Do yourself a favor and watch this:
Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Indeed ... thousands ... again ... their courage humbles me!
Thousands flood Tehran's cemetery despite explicit rejection of request for peaceful assembly; and despite explicit threat by the guards that the crowds will face violence ...
Jafar Panahi is released!
The memorial day update: 40th day of Mourning, Beheshte Zahra & Mosalla
I am putting links here that give a sense of what is happening in Tehran today! The news are happening at such speed that I cannot be coherent; but I try to add little commentaries ... (interestingly, today both the cell phones and the internet are working well in Iran! Is it a trap, or has the rank within the "intelligence" authorities broken after sacking Ejeh'i??) I am sure all this is already on CNN, but I don't trust CNN!
A better video here: The camera zooms on a cluster of the policemen who are walking in the crowd. They are not violent. But in the vide I posted before, you see the "basijis" on motor bikes, holding batons.
Karoubi can be seen in the middle of the crowds at the cemetery!
The regime is preparing for assassination ... They have openly attacked Karoubi's vehicle today; and they have removed bodyguards of Abdollah Nouri, The Interior Minister of President Khatami's.
More and more "original" revolutionaries (i.e Khomeiniists) are decrying the Basij/Guard crimes!
Ebrahim Yazdi (speaking on Radio Zamaneh) emphasized today that we should not put all of the Revolutionary Guard under the same blanket! He reminded us how they defended us in the Iran-Iraq defense; and emphasized that it is a faction within the Guard seems to be responsible for this. A lot of Old guards have started speaking up, reminding every one that Mr Ahmadinejad and many of those who are now attacking the old establishment have never been in the frontlines. Remember that Moghsen Rezayee the founding father of the revolutionary guard was running against Ahmadinejad. The killing of Mohsen Rouholamini, the son of a close confidante of Mohsen Rezayee, a pharmacologist in charge of Institute Pastor (a central pathology institute in Tehran), had highlighted the divisions amongst the conservatives. Even Zarghami, the head of the loathed national broadcasting corporation (Jam e Jam) has had enough of Ahmadinejad!
(I keep wondering who are those IDIOTS who vote Ahmadinejad as a "leader" or "socialist" in my poll! ... are you blind or DUMB?!)
Jafar Panahi the director of the internationally acclaimed films The Circle, The White Balloon and Offside, to name a few, is arrested!
Crowds are trying to gather and the police is resorting to the same savagery to disperse them!
A better video here: The camera zooms on a cluster of the policemen who are walking in the crowd. They are not violent. But in the vide I posted before, you see the "basijis" on motor bikes, holding batons.
Karoubi can be seen in the middle of the crowds at the cemetery!
The regime is preparing for assassination ... They have openly attacked Karoubi's vehicle today; and they have removed bodyguards of Abdollah Nouri, The Interior Minister of President Khatami's.
More and more "original" revolutionaries (i.e Khomeiniists) are decrying the Basij/Guard crimes!
Ebrahim Yazdi (speaking on Radio Zamaneh) emphasized today that we should not put all of the Revolutionary Guard under the same blanket! He reminded us how they defended us in the Iran-Iraq defense; and emphasized that it is a faction within the Guard seems to be responsible for this. A lot of Old guards have started speaking up, reminding every one that Mr Ahmadinejad and many of those who are now attacking the old establishment have never been in the frontlines. Remember that Moghsen Rezayee the founding father of the revolutionary guard was running against Ahmadinejad. The killing of Mohsen Rouholamini, the son of a close confidante of Mohsen Rezayee, a pharmacologist in charge of Institute Pastor (a central pathology institute in Tehran), had highlighted the divisions amongst the conservatives. Even Zarghami, the head of the loathed national broadcasting corporation (Jam e Jam) has had enough of Ahmadinejad!
(I keep wondering who are those IDIOTS who vote Ahmadinejad as a "leader" or "socialist" in my poll! ... are you blind or DUMB?!)
Jafar Panahi the director of the internationally acclaimed films The Circle, The White Balloon and Offside, to name a few, is arrested!
Crowds are trying to gather and the police is resorting to the same savagery to disperse them!
18.5 Billion dollars transfered from an unknown Iranian "businessman" to Turkey!! HOW CAN THIS HAPPEN WITHOUT THE GOVERNMENT'S KNOWLEDGE?
Video in turkish.
This is what appeared on Iran's PressTV web site:
A Turkish lawyer has claimed that his Iranian client has transferred an $18.5-billion treasure from Iran to Turkey through courier services.
Senol Ozel told Turkey's independent “Kanal D” channel that his client, “Esmael Safarian-Nasab,” is a respected Iranian businessman and has transferred the money to Turkey through legal means.
The container-load of US dollars and gold bullion was delivered to Ankara Customs Office on October 7, 2008, Ozel said.
He noted that the container contained $7.5 billion and 20 metric tons of gold.
In a recent speech, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan had boasted of the huge fund transfer as an indictor of his government's success in attracting foreign investment despite the economic downturn in the world.
Erdogan had not revealed anything about the origin of the wealth.
Ozel says Turkish government's move to adopt new regulations to facilitate foreign investment in the country had encouraged his client to take his wealth to Turkey.
According to Kanal D, the Turkish government had adopted a new regulation dubbed as the “Suitcase Law” to alleviate the harsh effects of the economic crisis on the country.
The new law allowed anybody to take any amount of foreign currencies into the country from anywhere without being scrutinized.
Now the problem is that Safarian-Nasab wants his money back from Turkey, which could create a big hole in the Turkish Central Bank's balance-sheet.
Ozel said his client will arrive in Turkey in the near future to discuss the issue with the Turkish Central Bank.
There is no word yet from Iranian authorities as to the source of the funds and the circumstances surrounding their export to Turkey.
MGH/ZAP/RE
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Neda ye Sohrab
You may wonder why Neda and Sohrab are the two most talked-about victims of the recent savagery of Ahmadinejad-Thugs.
It partially has to do with the meaning and connotation of these names. Neda means "calling" or "heralding". Neda is often used in combination with words such as love "Neda-ye-Eshgh", or freedom "Neda ye Azadi".
Sohrab is the name of a character in and oedipal tale in Ferdowsi's Epic of Kings. Sohrab is the son of the unbeatable Persian Hero, Rostam. But Rostam doesn't know of his existence. Sohrab seeks Rostam, but Rostam is in disguise and unaware of his son's searching. In a battle, Rostam delivers a fatal wound to Sohrab. Before he dies, Sohrab tells him that his Father Rostam will avenge him. Only then Rostam recognizes that he has killed his own son. And it is too late.
