#ahwazna – The village of Bir Salem suffers from discriminatory deprivation and marginalization

 "Ahwazna"  

The Ahwazi Arab residents of Bir Salem rural area located near to Omideyeh city are gravely suffering from the absence of basic life services. Although the village lies only a few kilometers from the largest gas fields in the world, the situation of inhabitants of the village is exacerbating during winter because of unavailability of domestic gas network. The local people have to go long distances to refill their vacant gas cylinders, and some women villagers have to carry their gas cylinders on their heads. It is sheer injustice inflicted on the people of the village as they are situated only a few kilometers away from one of the largest gas refineries lies in Omideyeh city which is considered as one of the hugest gas and oil hub in Al-Ahwaz. But the Persian state did not provide the village with domestic gas network which is one of the necessities of life. The people of the village are wondering why after decades they have been without household gas system? Many of the residents of the village believe that such denial, deprivation, and marginalization is a deliberate discriminatory act done by the local authority of the occupying Power aims at putting the local villagers in straitened circumstances just because they are Arab people.  While the occupation authorities are providing all the necessary services to the neighboring Persian settlements. It is noteworthy that the population of the village of Bir Salem in addition to suffering from the absence of domestic gas network, they are denied of getting employed in the local oil and gas companies.  Also, they are facing difficulties due to the dusty and unpaved roads, the lack of health and educational centers.