January 30, 2009

Open Letter (Part 3 to 5 of 5)

In second half of 2007, a group of students and followers of Master Ilia “M” Ramallah, signed and issued an open letter which was published in a plenty of Persian human activist websites and newspapers. The translation of its first and second parts was published here in previous posts. The rest of the "Open Letter" is as follows:


Open Letter (Part 3 to 5)

According to “Fars News,” four extra security and cultural institutes were ordered to strike against Ilia, his students/followers and all the other spiritual societies. There were television programs relaying subversive messages to the public, round table talk shows to survey new age spirituality, and false news publications about Ilia M. all over the news. Labels like ‘New Christ,’ ‘The next circle of Osho Rajnish,’ and ‘Krishna Murti,’ ‘Prophet of Faithless,’ ‘The Missionary of Idealism with No Religious Laws,’ ‘An Agent of the USA,’ ‘The Wizard of the 21st Century,’ ‘Mahatma Ilia,’ ‘Gandhi the Second,’ ‘Luther King,’ ‘Puppet of the West,’ ‘Atheist,’ ‘Apostate,’ ‘Innovator,’ ‘Corrupt,’ ‘The Cultural Leader of USA,’ ‘Con Artist and Hustler,’ ‘Advocate of Variety Manges,’ ‘Presenter of Spiritualism,’ ‘A New Religion labeled “Iliaism,” ‘The man who enchants elderly, men, women, and the children by taking away their religion from them,’ ‘A Corrupt Operator of Islam’ and many other shocker words were outwardly coming out of an independent resource. But in fact, these accusations emanated from one consequent institution which is made up of four great cultural and security institutions with the summary name, “The Department of Anti-Converse Religions and Cults” (also known as “Anti-Religions Agency” or ARA).

Shortly after, an extremist newspaper resumed offensive manuscripts against Ilia M. (presumably without any preview to their responsible manager), emanate from the ARA which called on the other judiciary and security officials to strike against Ilia. In the last inscriptions of this publication, there was a public announcement inviting them to refer to a specific court branch prepared for this matter and file any complaint against Ilia M. Months past, but there were no real applications, so the case was closed due to lack of complaint. Meanwhile, Ilia M. was scheduled to make a speech for approximately 100,000 attendants at the Azadi stadium, but was canceled by security and intelligence institutions. Very soon after, the ARA began striking against Ilia M.’s students. Some were fired from their government jobs. Most of the publications that were published by Ilia M.’s students or under his supervision were either shut down or limited, which created many new obstacles.

Four publications, Arts of Living, The Divine Living, Esoteric Science and The Motivators, were suspended immediately because some of the publications’ editors and writers were Ilia M.’s students and were working under his supervision. Some other publications, The Divine Thought, Children News, and Science to Success which were directed and lead by Ilia M., faced a new form of conflict. Other institutions (publications and art and cultural institutions) faced an unusual limitation and their inability to function was inevitable.

The book True Teachings (part of Ilia M.’s revised speeches, collected when he was 23 years old (11 years ago), his spouse’s publications, True dreams, A True Dream Is, The Divine Gardener, were banned and pulled out of the bookstores. Some of the store owners said that they received threats from some unknown agents and as a result did not want to risk selling those books.

Furthermore, NGO’s that were operated by Ilia M.’s students and based on cultural, contemplative, artifice, exploration, welfare, environmental existence, etc. were faced with either unsolvable obstacles or prohibited from activity.

Soon, the ARA decided that this procedure was not effective, therefore they created a new mission entitled “Confessions against Ilia.” They began issuing bench warrants for some of his relatives and close associates. In some cases, their homes were searched without any judiciary warrant; the ARA was hoping to find any evidence against him. Many literary works relating to Ilia M.’s teachings, or directed by his students, were opposed by ARA who were now acting in place of the Ministery of Guidance.

Apparently, the ARA had discovered an easy solution by striking against Ilia M.’s principles by the most ruthless techniques in existence: the assassination of his image in public and among his followers through the media. Character assassination through grimy lies has always been a common trick used by hypocrites throughout history. Today, we can find many examples of this kind in the Koran, the Bible and other holy texts.

In some congregations, there were false, skeptical accusations about Osho Rajnish, Krishna Murti, Sai Baba, the Dalai Lama and Gandhi. Now the next circle of scandals, with the same contents, were focused on Ilia M. Articles emerged that claimed that Martin Luther King scraped Christianity forever or how Gandhi had a dark past of liquidating thoughts or that the Dalai Lama is an American agent whose mission is to repel China and the Chinese spiritual propagation. Next, with the intention of creating a doubtful mind, they began introducing Ilia M. as a similar individual who lives in Iran. Finally, the combination of false accusations, deceptions and lies about Ilia M. resulted in a sudden attack on his residence. On May 30, 2007, the ARA, ravaged his literary works and arrested him while he was holding his two-year-old son. They put him in chains and took him to Evin Prison section 209, a place known as the slaughter house of thought and a killing ground for freedom.

