Qasem Ali Nourian, 38, is one of the residents of Ival village and the member of the village council speaks about the active presence of the Baha’is [1] of Ival village: “Before the Islamic Revolution, I was younger. What our fathers and grandfathers have narrated for us tells stories about the tyranny of the Baha’s against the residents of the village. Since 1330 S.H., all the nights of 15th of Sha’ban, we celebrated. Since the Baha’is entered into the village, they seized our speakers and broke our banners.
Q- Were the Baha’is originally from this village or from another place?
A- They were from this village, but their ancestor called Abdul Baghi Rowhani had been deceived and become Baha’i in a trip to Shiraz city. When he returned to the village, he made his relatives who were four families Baha’i. Later on, six Baha’i families came to Ival village from the nearby villages.
Q- How did the Baha’is of the village behave with other residents?
A- The Baha’is tyrannized the residents of the village. Every Tuesday night, they held an assembly to encourage our youth to become Baha’i. The Baha’i ladies were wearing the worse to deviate the youth. They even direct their sewing system towards the mere fountain of the village.
Q- How did the Baha’is behave in religious ceremonies like half of Sha’ban and the lunar month of Moharram?
A- During the mourning ceremony of Imam Hussein (P.H.) in 9th and 10th of the lunar month of Moharram [2], we turn the banner. They stopped us. They cut our speakers in the religious ceremonies and said: Just listen by yourself. We don’t want to hear. They disturbed people without any reason. They reported SAVAK that Muslims were cursing us and insulting the prime minister to such an extent that SAVAK arrested several young people. One of them called Tymour Noriyan was my paternal uncle who was badly tortured. They continued these activities till the Revolution and then, they escaped in 1360 S.H.
Q- Explain about the other anti-Islam activities more?
A- They were proselytizing very much, in general. Four or five Baha’i families who were residing in the village wanted to make ten Muslim families residing there Baha’i, but they didn’t have any educated person debating with Muslim proselytizer. For this reason; one winter night, they went to Sangsar city, Semnan, on foot to bring a Baha’i proselytizer. He discussed with our proselytizer till morning. Eventually, he was surrendered and escaped from the village at dawn.
Q-Have the Baha’is come back to the village after leaving?
A- When they wanted to go, they wrote a letter mentioning: If we became Muslim, we would come back; otherwise, we wouldn’t return, anymore. However; several years ago, they came along with several policemen from the police station and destroyed the rest walls. They sold the words and gave us the receipt, but they came to the village using various excuses.
Q-Certainly, the Baha’is possessed farm lands. Do they come to supervise the land?
A- They didn’t possess the lands. Totally, they possessed 8-10 hectares, but they don’t use them.
Q- Haven’t their lands confiscated?
A- The lands have not been confiscated, but people don’t use them, too. The residents of the village are faithful ones. I myself have a tractor. Once, the Baha’is came to the village and made a film out of my tractor and rumored this man has ploughed our lands with the tractor. It hadn’t happened at all. I swear by God that I didn’t take any tractor to any place.
Q- Have you heard about this issue that the Baha’is had said the villagers made their houses fire?
A- Before the revolution, they left the village and their houses were gradually destroyed. The houses of the village are made of plaster of clay and straw. Now, the houses are being destroyed.
Q-So, didn’t you destroy the houses?
A- Not at all, the people of Ival village didn’t deal with destroying the houses. These houses have been destroyed with the passage of time.
Q- The Baha’is claimed for their houses to be made fire by villagers during the years?
A- It is not true.
Q-Have you ever seen the images and photos casted by satellite networks such as the BBC?
A- No, we haven’t, but we have heard the news reported by our relatives in the city. We are asked everywhere we go: Are you Muslims or Baha’is? city. And we must swear to say we are Muslim. May God damn them.
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