Biographies of Speakers - UNPO

Human Rights and the Question of Democratisationand Federalism in IranSPEAKER BIOGRAPHIESDr. Abdian, Karim:A human rights and political activist for nearly 40 years in the West, Dr. Karim is the executivedirector of Ahwazi Human Rights Organization, an international advocacy NGO in support ofnational and ethnic minorities in Iran, with a focus on Ahwazi-Arabs (Arab-Iranians) in south-westernIran. Karim is also the secretary of International and Foreign affairs of Congress of Nationalities for aFederal Iran (CNFI). A researcher and an author of numerous articles in papers in Farsi, Arabic andEnglish, he regularly appears on Arab and Iranian TV and media as well as on Voice of America.Karim is an active participant in a number of UN forums such Permanent Forum on IndigenousPeoples and the UN Human Rights Council. He holds a degree in Aerospace Engineering, an MBAand PhD in International Economics.Dr. Al-Taie, Ali:A native Arab, he was born in 1942 in international Iran. His county of birth was one of two Arabcity-states under the Greek conquest of Mesopotamia, and his tribe identified with the other. Hereceived his education in the imposed language of the nation-state of Iran, including his Masters inSocial Sciences from the University of Tehran. He worked as a school teacher and later as aresearcher at the University of Tehran, and the Ministry of Sciences and Higher Education. In 1978,he emigrated to the US and pursued a doctoral degree in sociology. Now a US citizen, he taught inseveral schools across the country. Currently, he chairs the Department of Social Sciences and teachessociology at Shaw University, Raleigh, North Carolina. He also worked for five years for the Leagueof Arab States in the US. Included in his published works in English, Arabic, and Farsi, which isrelevant to the theme of this Conference is: Ethnic Identity Crisis in Iran; and The Arab Is not Traitor(to Iran). His current research focuses on : The Arabs of al-Ahwaz: A Sociopolitical History; and theSociology of Collective Identity.Ms. Bakke, Kristin M.:Kristin M. Bakke is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at LeidenUniversity, the Netherlands. She has a PhD and MA in Political Science from the University ofWashington, Seattle, and a BA in Journalism from Indiana University. In 2007-2008, she was aresearch fellow at Harvard University. Dr. Bakke’s research concerns why the relations betweenethnic groups and the states in which they live have been mired in violence in some states but not inothers, how federalism can (or cannot) promote intrastate peace, and the ways in which intrastatestruggles affect state-society and inter-ethnic relations.Mr. Bakhtiar, Faramarz:Born in 1950 in Bakhtiary land in Iran and raised in a politically involved family who were theleaders of the Bakhtiary minority. He finished high school in Tehran and went to the United States tofurther his education. In 1978 Mr. Bakthiar graduated from the University of Baltimore in the field ofpolitical science. He has been living in Germany since 1999 and his field of activity is the tribalstructure of Iran.Senator Baloch, Sanaullah:Elected as a Member Senate of Pakistan (Parliament) from Balochistan province, serving between2002 and 2008. He resigned from the Senate of Pakistan in June 2008 in protest of unjust policiestowards Balochistan and its people. In April 1997, Mr. Baloch elected as a Member of NationalAssembly of Pakistan (Parliament) from the largest constituency of the country. In 1998 he wasappointed as Parliamentary Secretary to the Interior and Narcotics Control Division but resigned inprotest when Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Pakistan tested the nuclear bomb in Balochistan. Hehas written a number of articles and papers on ethnic politics, democracy, federalism and nationalismand in August 2005 he was made fellow of Stanford Institute for International Studies on the1-2 April 2009

Human Rights and the Question of Democratisationand Federalism in IranDemocracy, Development and Rule of law program. His research and professional expertise is in thefield of Democracy, Federalism, Conflict Resolution, Human Rights and the rights of EthnicMinorities.Mr. Boladai, NasserMr Nasser Boladai is a member of the International Committee of the CNFI (Congress ofNationalities for a Federal Iran). He was born and raised in western Balochistan, Iran, where hefinished high school in 1981. He has a Master's degree in Arts, a degree in Linguistics and a degree inComputer and System Science. Mr. Boladai is a member of the editorial board for a Balochi andPersian magazine called TRAN, which is devoted to political and cultural discourse among Balochs,and other Iranians. He has contributed numerous articles to this magazine on national selfdetermination, people’s sovereignty, Federalism, Balochi language and literature specifically in thearea of Balochi Folklore.Mr. Dadiar, Seria:Student of Mediatechnology and Balochi language of Balochi origin currently residing in Sweden.Actively monitors the Human rights situation