First of all, thank you for your solidarity with the Iranian people and the national minorities.
There's really no comment that I can make about the Durban review conference and the statement that the so-called President of Iran has supposedly made in regard to the Jewish people. It's quite disgraceful, and it's quite sad to hear that someone like Ahmadinejad would speak on behalf of the Iranian people, who are of a great civilization and who have respect for all people in the Middle East, including the Jewish people. It's quite sad that such an image is made of the proud Iranian people. I can assure you that a lot of people, including the youth who you talked about, are very sad about the fact that such a regime represents them.
As you know, the Islamic republic has been able to hold on for thirty years due to these repressive policies. They are a repressive regime in every aspect of life, whether it's social, political, or economic. For example, the RGC, which is listed as a terrorist organization, runs a big chunk of the Iranian economy. The government has so much control over every aspect of life in Iran that sometimes it's very hard to breathe.
A lot of young activists end up in jail, as do people who like to have certain hairstyles or hang out with friends. Sometimes they have been mistreated or even been slashed in public. Intimidation is quite widespread. Sometimes the youth are afraid, but still we see a lot of opposition to government policies in universities and in other areas. Unfortunately, not only because of Iran's defiance of international resolutions and calls, but also because of its lack of respect for its population's calls for change in anything, which pressures Iranian youth to collectively come out and ask for greater change, the people of Iran, including the youth, have been quite cautious about what to do.
The previous revolution they had, mostly carried out by the youth, cost them, and now this is what they must deal with. They are afraid that if they do something else, it may get worse. They want to do something that has to do with the removal of the current Islamic system, because within the current Islamic system there's no room for minorities and there's no room for anyone to practise their basic rights. They want removal in the sense that the totalitarian elements of the regime are removed. Right now we have elections in Iran, but the elections are just a mockery, as many of you know, because there is a certain screening that is done. The only officials or people who get elected are actually screened and selected by the government agencies. What a lot of youth want to do is strengthen the electoral process and make it democratic. But in Iran, as has been proved, there is no room for such changes and such improvements.
A lot of people actually lost hope about changing the regime. The regime wants to encourage people to come and vote and engage, but people have tested the regime and it's impossible. But the youth, in general, are quite energetic in Iran, and, unlike in a lot of places in the Middle East, are quite pro-western in many ways. They are quite educated. They're quite exhausted, because there's really no future for them or opportunities unless you're with the government. It's the same for the Kurds, as well as everybody else. Unless you're with the government, there's no room for you in employment, in education, or in many other sectors. That's why a lot of youth have actually fled Iran. There are a lot of migrants who have been relocated or have gone abroad to seek a better life and better living.
I think if anything can be done in Iran, it has to be through the youth. Young people are the major players in bringing about change in Iran. A lot of the activism that goes on in exposing Iran's human rights conditions and violations is done by the youth, and we're grateful to them.
Thank you.