With that introduction: Here's a song called Neda-ye-Sohrab:
Of course it rhymes in Persian. But I thought you may want a gist of the lyrics we hear these days.
News came that the winter is drifting / Silence of the dark city is lifting /Look at the foot of the Azadi of this soil [referring to Azadi (Freedom) square] / Prettiest of flowers are dying (2)News came that people are in streets / All lovers gathered in squares / News came that Neda has rolled in blood / To not let freedom pass away easily (2).News came that Khordad's* chest is red/ that the city is full of fire and fury / News came that Sohrab's heart is bloodied / That Taraneh's** burned in the hand of injustice.Sky, rain on this dark night / that they open fire on lovers / they respond to us with lead and bullets / But, the axman: The Forest doesn't die.
*Khordad is the name of the Persian month when Iran's election was held.
**Taraneh is the name of the girl in the black and white photo who was killed on the same day as Neda. In persian, Taraneh means "song".
The pictures in the video belong to those whose families have gone public. Many families of victims are coerced to keep silent. It is shocking to know that the thugs are extorting money (~4000-7000 Dollars) to return the bodies to the families. It is shocking that the police and the department of justice admit that they have no control over what is happening. It is shocking that after they evacuate the Evin from the battered prisoners, the gullible and fundamentalist members of the Iranian parliament claim that the prisoners have been "satisfied" with their conditions! Reading IRNA these days literally nauseates me.
These hideous acts are not motivated by any religious belief; these are hired gangsters who are operating above the law. Just as Ahmadinejad has been operating above the law, while crying crocodile tears of fighting corruption and lawlessness ...
Many a religious leaders has come out and decried these crimes. But many more are complicit in these acts! It is their moral, ethical and professional imperative to speak up. Some have threatened that hey will migrate to Iraq. This is a symbolic protest that the shiite leaders staged during the constitution revolution as well. But this is their last chance to show to Iranians that they are "relevant".
If they leave, we shall never take them back!
If they stand up, we might forgive them for all their betrayal of democracy and their cooperation with the American conspirators who ousted Mosaddegh in the 1953 Coup!
If they stand up, we may reconcile our Nation with the spirit of Islam, and provide an alternative to the Al-Quaeda/Neocon narrative that "Islam is the religion of violence and blood" ...
When Iranian members of parliament arrived to inspect Evin Prison, all of the high profile political prisoners had been transfered away!
I cannot post blood and gore on neoresistance, but daily, I am stumbling across before/after photos of young boys who have died in these prisons. The cold blue dead bodies of tortured humans who have been lashed with wet cables, baton shots to head and eyes ... I have posted some of the before pictures though ... (The new victim in the picture is Hossein Akhtarzand)
Those who are released yesterday are afraid to show face and to say what has happened to them, but they have been indiscriminately tortured. It seems that the torturers are creatures of the same character of the soldiers who brought Abu Gharib to closure. Hired psycopaths!
More and more families are speaking up. They are very intimidating: a ugly giant who looks like a killer stares you in the eye and with a low voice and low accent tells you: "If anyone else knows of "this", we will take your other children away/take your husband away/take you away from your young children/throw your kids out of school ... "
PLEASE keep the pressure on by emailing the web page of Ayatollah Khamenei, the supreme leader; as well as Ayatollah Shahroudi, the head of the judiciary. Write respectfully please. Although at this stage, it seems that no one has any control over the thugs of Ahmadinejad; but let's do what we can.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Save Hajjarian: ACT PLEASE!
Feel free to take this picture and post anywhere you want.Our pressures have worked. We HAVE to work, globally, for releasing all prisoners. Today, 140 are released on bail; and Iran's Guantanamo (Kahrizak) is ordered shut.
I try to prepare posters for other high profile prisoners who have been taken out of Evin (after the head of the judiciary ordered a probe) and into the detention centers of the revolutionary guards.
Common enemy: Revolutionary Guards?
New article in Tehran Bureau by Muhammad Sahimi.
I have not read it yet. Am busy! Please feel free to tell me what you like/dislike if you read it.
Naj
Monday, July 27, 2009
Iran's head of judiciary refers to Iran's constitution
Source: Iranian constitution based on translation provided by Iranian embassy in London.
Chapter III The Rights of the People
Article 19 [No Discrimination, No Privileges]
All people of Iran, whatever the ethnic group or tribe to which they belong, enjoy equal rights; color, race, language, and the like, do not bestow any privilege.Article 20 [Equality Before Law]
All citizens of the country, both men and women, equally enjoy the protection of the law and enjoy all human, political, economic, social, and cultural rights, in conformity with Islamic criteria.Article 21 [Women's Rights]
The government must ensure the rights of women in all respects, in conformity with Islamic criteria, and accomplish the following goals:
- create a favorable environment for the growth of woman's personality and the restoration of her rights, both the material and intellectual;
- the protection of mothers, particularly during pregnancy and child-rearing, and the protection of children without guardians;
- establishing competent courts to protect and preserve the family;
- the provision of special insurance for widows, aged women, and women without support;
- the awarding of guardianship of children to worthy mothers, in order to protect the interests of the children, in the absence of a legal guardian.
