In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
The responsibility of the tribes and others
We have, perhaps, more need for the tribes- all of them- with respect to the problems that we now face. The reason is that, unfortunately, in the time of Rida Khan, «1» one of the regime's aims was that Iran should have no tribes; that is, it was the aim of the foreign powers. They thought that this support of Iran and the nation, whether with regard to the clergy or to politics and security, should not exist. And so they were opposed to all the tribes. They used to oppose all the tribes and those living in the border regions. In the interior, too, they were against the clergy. What we all now need is for calm to return to the country. The country will settle down if there is tranquility. All the aims of the officials and the people would be realized. The tranquility of the country depends on the assistance of all ranks, the most important of which are the tribes. If the tribes make efforts, they can bring peace to the regions where they live. They must not allow various groups to come and sow discord and create disorder, nor allow some of the organs of the country to do certain things, for example, that are against the dignity of the country. The tribal gentlemen, wherever they are, should, themselves, prevent such things from happening so that calm is restored and the wheels of the economy start moving. In this connection, we heard after they had left that they had, unfortunately, destroyed everything and gone away, leaving nothing for us.
We now need calm to prevail so as to facilitate reconstruction, and repair the damage previously done. If there is no peace; in case some trouble crops up everywhere in the country; some differences arise, well, the government naturally will not be able to carry out the task of reconstruction. However, if calm is restored and, God wiling, the Islamic Republic, with everybody's assistance, takes shape in the true sense; not just vote-wise, but in reality, and an independent government is formed and Islamic precepts put into effect there would, then, be welfare and prosperity for all the various segments of the nation- prosperity in this world and the hereafter. In any case, we now need help. We must all join hands in this country which they ruined and left. We must, first of all, maintain tranquility, following which all of us must cooperate to rebuild it.
The destruction wrought by the Shah's regime
It is obvious that attention has not been given to any place. Neither should you think that attention has not been paid to the tribes. Now, any tribesperson coming from anywhere believes that it is only his area that is worse than any other. The Bakhtiyaris come and say the same thing that there is no place as bad as their region. Balouchis say likewise, and so do the Kurdistanis. All of them state the same fact because none[ of the problems ]of these areas have been addressed. I have repeatedly said that in Tehran- which is the capital and where all the government organs want to function- there are, say, approximately thirty districts about which they had written to me saying that these are in need of repairs; these areas of slum-dwellers and- I should say- tent-dwellers, etc. in Tehran itself who have nothing; neither electricity, nor water, nor asphalt, now hygiene, nothing. This is the case in Tehran. This is because they did not bother about the people. They wanted to look after their own interest and of America and such counties. For this reason, the question of their attending the needs of the people never struck them. It did not cross their minds that the nation is itself something in any country. What should have been spent for the people was given away to foreigners. Nothing at all that concerned the nation was done. Therefore, you should not imagine that they did not attend to the matters concerning only your tribe and your region. They had not dealt with any region. Tehran's condition is like this and the other provinces are the same.
The need to allow time for development and reconstruction
When I was in Najaf, «2» some businessman from Kuwait- who were actually from towns near Ahwaz, «3» perhaps Behbahan «4» and thereabouts- would visit me, asking for permission to use the Imam's (`a) Share «5» to build a water reservoir in some town or village that, according to them, lacked drinking water. The reservoir was necessary for collecting the rainwater and then supplying it to the village, for instance, that the people there could have water for that year. One of them (visitors) told me that the women of the village had to walk a distance of one farsakh (6 kilometers) in order to fetch water. They had to go to the spot where there was water, fill their pitchers and return. They did not think of doing something for the nation, but now they have a mind to do something. However, things are so unsettled as to require time. Time is needed to enable them to attend to their tasks. First of all, the government is thinking about this; plans are in place for the purpose. Plans to undertake asphalting are underway. According to what the Prime Minister, who was here recently, said, the work has already begun in various places. I hope that if calm prevails in the country- that is now free of the pillage and the embezzlement, and the country's wealth that belongs to it is now being used within it- all the problems will be resolved, God willing.
Eliminating irregularities through the nation's efforts
May God protect you the tribes that are the resource of this country. It is hoped that, God willing, all of us will fulfill our obligation so that these groups do not come and create mischief; do not go among the youth and say things- I must say- in order to incite them against Islam and the direction the country is taking. It is up to the tribal chiefs in those places to make maximum efforts for the good of Islam, the country and the nation. May God grant success to all of you.
[One among the audience stated:" If Hadrat Imam so orders, we are prepared to guard the country's borders in the tribal regions."]
May they be successful. Of course, the borders must be protected by the gentlemen themselves who live in the border regions so that no unscrupulous persons enter the country. It is said that there are people who are entering the country, weapons are being brought in and narcotics such as heroin and opium that are harmful to the people are being brought in. The army, at present, is not very strong, the gendarmerie is not very strong- they are waiting to be strengthened- but, nevertheless, are standing firm. The nation itself must solve these problems now. The country is now yours; when the country is yours, you must serve it just as if you are serving your own family. You, yourselves, must serve your country and rid it of all the irregularities wherever they may be. May God give you success and assistance.