L’esecuzione di Farzad Kamangar
In memoria dell’esecuzione di Farzad Kamangar (di cui abbiamo già parlato a proposito del romanzo “Lullaby”) vi proponiamo questo intervento che ci ha mandato l’associazione Novel Rights, con cui collaboriamo e che vogliamo ringraziare.
Dear Friends and supporters, Today we mark “How did Farzad move so many people? Was it something in his voice, spreading across the internet and making him one of the most influential Iranian figures of 2010? Did he hypnotize us with his poems? His letters? Farzad Kamangar couldn’t stop his torturers from breaking his chin and teeth, but he was able to maintain the life within him through imagination and literature. “I won’t let them kill me inside,” was his goal—and he reached it.” |
Ava Homa/ Author; Lullaby
“I will eventually
get out of here. The butterfly that flew away in the night told me my
fortune,” Farzad Kamangar wrote in prison, shortly before the
Iranian government made the decision to place a noose around his
neck.
get out of here. The butterfly that flew away in the night told me my
fortune,” Farzad Kamangar wrote in prison, shortly before the
Iranian government made the decision to place a noose around his
neck.
It was on May 10,
2010—Mother’s Day—that Farzad’s mother heard through the
media that her son, who had been told he would be released, was
killed.
2010—Mother’s Day—that Farzad’s mother heard through the
media that her son, who had been told he would be released, was
killed.
“He had such a
tender soul. He loved his students to pieces. Spring was his favorite
season. He was born in spring,” his mother says in a video posted
on YouTube. But tears stop her from continuing—from telling us that
he was executed in his favorite season.
tender soul. He loved his students to pieces. Spring was his favorite
season. He was born in spring,” his mother says in a video posted
on YouTube. But tears stop her from continuing—from telling us that
he was executed in his favorite season.
This man who loved
spring and his students was charged with moharebeh
(enmity with God and the state) and terrorism. It is true. Teaching
young children their banned mother tongue terrorizes the Iranian
oppressor.
spring and his students was charged with moharebeh
(enmity with God and the state) and terrorism. It is true. Teaching
young children their banned mother tongue terrorizes the Iranian
oppressor.
Farzad
Kamangar was tremendously popular, cherished by Kurds and non-Kurds,
young and old, men and women. The love others had for him was,
ironically, what convinced the authorities to execute him despite his
obvious innocence. Popularity terrorizes dictators, who are nourished
by hostility and antipathy in their nation.
Kamangar was tremendously popular, cherished by Kurds and non-Kurds,
young and old, men and women. The love others had for him was,
ironically, what convinced the authorities to execute him despite his
obvious innocence. Popularity terrorizes dictators, who are nourished
by hostility and antipathy in their nation.
How did Farzad move
so many people? Was it something in his voice, spreading across the
internet and making him one of the most influential Iranian figures
of 2010? Did he hypnotize us with his poems? His letters?
so many people? Was it something in his voice, spreading across the
internet and making him one of the most influential Iranian figures
of 2010? Did he hypnotize us with his poems? His letters?
Farzad Kamangar
couldn’t stop his torturers from breaking his chin and teeth, but
he was able to maintain the life within him through imagination and
literature. “I won’t let them kill me inside,” was his goal—and
he reached it.
couldn’t stop his torturers from breaking his chin and teeth, but
he was able to maintain the life within him through imagination and
literature. “I won’t let them kill me inside,” was his goal—and
he reached it.
In one of his
letters—hich are still available on the internet—he describes
being transported to Sanandaj Prison, Kurdistan. He paints a vivid
picture of Kurdistan in the autumn for us through his view—not only
from the window of the plane, but also through the window of his
imagination. He writes little about his anguish, but instead about
his moments of falling in love while listening to the music of
legendary singer Abbas Kamandy and of hiking the Awyar Mountain. He
is distracted from these memories only when the bitterness of the
blood he accidentally swallows threatens to suffocate him.
letters—hich are still available on the internet—he describes
being transported to Sanandaj Prison, Kurdistan. He paints a vivid
picture of Kurdistan in the autumn for us through his view—not only
from the window of the plane, but also through the window of his
imagination. He writes little about his anguish, but instead about
his moments of falling in love while listening to the music of
legendary singer Abbas Kamandy and of hiking the Awyar Mountain. He
is distracted from these memories only when the bitterness of the
blood he accidentally swallows threatens to suffocate him.
The prison guard who
anxiously checks that Farzad has survived a severe beating doesn’t
know, cannot know, that Farzad, in his mind, is dancing at his
wedding, waving his chopi—his
handkerchief—in the air and shouting, “Cheers! Cheers to all the
prisoners’ mothers who are awaiting reunion with their children.
Cheers to all the men and women who lost their lives for their
ideals.”
anxiously checks that Farzad has survived a severe beating doesn’t
know, cannot know, that Farzad, in his mind, is dancing at his
wedding, waving his chopi—his
handkerchief—in the air and shouting, “Cheers! Cheers to all the
prisoners’ mothers who are awaiting reunion with their children.
Cheers to all the men and women who lost their lives for their
ideals.”
That is what has made
Farzad Kamangar a legend. He is one of the few people on the
planet—like Nelson Mandela, like Leila Zana—who was not broken
under torture.
Farzad Kamangar a legend. He is one of the few people on the
planet—like Nelson Mandela, like Leila Zana—who was not broken
under torture.
Farzad Kamangar / Illustration:
Tamar Levi
Farzad Kamangar was a
teacher devoted to improving the life of village children. He was all
too familiar with suffering, both directly in his own life and
indirectly through others’ experiences. Farzad knew the pain of
Kurds, the pain of ethnocide and linguicide. He was familiar with the
widespread poverty in Kurdistan resulting from politicization of the
region, with the abuse and violence suffered by women because of the
government’s gender policies. For Farzad, the hurt wasn’t just
the physical torture he endured—it was the pain of his nation.
teacher devoted to improving the life of village children. He was all
too familiar with suffering, both directly in his own life and
indirectly through others’ experiences. Farzad knew the pain of
Kurds, the pain of ethnocide and linguicide. He was familiar with the
widespread poverty in Kurdistan resulting from politicization of the
region, with the abuse and violence suffered by women because of the
government’s gender policies. For Farzad, the hurt wasn’t just
the physical torture he endured—it was the pain of his nation.
His voice, his
imagination, his words, his ability to touch the agony of others made
Farzad Kamangar an icon representing all political prisoners who have
been executed at the hands of the Iranian government. He was and
still is a strong inspiration. He continues to live in the heart of
all those who admire him. His voice continues to be heard not only
through his own writing, but also in the poems and stories he
inspired.
imagination, his words, his ability to touch the agony of others made
Farzad Kamangar an icon representing all political prisoners who have
been executed at the hands of the Iranian government. He was and
still is a strong inspiration. He continues to live in the heart of
all those who admire him. His voice continues to be heard not only
through his own writing, but also in the poems and stories he
inspired.
Novel Rights has
published a short story inspired by Farzad Kamangar’s letters from
prison: “Lullaby” offers a glimpse of his powerful reality.
published a short story inspired by Farzad Kamangar’s letters from
prison: “Lullaby” offers a glimpse of his powerful reality.
By
Buying “Lullaby Novel Rights ePUB Short Stroy written by Ava Homa,
You will help us to create more HRL (Human Rights Literature) short
stories and produce many more events
around the globe promoting literature that supports human rights
values.
Buying “Lullaby Novel Rights ePUB Short Stroy written by Ava Homa,
You will help us to create more HRL (Human Rights Literature) short
stories and produce many more events
around the globe promoting literature that supports human rights
values.