Article 22 [Human Dignity and Rights]
The dignity, life, property , rights, residence, and occupation of the individual are inviolate, except in cases sanctioned by law. Article 23 [Freedom of Belief]
The investigation of individuals' beliefs is forbidden, and no one may be molested or taken to task simply for holding a certain belief.Article 24 [Freedom of the Press]
Publications and the press have freedom of expressionexcept when it is detrimental to the fundamental principles of Islam or the rights of the public. The details of this exception will be specified by law. Article 25 [Secrecy of Communication]
The inspection of letters and the failure to deliver them, the recording and disclosure of telephone conversations, the disclosure of telegraphic and telex communications, censorship, or the wilful failure to transmit them, eavesdropping, and all forms of covert investigation are forbidden, except as provided by law.Article 26 [Freedom of Association]
The formation of parties, societies, political or professional associations, as well as religious societies, whether Islamic or pertaining to one of the recognized religious minorities, is permitted provided they do not violate the principles of independence, freedom, national unity, the criteria of Islam, or the basis of the Islamic Republic. No one may be prevented
from participating in the aforementioned groups, or be compelled to participate in them.Article 27 [Freedom of Assembly]
Public gatherings and marches may be freely held, provided arms are not carried and that they are not detrimental to the fundamental principles of Islam.Article 32 [Arrest]
No one may be arrested except by the order and in accordance with the procedure laid down by law. In case of arrest, charges with the reasons for accusation must, without delay, be communicated and explained to the accused in writing, and a provisional dossier must be forwarded to the competent judicial authorities within a maximum of twenty-four hours so that the preliminaries to the trial can be completed as swiftly as possible. The violation of this article will be liable to punishment in accordance with the law.Article 34 [Recourse to the Courts]
It is the indisputable right of every citizen to seek justice by recourse to competent courts. All citizens have right of access to such courts, and no one can be barred from courts to which he has a legal right of recourse.Article 36 [Sentencing]
The passing and execution of a sentence must be only by a competent court and in accordance with law.Article 37 [Presumption of Innocense]
Innocence is to be presumed, and no one is to be held guilty of a charge unless his or her guilt has been established by a competent court.Article 38 [Torture]
All forms of torture for the purpose of extracting confession or acquiring information are forbidden. Compulsion of individuals to testify, confess, or take an oath is not permissible; and any testimony, confession, or oath obtained under duress is devoid of value and credence. Violation of this article is liable to punishment in accordance with the law.Article 39 [Dignity of Arrested]
All affronts to the dignity and repute of persons arrested, detained, imprisoned, or banished in accordance with the law, whatever form they may take, are forbidden and liable to punishment.
Torture Report: Khamenei is forced to order closure of a detention center due to maltreatment of prisoners
Finally, they can no longer deny it!
The Iranian head of the judiciary, Ayaollah Shahroudi, has ordered a task force to determine the charges or innocence of all detainees.
Khamenei has ordered one detention center (not known which, if any) closed, due to their improper treatment of prisoners.
Below, pictures of the most recent victims (see older posts for other losses of life and youth)
Ramin Ghahremani (30. Died after release from hospital due to clotting. He was tortured and hung from his feet for a few days)
Hossein Tahmasbi
Amir Javadifar Langroodi
Mohsen Rouholamini
Naser Amirnejad
Mohammad Kamrani
The following are also reported but await confirmation! I pray the news is false.
Ramin Ghahremani
Maysam Ebadi
Arman Estakhripour
Amir Javadifar
What is disturbing is that no "official" organization is taking responsibility and it seems that the detentions and torture are done without permission from the judiciary!
Given that the Minister of Intelligence (whom we thought was behind these arrests and tortures) is now sacked, it is even more puzzling who is running the arrest and intimidation show. Allegedly, the Revolutionary Guard!
On some Iranian news channels Ahmadinejad's quick temper with people who do not satisfy his desired narratives is repeatedly discussed. The minister of Intelligence seems to have opposed the idea of broadcasting the confessions (obtained under torture!).
The Ahmadinejad Farce Continues!
First he fired Saffar-Harandi; the hardliner Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance!
Then He figured this will throw his government out of the door, and that he will need another vote of confidence to be able to do anything.
So he called Saffar Harandi back.
But Saffar Harandi refused and handed in his resignation (see the previous post)
Now, Ahmadinejad's office is saying: no way Jose: Harandi has NOT resigned and even if he has, we are not going to accept it!!
He's undeniably a psycopath!
Ahmadinnejad's Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance refuses to take back his job!
In his letter, he clearly states that Ahmadinejad is calling him back to cabinet because he has "just" realized he needs a minimum number in his cabinet to run a legitimate government, constitutionally. With firing cabinet members over the weekend, plus those who already quit after the appointment of Mashayee, Ahmadinejad has no legal right to run the country. This is communicated by the very conservative deputy speaker of the parliament: Bahonar!
Rats are beginning to jump the ship. All those crookeds who have been supportive of Khamenei have now a perfect excuse to herald not only Ahmadinejad's incompetence in running the government, but also they have the excuse of his reneging the orders of the Supreme leader.
This is again a delicate situation for the Greens. If the Supreme Leader comes out and fires a president who, according to the supreme leader, was elected by 24 million votes, then any semblance of a "republic" is officially removed from the face of the IRI. This will inevitably put the Greens in open opposition to the supreme leader; although Hashemi has reiterated that the Supreme leader is the only hope to divert disaster. At this juncture, I agree with Hashemi. To ask for removal of supreme leader, before he is dead, is to call for civil war. After he is dead, the position can be "respectfully" deleted from the constitution.
The best case scenario is if Ahmadinejad looses the confidence vote of the parliament; of the "senate" (i.e. the Assembly of Experts); or if he resigns. Then prisoners should be released, people be allowed to vent off for a while, a second election be held, and a Mousavi/Karroubi coalition win. I pray for the latter, helplessly optimistic.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Ahmadinejad has become a "Reformist"!?!
In the past few hours, he has been firing some of his most fundamentalist supportes:
Mohseni Ejehi, the Minister of Intelligence (who's been in charge of putting anyone with a brain in prison. He was nominated to serve as the minister of Justice!)
Saffar Harandi, the minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance (who has been in charge of closing down any news paper that published anything reform-related.)
Kamran Bagheri-Lankarani, the minister of health (who has been neglecting people who have been dying of infection, thanks to basiji people-batters! Not confirmed yet.)
This was reported by Tabnak (A paper connected to Mohsen Rezayee the founder of the Revolutionary Guards and a contender in the presidential race). I put a snapshot because in the past few hours, a lot of items appearing on the Tabnak web site:
A lot of these things have happened because the son of one of the IRI's regime consultants has been killed under arrest, and this has angered many a staunch supporter of Ahmadinejad.
I see all this as a prelude to sacking Ahmadinejad! We shall see!
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Thanks to my friend, for this lovely poem inspired by our plight for justice
The demoralizing phantom holding the cudgel can strike us
Like a rapist would, or screech like an injured swine,
Or reflect our disgraced and beaten will, as the ghouls have.
The vapors cannot cleave from our hearts our children’s dawn
Or their passion tendered willingly as falling rain from heaven,
Like Gibran’s silver thread’s fetching them laughter in front of misery.
They are the heirs, the warriors to lift Damocles’ blade from the sky and
Mightily point it as proof they’ll not breathe another minute next to fear.
They will evermore admonish the failing ghosts of this day’s shadow
And fend off the hounds of cruelty with the strength they’ve resurrected.
