Hello my name is Nazanin Afshin-Jam MacKay.

I am an international human rights activist and co founder and president of Stop Child Executions organization. I am an independent and not part of any political group or organization. I simply want to see freedom and human rights for all people including my birthplace Iran. Iranian people need help more than ever before. Women continue to be treated as second class citizens, ethnic and religious minorities are persecuted and peoples voices and means of expression are muffled through imprisonment, torture, rape while in custody and execution. The human rights situation continues to worsen. The number of executions increases every year. In fact Iran has the highest number of executions in the world per capita coming only second to China in numbers. It leads the world by far in child executions for so called offences such as homosexuality, apostasy and sex outside of marriage. The barbaric penal code based on Sharia law still allows for stoning for adultery and dismemberment of limbs for stealing. The best activists, bloggers, writers, unionists and human rights defenders are either in prison like Nasrin Sotoudeh, or they have been forced to flee the country in fear of their lives like Mansour Osanloo. There is threat of war because of Irans non compliance with the demands of the IAEA and numerous UN resolutions. Sanctions have started to affect regular people on top of the already suffering economy and plummeting currency due to the regimes corruption, mismanagement of funds and domestic and foreign policy which chooses to support terrorism and other conflicts abroad like in Syria and Lebanon instead of helping the poor and suffering of its own nation. In an oil rich country like Iran, we should not be seeing such poverty, double digit unemployment and child labor, some as young as 5 years old working in brick making factories, some sleeping in cardboard boxes on the street or under bridges. We should not be seeing the numbers of those so desperate and destitute that they are driven to drug abuse, prostitution and sky rocketing numbers of HIV/AIDS. It is more imperative than ever that the Iranians inside and out put aside their differences and unite against the current regime. When I meet with government leaders globally they generally express the same sentiment. They want to help Iranian people but they say the opposition is so divided they do not know who to listen to and are confused. That is why it is useful to unite and speak with one voice on the fundamental issues that the vast majority of Iranians can agree upon and that is: Freedom, Democracy, the separation between religion and state, the rule of law and a constitution based on human rights.

To those in Iran: Do you feel that Iran is safe and stable and are you happy with your quality of life in Iran? Does this theocratic regime represent you? Are you happy with Sharia law as the base for Irans penal code? Are you tired of the rhetoric by Ahmadinejad, Khamenei and other regime officials that are causing international embarrassment, fear and turmoil and has the secondary repercussion of causing a drop in the Iranian currency? Do you want to see human rights respected? Do you want an alternative? Do you believe it can be done? I believe it can be done. It is only a matter of time. There is much to be hopeful for because I see how Iran is imploding from within. There are more fissures at the government level, cracks between clerics, defections among the basijis and revolutionary guards. There is even a rumor that there was so much pressure during the green uprising that Khamenei had a plane ready to depart. If there had been just one more push like a general strike who knows what would have taken place? What gives me the most hope are the people of Iran, the civil society: the women, the youth, the labour unions; the brave and strong Iranian people who are so thirsty for freedom. It starts with small acts of nonviolent civil resistance and grows in leaps and bounds like we saw in other coloured revolutions like the Orange Revolution in the Ukraine or the Otpor Revolution in Serbia where everyone in Iran could participate including the basij, sepah, government employees and even the clergy like Ayatollah Boroujerdi. I believe as responsible Iranians and citizens of the world, we must support unity projects. Different umbrella groups have been forming to try and create a space for dialogue and action to come up with concrete solutions. I support all these initiatives. I have hope because of initiatives like that just taken by the Canadian government in support of freedom loving Iranians. Just recently in conjunction with the Monk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto they hosted the first of a series of gathering by Iranian opposition to discuss the future of Iran and created a space to come up with solutions. The Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs John Baird boldly said: For those of you inside Iran right now, listening from somewhere safewhere the regime cannot suppress your curiositywhere it cannot control your conscience, or profit from your oppressionI want you to know that Canada stands with you. My husband, Peter MacKay who is the Minister of Defence said to the people of Iran Canadians are with you, Canada cares about Iran, we have compassion for your country and share hope for your aspirations for freedom. I am convinced that the Supreme Leader cannot sustain the status quo, his regime will fall. The will of the people cannot be retained forever.

Freedom is irreducible and irreplaceable and inevitable for Iran. One day I want my son Kian to see an Iran that is free and prosperous, where the sun can warm his face where he visits the majestic heritage he inherits as his birthright and learn more of his ancestors. I too share those sincere sentiments. More countries should follow Canadas lead and act in accordance providing the moral support and tools to empower Iranians from within to take control of their destiny like closing down their embassies and helping the people of Iran to overcome internet filters and slow internet connections by providing for circumvention tools and increasing the number of satellite television programs given the regime has exclusive control of the media and has threatened a complete ban of the internet and the creation of an intranet on top of the tens of thousands they have hired for their cyberarmy to spy on and harass dissidents. This kind of aid would represent a fraction of the price it would cost foreign entities if God forbid there was ever any military intervention on Iran. I hope we can form a strong enough alliance between different umbrella groups and other opposition groups on a temporary basis to form a type of transitional council to help act as a voice and facilitator during a phase out period of this regime. The final decision of the type of government lies in the hands of the Iranian people after the collapse of the Islamic Republic. In the new democratic Iran, Iranians will finally be able to vote in free and fair elections and be able to choose how they want Iran to be governed and lead. Many things need to be discussed and planned including transitional justice. Who gets tried in an international tribunal for crimes against humanity? Who is given amnesty? Will Iran hold a truth and reconciliation process? Answers to these questions are urgent. Are you willing to give of your time by sharing thoughts, spreading awareness or contributing in any shape or form including financially? We all have different blessings and capabilities that we can contribute. It starts with you. Drop by drop we can create an ocean of change and put out the fires of injustice in Iran and the world. Ghatre Ghatre jam gardad won gahi daria shaved

Nazanin Afshin-Jam MacKay is an award winning human rights activist, public speaker, author and co Founder of Stop Child Executions. She holds a Masters degree in Diplomacy with a concentration in International Conflict Management and holds a bachelors in International Relations and Political Science. www.nazanin.ca