Commemorating the Sacred Defense prisoners

The Iran’s Islamic revolution is the culmination of a very long arduous struggle to establish the Islamic rules. In fact, it soon became a conspicuous locus for various enemies who interpreted the revolution as something parlous for their reigns of oppression.

When on 31st of Shahrivar 1980 (1359) the coordinated incursion of the Iraq Baas, the first group of regime, the military and economical centers of the Islamic motherland, it made a war indispensable to the region. This bitter fact revealed the organized international conspiracy to destroy the new- born Islamic revolution. However, the Islamicrepublic ofIran gave priority to his leader’s important and everlasting remarks on the holy defense, Imam Khomeini (Rh), who said:

…We declare that our new tactics are not aiming at the continuation of war, but our enemies want to attack us under such pretexts. Never should our military forces neglect these intrigues. In every condition, they must be ready to defend the country effectively. Our people who felt the hostility and enmity toward the God's enemies, must be aware of the oppression's incursions in different ways ...

Finally, after 8 years of war, on 29th of Mordad 1988 (1367) the cease-fire was settled between Iran and Iraq; and the United Nation observers stationed on the common border. According to the resolution of 598, the negotiations between the Iran -Iraq foreign ministers began under the supervision of United Nation in Geneva and New York.

But for a long time it remained result less. On Ordibehesht 1990 (1369), Saddam, in his letter to the president ofIran demanded to settle their disputes.

Finally, after having exchanged six letters, the president of Iraq, while known as the conqueror of Kuwait, in his letter sent on 23rd of Mordad 1990 (1369) , declared that according to the 1975' s formal agreement and the resolution of 598 , he would withdraw his forces from the accepted international borders.

Three days after sending this letter, on 26th Mordad 1990 (1369) prisoners consisted of one hundred Iranian campaigners entered Iran from the Khosravi border and Iranian people turned out avidly to welcome them. So the eight years of people’s holy resistance and defense stamped on the heavy and international organized incursion and ruined the dream of conquering Tehran in few days.

THE FORMATION OF THE HEADQUARTER RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SACRED DEFENSE PRINSONERS’ AFFAIRS

The headquarter responsible for sacred defense prisoners’ affairs was formed on Aug 12, 1990 (Mordad 22, 1369) according to the law on the protection of war prisoners ratified on Dec3, 1989 (Azar 13, 1368) by Majlis. The institution in its first step faced the issue of exchanging so many prisoners. According to the same law, the headquarter exchanged more than 40,000 prisoners with their Iraqi counter parts. Inspired by the highlights of the Honorable Supreme Leader “Ayatollah Khamenei”, the head quarter formed more than 270 units all across the country and it started to supply the prisoners on various fields. This institution made the situation so that about 96 % (more than 36,000 people) of the Sacred Defense prisoners were employed in the governmental and private organizations. From the educational point of view, by the year 1996 (1375) more than 5300 of sacred defense prisoners could successfully enter the high educational organizations. About 365 people were accepted for the medically oriented courses (medicine, dental care and pharmacy) and 406 people for the engineering and the other courses. About 5000 of them took part in the extra classes and the colleges and more than 700 people could enter the courses at the levels below diploma and half of the illiterate ones could pass successfully the courses of the Illiteracy Campaign Movement within the period of 1992-1995 (1371-74).