CONSTITUTION & PROGRAMME

of Democratic Youth Union of Iranian Kurdistan

Adopted at the 1^st Congress

            At the outset of both the century and the millennium, and at a juncture when the civilized world is making unprecedented advancements in all aspects of human life, and when struggle for freedom and democracy has made phenomenal progress throughout the world, our country is still held under oppression, dictatorship and backwardness.  Despotism, over the centuries past, has been a vicious tool made use of by the tyrants in Iran for the exploitation of the peoples of this country, with the rights and freedoms of our compatriots suppressed and the progressive strata deprived of their most fundamental human rights.  Accordingly, all liberal-minded, freedom-loving people of our homeland share the same opinion in their fight for an open, liberalistic future upon which a prosperous community can be based.

            The Iranian youth composing a great percentage of the Iranian population at present on the one hand, and their being the most energetic, forward-looking force of our community on the other, should be regarded as the most important force of our country.

            As an invaluable asset of our homeland, the young generation have not only fought for their own rights, but they have also ardently participated in the social struggle aimed at creating a better life for their compatriots as a whole.  Consequently, they are truly entitled to have full access to proper education facilities so they can successfully fulfill their historic mission.  In fact, founding of the Democratic Youth Union of Iranian Kurdistan has been an appropriate answer to such a necessity.

            The new generation of Iranian Kurdish youth have markedly demonstrated their will to perform their duties regarding our people, and have always been in the forefront of such a sacred fight either in fighting for their own rights or by participating in the national-democratic movement of the Kurdish people.  As a result of the suppressive policies implemented by the Shah and followed by the reactionary regime of the Mullahs, the young generation’s will-power has increasingly hardened.  The ruling regime has not only stubbornly refrained from paying any attention to the most fundamental needs of the youth, but on the contrary it has also spared no effect to create packs of social and political obstacles in their way in order to restrain them from fulfilling their duties towards our nation and homeland.  Besides, over the past two decades great numbers of them have lost their lives through exploitations and crises brought about by the ruling despots.

            Political as well as organizational activities of the Kurdish youth in Kurdistan started when in 1940s, with the assistance and the direction of Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI), and under the auspices of the Republic of Kurdistan, the Democratic Youth Union of Kurdistan was founded, actively participating thereafter in the task of reviving political as well as cultural aspects of life in Kurdistan.  The Republic of Kurdistan overthrown, and throughout the monarchy era, the Kurdish youth were strictly hampered from partaking in any political activities.  Nevertheless, they managed somehow to continue their struggle under the most unfavourable circumstances, actively participating in the Iranian peoples’ uprising against the Shah’s regime, and during a short period of rather relaxed atmosphere which followed, their activities reached a new peak.

            Having suppressed all the progressive political organizations of Iran, the forces of the new regime embarked on destroying the last stronghold of democracy, i.e. Kurdistan.  Consequently, the Kurdish youth joined the PDKI ranks, playing an important part in defending their homeland, and thus sustaining great losses, with thousands of them losing their lives in battlefields or in the dungeons of the regime.

            The incessant endeavour taken by the young generation of Kurdistan, be it in the framework of their own organization or as individuals within society, has reached a point where it is fairly counted as the most auspicious factor for the future of this country in general.  Resent uprisings in Iran have evidently proved the fact that the young generation is potentially the greatest threat for this reactionary regime.

            In connection with the ongoing struggle of our people, the Kurdish youth have a great task to carry through: first and foremost is to consolidate the ranks of their organization; do their utmost to strengthen their relations with different strata of Kurdish people; the last but not the least to broaden their cooperation with progressive, freedom-loving political forces of Iran, with the sacred end of forming a political system in Iran in the framework of which rights and freedoms of the peoples of Iran in general, and the national and cultural rights of the Kurdish people in particular can be secured.

            There is no doubt that the first priority before the youth is the fulfillment of their duty in connection with the specific rights and privileges of their own guild.   But so long as the Kurdish aspirations concerning national democratic rights remain to be materialized, achievement of the said rights would be rather impossible.  Accordingly, the Kurdish youth should continue their activities in the framework of the general movement across Iran and Kurdistan.

            To obtain such ends, the members of Democratic Youth Union of Iranian Kurdistan – as a basis for their activities inside their organization – the following Constitution and Programme adopted at the 1^st Congress which was held on 25-26 September 2000.

            The Constitution and Programme is in fact a reflection of the developments in Kurdistan over the past few years, a document based upon realities concerning duties, which at this juncture of time have to be fulfilled by Democratic Youth Union of Iranian Kurdistan.

PROGRAMME

Missions and Duties of the Youth Union

The Youth Union strives to fulfill the objectives and goals as follow:

The members should do all in their power to:

a) establish a free, democratic social system in Iran and Kurdistan, in which fundamental human rights and freedoms of the people are guaranteed, with such a propitious status quo in which a decent life can be attainable for all the strata of the community in general and the youth in particular.

b) have the ruling political system in Iran and Kurdistan make proper arrangements so as to warrant a better future for the youth.

c) encourage the youth in their fight against the existing obscene phenomena and social obstacles or those which may crop up in the future, turning into hindrances on their way.

d) do away with the obstacles on their way of wedlock, assist the youth in their quest for appropriate jobs and proper dwelling houses, and eradicate unemployment for good as well.

e) achieve equal rights for girls and women with boys and men respectively in the family and community, and support at the same time organizations appertain to women, fighting for their just rights.

f) give assistance to the youth so as to be trained in different fields of technology through making use of the existing scientific and technical means,  and provide them with facilities as far as possible, the most urgent of which is sure to be public libraries in different regions of Kurdistan.

g) cater to the handicapped and disabled or those afflicted with any bodily or moral impairment and provide them with necessary medical facilities.

h) develop art activities among the youth, and provid sport and recreation centers for them in various regions of Kurdistan.

i) arrange excursions and expeditions for the youth as much as possible.

2 – Concerning education, the members of the Union should:

j) actively participate in any program aimed at the eradication of illiteracy among the rising generation in Kurdistan, and try at the same time to help bringing about compulsory education up to 15 years of age.

k) do whatever in their power so that free education is made available at all the levels of education, with the means of schooling provided for the eligible students.

i) try to have educational programs and curriculum rearranged in such a way as to include a liberal system, with reactionary ideology entirely excluded.

l) establish friendly relations and amicable cooperation with the democratic, progressive organizations and groups active in Kurdistan and Iran so as to invigorate the rightful struggle of the Kurdish people as well as the general movement in Iran.

m) instruct the youth to learn reading and writing in Kurdish, and acquainting them with the history of their nation in general, and that of our people in Iranian Kurdistan in particular.

n) encourage the youth to participate in reviving the national culture, arts and literature of our people and those of our minority compatriots living in Kurdistan.

o) disclose the nature of the reactionary regime of the Islamic Republic, and fight against its oppressive policies in relation to the Iranian peoples in general, and the Kurdish people in particular.

3 – International objectives:

           p) Promoting of the just demands of the Kurdish national movement, and trying to make it known to the world.

            q) joining the ranks of socialist-democratic youth unions of other countries.

            r) Interchanging of visits made with democratic youth unions of other countries.

            s) Supporting national movements, especially those of the youth, in their just struggle for the realization of peace and democracy in the world.