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Radio Irava's 20th anniversary;
20 years a go on Jan. 16, 1995, Radio Irava aired its first program on CHUO 89.1FM as Ottawa /Gatineau's first Farsi radio program. Irava means Voice of Iran. "Ir" is abbreviated for Iran and "ava" means voice. Irava's mission has always been to promote human rights and reflect the reality of what goes on in Iran and Iranian diasporas no matter what, for this reason it has been faced with challenges a long the way.
As Mohammad Khatami (Iranian regime's former reformist! president) sat on his thrown in 1997, the Iranian regime's elements by the help of Iranian regime's embassy in Ottawa spread lies about the contents and the host of Irava. In the mullahs misogynist view women's place is at home raising children, cleaning the house and tending to her husband, not engaging in advocating human rights and political activities.
They pretended to be members of the Ottawa's then Iranian association community when protested to CHUO management about Irava and its host. They even translated the program from Farsi to English trying to sabotage this independent radio program with the goal to ultimately end it, which failed. Thanks to CHUO management and the support from the real members of the Ottawa's Iranian association.
Khatami's logo: "talk among civilisations" had mesmerised the west so much so that they turned a blind eye to regime's atrocities in the 90s. The suppression of the Iranian people, such as suppression of the Iranian university students under the direct order of Khatami, and in part the terror plots against Iranian intellectuals, writes, members of the Iranian resistance, etc inside and outside Iran was amongst many atrocities his regime carried out in the 90s.
In 1999 with the help of a few freedom loving Iranian/Canadians Irava formed "Concerned members of the Iranian community in Ottawa" and exposed the true intent of Iranian regime's "Cultural center"! at #2 Robinson St and its Lobbies, Akbar Manoussi in Ottawa. The story was picked up by the Ottawa Sun and the Ottawa Citizen newspapers. Here is Ottawa sun's investigative report about it:
http://iranianembassyandthegreenparty.blogspot.ca/2008/09/akbar-manoussi-of-green-party-and-his.html
It's important to note that all of the Iranian regime's so called cultural centers in Canada and around the world, which supposedly are to promote the Iranian culture outside the country, have been operated without the knowledge of the members of the Iranian communities who these centers were founded for! Their goal has always been to spy on the Iranian dissidents and their families back home and plot terrorist activities like the ones in Europe in the 90s.
It's obvious that the Iranian regime has never tolerated Irava(when at the beginning was aired half an hour weekly in Farsi only) and other independent media outlets around the world. In 2005 when the non Iranian elements of the Iranian regime once again tried to silence Irava, the English segment was born which continues to this day.
Freedom of Speech, Press, Thought, etc. has always been important to Irava but not as precious as it is today. Hope that Irava has been able to serve the community by reflecting the reality of Iran under the Mullah's rule. In the hope that freedom spreads its wings over Iran and Iranian people who deserve and are entitled to freedom and democracy, can shape their future themselves.
Thank you for your support
Long live freedom
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