Maryam Namazie
Published in letters section of the Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/iran/story/0,12858,1114984,00.html
January 31, 2002

The main culprit is the Islamic Republic of Iran – its utter disregard for people’s lives and safety, neglect in creating adequate housing during its brutal 25-year theocracy, its imposition of desperate poverty on the population at large, its late and chaotic response to the tragedy, poor building methods, lack of proper regulations, its refusal to heed recommendations made by a series of inquiries after the 1990 earthquake in north-west Iran that killed 50,000, corruption, and so on.

In the face of this catastrophe, though, the outpouring of support by people throughout the world has been heartening. This support and solidarity will be instrumental in saving and rebuilding the lives of the devastated survivors. It can also exert pressure to ensure a review of construction laws and standards and the establishment of an international inquiry into the real causes of this tragedy. We must not allow Bam to be repeated.

Maryam Namazie
London