The first days of his arrest, Ilia sent us a message from section 209: “do not encounter, take silence, think and analyse.” After a short time, the ARA began arresting some of Ilia M.’s students for various reasons. The prime charges were “blasphemy, campaigning against the Islamic regime, and endeavor against national security.” Almost everyday we heard news that Ilia M. faced intense mental torture. These actions were taken against Ilia M. for one reason and that was to record a fake confession film in which he would recant himself. In exchange, the ARA will promise to end the detention and execution of his students. We also heard some news from other political prisoners that Ilia M. was bleeding from his nose and ears, there was blood seen in his urine, he was given dubious injections, and that he was vomiting blood. Also, there was news that some high ranking religious officials requested to have recordings of Ilia M.’s voice and picture, so later the agents would use these materials with the students that were called in for questioning. Meanwhile, outside Evin Prison, you could hear and see the worst negative broadcasting against Ilia M. and the demolish of his character through psychological methods used by the ARA. This assassination was not limited to Ilia M.; they began sabotaging the lives of his students and his spouse. There were malicious lies and false accusations about their most private and personal life matters scattered all over internet sites, blogs, and publications on a daily basis. These personal and private life matters were discussed with his students by the interrogators of thought. There were threats made that they would get executed for having non-Islamic beliefs. They were telling students that even if Ilia M. was released from Evin, it would be short-term and conditional; he would be forbidden to write, give speeches, meet with his students, or leave Iran. These threats to arrest and detain his students were used as a lever to get confessions and build evidence against Ilia M. and became an ordinary affair at this time. It seemed like the circle of harassment could take a turn towards the devastation of their families as well. However, the the agents of terror were worried about their misconduct and their mistakes because in fact, there were some in the government who did not approve of these kinds of deeds. Consequently, the officials were soon to be tricked by special bulletins destroying Ilia M., prepared by the network of the ARA. Some of these officials were advised through an urgent letter “not to meet or speak with any of Ilia M.’s students.” At this time we found all doors closed between the followers and some officials. This agency put all of it’s efforts into ruining Ilia M.’s image in public and fundamentally silencing him by any means possible.

All of the sudden, speaking with or listening to Ilia M. was prohibited. What they were afraid of was Ilia M.’s effective charm on young people and some intellectuals, as if they didn’t want anybody to be mesmerized by his facinating words and thoughts. This destruction of Ilia M.’s profile had an ill result; in public, he was shown as the most dangerous phenomenon of our society. Some officials went further by saying that “he was a great danger to Islam and Islamic society”, and made many other strange accusations.

The issuing of bench warrants for students, arrests and calls for questioning were getting very serious. In some arrests made, while interrogating (all documented and to be presented later), they tried to show a false picture of Ilia M. in order to disconnect him from his followers and loved ones, using different methods to brainwash them through psychological torture and character assassination.

At this time a great movement began by Ilia M.’s students, a movement with the intention of mirroring the actions of the ARA, the ruthless hypocrites.

With this message to the ARA, “we can and will copy you,” we began our movement to protect and defend our teacher, Ilia M.

This short text is our first explanatory and apparent step against all fake Muslim Hypocrites and Cultural al-Qaeda who have their claws in many compounds of our thoughts and spiritual beliefs.

Many months ago, we received news from section 209, which indicated that our teacher was undergoing a new form of torture in order to comply with demands from high-ranking religious officials: to make a video tape in which he must recant and confess to his crime. In exchange, the agency will promise to prevent long imprisonment and execution of some his family members and followers. This criminal and inhuman action has not been confirmed yet, but being familiar with the agency’s operation (which is very similar to the Gestapos and today’s Al-Qaeda terrorists in Iraq who are entertained by beheading innocent people in front of the camera, all done in the name of God, the Quran and Islam) this news could be confirmed and the issuing of this report will lead to a global tremor. Therefore, at this time, we the followers of Ilia M. officially announce our resolution against sharing the same religion/beliefs with the cultural Al-Qaeda (ARA). We would rather die than have to live under the cruelty, even if they closed all the doors on us.

On September 1, 2007 part of a fake video clip was made in Evin prison in which Ilia M. is shown in prison, (this tape sneaked out of Evin prison by one of the video/film makers. Both the montage and original tape are currently in the possession of Ilia M.’s students and will be aired later on satellites if necessary). In this clip, Ilia M. says: “I intended to take over the administration and overthrow the Islamic regime.” But in fact this is how it was said in the original clip: “you want me to say that I intended to take over the administration and overthrow the Islamic regime?” The part “you want me to say that” was cut out of the fake video clip. As a result, the students made a similar bogus clip focusing on one of the involved agents to show them how easy they can be copied. This action by students was a slap on their faces, therefore they stopped broadcasting the clip on air. After the agency was informed about the existence of the original clip outside the prison, we stopped showing the tricks to distorting which was in a way much more advanced from the one’s made by those mobs.

Currently more than forty literary works belonging to Ilia M. revised from his speeches have been confiscated; the only one published is from a speech he made at the age of 23 (11 years ago). The rest of his works are soon to be published. In addition, there are more than 200 surveys and exploration projects which were being conducted under his supervision and were impounded by the butchers of thought, culture and morality.

There are many writers, scholars, teachers, and lecturers who were either directly or indirectly trained by Ilia M. himself, who are unable to practice their abilities and capabilities because they have been disqualified from giving any lectures or functions in public and all for the same reason, they have been disqualified from being connected to Ilia M. or his teachings.

For a long time, the agents and officials of the ARA have been asking Ilia M.’s followers and students to stop talking and corresponding with all domestic and foreign references and in return they will promise to free Ilia M. and close his security case. Yet despite this shrewd and suspicious request, today the “Society of Al-e-Yassin,” the largest academic and spiritual society of Iran, appeals to all officials and leaders, both inside and outside of Iran, to put an end to the injustice, unfairness, lies, forgeries, thought and belief interrogations, and captivity of our beloved teacher Ilia M.

Signed by many Students and followers of

Master Ilia “M” Ramallah