in Iran with particular focus on Balochistan.Dr Doshoki, Abdul Sattar:Qualified physician from Leeds University with a Masters degree in International Business andManagement from City University of London. Started political activities in 1977 whilst a medicalstudent in Tehran, from which he was purged by the Ayatollahs in 1981. He was one of the foundersof the Balochistan United Front of Iran. Currently he is the UK & Ireland Manager for an Americanhealthcare organization. He is a well-known writer, commentator, and analyst on Persian and Balochpolitical affairs, appearing on various media such as VOA, BBC, and Middle Eastern media.Mr. Ghobishi, Yasin:Born in 1958 in the Arab Province Alahwaz (Khozestan) in southwestern Iran. Mr. Ghobishi was apolitical activist in the province after the priests attack on Alahwazi people, and came to Denmark as apolitical refugee in 1985. There he learnt Danish language and read Electronics. Mr. Ghobishi isactive for meniscus rights Ahwaz Country.Mr.Hejab, Abdollah: Mr Hejab obtained a Masters degree in political science from the University ofOslo. His main focus was the “Nation building process in Kurdistan”. During recent years he haswritten a series of articles and comments on human rights and the political situation in Kurdistan inNorwegian, Kurdish, Turkish and Persian papers and journals. His political background started in the1980s, when he attended the PDKI after his school degree.Mr. Hosseinbor, Gholam Reza:Mr. Hosseinbor is a leadership consultant who has written four books on leadership, management,development and change. He has also created more than 150 CDs on the same issues. He has alsoconducted substantial research on Iranian nationalities and specifically on Baloch case. He was bornin Iran and now lives in the United Kingdom.Mr. Hosseini, Shaho (Michel Hosseini): Representative of the Democratic Party of IranianKurdistan abroad.Mr. Iranpour, Nasser:Born in 1962 in Mahabad, Iranian Kurdistan, and started a degree in Social Economics in 190. Hecame to Germany in 1984 where he continues to reside today. From 1987-1990 he completedprofessional practical training, and in 1990/91 he completed a one year preparatory course in Germanliterature in Frankfurt. Between 1991 and 1996 he studied journalism and German literature andsciences in Dortmund. Now, works as a translator and freelance journalist, and is active in1-2 April 2009

Human Rights and the Question of Democratisationand Federalism in Iranmaintaining IranFederal.com on which is published articles abut federalism, democracy and the rightto self determination.Dr Hossein, LadjevardiLeading up to completing his PhD in Sociology at The Sorbonne in Paris (1978), Dr Ladjevardi wasan active researcher and senior lecturer at the Social Research and Study Institute at TehranUniversity, and has also worked with the UN in the UNDP on population growth in Iran. He iscurrently the president of the Association des Chercheurs Iranians, established in 1992 and ResearchProject Manager at the Iranian Research and Advice Centre.Mr. Mengal, Munir:Mr. Munir is a Chartered Accountant and has audited several high portfolio organizations in Pakistan.He has been a member of the Pakistan 2004-2005 Budget pre and post analysis committee. In October2005 he planned to establish an independent Balochi Language TV channel named as Baloch Voice.In February 2006 he made a speech in Ayube stadium, Quetta about the Media Role in the BalochNational Movement for self-determination. On 26 th March 2006 there was a Seminar and Musicalshow arranged by Baloch Club Bahrain where he and Fatima Al-Baloshi were Guests of Honour. Hehas written Several Articles about Balochistan and Baloch People, of which, “Baloch, Balach andBalochistan” is the best known.Mr. Mobaraki, Nasser:Mr. Mobaraki was born in 1960 in Balochistan, Iran. He graduated from technical college in 1978 andsubsequently worked as construction director for various companies. He completed national servicebetween 1983 and 1985. He left Iran in 1986 for the UK where he has resided ever since. In 2003with a group of likeminded friends, he co-founded Baluchistan United Front with the intention ofcreating a platform for bringing together all parties and individuals who are fighting for adecentralised democratic government for Iran.Mr. Mojaddam, Kathem Hassod:Born and raised in Ahwaz, Mr Mojaddam holds an economics degree from Shahid Chamran (Ahwaz)University in Khuzestan. He is a founding member of al-Wafagh Party, a 2nd of Khordad reformistparty that dominated Khuzestan province for 8 years during Khatami. This party was banned byPresident Ahmadinejad and most of its leadership and members are in jail in Ahwaz. The Al-WafghaParty t is now illegal in Iran. Mr. Mojadam is a political activist and currently resides in Demark. Hehas been jailed 3 times in the past 15 years for advocating the rights of ethnic Ahwazi-Aras inSouthwest Iran.Dr. Moradi, Golmorad:Dr. Golmorad Moradi was born into a Kurdish Yarsani Family in 1941 in Iranian Kurdistan. Hestudied political economic, political science and the