There will be no reason to shrink from this; their destiny; they’ve seen
Her floating over their heads, grace and harmony hanging by a thread.
A contest: is any Iranian wishing to translate this to Persian? Please leave your translation in the comment with your attribution or a web site if you post your translation there.
To the misguided leftist "elite" ... (By Muhammad Sahimi)
Heavens sent this for me! I was preparing to write something that listed some of the common misguided beliefs adopted by the so called "intellectuals" of the left. But Professor Muhammad Sahimi, A peace activist AND a supporter of Iran's nuclear program did it far better than I could:
Sahimi debunks this notion by drawing attention to Ahmadinejad's Islamic fundamentalism and acting against national interest by his senseless barrage of belligerent rhetoric against Israel, and denying the Holocaust, that offered the United States and other powers the perfect excuse to convince the world of the (non-existent) dangers posed by Iran’s nuclear program, bringing Iran more hardships in terms of economic sanctions and diplomatic isolation.
Sahimi reminds us that NONE of his claims about corruption among the elite,are substantiated by concrete evidence, nor has his administration referred even a single case of corruption to the judiciary. If he was serious about stopping corruption, he should have acted on it!
Sahimi then takes a look at the sheer absurdity of the arguments of the conspiracy theory fanatics who see the hands of the CIA and other Western intelligence agencies, and Israel’s Mossad in the election and its aftermath:
Sahimi also mentions the patronizing crowd, who want to decide what is good for Iran and Iranians:
And of course there is another crowd of so-called leftists that supports Ahmadinejad because,
Sahimi, the author of this article is an antiwar activist, and has been writing about Iran’s nuclear program for years, and has been defending it in terms of Iran’s national rights in the framework of the relevant international agreements. (Read the article to be reminded that it was indeed Mousavi who put the Nuclear program back on track as Prime Minister, and Khatami who laid the foundation for today's achievements)
He writes:
(I orange-coded the "lefties" arguments; and purple coded Ahmadinejad's reality!)Let us then look at up some of the reasons invoked by some “leftist-progressives” to argue that Ahmadinejad actually won the election without any significant and game-changing fraud:
Ahmadinejad won because he represents the proud tradition of Iranians’ deeply-rooted nationalism, standing up for the country’s political independence from Western powers.
Sahimi debunks this notion by drawing attention to Ahmadinejad's Islamic fundamentalism and acting against national interest by his senseless barrage of belligerent rhetoric against Israel, and denying the Holocaust, that offered the United States and other powers the perfect excuse to convince the world of the (non-existent) dangers posed by Iran’s nuclear program, bringing Iran more hardships in terms of economic sanctions and diplomatic isolation.
Ahmadinejad exposed corruption among Iran’s elite.
Sahimi reminds us that NONE of his claims about corruption among the elite,are substantiated by concrete evidence, nor has his administration referred even a single case of corruption to the judiciary. If he was serious about stopping corruption, he should have acted on it!
Sahimi PLAUSIBLY notes that Ahmadinejad’s agenda is to replace one group of the elite with another, namely the commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and their allies whose companies (owned by IRGC) have won billions of dollars in contracts, in most cases without any bidding process whatsoever plus at least 63 seaports and airports that are not controlled by the government, and are used to import cheap products from China and other Asian countries, nearly bankrupting the domestic industries that produce the same products. (read the article for explicit details of Ahmadinjad's OWN corruption!)
Anyone believing this myth must be foolish [my words] because Ahmadinejad has had a haphazardous economic policy that has dramatically increased inflation, unemployment, the cost of food, housing and fuel. (Read the article to see how he has also veiled the economy from the scrutiny of experts!)
Despite having a strong base in large urban areas, the Green Movement is not about Mousavi. It has deep roots in all sectors of the population: poor and rich, young and old, men and women, urban and rural. The vast basis of the Green movement became clear in the spontaneous massive demonstrations that hundreds of thousands of people protested in complete silence in Tehran and other cities.
Ahmadinejad has used Iran’s oil wealth to boost the income of the poor majority, and improve their quality of life.
Anyone believing this myth must be foolish [my words] because Ahmadinejad has had a haphazardous economic policy that has dramatically increased inflation, unemployment, the cost of food, housing and fuel. (Read the article to see how he has also veiled the economy from the scrutiny of experts!)
Mousavi’s support is mostly from the middle class.
Despite having a strong base in large urban areas, the Green Movement is not about Mousavi. It has deep roots in all sectors of the population: poor and rich, young and old, men and women, urban and rural. The vast basis of the Green movement became clear in the spontaneous massive demonstrations that hundreds of thousands of people protested in complete silence in Tehran and other cities.
Sahimi then takes a look at the sheer absurdity of the arguments of the conspiracy theory fanatics who see the hands of the CIA and other Western intelligence agencies, and Israel’s Mossad in the election and its aftermath:
The demonstrations in Iran are a repetition of the 1953 coup that overthrew Dr. Mohammad Mosaddegh, a coup that was financed and carried out by the West.I summarize his points:
- This is a popular movement BECAUSE unlike an average of 60% election turnout, 85% woted this time, the extra voters being the protest voters who had so far boycotted and stayed out of IRI's ceremonial elections.
- The Iran of 2009 is vastly different from the Iran of 1953: The rate of literacy in Iran is close to 90%. Iran has 100,000 bloggers and 23 million internet users. More than 60% of its university students are female. Iran today has a strong feminist, labor and university student movement, which forms that backbone of Iran’s democratic movement. It is insulting to Iranians to claim that such an enlightened population can be easily manipulated by foreign agents.
- The CIA and other Western intelligence agencies CANNOT have a significant presence in Iran BECAUSE there is no U.S. Having learned the lessons of 1953, [and having been in cahoots with CIA in 1979 revolution], Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence has a tight grip on all the foreign embassies in Tehran. US has no Embassy in Tehran!
- The very fact that brutal force was used to suppress the huge demonstrations hints not only at the depth of the roots of this movement, but also its authenticity as a genuinely Iranian phenomenon. Due to what has been done to it by foreign powers over the past 200 years, is deeply suspicious of foreigners. Are all these leaders of the Green Movement Mousavi, Khatami, and Mahdi Karroubi, who have (by the power of their popular support) gained the support of Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, FOREIGN agents??
- Unlike in Ukraine and Georgia, that the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) of the United States had a significant presence in those nations, the NED does not have any partner to work with in Iran. A couple of Iranian intellectuals, such as Ramin Jahanbeglou, who had visited the NED in the United States, were quickly arrested upon returning to Iran.
