Noting that with their Revolution the Iranian people set forth "freedom and independence" as two general and inseparable principles;
Noting that the National Council of Resistance has set as its objective the overthrow of the Khomeini regime and the establishment of a political system based on the will and sovereignty of the people;
Noting that the prerequisite for the establishment of a government based on the will and sovereignty of the people in Iran is the ever-greater provision and guarantee of the apparatus, facilities and means for the entire population to intervene and partic ipate in the making and execution of decisions;
Noting that the intervention and participation of the people in the making and execution of political, economic, cultural and social decisions is the necessary condition for the attainment of democracy in a country;
The National Council of Resistance announces the present plan for securing the autonomy of Iranian Kurdistan in order to secure and strengthen as much as possible the popular sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the national consolidation and unity of the country, and in view of the just struggles of the people of Kurdistan for the provision of democracy in Iran and autonomy in Kurdistan, and in order to overcome the double oppression of the oppressed Kurdish nationality. This plan is capable of being effected within the framework of the Program of the National Council of Resistance and the Provisional Government of the Democratic Islamic Republic of Iran and the Immediate Tasks of the Provisional Government, and has been specifically drawn up and rat ified on the basis of Article 3 of the Immediate Tasks of the Provisional Government, that "the anti-popular war waged against the people of Kurdistan must be brought to an end by declaring autonomy for Kurdistan within the framework of Iran's territorial integrity, (and) attempts must be made to eliminate the consequences of this war." The plan shall guide the future actions of the Provisional Government over the autonomy of Iranian Kurdistan. The arrangements and manner of execution of the present plan shall be specified by the Provisional Government of the Democratic Islamic Republic of Iran. The Provisional Government is bound to make the necessary efforts to fulfill this plan.
1- The autonomous region encompasses all of Iranian Kurdistan. The geographical domain of this region shall be determined by reference to the general vote of the people in the region occupied by the Kurds.
2- The legislative organ in the 'internal affairs of the autonomous region is the Supreme Council of Kurdistan, the members of which shall be elected through free elections with a general, direct, equal and secret ballot.
The general laws of the Republic are binding in the autonomous region. The ratifications made by the Supreme Council of Kurdistan must not violate the general laws of the Republic.
3- The administration of all affairs of the autonomous region of Kurdistan, apart from the affairs cited below that are recognized to be within the authority of the Central Government, fall within the authority of the organs of autonomy.
The determination of the highest organs for running these affairs and for monitoring their activities is the responsibility of the Supreme Council of Kurdistan.
4- The maintenance of internal security in the autonomous region is the responsibility of the organs of autonomy, which shall organize an appropriate force for this task with observance of Article 2 of the present plan.
5- Affairs related to foreign policy and foreign relations, national security of the Republic and national defense (consisting of protection of the borders, preservation of territorial integrity and unity of the Republic) are within the authority of the C entral Government. The Armed Forces in the autonomous region, as in other parts of Iran, do not have the right to intervene in internal security affairs.
6- Affair's related to foreign trade and Customs, determination of the monetary and financial system of the country, execution of the duties related to the Central Bank, drafting of the general budget and economic programs that are of national importance or that require considerable investments, are within the authority of the Central Government.
Administration of other economic affairs of the autonomous region fall within the authority of the organs of autonomy.
Exploitation of natural resources and general assets of the country that are of national importance is within the authority of the Central Government and shall take place to the benefit of the entire population of Iran. In the autonomous region of Kurdis tan, the organs of autonomy shall assist the Central Government to exploit these resources and assets.
7- The Kurdish tongue is the official language for teaching and internal correspondence in the autonomous region, and the right to learn in the Kurdish language is officially recognized for all inhabitants of the region. The Farsi tongue is the official language in the autonomous region as in other regions of Iran, and shall be taught in schools alongside the Kurdish language. The Kurdistan autonomous region's administration shall correspond with the capital, with other regions, as well as with the depa rtments attached to the Central Government that are in the autonomous region, in Farsi. All non-Kurdish inhabitants in autonomous Kurdistan are free to practice their own culture and have the right to receive education in their own language.
8 - All rights and freedoms stipulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the international covenants related to it, such as the freedom of belief and expression, freedom of the press, freedom of the formation and activity of political parti es and organizations, trade, workers and rural unions and councils, democratic associations, freedom to choose occupation and place of residence, and freedom of religion shall be guaranteed in Kurdistan as in other parts of Iran. All inhabitants of Kurdi stan, be they women or men, shall enjoy equal social, economic, political and cultural rights, as in other regions of Iran, without, any form of sexual, tribal, ethnic or religious discrimination.
9 - There is a single judicial system in the Republic and in the autonomous region the courts will deal with claims in accordance with laws of the Republic and also laws passed by the Supreme Council of Kurdistan. The security forces of autonomous Kurdis tan, like the security forces of other parts of the country, will act as the bailiffs of the Judicial Ministry and are bound to implement the verdicts, orders and arrangements of the courts and judicial authorities.
10- The organs of autonomy are bound to refrain from interfering in the affairs recognized to be within the special authority of the Central Government, and are obliged to assist the Central Government to carry out its duties in the region. In the same m anner, the Central Government and its executive organs are prohibited from interfering in the affairs recognized to fall within the special authority of the organs of autonomy to carry out their duties.
11- The Central Government, in carrying out its duties in securing the rapid progress and development of the backward regions of the country, is charged to allocate a greater share of public revenues to overcome the backwardness of the autonomous region o f Kurdistan.
12- The people of the autonomous region of Kurdistan, like the rest of their compatriots throughout Iran, will participate in running the affairs of the country through legal channels and without any form of discrimination.
The present plan consisting of an introduction and 12 articles was unanimously ratified by the National Council of Resistance on November 8,1983.
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