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Iraniai By Mark Platte Gamecock Staff Writer Opposition to the Shah of Iran and resulting violence from antiShah forces has elicited comment by Shahrough Akhavi, professor of government and international studies, and Abdu, an Iranian majvi nig ui mcuiH Hl Ut, wn? wished not to be fully identified. "The situation in Iran is something that I have been working on myself," Akhavi said. In 1975, he went to Iran on a leave of absence from the university on a Ford-foundation project through the University of Chigaco. Akhavi t aches several Middle East courses. "The demonstrations come not so much as a surprise to me because I see a lot of continuities between what's happening now and what has happened in previous The representative of th< leadership, should really to implement policy becc problem of political deve periods of modern Iranian history." MUCH OF THE turmoil can be attributed to the outstanding loyalty of the Iranian people toward Muslim religious leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who has called to the Iranian people to demonstrate against Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in a mass effort to dethrone their present leader. Abdu, a senior at USC and transfer student, said of Khomeini. "He is a religious leader. It is one aspect more than religion. It is loyalty and, second, opposition of the Shah of Iran. The popularity of Khomeini is due to the dislike of the Shah. Since Khomeini is respected and says the Shah must go, people want that because they don't want a monarchy." npiir<nvcr<kici ip ? ?1 ' " Ij offer expires [ j See our Holiday ij (Donday, Dec. 1 lit. v,i;norii\i)U9 UUUUSl OI Hie Iranian people seems to be that if the Shah is removed from power, peace would reign over Iran. f | 610 Harden Street I Columbia, S.C. 29205 95 i | (803) 254-9366 oy n leade "If the Shah was overthrown, that would be the first step," said Abdu. "The second step would be to start free elections. We want people who believe in democracy, and I don't see any reason why people shouldn't receive free VIVV- UVIIO "A lot of this turmoil would calm down, but for how long, I'm not quite sure. A lot of people are against the Shah for a lot of different reasons," Akhavi said. Abdu stressed that the fight is a political one. "People are saying that this is a religious movement, but it is not. "When the Shah became a power in 1953, he established Savad, the secret police in 1956. From that time on he abolished all political acuvny. Aii parues ana opposition was illegal. You couldn't argue e people, the civilian - be given an opportunity 3use it has been a serious slopment in Iran.' against the Shah or you were dead." Abdu, who has spent one year at Michigan State and \Vz at Oregon State, talked about political prisoners and the state of the Iranian economy. "You will find that in most families in Iran, they will have one person in jail as a political prisoner. You can see an increase in political prisoners from one person to 100,000 people and also, according to the media, over 300,000 people were in and out of jail during the year," he said. "The other side is the inflation and the economy situation. The money is in ine nands of a few. Just look at 1975: we had $20 billion income of oil but 75 percent of the people in Iran live in villages, have no electricity, have a lack of education and a lack of medicine. The money goes to the Shah for his troops and family. He buys the most sophisticated military equipment from the United States, France or England." fl Special I Package For 1 Istmas Savings! 1 Off any purchase I ; r 910 with this ad I Dec. 23. 1978 &! Fashions at DJ's, I 1th at 9:00 PfTl | rship d it could be that he will abdicate in favor of his son and that would be a compromise. I don't believe that the king will be able to maintain his position." "IF I WAS in my country right now, I would join the group which was the most effective in opposing Shah and helping to achieve Ami Opryland has more live music than Broadway! IE 11 i % + iuiiy-stagea musicals teat more than 450 singers, da actors, instrumentalists, 1 conductors, stage manage cians make Opryland the to break into show busine Work with top profef good salaries, and be seen count because Opryland i Auditions Schedule for 0 Columbia auditions will b University of South Caro \3|(yHome of American If Amml ?g 1EWCSSEC Opryland is an entertai rj Iff ? s., Sign Rus or call BE UNIQ isputed democracyAbdu said. "I feel my t country needs me in this situation, k and I want to go help them." Commenting about the final outcome of the situation in Iran, r Akhavi said, "I think that the king E has no hope of gaining back any j semblance of the power he has had. t I feel that probably he will go." I Both men agree that a solution to i Music Cil ? ; B ?pr> uring jM special evi incers, Jk Mr and abroac eaderIMBK/M for recording i PTfi and tfirhni- nmHnwa onrl nnK perfect place Opryland performe iss. Broadway producti jsionals, earn mercials, and netwc i by people who time shows! s in Nashville? Make your owi Opryland te held Tuesday, January 16,1979,1 lina, Russell House-Ballroom. lusic JtfW] for added information call or write All Live Entertainment Department, G gg| P- O. Box 2138, Nashville, Tennessc fnone: toiD) tHRH)WO. n nment property of the Xationul Ia(c and Accident Insura An equal opportunity employer Panhetlenic normal Kus arting Sunday, Jan. 2 up at Panhellenic Of jdent Activities Offio >sell House West Wir 777-2780 for inform iVIV **** VJU ? W t I topic he problem would be to give some dnd of power to the people. "The representatives of the >eople, the civilian leadership, should really be given an op>ortunity to implement policy jecause it has been a serious 1^1 llii 1 J 1 jrumeni ui puuucai development n Iran," Akhavi said. nd MS ty, USA! land groups perform ents across the U.S. i... special pruuucuons industry executives, lishers...and many rs liave gone on to ons, national com>rk (Revision primei break at Opryland! 1:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., Opryland USA * 37214 nee C ompany !8 fice s 19 % GREEK!