The Fatwa issued by Ayatollah Mohammad Taghi Mesbah Yazdi several days before the election, authorizing the use of fraud in order to “re-elect” Ahmadinejad, was fake and a propaganda ploy by the Mousavi camp, in order to prepare the people for incitement after the election.Well well, this news was distributed by the staff of the Interior Ministry! Sahimi was the first to report about the Fatwa, which he had received by e-mail from a highly reliable source in Iran but he didn't attach author’s name because he was terrified by the possibility that his extended family in Iran may be hurt! Lack of attribution became the “reason” for the leftists to believe that the Fatwa was fake; However, other Iranian websites (all using Persian) and even Iranian newspapers in Iran reported on it, BUT no one in the conservative camp denied the Fatwa.
Sahimi then gives examples of Soviet-Style killings of the whistle blowers, blaming it for lack of attribution on many news articles that come from Iran.
Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi, who is Ahmadinejad's mentor, has made statements such as this [but because we, the "leftist Iranians", have been busy fighting George Bush thus have not drawn attention to our version of Bin Ladan in Iran]:
Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi, who is Ahmadinejad's mentor, has made statements such as this [but because we, the "leftist Iranians", have been busy fighting George Bush thus have not drawn attention to our version of Bin Ladan in Iran]:
- Those who are opposed to the Velaayat-e Faghih (guardianship of the jurist; the backbone of Iran’s political system) should get a passport and leave the country.
- People are sheep; their opinion does not matter.
- If people do not give their consent to the Islamic government that he advocates, it is permissible to obtain their consent by force.
- Islam does allow use of violence to govern an Islamic nation.
- Iran’s Supreme Leader is selected by God; the task of the ayatollah is to discover whom God has selected.
- The powers of the Supreme Leader are unlimited. He can act above and beyond what Iran’s Constitution allows him to do.
Kenneth Timmerman, a well-known Iran basher, had invoked the Fatwa heavily. In other words, just because Timmerman had used the Fatwa in his propaganda, the Fatwa could not have been true! Another absurd argument was that some of the Iranian websites that reported on the Fatwa contain advertisements for the U.S.-funded Radio Farda and Voice of America! This is beyond fiction. It is hallucination.
Sahimi also mentions the patronizing crowd, who want to decide what is good for Iran and Iranians:
Ahmadinejad is the president that Iran deserves. He is good enough for the backward Iranians.
And of course there is another crowd of so-called leftists that supports Ahmadinejad because,
Ahmadinejad has resisted the pressure by the U.S. Empire for dismantling Iran’s uranium enrichment program.
Sahimi, the author of this article is an antiwar activist, and has been writing about Iran’s nuclear program for years, and has been defending it in terms of Iran’s national rights in the framework of the relevant international agreements. (Read the article to be reminded that it was indeed Mousavi who put the Nuclear program back on track as Prime Minister, and Khatami who laid the foundation for today's achievements)
However defending Iran’s nuclear program does not necessitate supporting an illegitimate second term of Ahmadinejad, or silence about the rigged election and its aftermath.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Faceoff: Ahmadinejad vs. Velayat Faghih
In the Name of GodHonorable Mister Doctor Ahmadinejad, Respectable President of the Islamic Republic [no this is not nice, it;s just normal formulation]With Salam and greetings, Assigning Mr (then opening a V to add Honorable before Mr) Esfandiayr Rahim-Mashayee to the post of deputy president is not in the interest of yourself and teh government, and will cause divisions and disappointment amongst those who love you. It is essential that the mensioned assignment be reversed and its anullment be announced.Seyed Ali ... shomething(Khamenei?)27/4/88 [ 19 July 2009]
Well, it's worth noticing that three days after this letter was issued, Ahmadinejad appeared in public, sang the priases of his beloved Mashayee and insisted that he must not be removed!
Today, Hossein Shariatmadari is considering Ahmadinejad's pick and his stubborn defiance of the Supreme leader's orders as "another wing of the velvet revolution"!!
I am getting confused now:
- Ahmadinejad is defying the Velayat-e Faghih in Action
- The Greens are calling for abolishing Velayat-e Faghih, but theoretically and constitutionally and through referendum.
- The people who call the Greens agents of CIA are now calling Ahmadinejad agent of CIA as well
- The People who call Ahmadinejad and the Greens agents of CIA are the only ones to have received a direct letter from President Obama!
Details of economic aids of Ahmadinejad's government to Hamas and Hezbollah
Source: Amir Kabir University News (by Etemad Melli's reporter Amir-Hadi Anwari
Translation: Sara Azad
Translation: Sara Azad
Wednesday, 24 July 2009
Last week the Head of the Imam Khomeini’s Charitable Foundation said: “Giving dowry to new brides in some countries not only is not a cost but also is considered as an investment for the country, because this is done with the purpose of transferring Islamic Republic’s culture and ideology to these countries and the official diplomacy can benefit from that.” Soon people paid attention to these comments. Perhaps because the people who are paying tolls or are making donations in the charity boxes in the streets has just learned that the money that they were donating for their own good, is probably being spent to buy computer for the girls in Comoros or dowry for the new brides in Azerbaijan. Interestingly during these past four years at the same time that the ninth administration took office the Head of the Imam Khomeini’s Charitable Foundation, who after the Revolution was appointment to this position (for 24 years) by Imam [Khomeini] and then later by the Supreme Leader, was also changed; and after this change the statistics of the aids in some cases were increased even by hundred percent. On the other hand the Imam Khomeini’s Charitable Foundation is giving out these aids to other countries despite the fact that occasionally we are witnessing unusual behaviours from some of these countries. One of the events was burning the oil shipment donated by the Imam Khomeini’s Charitable Foundation in Azerbaijan that during the news silence nobody paid much attention to it. The Imam Khomeini’s Charitable Foundation is helping some countries that are generally among the underdeveloped and third-world countries, for example providing dowry for new brides in Comoros. The whole population of Comoros is 700,000. There is an airplane for the trips of Comoros president, Ahmed Abdallah Sambi who was one of Ayatollah Mesbah-Yazdi’s students, which did not exist before and [the government of] Iran had sent it to him prior to his trip to Iran.
