The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, December 11, 1978, Page Page 8, Image 8
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!