We Did Not Feel We Had Been Left Guardian- less
(By The Wife of a Demised Personnel)
Having been away from his family, for a year, my husband returned from the front. He had taken five days leave to take us to our hometown.
Two days had passed from our leave when there appeared on the face of my husband, the symptoms of a mysterious disease. He struggled in a state of uneasiness. In the village where we were staying there were no doctors, no facilities.
That same night he passed away.
After the burial ceremony and mourning we returned to Tehran. Less than four months after his death we were informed to evacuate the house
in which we lived in the military quarters.
Due to my husband's short period of service, the pension we received was low, even this was cut off because we had not evacuated the house.
Whoever I went to and asked for help was unable to do a thing.
I wrote a letter to the commander of the Air Force and delivered it to his office. Two days later some one came to our door and said, "Go to the office of general Sattary". The next day I went to his office. Seeing me the General asked, "What's your problem, sister?" I said, "General! Our lives have changed into a misery since my husband has died.
Would it please you to see that they make poor people, in need of their daily bread, leave their residence? Law, OK but you should also consider our living conditions.
The general, tears in eyes, drooped his head sadly and said," Up to what grade have you studied?" I said, "I'm illiterate". He asked if I would work in a hospital. I said I had trouble with my heart and working in a hospital would worsen the case. He said, "In order to get a job, you must know how to read and write. Now go and enroll with literacy campaign".
Then he handed me an envelope and said," Now enroll your child, stay at the house and soon I'll take care of your husband's pension."
I went back home. I noticed there was ten thousand Tomans in the envelope. Two days later he sent someone to our house who delivered a package containing stationery, some fruit and five thousand Tomans. Afterwards he would occasionally come and provide for our needs.
Ever since my children and I have not had the sense of having no guardian because the general, just like a good father, tried to care for all we needed.
For a few years we were living a happy life until Friday sixteenth of Day 1373 1994) when we heard of the general's martyrdom on the radio.
I lost my natural disposition as if the heaven had fallen on my head. I beat my head with my hands and then fainted.
A few months before my father had died but when I heard of the general's martyrdom I felt like I had really lost my father.
Accepting the Reality
"We must be aware of the fact that we are at a stage that no American or British man would want to work for us. So who are we expecting to help us? We must, through hard work and endeavor, do our job and transfer the result to those who succeed us, to enable them to take the right path".
(Part of Maj General Sattary's speech.)
Having been away from his family, for a year, my husband returned from the front. He had taken five days leave to take us to our hometown.
Two days had passed from our leave when there appeared on the face of my husband, the symptoms of a mysterious disease. He struggled in a state of uneasiness. In the village where we were staying there were no doctors, no facilities.
That same night he passed away.
After the burial ceremony and mourning we returned to Tehran. Less than four months after his death we were informed to evacuate the house
in which we lived in the military quarters.
Due to my husband's short period of service, the pension we received was low, even this was cut off because we had not evacuated the house.
Whoever I went to and asked for help was unable to do a thing.
I wrote a letter to the commander of the Air Force and delivered it to his office. Two days later some one came to our door and said, "Go to the office of general Sattary". The next day I went to his office. Seeing me the General asked, "What's your problem, sister?" I said, "General! Our lives have changed into a misery since my husband has died.
Would it please you to see that they make poor people, in need of their daily bread, leave their residence? Law, OK but you should also consider our living conditions.
The general, tears in eyes, drooped his head sadly and said," Up to what grade have you studied?" I said, "I'm illiterate". He asked if I would work in a hospital. I said I had trouble with my heart and working in a hospital would worsen the case. He said, "In order to get a job, you must know how to read and write. Now go and enroll with literacy campaign".
Then he handed me an envelope and said," Now enroll your child, stay at the house and soon I'll take care of your husband's pension."
I went back home. I noticed there was ten thousand Tomans in the envelope. Two days later he sent someone to our house who delivered a package containing stationery, some fruit and five thousand Tomans. Afterwards he would occasionally come and provide for our needs.
Ever since my children and I have not had the sense of having no guardian because the general, just like a good father, tried to care for all we needed.
For a few years we were living a happy life until Friday sixteenth of Day 1373 1994) when we heard of the general's martyrdom on the radio.
I lost my natural disposition as if the heaven had fallen on my head. I beat my head with my hands and then fainted.
A few months before my father had died but when I heard of the general's martyrdom I felt like I had really lost my father.
Accepting the Reality
"We must be aware of the fact that we are at a stage that no American or British man would want to work for us. So who are we expecting to help us? We must, through hard work and endeavor, do our job and transfer the result to those who succeed us, to enable them to take the right path".
(Part of Maj General Sattary's speech.)