The country that Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah is from has an area of 10452 square Kilometers, but its population like its area is almost half of Tehran. You might not know, but Muslims are not all of the population. Lebanon’s ethnicity is diverse; some of them are in Iran as well. Lebanon’s population is consistent of 60 percent Arabs, 36 percent Assyrians and Syrians, 4 percent Armenians and one percent Kurds and Jews. The Imam Khomeini’s Charitable Foundation in Lebanon was established and formally started to work in March 1986. By March 2006 (after two decades of activity) the total number of the Imam Khomeini’s Charitable Foundation units in Lebanon was 20 units. 460 cities and villages of Lebanon are under cover of the Foundation. All the main branches are run by councils of 3 to 5 people and the central unit that is run by a council of 5 people is responsible for coordinating and supervising all the branches. The total aid payment of the Imam Khomeini’s Charitable Foundation in Lebanon to those who demanded support in 2006 was more than 15,364,928 million dollars. The total number of the families under cover of the Imam Khomeini’s Charitable Foundation in March of 2006 was 7,486 which is equivalent to the population of 16,045. The number of people under cover in 2006 in comparison to the previous year, i.e. 2005, (5212 families with the population of 13172) was 43.6 percent increased with respect to the number of families and 21.8 percent increased with respect to the population.
Syria is a country with an area of 185,000 square Kilometers and a population of 18.5 million. The total number of families under cover of the Imam Khomeini’s Charitable Foundation in Syria in March of 2006, was 2126 with the population of 9289. In 2006 the total aid payment of the Imam Khomeini’s Charitable Foundation in Syria was 957,242 dollars.
After Israeli’s attack on Palestine, On Qods day the Imam Khomeini’s Charitable Foundation called for donations and set up specific locations to collect public donations to help the oppressed Palestinian Muslims. The net worth of the collected donations for the oppressed Palestinian Muslims was more than 410,000 dollars. Of course this is only a small example of Iran’s aids to Palestinians. Before March, the Palestinian Prime Minister announced Iran’s 250 million dollar aid to the Palestinian government and people. According to “Aftab” news agency, Ismail Haniya’s remarks were published in the Thursday issue of the Lebanese newspaper, “Alsafir”, in which he stated: “The conclusion of my trip to Iran was the 250 million dollar financial aid to Palestine and presenting a plan for the direct financial and economical support of the government and the people of Palestine.” Haniya also said: “For instance, in this aid, there was 120 million dollar allocated for financial support of the Palestinian government in 2007 and also 45 million dollar was allocated for the salaries of the three Palestinian Ministries’ employees and for the payment of the Palestinian families’ allowance for 6 months.” Haniya that was interviewing with this Lebanese newspaper, added: “Iran also accepted to pay 100 dollars to 100,000 Palestinian workers every month and continue to do so for 6 months which comes to the total of 60 million dollar.” According to him: “Iran has also accepted to pay 100 dollars a month to every one of the three thousand fishermen who were banned from sailing since few months ago, and to continue to do so for 6 months which will come to a total of 1.8 million dollars.” At the end the Palestinian Prime Minister said: “Iran will build the Cultural Center of Palestine and national libraries with the total cost of 15 million dollar; and will reconstruct two thousand demolished houses with the total cost of 20 million dollars.”
Afghanestan is a country with an area of 652 thousand square kilometers and close to 28.5 million populations. With continuation of civil war in this country, the aids from the Imam Khomeini’s Charitable Foundation to this country was stopped in the summer of 1998 but with the beginning of post-Taliban era the activities of the foundation was started in January 2002 in the city of Kabul and in 2003 in Harat and Nimrouz. By March 2008, 5252 families with a total population of 21777 were covered by the foundation in that country. Furthermore, in the same year, additional 745 families with a population of 3498 have received aids from the foundation in one or two occasions.
Azerbaijan is a country with an area of 86,600 square kilometers and about 8 million populations (almost same as Tehran). The Imam Khomeini’s Charitable Foundation in this country has 464 cities and villages under its coverage. By March 2008, 9593 families with a total population of 27875 were permanently covered by the foundation in that country. Furthermore, in the same year, the foundation had additional 5148 families with a population of 15272 under its coverage and support on a case by case situation. The total amount paid as aids to the beneficiaries and for the expenses of the foundation in Tajikistan in 2007 was 2,211,694 dollars.
Tajikistan is a country with an area of 143 thousand square kilometers and about 7 million populations. The Imam Khomeini’s Charitable Foundation was first opened in the city of Dushanbe in 1994. By the end of 2007, 7154 families with a total population of 27967 were covered by the foundation in that country which a majority of them were from the Muslim abandoned or immigrant families; while also some families from Russian descent were also receiving aids from this foundation. The total amount paid as aids to the beneficiaries and for the expenses of the foundation in Tajikistan in 2007 was more than 1,341,701 dollars.
Where do you think Comoros is located? Perhaps you have never heard its name but you have definitely seen the images of the strange and bizarre dance of some people with make ups like the primitive natives of Africa in front of the president of our country. A dance, that IRNA (the news agency belonging to the administration) covered as part of Ahmadinejad’s trip to Comoros and some African countries last year in great detail and reported in multiple parts. Comoros is a country which the history of his establishment does not reach [even] half a century. A country with a population of less than one million or specifically about 790 thousands; and with an area of about 2 thousand square kilometers. In order to, have an idea of the size of Comoros, compare it with Tehran. Tehran is 19 thousand square meters and has a population of more than 7 millions (some statistics have even reported a population of almost 12 million for Tehran). [However] this small African country has also not remained hidden from the eyes of our government and with the invitation from high-ranked authorities of [some] African countries and with coordination from the political and cultural centers of our country in Tanzania, Comoros, Sierra Leone and Madagascar (the same countries that Ahmadinejad visited a while ago), they have conducted special communications, dealings and activities; one of which could be pointed out to be the establishment of industrial college in four areas: computer, residential and industrial power, tailoring and trade. The Imam Khomeini’s Charitable Foundation, since its start in Comoros supports more than 500 families in need or caring for an orphan in Comoros. Of course the exact number of people under coverage has not been published but even we consider each family to consist of 5 people then the Imam Khomeini’s Charitable Foundation supports 2500 people of the total population of 790 thousands in Comoros. Of course the people of Comoros appreciate Iran’s aids. According to a report by Borna [news agency] around end of the last year, Ahmed Abdallah Mohamed Sambi, the president of Comoros, in his speech in the auditorium of the foundation’s office, showed gratitude for the efforts of the Islamic Republic of Iran and especially the Imam Khomeini’s Charitable Foundation, in this country. According to the report by this news agency, Sambi in this speech, while mentioning the remarks made by our country’s president about providing suitable resources in Comoros by Iran, deemed that the presence of the Imam Khomeini’s Charitable Foundation in Comoros to be very pleasant for that country.
