Majlis Minority Faction Urges Calm for High Turnout in Elections

December 11, 2003 - 0:0
TEHRAN (Mehr News Agency)— MP Ahmad Nateq-Nouri on the threshold of the forthcoming Majlis elections said here Wednesday that the Majlis minority faction has stressed the necessity of a healthy and warm electoral atmosphere condemning any violence, revolt, or disruption of legal gatherings.

"The faction also condemns any discordant or offensive lectures meant to arouse people's emotions," he said.

Nateq-Nouri delivering a pre-debate speech in the Majlis on Tuesday said that under the current circumstances people must participate freely and consciously in the upcoming seventh Majlis elections.

"People have to get involved in the process of determining one of the most important aspects of the government as it is related to their fate. It is important to maintain peace and order in this regard and with respect to the law," he said.

Further in his remarks, the MP referred to certain people who consider disruption of legal gatherings and lectures to be in the benefit of the Islamic Revolution.

"We ask them explicitly to check their excitement and give a chance for speeches so that people can think logically by way of dialogue and make a correct decision," he said.

Nateq-Nouri stressed that people should know that the best gift for political groups and people who are not accountable for their political positions and behavior is the disruption of gatherings and creation of embroilments.

"These groups try to play the innocent in order to escape public opinion. Thus we basically hold a doubtful view point on certain movements that lead to tension and revolt," he said.

The MP added that people should recognize those who repeat the U.S. and Israeli accusations against Iran in their lectures and articles under the guise of defending human rights and freedom.

Nateq-Nouri emphasized that the Iranian nation should know that those who speak of "qualification" and "an Iran for all Iranians" have taken hold of the country through their political camp fellows and have thus deprived the people's true servants from serving the nation.

"People should be able to distinguish their true servants from those who are only obsessed with promoting the interests of their own political party," he said.

Further in his remarks, the MP called for people's high turnout in the upcoming elections.

"We believe that people's high turnout in the Majlis elections will honor the nation and discourage the enemies," he said.

Nateq-Nouri said that violent actions and offensive measures would push the issue of consciousness to the sideline despite the fact that it is essential for free decision-making.

"Why do some people always criticize the government instead of seeking to solve people's problems such as unemployment, drug trafficking, and housing?" he said.

The MP added that if people get the chance to hear the answer to these issues they will make a better decision and have a huge turnout in the elections.

Further in his remarks, Nateq-Nouri referred to a quote from John Dull, a Western theorist on democracy, who defined "the first shape of power" stressing that "the most important plague of democracy is the majority's dictatorship on the minority".

"We face no alternative but to bear it. We must pay the price for certain plagues of democracy," he said.

In conclusion, Nateq-Nouri said that today the minority is paying the price of the majority's show of power in democracy. HL/SRM/IS END MNA