Hossein Mostafa Soltani, son of an eminent heroic family
Hossein opened his eyes to the world in 1328 Iranian Calendar (1949 ) in Almana village of Marivan province. He was the second child of mother Bahia and father Mohammad Rashid Mostafa Soltani. He was two years younger than his brother Fouad. He finished elementary school in the same village where he was born. Based on his father’s assessment of the educational quality of schools, he went to Sanandaj to continue his education. Hossein started in the fifth grade of Mawlawi Kurd Elementary School in Qatarchian neighborhood.
He was one of the best and most successful students. He was one of the excellent high school students who successfully graduated with exceptionally good grades in the year1346 (1967). Admission to universities at that time was difficult due to the large number of applicants, but it was easy for an excellent student of Hossein’s level. He participated in the entrance exam for Iranian universities in the same year. Kayhan and Ettelaat newspapers announced the names of those admitted to the entrance exam. Hossein’s name was among the first students to be accepted in the field of mathematical sciences at the University of Tabriz. Hossein continued his education in Tabriz. He acquainted his family and relatives with the culture and language of the province of Azerbaijan.
He found a group of friends and like-minded people at work and at university. The atmosphere of Iranian universities was completely political and anti-monarchical and antidictatorial.Hossein was one of the pioneers of the rising and democratic movement of Tabriz University. Activism around political, social, and progressive issues at the university led to an intellectual transformation whose effects were quite evident on committed students. Hossein founded intellectual and book lecture groups with a group of progressive students who he trusted. This paved the way for the growth of their political consciousness.He was a member of the first secret group of Komala (a left oriented Kurdish organization) in Tabriz and in charge of the secret libraryKomala organization at the same time. He had contact with the activists of Komala, particularly Ebrahim Alizadeh and Hossein Moradbeigi. During this period, he carefully had read many leftist and Marxist books and manuscripts.
Hossein Mostafa Soltani was a self-made man, inventive and independent. He taught mathematics for a living in the high schools of the cities of Azarshahr, Bonab and AjabShir during his student days.
In the summer of 1348 (1969), the Marivan SAVAK (secret security agency of Shah’s Regime) informed the family of Mostafa Soltani thatHossein might go to SAVAK to clear up any ambiguities. He went to SAVAK very worried. After a short time, his family was informed that he had been arrested and transferred to Evin Prison in Tehran. Hossein was subjected to physical and mental torture for more than two months and put up a legendary resistance. SAVAK suspected him to have connection to the movement and organization of Homayoun Katirai and Keramatullah Daneshian in Tabriz. During the torture, Hossein had said that he had only met them on the basketball court and he only knew them from there. Hossein was a fellow inmate of Bijan Jazani and Keramat Daneshian. He narrated about the epic of their resistance. He described that those two were brought to interrogation handcuffed. They played with the chains of their hands and feet the song “O comrades! Heroes”.
All the prisoners punched at the celldoors with the same rhythm and announced their solidarity with them as a sign of support.
SAVAK could not break his will and he was released after two months. He returned to Almana weak and broken. The traces of torture were evident on his steadfast body. SAVAK had broken his body, but they could never break his will. He was warmly welcomed on his return from prison. Hossein graduated from university and obtained a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Tabriz University. After graduating from university, he served as a duty officer in Marivan for his military service.
A young intellectual, determined and tireless group with scientific and academic degrees brought about change in the education system of Marivan. Their continuous effort was a determining factor that achieved the youth of Marivan to open the gates of the universities to themselves. Hossein’s contribution to this leap and success was brilliant and enormous and will be remembered forever.
Hossein devoted his free time to teaching the poor and low-income people for free. He spared no opportunity to help materially and spiritually his students and those living in poverty. These aids were arranged totally in a friendly and cordial relationship. Forty two years after Hossein’s execution, there are many people who owe their progress and success and their families to Hossein’s efforts. His political horizon was to enlighten people and the youth not to fall prey to superstitions and backward dogma. He was opposed to old and cumbersome traditions.Flattery and hypocrisy had no place in his mind. His popularity spread beyond his hometown to other regions. He had an innate courage and his gaze was deep and astute. He spoke of the bitter lives of the people and exposed the oppressive monarchy system. There was no contradiction in his actions and words. He was alien to arrogance, which is a moral weakness. Along with the revolutionary teachers of Marivan, he was one of the dawn figures who tore the curtain of darkness and accompanied the dawn. It is never and absolutely impossible to expel the kind, combative and determined image of the revolutionary teachers of Marivan from the angle of heart. History of Komala is magnificent and glorious. Undoubtedly, a brilliant share of those victories and heights belongs to the teachers of Marivan.