Ahmed Abdallah Mohamed Sambi (born 5 June 1958) known as the politician Ayatollah and one of the Sunni Muslim clergies (although you will read in the next session that Ahmadinejad in his memoirs considers Sambi to be Shia) and from Comoros. He became the president of this country in 2006. His coming to power was the result of the first peaceful transfer of power in the history of Comoros which is filled with Coups. He is also the first president of Comoros who is from Anjavan, an island which gave up his request for separation from Comoros Islands. Sumbi, like the majority of natives of Comoros, is Sunni Muslim and the title of Ayatollah has been given to him because of his stay and education in the city of Qom. He studied the theory of political Islam in Qom, and it is said that he was a student of Mohammad-Taghi Mesbah-Yazdi. After that he continued his education in Sudan and Saudi Arabia.
One of the serious criticisms of Ahmadinejad against the “reform” administration was the use of a private plane by the reformist authorities but even though he himself was not using that private plane but it was sent from Iran to go and bring Sumbi to Iran! A website supporter of the ninth administration reported that for the visit of the president of Comoros from Iran, Ahmadinejad had ordered that a Falcon plane went to Comoros and brought him to Iran. This pro-Ahmadinejad source which has started to publish some of the memories of friends and associates of the Head of ninth administration, wrote: “The president of Comoros is Muslim and Shia. He has studied in Iran and has been a student of Mr. Mesbah-Yazdi. He wanted to visit Iran but since he didn’t possess a suitable plane to come to Iran, doctor [Ahmadinejad] ordered that a Falcon plane be sent to bring him.”
In 2008, like years before that, the foreign affair office of the Imam Khomeini’s Charitable Foundation in Azerbaijan sent out packages of aids which sends out every year to the cities and villages of this republic such as: Baku, Lankaran, Goychay, Ganja, and etc but it appears that this year one of the oil shipments which were sent to this republic like previous year was set on fire in Lankaran by the authorities of Republic of Azerbaijan.
Amir-Haadi Anvari, E'temad Melli
The Imam Khomeini’s Charitable Foundation in Lebanon:
The country that Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah is from has an area of 10452 square Kilometers, but its population like its area is almost half of Tehran. You might not know, but Muslims are not all of the population. Lebanon’s ethnicity is diverse; some of them are in Iran as well. Lebanon’s population is consistent of 60 percent Arabs, 36 percent Assyrians and Syrians, 4 percent Armenians and one percent Kurds and Jews. The Imam Khomeini’s Charitable Foundation in Lebanon was established and formally started to work in March 1986. By March 2006 (after two decades of activity) the total number of the Imam Khomeini’s Charitable Foundation units in Lebanon was 20 units. 460 cities and villages of Lebanon are under cover of the Foundation. All the main branches are run by councils of 3 to 5 people and the central unit that is run by a council of 5 people is responsible for coordinating and supervising all the branches. The total aid payment of the Imam Khomeini’s Charitable Foundation in Lebanon to those who demanded support in 2006 was more than 15,364,928 million dollars. The total number of the families under cover of the Imam Khomeini’s Charitable Foundation in March of 2006 was 7,486 which is equivalent to the population of 16,045. The number of people under cover in 2006 in comparison to the previous year, i.e. 2005, (5212 families with the population of 13172) was 43.6 percent increased with respect to the number of families and 21.8 percent increased with respect to the population.
The Imam Khomeini’s Charitable Foundation in Syria:
Syria is a country with an area of 185,000 square Kilometers and a population of 18.5 million. The total number of families under cover of the Imam Khomeini’s Charitable Foundation in Syria in March of 2006, was 2126 with the population of 9289. In 2006 the total aid payment of the Imam Khomeini’s Charitable Foundation in Syria was 957,242 dollars.
Iran’s 90 dollar monthly aid to hundreds of thousands of Palestinian workers:
After Israeli’s attack on Palestine, On Qods day the Imam Khomeini’s Charitable Foundation called for donations and set up specific locations to collect public donations to help the oppressed Palestinian Muslims. The net worth of the collected donations for the oppressed Palestinian Muslims was more than 410,000 dollars. Of course this is only a small example of Iran’s aids to Palestinians. Before March, the Palestinian Prime Minister announced Iran’s 250 million dollar aid to the Palestinian government and people. According to “Aftab” news agency, Ismail Haniya’s remarks were published in the Thursday issue of the Lebanese newspaper, “Alsafir”, in which he stated: “The conclusion of my trip to Iran was the 250 million dollar financial aid to Palestine and presenting a plan for the direct financial and economical support of the government and the people of Palestine.” Haniya also said: “For instance, in this aid, there was 120 million dollar allocated for financial support of the Palestinian government in 2007 and also 45 million dollar was allocated for the salaries of the three Palestinian Ministries’ employees and for the payment of the Palestinian families’ allowance for 6 months.” Haniya that was interviewing with this Lebanese newspaper, added: “Iran also accepted to pay 100 dollars to 100,000 Palestinian workers every month and continue to do so for 6 months which comes to the total of 60 million dollar.” According to him: “Iran has also accepted to pay 100 dollars a month to every one of the three thousand fishermen who were banned from sailing since few months ago, and to continue to do so for 6 months which will come to a total of 1.8 million dollars.” At the end the Palestinian Prime Minister said: “Iran will build the Cultural Center of Palestine and national libraries with the total cost of 15 million dollar; and will reconstruct two thousand demolished houses with the total cost of 20 million dollars.”
The Imam Khomeini’s Charitable Foundation in Afghanistan:
Afghanestan is a country with an area of 652 thousand square kilometers and close to 28.5 million populations. With continuation of civil war in this country, the aids from the Imam Khomeini’s Charitable Foundation to this country was stopped in the summer of 1998 but with the beginning of post-Taliban era the activities of the foundation was started in January 2002 in the city of Kabul and in 2003 in Harat and Nimrouz. By March 2008, 5252 families with a total population of 21777 were covered by the foundation in that country. Furthermore, in the same year, additional 745 families with a population of 3498 have received aids from the foundation in one or two occasions.
