The river of Salij or Ghefas(its name was changed to Bahmanshir river by previous governments) with the length of 80 kilometers , is one of the most important rivers of AlAhwaz province and is a branch of Karoon river. The Salij River by crossing the island of Abadan to the Arabian Gulf covers a large area of the rich and fertile agricultural lands.

The river’s rich drinking water and the presence of many fertile agricultural lands on its shores from the city of Mohamareh (village of Khombeh) all the way to the entrance of Arabian gulf .The river is the major reasons for the establishment of many villages on its shores in the province of AlAhwaz from centuries ago.

The location of villages such as Alhafar, Almoemereh, Alfayazy, Almahyoub, Alsonje, Altereh, Beitmeden, BeitBekhakh (Beitghadim),Alghafas,Almelakeh,Alkhazar,Alsadavieh,Almoghatebe,

Aljoiedeh,Alsalij,Altenka,Alsadat, on the shores of the river with its fertile agricultural land has played a major role in supplying of agricultural products to the markets of AlAhwaz province.But the government of Iran with its prejudice actions toward the Arab ethnics and the purpose to force demographic structural change of this province has directly and indirectly deprived the Arab citizens of AlAhwaz from their social and human rights. The actions of the Islamic government of Iran are inconsistent with the International laws to protect the Arab ethnics from being forced to migrate to other provinces of Iran.

 The mentioned villages are deprived of the following essential matters:

１-  1)The reductions of the river capacity and to prevent the Arab ethnic farmers from

work with the main purpose of force migration from their farms.

2) The lack of drinking water storage system for the villagers despite living in the vicinity of the river.

3) The lack of any care and attention by the government of Iran to prevent the environment pollution on the coast and vicinity of the Karoon and Alsalij rivers. The environment pollution on the coast of these rivers are the result of sullage created by the sugar can industries complex(political project), sewages, hospital wastes and the industries in the vicinity of the rivers.  

The rising percentage of the salt in the river due to the flow of gulf’s high water into the river and in result the destruction of agriculture and implant of date trees in the region.

The citizens of these villages are deprived from the minimum living standards such as the proper health care centers (hospitals or clinics), and are forced to travel to the cities of Abadan or Ahwaz to receive the minimum health care attention.

The lack of proper schools and training centers for all level of education has resulted in the high illiteracy and school dropout rate for the Arab youth of these areas.

The reasons for the high illiteracy rate are the following:

- The lack of financial capability by families to pay the cost of education and transport to the nearby cities to attend proper schools or training centers.

- The long distance of the villages from the secondary and high schools located in Abadan.

- The lack of transportation for the students.

-The lack of education by the native language of Arabic, and the sole teaching by Farsi in schools.

                             The Al-ahwazi Human Rights Organization  

07.03.2013