Ministry of Education arranged courses for teachers in different cities, including Urmia, Mashhad and Tehranto promote modern teaching methods and practices in the summer time.Hosseinwas invited to those further educations in the cities of Urmia, Tehran and Mashhad. During these courses, he had discussions and dialogues with teachers in other parts of Iran in the fields of education and teaching. He always returned to Marivan with a lot of new scientific concepts.
Hossein was very interested in sports during his high school years and later at the University of Tabriz. He had a great interest in chess and had established chess club in the workplace. Climbing and going to pleasant areas of the mountains calmed him down. This had a special attraction for him. He used to go mountaineering with his friends from the university and he used to relax in the pleasant nature. He enjoyed it so much. He was one of the most successful players in basketball and was a member of the team of the Faculty of Mathematical Sciences.
SAVAK had complete control over all government departments. However, this control was not obvious over artistic and sports places. Musk garrison of Marivan and the SAVAK secret surveillance houses were active centers and areas of the Shah’s Regime. This garrison was imposed on the city during Shah’s rule and still is a parasite in the region. The domination of SAVAK and the army garrison had created a very difficult situation for Hossein and his associates. When SAVAK arrested and imprisoned Fouad (older brother of Hossein), the family’s situation changed and new conditions were imposed on our family. His absence was a void and had to be filled. In this phase, everyone was ready for sacrifice and responsibility. Fouad always appeared in the role of helper and advisor to the family, and was an important and undeniable stanchion. This void had to be filled at all costs. Despite all this dificulty, the position of Foud was compensated on a large scale by Hossein. My father was very pleased and glad about that. He was a trusted supporter who participated in in daily life and decisions of our parents. He offered deliberate suggestions and solved the family problems. A fiery light shone in him. He managed every situation and every member of the family listened to his advice. He scrutinized and interpreted issues in such a way that the elders respected his words. Despite his young age and graduating from university in his youth, he was reliable. He had thought enough about it before making a decision and announcing it to the family. He intervened in the mazes and ups and downs of the family open-hearted, respectfully and with sobriety. He helped everyone with patience and endurance.
The door was always open to all those who longed for freedom, democracy and the pioneers of the rising Kurdish movement. Hossein’s social status and personality had grown to the level that the Shah’s regime officially asked him to give up his job as a teacher and to serve people of Marivan as the mayor. He had proved his talent of management, planning and democratic handling. Hossein did not accept the post and preferred to work in education department. He considered serving in education more useful. He never created a dominant distance between himself and the people. Education was a stronghold with priority for him and provided the opportunity to serve the youth and raise their political awareness. By proposing to become mayor, SAVAK planned to keep him away from the education environment.
Political prisoners in Sanandaj organized a hunger strike for their democratic and rightful demands in the year 1357 (1978). Its resonance spread around the world. The people of Sanandaj and the relatives of the prisoners organized a demonstration in front of the Sanandaj courthouse and a protest march in the streets. In this political movement, Hossein was one of the activists who led the demonstration with clear plans and goals. During the demonstrations, SAVAK agents and police arrested and detained him for a month.
The revolution of the Iranian people won over the monarchy regime in 1978. Hossein was one of the founders of the Marivan Teachers’ Association, the Kurdish People’s Rights Defenders Association, and the Marivan Protection Headquarters. These democratic institutions played an important role in this period. Qiaday Mowaqat (the interim leadership – Democratic Party of Kurdistan-Iraq was called so at that time) had a high capacity and potential for collaboration with the new established regime. The Islamic Republic recruited this party which had taken up quarters in the village of Dezli. They announced an attack on the city of Marivan. They set the city under military and economic siege. The leadership of Qiaday Mowaqat gave the armed forces the instructions from the city of Karaj. The Protection Headquarters prepared itself to confront this conspiracy and siege. At the suggestion of Hossein and other comrades, the residents of Marivan were asked to attend the assembly in the main mosque. People responded positively to this invitation. The gathering of the people, which recounted the general assembly, reached the desired results after this exchange of views with the people. The people decided to send a delegation to Dezli as representatives of the city to meet with the responsibles of Qiaday Mowaqat.
Representatives of the city met the Qiaday Mowaqat in the village of Dezli. This prevented them from attacking the city. The conspiracy was thwarted.
