Failure to completely Quarantine Critical Areas Endangers Lives of the People and Underlines the Regime’s Incompetency!

Failure to completely Quarantine Critical Areas Endangers Lives of the People and Underlines the Regime’s Incompetency!

Statement of four Democratic, Republican and National Organizations and Parties on Necessary Measures for the Eradication of the Corona Vital Crisis

Crisis of the COVID-19 spread has created a very difficult situation for the global community. All the international efforts are focused to control the deadly Corona virus. In Iran, mismanagement, negligence at early stages, superstitious beliefs, demagogy, and preferring political goals and security notion of the authorities led to the failure of making timely control and prevention decisions, intensified the magnitude of the catastrophe in the country and escalated number of the victims. According to the most optimistic estimates, the peak of the crisis will happen sometime in the first half of April and until then the upward trend will continue. In this situation, weakness of the performance, management confusion, chronic crisis of the structure of the country’s crisis management, contradictory decisions and the lack of a coherent and uniform policy has made the nation and the country more vulnerable. To cover up its failure and incompetency, the Islamic Republic resorted to secrecy and concealment of the true number of victims and the severity of the Corona virus spread but these measures will not safeguard the regime against its accountability in future. Corona crisis has objectively exposed the structural impasse of the Islamic Republic and its inadequacy and incompetency in governing the country in front of the eyes of the Iranian people.

The current situation in our country is very critical. If the status quo, especially cycle of continuity of the Corona virus transmission, is not contained in the short term, the humanitarian catastrophe will intensify and lives of many more fellow Iranians will be at risk. The negative and tragic impacts are not only in disease and life and death challenges but our country will face economic, social and psychological consequences.

Concerning the seriousness of the situation in our country, we, the four republican and national organizations and parties set forth the following suggestions designed to pass the Corona crisis in a faster time frame by synergizing the efforts of the civil society forces, NGOs, public institutions and the private sector.

The people of Iran are in need of sympathy and support more than ever. Indeed they have demonstrated an overwhelming solidarity and sympathy towards eradication of Corona disease. At the same time, they must consider enduring tough times and expect celebration of victory over the Corona crisis. At the current situation, people should not put their own and others’ lives at risk with un-necessary travel. Capacity of the hospitals, including the number of beds, intensive care rooms, devices, artificial respiration, blood oxygen meter, etc. are limited; therefore, negligence in observing these simple tips will increase the number of defenseless patients and intensify the crisis. To help solve the problems and eliminate deficiencies, the private sector also has a special responsibility to allocate funds and resources.

It is worth noting that getting out of this situation is not possible just by asking and advising. In areas where the intensity of the crisis situation is red, similar to the experiences of China, Italy and Spain, it is necessary to implement full quarantine by the military and law enforcement. In the full quarantine zones, temporary and short-term closure of work places, except those that are required to prepare and send food and medical care is essential. Food and health needs of residents in the above areas should be provided by the government as well. Health and medical needs require a revision of the current management that has failed to properly distribute resources and let the abusers and speculators take advantage of the situation.

The declared hunger strike of Ms. Nasrin Sotoudeh represents a dangerous situation in the prisons in Iran. Due to the high density of prisoners with ordinary crimes, they should be immediately released. Political prisoners and prisoners of conscience must be released unconditionally as well.

We, the four signatories of this statement praise the dedication and work around the clock of the doctors, nurses and other medical staff in the country and honor the names of those who lost their lives in providing cares and services to the patients. We declare that the actual number of the COVID-19 victims and infected ones should not be kept secret and must be announced.

Political-Executive Bureau of:

United Republicans of Iran

The Left Party of Iran (People’s Fadaian)

Iran National Front Organizations Abroad

Union for Secular Republic and Human Rights in Iran (USRHR)

March 17, 2020