Nearly 20 years ago, the Iranian Government began issuing assassinations on targeted Iranian activists, but instead of being confronted, it was covered up by Europe.
Roya Hakakian, Iranian journalist and author, spoke to an audience Tuesday in the Cape Florida Ballroom about the incident and how it affected the world in terms of the Middle East and the terrorist attacks that followed.
Hakakian was the associate producer of the TV program "60 Minutes," but is most known for her published works, the most recent being "Assassins of the Turquoise Palace," which is a nonfiction story about one man who survived an attempted assassination by the Iranian government in Germany.
Her speech, titled "An Insider's Guide To Iran's Turmoil" was part of the lineup for the 2011-2012 themes of "People, Power, Politics, and Global Change" and "Covering Crisis from the Frontline," sponsored by the UCF Global Perspectives Office. She was in the midst of a tour of Florida when she stopped at UCF for the presentation to raise awareness on the subject, which surrounds a past shooting that happened in Germany.
In 1992, a group of eight Iranian democratic activists were having dinner one evening in Berlin. Suddenly, shots rang out, followed by screams as civilians tried to dodge bullets and avoid getting shot. Four of those eight activists were not that lucky. This attack was one of many that were carried out by a terrorist group under the orders of the Iranian government.
Hakakian's "Assassins of the Turquoise Palace" tells the story of one of the four survivors of that night. It explains how the European countries did nothing to prosecute the attackers and even attempted to try to cover it all up, all in favor of not interrupting their trading with Iran.
She believes that this event is one of the reasons why there are so many problems with the Middle East today.
"If Europe had taken a stronger stance, instead of turning a blind eye in trade interest," she said, "then the blueprint created would not have gained momentum."
This blueprint that she speaks of would later be known as the many terrorist attacks that took place across the world years after the incident, including the American tragedy of 9/11.
"Rather than dividing, we ought to think about it in terms that it shows no boundaries," Hakakian said referring to the effect of the many lives lost due to terrorist attacks. "We can all become victims and share a common enemy."
Hakakian then continued to speak about how the world has become a smaller place now, and when asked about her thoughts on the American response to Iranian protests in 2009, she said the response should have been faster, where it could have been a moral boost to the students and other protesters on the street. Iran is a country with more than 70 million people and Hakakian hopes that the lines of communication strengthen within the country.
"[America should] perpetrate avid laws and liberties we have in the United States," she said.
"[She] is unique and has a story to tell," Mark Freeman, public affairs coordinator of the Global Perspective Office said. "Her topic, Iran, is one of the key countries where many people are trying to change the system."
According to Hakakian, one of the biggest problems that face Iran is concerning the theocracy, because the government is run in accordance to the teachings of Islam. The population does not know how to remove the clergy of power without offending God, which is something that the U.S. does not have to worry about, because of the separation of church and state.
"In Iran, government and religion are one," she said.
Hakakian is a founding member of the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center as well a member of the board of Refugees International, and has been referred to as one of the most important activists and journalists of this generation by Harry Kreisler, executive director of the Institute of International Studies at the University of California at Berkeley.
"It's important for UCF students to learn all about global issues," Freeman said. "We live in an increasingly shrinking, independent world. What's important [to learn from] are her [Hakakian's] thoughts on what's going on in Iran."
After the presentation, Hakakian held a book signing where she had her two books for sale.
When asked about how she liked Florida, UCF to be more specific, she smiled and said how she had a marvelous tour of the beautiful campus that she really enjoyed.
"I wish that I lived closer to Florida, so I could visit often."
She said that this visit has changed her perspective on what Orlando stands for, because this school embodies Orlando in her mind.
"I'll never think of Mickey Mouse again," she said.
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