A religious movement called Maktabe Qoran (Quran School) was formed in Kurdistan under the leadership of Ahmad Moftizadeh in that era. Maktabe Qoran put stones on the path of events in the Kurdistan movement in favor of the Islamic Republic in various ways. Authorities of the Islamic Republic basically did not accept the rights of ethnicities and leaned on deception, hypocrisy, piety and dogmatic fanatical beliefs. The political position and alignment of this faction with the totalitarian Islamic government damaged the Kurdish movement and the freedom fighters and caused a lot of suffering. Its effects can still be seen in society and people are still suffering from it. The expectation of people in the beginning of the Moftizadeh stream (Maktabe Qoran) was legitimate and humane. They might use their energy and resources in the stronghold of the resistance movement and alongside the oppressed people of Kurdistan to liberate Kurdistan. The Islamic Republic took advantage of their positions and actions to defeat the Kurdish people’s movement. This faction supported the Jihad fatwa (Islamic judgement for a holy war against incredulous) of Khomeini, which was in fact the command of massacre of people of Kurdistan. The media of the Islamic Republic was provided to this reactionary stream. They served as Khalkhali (a mullah who ordered hundreds of executions in Kurdistan in that era) and Chamran (military commander who carried out the attack on Kurdistan) consultants. They offered what they could for the Islamic Republic and against the people of Kurdistan. They were flown in helicopters to all prisons to identify Komala prisoners and other anti-regime political prisoners. They were accomplices in the execution of hundreds of prisoners with the Islamic Republic.
Members of the Quran School were stationed at the entrances and exits of the city of Marivan. They were masked and identified revolutionaries beside the Revolutionary Guards. In one case they arrested more than a dozen people and took them to the barracks prison. Hossein was among the arrested. My father immediately applied to visit Khalkhali. He accepted my father’s offer and made an appointment. My father visited him in Marivan Musk garrison. Khalkhali, Khomeini’s darling and representative, swore by his honor to release them. But history and the Kurdish people experienced his honor in a tragic manner! After less than a week, he shot nine honorable and beloved persons of the poor people in prison: Ali Dastani, Ahmad Qaderzadeh, Fayeq Azizi, Dr. Bahman Akhzari, Hossein Pir Khezrani, Jalal Nasimi, Ahmad Pir Khezrani, Amin Mostafa Soltani and Hossein Mostafa Soltani.
On 3/6/1358 (25/8/1979), nine persons were executed by Revolutionary Guards and local mercenaries without having a legal process or lawyer. The corpses of these loved ones were transferred to Marivan Hospital and later to Haji Najib Mosque. Amin’s and Hossein’s bodies arrived in Almana. They were buried the next day. It is noteworthy that the valor of mother Bahia had attracted all the attention of the audience. It was absolutely unbelievable. Mother Bahia, her heart like ocean with a strong spirit and will, witnessed this historical mourning. That sublime spirit had taken everyone by surprise and was really deserved to be respected and praised.
Taleh Savar is a cemetery located two kilometers from Almana. It has been a cemetery of Almana since a long time ago. But after the 3/6/1358 (25/8/1979), the cemetery got a political status and has a different aspect. These two loved ones were buried in a glorious ceremony with the participation of the masses in a part of the cemetery.
The Islamic dictatorship was shedding blood. Khalkhali shed a lot of blood in the cities of Paveh, Sanandaj, Saqez, Bukan, Mahabad, Kamyaran and Baneh. The world public opinion was silent in the face of those crimes against humanity, while these crimes have hurt and shaken the conscience of humanity. Fouad, Amin’s and Hossein’s brother, was giving a speech on this day in the city of Baneh. He was informed of the death of his brothers and comrades. Mourning sat on his face and he pause for a moment. Then, he continued his speech with unparalleled courage and boldness. Fouad returned to Marivan and organized Komala cadres and Peshmergas. On the way back to Baneh, he was mysteriously and suspiciously martyred on 9/6/1358 (31/8/1979). His stature became the new guest of Taleh Cemetry the next day.
The fruit of Hossein’s common life with Shukria Ahmadi was a girl named “Fermesk”. Hossein never saw her. Fermesk grew up in the loving arms of her mother, grandmother and our dear sister, Faiza. Mother Bahia brought her to Sweden. She got asylum there. Our dear and tireless sister and friend, Malaka Mostafa Soltani, took over the responsibility for her upbringing. These loved ones endured huge hardships in this process. Their unwavering love will never be forgotten. Fermesk completed her education in Uppsala. Then she left for England to enter the university. She graduated from the University of Bristol with a degree in Information Technology. She lives in England. Fermesk is Hossein’s only relic.
My esteemed sisters Faiza and Malaka and my highly respected brothers Abdullah, Reza and Heshmat have helped me a lot to prepare and write this memoir. I sincerely thank them all.
Rashad Mostafa Soltani
