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HOUSHMAND ANVARI
1950—1994 SHAMAM BAKHSHANDEGI 1965—1994 RIAz RAZAVI 1950—1994
SHOCKED GRIEVED NEWS v10LENT DEATH HOUSHMAND ANVARI, SHAMAM BAKHSHANDEG] AND RIAZ RAZAVI IN CISKEI. PROFOUNDLY [MPRESSED STERLING EXAMPLE SET BY THEIR DEDICATION CAUSE BAHA’U’LLAH 1N WHOSE SERVICE THEY WERE DIRECTLY ENGAGED WHEN STRUCK DOWN BY ASSASSINS’ BULLETS. DEEPLY SYMPATHIZE IRREPARABLE LOSS THEIR DEAR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS. MAY ALL HEARTS BE COMFORTED BY PROMISE BLESSED BEAUTY THAT THEY THAT HAVE FORSAKEN THEIR COUNTRY IN PATH GOD AND SUBSEQUENTLY ASCENDED UNTO HIS PRESENCE SHALL BE BLESSED BY CONCOURSE ON HIGH AND THEIR NAMES RECORDED BY PEN GLORY AMONG SUCH AS HAVE LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES AS MAR’I‘YRS PATH GOD. CONFIDENT JOYOUS WELCOME ABHA KINGDOM THESE DISTINGUISHED SOULS. ARDENTLY PRAYING HOLY SHRINES THEIR
PROGRESS DIVINE WORLDS. ALSO OFFERING SUI’PLICATIONS BEHALF ALL RELATIVES FRIENDS; ADVISE HOLD MEMORIAL GATHERINGS THROUGHOUT SOUTH AFRICA.
Universal House ofjustice March 14, 1994
hree of the Bahá’ís Of Ciskei who
were eyewitnesses to the occasion shared with the friends the account of what happened on Sunday, March 13, 1994. The three women were members of the National Assembly of Ciskei as well as the Local Assembly of Mdantsane. One of the women, named Tangiwe, explained, “The Spiritual Assembly of Mdantsane had invited these friends [Dr. Shamam Bakhshandegi and Riaz Razavi] to come and consult about the International Year of the Family, to help us select appropriate writings and formulate a plan.”
Another woman, Tammy, was first to describe what had happened. She explained that she had come to clean the Mdantsane Bahá’í Centre in preparation for the meeting. She had expected to be the first to arrive, but she found Houshmand Anvari, who acted as caretaker and manager of the Centre, busy painting. There were also several children who had been attending children’s classes. Tammy said that Houshmand joked and teased her and the children.
Shamam arrived with a few others. He greeted them saying “Allah’u’Abhá” and shook hands with everyone, including the children. He joked about the meeting, commenting that there were more children than adults.
'Ihen Riaz entered, and after greetings, everyone sat down. They said some prayers together and were singing and waiting for the other Assembly members to arrive when Houshmand came in with his hands
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IN MEMORIAM 1992—1997 129
in the air, smiling and doing a little jig. Tammy said she did not realize that a gun was being held to his back. Houshmand continued to joke, but then the four gunmen became very aggressive. They said, “Boers (whites) to one side.” The three pioneers very gently and without any fuss got up and stood against the wall away from the local Bahá’ís, Riaz standing in the middle with Shamam 0n the left and Houshmand on the right. The latter smiled at them continuously, Riaz’s lips moved in prayer, and Shamam looked down and then heavenward. No one thought that anything serious was going to happen, perhaps only a robbery.
One of the men went to check the pioneers’ pockets. They did this very aggressively, pulling the pockets until they tore, taking money and car keys and throwing documents and other things back at the three believers. The three victims remained calm, giving the impression to the local Bahá’ís that there was no real danger.
The Bahá’ís had been saying Allah’u’Abhá's loudly and were told by the gunmen to be quiet, but they carried on as this made the Victims smile. Tammy said she covered her face as she was very upset, and then suddenly she heard a single shot followed by a burst of machine gun fire. She said she thought they were all being shot. When the shooting stopped, there was absolute silence. The gunmen fled, taking Riaz’s car. They had not taken money or watches.
Tammy said that she opened her eyes to a room filled with smoke and dust and that she rushed out to stop from choking. She then took the children outside and tried to get them over the wall to go and get help, but there were dogs on the other side.
Mrs. Shumi (Esther Nkonzo) contin ued, “There were four women and nine
children in the room where the incident occurred. Only four of the members of the Assembly were present so we waited for others to come. I remember looking at my watch and it was 11:52 AM. Then everything happened so quickly that we did not realize anything was wrong. When the gunmen came and demanded that we separate, one of the children clung to the leg ofone of the pioneers and was roughly pulled away by one of the gunmen. After the first shots were heard, I saw Riaz and Houshmand on the ground and Shamam leaning against the wall and slowly falling down.” After the gunmen fled, she went to look at the bodies. She held Houshmand’s and Riaz’s hands and said that they were dead and that she said prayers for them.
