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November 22, 2003
"If I Were a Good Iranian...."
"Have you met Bijan yet? No? Oh, you HAVE to."
This was the refrain I heard from at least five people I interviewed. So, of course I had to find this Bijan person.
Bijan Darehshori is 60, a weathered but fit member of the famous Qashqaei tribe of Iran. As I understand it, his father was the head of the Dareshori clan, famous for its horses, which the nomadic tribe moved with across south-central Iran.
Today he greets visitors to "my island"--Qeshm. It's a piece of land 9 miles wide by 35 miles long in the Persian Gulf in between Iran and the United Arab Emirates. Bijan started visiting the island 32 years ago as a specialist for the Department of Environment. In those days, it had no roads, and one could only reach it by a boat rowed from the mainland. If the winds weren't right, you couldn't go.
Today the island is serviced by an airport (although with rather scary Russian-made older planes), has paved roads and is a trade-free zone. That means you don't need a visa to enter, although I had to pass a security check.
Bijan moved here permanantly with her wife and youngest child 3 years ago. 6 years ago he took his camera and walked out of the Department of Environment, so frustrated was he by the lack of management and the ongoing loss of habitat.
He has almost singlehandedly taken some of the money that the island gets from import and export taxes and used it to help the environment here, which is a diverse combination of Bryce National Park-like mountains and blue-green waters with mangrove forests.
Bijan has clocked 150,000 miles in the last two years circling the island in his Mitsubishi 4-wheeler. Among his accomplishments are protecting a 25 kilometer stretch of beach for rare turtles, starting a yearly competition for towns to be ranked as the "cleanest village," establishing a dump site for trash, planting 8 million mangrove trees and cataloging the birds and animals of the island. He also has published a beautiful book of his nature photos.
I spent the better part of two days with Bijan and his assistant, and see why he truly is a gem. I wish I had more time with him. I'd like to come back one spring when he and a dozen other volunteers help protect the eggs of rare turtles who come onto the beach to lay their eggs. Night after night for two months, the group reburies the eggs to keep them away from foxes and dogs. Bijan has also convinced the locals not to eat the eggs, which are considered to be good for a variety of ailments.
Dareshori, who speaks pretty good English, has a dry sense of humor. As we were driving up the coast, I noticed some structures at regular intervals. I thought perhaps they were for shelter from the very intense sun. I asked them about them. He wouldn't answer. "Why don't we talk about the beautiful water instead?" he said. He cupped his hands over his eyes to avoid me. Of course, I was only more interested. "What are they?" I asked. Something having to do with war?"
"Yes," he sighed. "With the money they've spent on these, I could have made the whole island green. They've ruined the road."
What they were were bunkers to shoot at Americans in case we attacked the coast. Ugly and extensive, there was also huge mounds of sand in front of them that block the view of the ocean.
"If I were a good Iranian, a serious Iranian, I'd kill you right here and now," Bijan joked about the fact that he had divulged this information and that he was supposed to be my enemy.
Instead we both shook our heads at the unfortunate situation that keeps our countries apart, and sighed in relief when after many miles we could once again see the blue-green sea and what would be a beautiful orange sunset. The stars came out over the Gulf, the same stars that in just a few hours would appear over the United States.
Posted by MJF at November 22, 2003 12:41 PM
Comments
How can I get in touch with Bijan? Does he have an email or a phone or a postal address?
I am one of his old friends back when in 1970's. Currently I am in USA but love to have contact info about Bijan.
Abbas
July 12, 2004
California, USA
Posted by: Abbas at July 12, 2004 07:17 PM
I knew Bijan for my whole life.As a matter of fact he is like a dear uncle to me.He helped us to love nature and respect it and I am always grateful for that.Thanks Ammo Bijan..
Ladan
July 19,2004
Vancouver
Posted by: Ladan at July 19, 2004 11:05 AM
Ladan and Abbas--you didn't leave your email addresses for me. Write again and leave those so I can contact you about Bijan.
Posted by: Marcia at July 22, 2004 04:51 PM
Hi uncle Bijan.
I am very proud to have an Uncle like you I hope more people espesialy Iranans will care about the enviroment.
Please care about me too send me an email
Posted by: naheed dareshuri at July 23, 2004 10:39 AM
Hi uncle Bijan
I am very proud to have Un uncle like you who cares about the enviroment even more than his niece.Last time I was in Iran You were busy with your turtles .I could,t see you.I hope more people will care as much as you do.
Naheed
Posted by: Anonymous at July 23, 2004 10:49 AM
Bijan just cannot be explained. He has to be experienced... And so fortunate are we, his numerous children throughout the world, who love him beyond the understanding of so many....
Posted by: Sona at August 17, 2004 07:49 AM
AHAY RAGHAS HAYE JAHAN (Hey dancers of the world)
I love all of you.
I like to kiss all of you. But,I am sorry that I do not have enough time. I have to watch the waves of the Persian Golf. I like all of you as much as the birds and turtles, just a little more than lizards. My dears the turtles are helpless. They need my love more than you.
shoma ra doost midaram
to ra man chashm dar raham
be hengamike migirand dar shakhe talajam sayeha range siyahi ra
garam yad avari ya na
man az yadat nemikaham
to ra man chashm dar raham
to ra man doost midaram
Bijan
Posted by: Bijan at August 18, 2004 07:49 AM
we love you
mokhlesim
bijan jan, send us your email adress
love, sasan and family
Posted by: sasan at July 11, 2005 05:52 AM