Speech of Patriotic Arab Democratic Movement in Ahwaz (PADMAZ) in the 11th UN Forum on Minorities, on 29-30 November 2018 Madam/Mr Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen, I am representing Patriotic Arab Democratic Movement in Ahwaz (PADMAZ) which has been struggling for the sake of Ahwazi Arabs since it was established in 2002. Through its activities, PADMAZ aims to oppose the Iranian arbitrary and racist policies against Ahwazi Arab people by peaceful means. Moreover, we work to gain Ahwazi right of self-determination based on international Human Rights regulation. I would like to start my presentation by mentioning one of my recommendations first because of shortage of time. Based on what happening on the ground and the following: We, in PADMAZ, believe that it is time for the international community to intervene to protect people in Iran especially the Ahwazi under the R2P regulation to save ahwazi people from atrocities of the Iranian government Ahwazi Arabs are among the most brutally oppressed peoples in the Middle East. The Ahwazi has been struggling to gain their basic right for more than 90 years. They are deprived from their very basic right such studying in their mother tongue, Arabic, and using Arabic name for the new born children. The level of unemployment and poverty is very high among the ahwazi according to the Iranian statistic. The Ahwazi are a victim of Iran’s changing demography policies which aim to build one nation, one country with one culture through destroying non-Persian nations. Although Article 15 of the Iran constitution weakly announces the right of teaching minorities’ language, this article has never been activated. Madam Chariperson, Right of education cannot be mentioned without mentioning the NGOs and their roles to protect the identity of minorities: www.padmaz.org Email 1: info@padmaz.org Email 2: padmaz.org@gmail.com Tell: +447446860715 Page 1