Dey 19th Protest in Qom (Part 1)

Opposition to this article culminated in the uprising by the people of Qom on January 9, 1978 (Dey 19, 1356 AHS) during which a number of revolutionary religious students were killed. Once again the uprising had begun in the city of Qom and within a short space of time had spread to the rest of the country. Funeral ceremonies which, according to custom, took place on the third, seventh and fortieth day in commemoration of the deaths of the martyrs of this recent uprising, occurred one after the other in Tabriz, Yazd, Jahrom, Shiraz, Isfahan and Tehran, spawning numerous revolts. Throughout the whole of this period, Imam Khomeini’s messages came thick and fast, and these, along with the tape recordings of his speeches in which he called on the people to be steadfast and continue with their uprising until the foundations of the monarchical regime had been destroyed and an Islamic government established, were reproduced by his friends and followers and distributed on a wide scale throughout Iran.

Despite resorting to the murder of crowds of people, the Shah could not quench the fire that had been kindled, and such tactics as announcing martial law in eleven cities, replacing the prime minister and changing officials in high positions also proved ineffective in stopping the spread of the revolution. All of the Shah’s political and military maneuvers were negated by the publication of Imam Khomeini’s revelatory statements and militant directives.

In a meeting between the Iranian and Iraqi foreign ministers in New York, the decision was made to expel Imam from Iraq. On September 24, 1978 (Mehr 2, 1357 AHS), Imam’s home in Najaf was surrounded by Ba’thist forces. It was announced that his remaining in Iraq now depended on him stopping his political activities and relinquishing his struggle. Consequently, Imam’s decision to continue with the fight led to his leaving Najaf, after thirteen years in exile there, on October 4, 1978 (Mehr 12, 1357 AHS), and heading for Kuwait. On arriving at the border, however, the Kuwaiti authorities, having been influenced by the Shah’s regime, refused him entry. Thus, the Leader of the Revolution, after studying the situation in other Muslim countries and consulting with his son, Hojjatol-Islam wal Muslemin Hajj Seyyed Ahmad Khomeini, decided to go to Paris.

Subsequently, on October 6 (Mehr 14) Imam entered Paris and two days later took up residence in the home of an Iranian in Neauphle-le-Chateau on the outskirts of Paris. Representatives from the Elysées Palace communicated to him the French President’s wish that he refrain from any kind of political activity while in France.

Imam reacted sharply, making it clear that such restrictions were contrary to democratic principles and stating that even if he had to travel from airport to airport and country to country, he would not relinquish his aims.

Imam’s four-month stay in France changed Neauphle-le-Chateau into the most important news center in the world. His numerous interviews and meetings of different kinds with the many visitors who poured into the hamlet from all parts of the world meant that his views concerning an Islamic government and the future aims of the movement were made clearer for the people of the world. On receiving the guidelines of Imam, the Iranian nation intensified their demonstrations, and through widening their strikes, paralyzed governmental organs and organizations. The replacement of prime ministers one after the other; the Shah’s repentance for past offences; the regime’s arrest and trial of old, infamous pawns; the freeing of political prisoners, and so on, went nowhere towards stopping the spread and intensification of the revolution.

* Source: coiradio.com