Discours prononcé le 25 janvier 2020 par Soudeh Ghassemi, présidente du Congrès irano-canadien (en anglais)
First, I would like to thank all the organizers of this gathering and to thank you everyone here for braving the cold to say No to War with Iran.
My name is Soudeh Ghasemi and I am the President of the Iranian Canadian Congress and myself and a couple of other members travelled from Toronto to join you here today!
The good news is that the rest of our team are back in Toronto rallying in front of the US Consulate to tell Trump No War with Iran and to tell Trudeau to de-escalate the tensions in the Middle East.
As we are gathering here to say no to war and aggression we have to also remember the 176 lives lost on Flight 752 including 57 Canadians – a heartbreaking tragedy that has devastated the Iranian-Canadian community in particular and all Canadians coast to coast in general.
And although the Iranian Government and responsible officials bear full responsibility for the missile attack, it is important to remember the costs of escalating tensions. As Prime Minister Trudeau highlighted as well if it was not because of recent tensions and escalations in the Middle East, those in flight 752 would be home with their families and loved ones right now.
It is even more heartbreaking to witness legitimate protestors and the victims’ families caught between the crackdown from the Iranian government and the deadly sanctions and threat of war from the US. Again, Iranian people are caught between a rock and a hard place, between repression and sanctions.
We are here today to tell Prime Minister Trudeau and all Canadian politicians that assassinations, military conflict, and war will only make matters worse – because we know that the price of war is human life. We know that our world is a safer place when we put down our guns and speak to each other.
We are also here to tell Trudeau and our political leaders that Canada must stand against sanctions and war not only because millions of lives are under threat, but also because the best way we can support the people of Iran to choose their own political futures and in their struggle for democracy and human rights is by ensuring they aren’t suffering under economic terrorism and aren’t living everyday with the threat of war.
That is why we have come together today – and that is why myself and we are so grateful for this show of solidarity.
I hope that we can continue to come together. I hope that this marks a moment where we stand with each other to demand peace and dignity for all.
Our hearts continue to break for Iraq, Syria, Yemen and other parts of the world affected by war. We will continue to demand for de-escalation and peace in the region.