Tammy said, “I came and saw that Shaman was still alive. I held his hand and called to him to squeeze my hand if he could hear and he did. I called for help to get him to hospital. We got him there and the surgeons came running as I shouted, ‘Shamam has been shot’ and they rushed him to the theatre, but they could not save him.” This is the same Cecilia Makhiwane Community Hospital where Shamam and his father, Dr. Amin Bakhshandegi, were practicing dental surgeons. Shamam’s colleagues tried their best to save his life. His father was on duty at the time, and he was called to the intensive care unit; by the time he arrived, Shaman had died.
As these friends recounted the incidents, everyone was greatly moved, and the ninety—three—year—old father of Houshmand Anvari stood and gave a short talk, comforting everyone, saying that great blessings had been given by these martyrdoms not only for the families but for South Africa and the Bahá’í Community.
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130 THE BAHA’I’ WORLD
HOUSHMAND ANVARI
H oushmand Alex Anvari was born into a Bahá’í family on June 20, 1950, in Yazd, Iran. His family was the target of persecution and harassment from fanatical elements in that town. Houshmand completed his primary schooling there and then moved to Ṭihrán where he finished secondary school. He continued his studies, enrolling in the Institute of Insurance at the University of Ṭihrán and graduating with a bachelor of arts degree in industrial and commercial insurance in 1976. He satisfied the requirements for compulsory military service, and when the Iranian revolution began, he moved to the United States. Houshmand studied computer programming and found employment with Control Data Corporation and later became a Branch Manager for McDonald’s Corporation. In April 1985 he settled briefly in South Africa, where he worked for the Alianz Life Insurance Company based in Johannesburg. He went back to the United
Hauskm/md Ammri
States in 1986 and worked as a computer consultant.
In December 1985 he married Dina Toufiqi and With her had three Children, Vaffa, Nava, and Ava.
In 1990 Houshmand returned with his family to South Africa, and they were encouraged by the National Assembly to take up residence in the East London region where they could be of assistance to South Africa and Ciskei. He and his wife established a day nursery at the Mdantsane Bahá’í Centre. Later they founded a weekend tutorial school at King Williams Town. Houshmand’s work was instrumental in the development of the Bahá’í Centre in Lasmesi, and he served on the Spiritual Assemblies of East London and Beacon Bay. He was residing in the latter at the time of his death.
He had recently taken part in an entryby—troops project in the northwest part of the country, making a two—week traveling teaching trip to KwaNdbele.
Houshmand was the Caretaker and manager of the Mdantsane Bahá’í Centre and was painting the door of the Centre when the gunmen attacked.
Houshmand leaves his wife and three children, Vaffa, Nava, and Ava—aged eight,
six, and three respectively.
SHAMAM BAKHSHANDEGI
hamam was born in Nouakchott, the
capital of Mauritania, on May 16, 1965. Always a brilliant student, he graduated at the top of his Classes in primary, secondary, and tertiary levels. He continued his studies in Dakar, Senegal, and then moved to Las Palmas in the Canary Islands, where he finished his secondary education With distinction in Spanish.
Dr. Amin Bakhshandegi, Shamam’s father, went to Botswana in 1980 to seek
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IN MEMORIAM 1992—1997 131
employment, and in 1981 he took up a post at the Cecilia Makhiwane Hospital in Mdantsane, Ciskei. The following September, Shamam and the other members of the family joined their father, living in East London.
Shamam matriculated at the top of his class at Cambridge High School and was awarded the M. E. Morrshed Medal, the Cambridge Trust Fund Bursary, as well as a Three—Year Merit Award from the Department of Cape Province Education. Shamam was also proficient in five languages: English, French, Spanish, Persian, and Arabic. He was named Dux of the school.
Shamam became a South African citizen in 1988, and in 1989 he graduated with a bachelor of dental science degree at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in Johannesburg. In 1991, while working two jobs, he registered for a master’s degree in community dentistry. His research topic was “The Oral Health, Treatment Needs and Personnel Requirements of School Children in Mdantsane.” This was the first scientific dental research performed in Ciskei, and he was one of three recipients of the Elida Ponds Research Award in Dentistry. (As Shamam had completed the research, his supervisor informed his family that his degree would be awarded posthumously.)
At the age of fifteen, he declared his faith in Baha’u’llah. Soon afterward, he became a member of the National Newsletter Committee of Senegal. In 1986, he was instrumental in getting the Wits Bahá’í Club recognized as a student society by the University of the Witwatersrand. He also became Vice Chairman and treasurer of the Bahá’í Society. In 1987 he was appointed youth coordinator for the Johannesburg area by the National Spiritual Assembly of South Africa. At the same time he was
chairman of the National Youth Committee as well as corresponding secretary of the Local Spiritual Assembly Of]ohannesbutg. In 1988 he became chairman of the Local Spiritual Assembly, and in 1989 he was Chosen as one of the delegates to the annual National Convention.
After graduating from university, he moved back to East London where he was appointed by the National Spiritual Assembly to serve on the Regional Teaching and Consolidation Committee of the Eastern Cape and Corridor. In 1991 he was elected chairman of the National Teaching Committee of Ciskei as well as treasurer of the Local Spiritual Assembly of East London. The Following year, he was appointed book sales officer and lending library supervisor of the National Teaching Committee of Ciskei. Up until 1993 Shamam was elected as one of the delegates from East London to the annual National Convention.
