When water reached to Kheir Abad, the life there changed totally and found a new status. The local daily of Semnan published a comprehensive report about the water pipeline construction project in Kheir Abad and noted to my attempts as well.
The life conditions for me had changed. I was respected by all people from the children to the elders. Different groups in Semnan appreciated me as a Corps Soldier. However, for me the most important thing for me was the happiness that I felt from the appreciation of Kheir Abad people. Something which was so important to was the fact that the villagers had believed that if they become united, they could do what they want. This belief was in a way that later they could achieve great successes in their village’s construction. I was also a bit free to follow my political activities.
One day the governor called me to his office and congratulated me the success in constructing the pipeline for Kheir Abad and said: “Soldier Ahmad! You have recognized as ‘Excellent Crops Soldier’.” I knew his reports about my works there had played the main role in this recognition. I also thanked him for his helps. I was so happy; because this matter would facilitate my entrance in university without taking part in entrance exam.
However, later it became clear that my hopefulness and being happy of being chosen for that title was useless. SAVAK impeded me from going to university.
The important thing for me was people’s self-belief and God’s satisfaction. Individually I was satisfied with my military service; something that rarely happens for ordinary people.
I should admit these two years of my life shows part of the tyranny that was happening to a nation with highly different casts. It also shows that the suppressed layers could achieve its share of happiness by high determination and remove the tyranny from their village. Although the General from the Imperial Inspectorate had a positive role, but as a matter of fact this move was definitely a prestigious reforming action for the regime. The regime made a big deal of propaganda much more than what it had done and trying to achieve apparent popularity. I spent many happy and sad days with that people there in Kheir Abad and finally after some attempts like making school, public bath, water pipeline, and repairing the village’s mosque, despite all the love and affection that I had found among those nice and kind people, I left there in October 1970 when my military service was over.
Archive of Footnotes
leave your comments