SALAR JAFF ( 1940 – 1979 )
On a cold wintry day in 1940 awaiting the
birth of a child to become amongst the finest of future men and distant to
fill a gap, and to repair what was damaged by time.
In the Kalar village on
the banks of eternal river of Sirwan, which witnessed the miseries and
endurance of people struggling for survival and better future. This child
was named Salar meaning big or the elder; and he did become the elder
during that epic.
His mother was Khawer, wife of
Dawood Beg leader of Jaff tribe. From early age, he showed signs of
maturity, strong personality, and innovation; behaving like a grown up man
while still a boy, imposing respect by the young and old, solving family
and even tribe problems.
He developed an urge for learning
and to acquire experience of others, wishing always to be at the forefront
of events.
He completed his elementary
schooling in Kalar and Kifri town, then in Ba’qooba where he stayed for
several years. He learned Arabic and continued the secondary school there,
then went to Khanaqeen city to finish his studies. Salar became prominent
in this small city by becoming spokesman and representative of the
students of the secondary schools despite his young age.
During his stay in Khanaqeen
the 14th July revolution took place under the leadership of
Abdul Kareem Qassim where all parts of Iraq were boiling and bubbling; and
as a result of that revolution a number of parties and various political
groups cropped up on the both the far left and right, attempting to draw
him to their camps. His far-sightedness and intelligence made him decline
such attempts, but remained friendly towards them.
The unsettled conditions
and insecurity in Iraq were the main reasons for Dawood Beg the leader of
Jaff tribe, Salar’s father, who at that time was a member of the Iraqi
parliament and a well-known figure then, in his decision to leave the
country.
Upon the request of Salar’s father
from Mohamed Reza Shah, he was warmly welcomed. Salar left Iraq in 1959
and chose Iran for his residence. He learnt the Farsi language and resumed
his studies in Iranian city of Kirminshah.
In there, he became his father’s
assistant and companion in all his travels to the areas where the Jaff
tribe existed in Iran and played a significant role in unifying the
various sects and families of the tribe, and became the second man after
his father, solving major and minor problems, helping the needy sparing no
efforts in this regard.
With Amir Ehteshami Amir Goran
Tribe – Kermanshah – Iran
On the launch of the Kurdish
movement in the sixties in Iraq Kurdistan, Salar was the first to provide
help, collecting medicines and arms for the Pesh Merga (the Kurdish
militia), of the young movement, as well as bringing foreign journalists
to Iraq Kurdistan acknowledging to the outside world that there is a
people suffering and fighting for its freedom and self determination,
putting himself in constant danger, uncaring for his safety knowing it was
for the good of his people.
Salar left Kirminshah to accompany
his sick father to Tehran the capital. In this big city, the scope wide
open for him to acquaint himself with officials and prominent Iranian
persons, and continuing his father’s political activities after his
death.
With Mohammed Reza shah
Pahlawi –shah of Iran
He began agricultural and
commercial ventures, buying agrarian lands in the north west of Tehran in
Khoram Dera (the Green valley) area, establishing with his brothers huge
farm applying modern farming methods, which after few years it became the
best model farm in country.
Foreign delegations were brought in
by the Iranian Ministry of Agriculture to exhibit the extent of
advancement of agriculture in Iran. There was a milk production center of
a 10,000 cows and 10,000 sheep capacity; an apples farm of 500 donems (the
donem =2500 sq.m), a vineyard of 600 donems, in addition to other seasonal
products and animal feed.
In addition to this massive
venture, the brothers built a tourists city in the area, which was known
for its natural beauty and pleasantness of its weather. An industrial
center consisting of deep freeze storage facilities, aluminum doors and
windows factory, and a shoes factory were established. Those industrial
and agricultural centres became showcase of modernization of modern Iran.
Beside these engagements, Salar
entered the political life vigorously, which made the existing parties
compete to entice him to join their ranks; but he chose to join Pan
Iransim party, which proclaimed to defend the rights of the various
ethnics of Iran, and became an active member.
With General Beglari – chief
Commander of royal-Gard
After some time, he realized that
that party was not sincere to its declared principles and decided to leave
it. Shortly after that, he was approached by the ruling Iran Nowein
(Modern Iran) party to join it, which Salar then accepted, believing that
in doing so he can help members of his tribe as well as the Kurds of Iran
by having a strong tool on wide scale.
After a short while, Salar took a
leading role to became the person in-charge in the party of all Iranian
tribes, and elected to the Iranian National Shura Council representing
Kirmanshah Province.
With his followers – Jawanrod
city
He was vehement in his defence of
the interests of the citizens of his constituancy in the
Council.
With Kermanshah 's Governor-
Pawa city
With the bigining of the revolution,
disturbances and insecurity spread throughout the Iranian cities, in the
form of demonstrations, made worse by the wrong policies of the Shah,
which in fact helped the Mullahs and the Akhondies in their efforts, as
well as for the Big Powers to interfere in his kingdom’s
affaires.
The scene of demonstrations
against the Shah became a daily occurances, while he encouraged his
supporters to go out and demonstrate too. He asked Salar Jaff and his
brothers to organize huge demonstrations in his support in western
Iran.
Salar was took an opposing stand to
this demand, but on the insistence of the Royal Court, and the Director of
Ceremonies of the Court in particular, convinced them to take action. They
went to the province to gather their supporters, which indeed they managed
to build large crowd and launched big demonstrations in many cities in the
province of Kirminshah with no serious opposing ones.
These demonstrations worried the
anti Shah front, who feared of their possible spread to the rest of the
country, and began conspiring with individuals who were expelled from the
National Security Administration ( Savak ). In the last days of the
demonstrations in the Pawa town in north western Kirminshah, those
individual began firing on the demonstrators, and an ensuing vicious
battle took place where several persons of the opposition plus seven
demonstrators were killed.
These demonstrations had a a very
high echo to the extent that it was reported in all the Iranian as well as
some international press Der Speigal, The Times, and Le
Mond).
In the aftermath of these
demonstrations, which scared the opposition and planned to put an end to
them while they were still at their beginnings, fearing they might form a
massive popular movement, and as the media was dominated by elements
opposing the Shahanshahi regime, a campaign of distortion and
misinformation began against Salar Jaff and in bold letters.
This campaign on one side made the
supporters fearful, while pressure was exerted on the Government to
request withdrawal of Salar Jaff `s parliamentary immunity on the other.
The parliament rejected such demand, but decided to detain him in the
building of the parliament .
Days after the collapse of the shahanshahi regime , and the dominance of Khomaini and his supporters in Iran , a mock trail wich lasted only few minutes , the death sententance was passed on Salar Jaff , and he was soon carried out ..
Salar Jaff with one of the political escort of Shah
Iran
With his father Dawood Beg & his brothers Sardar and Sarbast