sociology at the University of HeidelbergGermany. Mr. Moradi was Guest on the University of Oxford for one year (April 1983 - March 1984),as Researcher. He wrote his PhD. Thesis at the political Faculty (South-East Asian) of the Universityof Heidelberg, on the history of Kurdish Movement. He also wrote his Habilitation (inauguration) on“Social and Religious movement” in Islamic world of Iran focusing on the history and philosophy ofAhl-e Haqq (Yarsan). He has worked as lecturer at the University of Heidelberg, Hamburg andBremen and taught Kurdish history, basic Kurdish language for foreign students and Persian languagefor over five years. He is also speaker of Cultural Association of Yarsan community abroad andwrites Verdicts (legal advice) for the Judges, government Authorities and different human rightsOrganisations, about the Cultural and Religious matters in Middle East, especially about the Ahl-eHaqq (Yarsan) religion. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Human Rights in Kurdistan andalso the member of Councils (Hai´at Dabiran) of Iranian (PEN) in Exile.1-2 April 2009

Human Rights and the Question of Democratisationand Federalism in IranDr. Emmanuele OttolenghiDr. Ottolenghi is the executive director of the Transatlantic Institute and a frequent commentator onIsraeli domestic politics, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and Europe’s Middle East policy. Prior to 2006, hetaught Israel Studies at the Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies and at the Middle EastCentre of St. Antony’s College, Oxford University. He obtained his Ph.D. at the Hebrew University ofJerusalem and did his undergraduate studies at the University of Bologna.Dr. Sadr, Al Asharafi Zia: Born in Tabriz, capital of Iran’s Azerbaijan. Engineer in Agronomy, atthe University of Tehran, Iran. Gained a Masters of Science at the University of Montpelier, Franceand a second Masters of Science at the University of Sorbonne, France. He completed a Doctorate incomparative agriculture, at the University of Sorbonne, France. Professor in rural sociology, at theUniversity of Avicenne, Hamadan, Iran.Mr. Shariatmadari, Hassan:Born in Tabriz, Iran in 1947, the son of Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Kazem Shariatmadari (1885-1986).He holds a Masters in Physics, a Masters in Law, Islamic Sciences and Islamic Philosophy. He cofoundedthe I.P.R.P, the Iran Moslem Peoples Republican Party Member of central comity of I.P.R.Pbetween 1978 and 1980. He emigrated to Germany as an exiled politician in 1980 where he continuesto reside. He is General Secretary of JMI (National Republicans of Iran) and Member of the GeneralCouncil of EJA (Unity of republicans of Iran). He has published various books, articles, papers andinterviews in social, Islamic, democratic, ethnic, political issues regarding Iran.Mr. Shekofteh, Afrasiab:Mr. Shekofteh was born in Khorasan Province, North-east of Iran. As a Kurd from Khorasan heworked among Khorasani Kurds in the health industry and in social, civil and cultural affairs foryears. He attained a PhD in agricultural and animal health from Tehran University in 1992. He has anMSc in medical laboratory from London Metropolitan University, UK, 2006. As a member of theCultural and Civil Society of Khorasani Kurds, he has advocated tirelessly for democracy in Iran.Mr. Soltanzadeh, Hedayatollah:Mr. Soltanzadeh studied law in Tehran University and in the UK. For more than 40 years he was apolitical activist and was imprisoned for over 8 years before the revolution. He worked for 5 years asa researcher at the Open University of Iran, and editorial member of the opposition journal, RaheKargar, having co-founded it. Key areas of interest include jurisprudence, political economy andpolitical theory, especially the issues of federalism. Currently he is Executive Member of theAzerbaijan Federal Democratic Movement .Ms. Sulemani, Monireh: International representative of Balochistan Peoples Party, was recently inBelem, Brazil participating in the world social forum. Also participated at the 2008 United NationsPermanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.Mr. Tavakkoly Keianosh: Currently head of the Iranian Human Rights Committee in Denmark. Mr.Tavakkoly is a human rights activist and a member of the steering group for the Iranian website "IranGlobal". He is a web journalist specializing in Iranian politics.Ms. Zamani, Fakhteh:Ms. Zamani is an Azerbaijani Iranian who grew up in the Iranian Azerbaijani. An expert in wirelesscommunications, Canada-based Fakhteh Zamani has campaigned against the injustices suffered byIran’s minorities. Ms Zamani left Iran more than18 years ago but now capitalizes on her IT expertiseand gathers and shares information about minorities. She is committed to raising awareness abouthuman rights abuses committed in Iran. She founded the Association for the Defence of AzerbaijaniPolitical Prisoners, but condemns human rights abuses against all minorities in Iran. In March of 2008she spoke to the U.S. House of Representatives' Iran working group.1-2 April 2009