Although Shamam lived in East London, he was greatly involved in Bahá’í activities in Ciskei. He was active in primary and secondary school oral care programs, and he visited the prison to treat patients. He was deeply involved in organizing the dental curriculum at Ciskei Nursing College. His great love was always for Africa and its people.
At the time of his passing, he was the secretary of the East London Assembly and a public relations officer for the region. Shamam held the post of supervisor of the Community Dental Section at Cecilia Makhiwane Hospital, as well as maintaining 21 private practice in Mdantsane. He was also the first and youngest health professional member of the Rotary Club of Bhisho and was soon going to be named director of the health section of the Club.
He leaves his parents, Amin and Badri Bakhshandegi, and a sister, Djam.
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132 THE BAHA’I’ WORLD
RIAZ RAZAVI
R32 Razavi was born on January 28, 1950, in Tihran, Iran. He was the eldest son ofMohammed Ali and Rouhieh Razavi. After finishing high school in [968, he went on to complete his bachelor of arts degree in accounting in 1973. In May 1990 he qualified as a Chartered accountant (Lesotho).
In 1975 he joined a group of Bahá’í graduates who first went to Haifa for three days and then on to travel teach in Africa. The one—month tour in Africa changed his life; he decided to stay.
Riaz traveled extensively through Kenya, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa before settling finally in Lesotho in 1976. During his stay in Lesotho, he married Vera Paquay, a Belgian, on February 6, 1978. In 1979 he became a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Lesotho and took part in the International Convention in Haifa in 1983.
That same year, he moved with his family to King Williams Town in South Africa where they were the only pioneers. When the Razavis came to South Africa, their intention was to pioneer to Ciskei, but as it was not possible to find accommodation, they lived in East London. While Vera was active in South Africa, serving as secretary of the King Williams Town Assembly, Riaz’s main activities were in Ciskei. On August I, 1989, he was appointed as an Auxiliary Board member for Ciskei
Riaz went to Iran in 1993 to visit his father and brother. He again traveled throughout Iran seeing friends and visiting the relatives of martyrs.
In addition to his work and his Bahá’í activities, he enjoyed being part of other community organizations such as Toastmasters and the Rotary Club. He was also a member of the Central Primary
Ririz Razzwi
School Management Board. Riaz was interested in sports and was an active member of the Athlone Tennis Club. He played a variety of musical instruments, and music was an important part of his life.
He left behind his wife, Vera; his son Jalal, who was fifteen years old; and his daughter, Rouhieh, thirteen.
- 1K *
More than five hundred people attended the funeral that was held first at the Cambridge Town Hall in East London, which was magnificently decorated with masses of flowers and where the coffins were placed side by side.
Bahá’ís came from Lesotho, Swaziland, Botswana, Bophuthatswana, Transkei, Ciskei, and Namibia as well as some twenty diEetent communities in South Africa. 'Ihe program was conducted by the Chairman of the Spiritual Assembly of Transkei and included addresses by the mayor of East London and Counsellor Daniel Ramoroesi. Messages from the Universal House ofjustice and the Continental Board
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IN MEMORIAM 1992—1997 133
of Counsellors for Africa were read by Counsellor Lally Warren.
The program concluded with eulogies. The chancellor of the University of Fort Hare onered one for Riaz Razavi. Two of Dr. Shamam Bakhshandegi’s colleagues from the hospital spoke of him, and Nariman Khayitash read a short account of the life of Houshmand Anvari written by Houshmand’s father.
Following the program, the friends went to the cemetery where the graves had been dug side by side.
The martyrdoms attracted the attention of the international media. All of the major television and radio networks around the country reported the event and mentioned the name of the Faith. Radio coverage included a well—known talk show on an American network and interviews on the BBC World Service and Radio France International.
Local newspapers that had previously refused to publish material about the Faith suddenly vied with one another to print articles. Even Iranian newspapers reported the event and mentioned that the victims were Bahá’ís.
Messages ofcondolence poured in from all over the world. "Ihe World Conference on Religion and Peace, the Catholic Bishops Conference, the South African Council of Churches, and the University of Fort Hare issued letters and statements expressing their support for the Bahá’ís and their shock at the tragedy.
Memorial services held in other countries were well attended, attracting government representatives and dignitaries. On the day the memorial service was held in Namibia, the Local Assembly of Windhoek planned a teaching campaign in memory Ofthe martyrs, and the entire body of the National Assembly left its regularly scheduled meeting to support the campaign.
Three ten—day teaching campaigns were subsequently planned by the National Teaching Committee, each dedicated to one of the three martyrs. 845651 on information provided by 7776 Continental Board of Counsellors for Afiz'ca, 7776’ National Spiritual Axsemb/y oft/ae 811/7475 0sz'r/eez', 7kg National Spiritual Assembly Oft/76 Brz/azi’z's of South Afi'z'm, and 7776 National Spiritual Assembly of the Babzi’z’s oszzmz'bz'zz
