed that "he has been imprisoned to suppress the non-violent expression of his conscientiously held beliefs, and as such was a prisoner of conscience".[11]

Chehregani went on a hunger strike on May 19, in protest at his unfair trial. He was transferred to the prison hospital on July 23, suffering from internal bleeding, and subsequently released from Tabriz prison on July 27, 2000, after six months in detention, when his condition had stabilised.[12] Iran lifted a travel ban on Chehregani in 2002, allowing him to meet with high-level government figures in Turkey and the United States. Since 2002 he lives in exile in the United States.

Political views

Language and culture

Chehregani's campaign focused on issues of separatism and anti-Iranianism.[citation needed] He argues Azerbaijanis are not of Iranian ethnicity, and has called for the teaching of the Azerbaijani language instead of Persian as the primary language in schools in Iran's Azeri areas,[7] arguing that it is guaranteed under Article 15 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which permits the use of regional languages in the media and in schools when used in addition to Persian.[11]

Separatism

In his speech in Center for Strategic & International Studies in Washington, DC, Chehregani declared the goals of his movement as follows:

"We support the territorial integrity of Iran and do not seek unification with Republic of Azerbaijan or Turkey. We do not want to live under the Islamic regime; we want democracy in Iran. We envision Iran in a federalist form that respects the rights of Azerbaijani Turks."[13]

However, Chehreganli has several times explained his objective was the absolute separation of Azerbaijan from Iran.[14] Chehregani has previously affirmed many times that federalism is an excuse for separatism and that he is a separatist.[15] He and his group have also set their aims on non-Azeri inhabited areas, specially areas inhabited by various ethnic groups including Kurds, Talysh and other Iranians.[16] Chehregani also considers the predominantly non-Azerbaijani provinces as Hamadan and Qazvin as part of Azerbaijan.[16] Chehregani, in an interview with GunAz TV, has claimed that he sees provinces which are not majority Azerbaijani, such as West Azarbaijan, Qazvin, Tehran, Arak and parts of Gilan and Kordestan as part of Azerbaijani territory.[17]

Chehregani used the word "Fars Kupaklari" (Persian dogs) to refer to Persian Iranians on CNN Turk.[18]

Kurds

He and a group of Azerbaijani nationalists wrote a letter to then president Khatami asking him to limit the birth of Kurds in Iran and has called Kurds in Western Azerbaijan as the guests of Azerbaijanis.[18][19][20] He considers the Kurds, who predate Turkic speakers in the area, to be guests in Azerbaijan and has reduced the numbers of Kurds in his statistics and has recently claimed[18] that "There are 500,000 Kurdish immigrants in Southern Azerbaijan. If they behave normally, there will be no problems, otherwise they will have to leave the same way as they came".[21]

Iraq

He and His group has also advocated the invasion of Northern Iraq by Turkey and considers Mosul and Kirkuk to be ancient Turkish lands under Kurdish occupation.[18][22][23]

References

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External links

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