The Imam Khomeini’s Charitable Foundation in Azerbaijan:
Azerbaijan is a country with an area of 86,600 square kilometers and about 8 million populations (almost same as Tehran). The Imam Khomeini’s Charitable Foundation in this country has 464 cities and villages under its coverage. By March 2008, 9593 families with a total population of 27875 were permanently covered by the foundation in that country. Furthermore, in the same year, the foundation had additional 5148 families with a population of 15272 under its coverage and support on a case by case situation. The total amount paid as aids to the beneficiaries and for the expenses of the foundation in Tajikistan in 2007 was 2,211,694 dollars.
The Imam Khomeini’s Charitable Foundation in Tajikistan:
Tajikistan is a country with an area of 143 thousand square kilometers and about 7 million populations. The Imam Khomeini’s Charitable Foundation was first opened in the city of Dushanbe in 1994. By the end of 2007, 7154 families with a total population of 27967 were covered by the foundation in that country which a majority of them were from the Muslim abandoned or immigrant families; while also some families from Russian descent were also receiving aids from this foundation. The total amount paid as aids to the beneficiaries and for the expenses of the foundation in Tajikistan in 2007 was more than 1,341,701 dollars.
The Imam Khomeini’s Charitable Foundation in Comoros:
Where do you think Comoros is located? Perhaps you have never heard its name but you have definitely seen the images of the strange and bizarre dance of some people with make ups like the primitive natives of Africa in front of the president of our country. A dance, that IRNA (the news agency belonging to the administration) covered as part of Ahmadinejad’s trip to Comoros and some African countries last year in great detail and reported in multiple parts. Comoros is a country which the history of his establishment does not reach [even] half a century. A country with a population of less than one million or specifically about 790 thousands; and with an area of about 2 thousand square kilometers. In order to, have an idea of the size of Comoros, compare it with Tehran. Tehran is 19 thousand square meters and has a population of more than 7 millions (some statistics have even reported a population of almost 12 million for Tehran). [However] this small African country has also not remained hidden from the eyes of our government and with the invitation from high-ranked authorities of [some] African countries and with coordination from the political and cultural centers of our country in Tanzania, Comoros, Sierra Leone and Madagascar (the same countries that Ahmadinejad visited a while ago), they have conducted special communications, dealings and activities; one of which could be pointed out to be the establishment of industrial college in four areas: computer, residential and industrial power, tailoring and trade. The Imam Khomeini’s Charitable Foundation, since its start in Comoros supports more than 500 families in need or caring for an orphan in Comoros. Of course the exact number of people under coverage has not been published but even we consider each family to consist of 5 people then the Imam Khomeini’s Charitable Foundation supports 2500 people of the total population of 790 thousands in Comoros. Of course the people of Comoros appreciate Iran’s aids. According to a report by Borna [news agency] around end of the last year, Ahmed Abdallah Mohamed Sambi, the president of Comoros, in his speech in the auditorium of the foundation’s office, showed gratitude for the efforts of the Islamic Republic of Iran and especially the Imam Khomeini’s Charitable Foundation, in this country. According to the report by this news agency, Sambi in this speech, while mentioning the remarks made by our country’s president about providing suitable resources in Comoros by Iran, deemed that the presence of the Imam Khomeini’s Charitable Foundation in Comoros to be very pleasant for that country.
Sambi, student of Mesbah:
Ahmed Abdallah Mohamed Sambi (born 5 June 1958) known as the politician Ayatollah and one of the Sunni Muslim clergies (although you will read in the next session that Ahmadinejad in his memoirs considers Sambi to be Shia) and from Comoros. He became the president of this country in 2006. His coming to power was the result of the first peaceful transfer of power in the history of Comoros which is filled with Coups. He is also the first president of Comoros who is from Anjavan, an island which gave up his request for separation from Comoros Islands. Sumbi, like the majority of natives of Comoros, is Sunni Muslim and the title of Ayatollah has been given to him because of his stay and education in the city of Qom. He studied the theory of political Islam in Qom, and it is said that he was a student of Mohammad-Taghi Mesbah-Yazdi. After that he continued his education in Sudan and Saudi Arabia.
Iran’s private plane for the Ayatollah:
One of the serious criticisms of Ahmadinejad against the “reform” administration was the use of a private plane by the reformist authorities but even though he himself was not using that private plane but it was sent from Iran to go and bring Sumbi to Iran! A website supporter of the ninth administration reported that for the visit of the president of Comoros from Iran, Ahmadinejad had ordered that a Falcon plane went to Comoros and brought him to Iran. This pro-Ahmadinejad source which has started to publish some of the memories of friends and associates of the Head of ninth administration, wrote: “The president of Comoros is Muslim and Shia. He has studied in Iran and has been a student of Mr. Mesbah-Yazdi. He wanted to visit Iran but since he didn’t possess a suitable plane to come to Iran, doctor [Ahmadinejad] ordered that a Falcon plane be sent to bring him.”
Setting the oil shipment on fire in Azerbaijan:
In 2008, like years before that, the foreign affair office of the Imam Khomeini’s Charitable Foundation in Azerbaijan sent out packages of aids which sends out every year to the cities and villages of this republic such as: Baku, Lankaran, Goychay, Ganja, and etc but it appears that this year one of the oil shipments which were sent to this republic like previous year was set on fire in Lankaran by the authorities of Republic of Azerbaijan.
Amir-Haadi Anvari, E'temad Melli
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Mrs Rakshan Bani-Etemad, one of the best documentarist of Iran: Give my camera a break, and I will show you what's happening "Under the City Skin"
Iranian writer-director Rakhshan Bani-Etemad is probably Iran's best known and certainly most prolific female filmmaker. She began her career making documentaries for television and her features are steeped in research on Iran's economic and social problems (source). A number of her films are available abroad, including the features Nargess (story of a prostitute in love in the IRI), The May Lady(the story of a single mother of a teenage boy in love) and Under the Skin of the City (about ordinary urban realities of ordinary people which are extraordinary struggles), Gilaneh and the documentary Our Times (about women's political aspirations and regards of democracy.)Within hours of violence staged against the protesters and media crackdown in the aftermath of the election, she distributed the below video reading a statement on behalf of Iranian documentarists demanding freedom of expression.
She is speaking up again:
I am not afraid.I am not afraid if in the turmoils of these conspicuous times I will be accused of conspiracy.I am not afraid to be accused of stirring unrest, but you cannot deny that I am a mother; not only the mother of "Tandis & Baran" [refering to her daughter Baran Kowsari], but also the mother of all that youth who has been witnessing their own mothers through the windows of my films; mother of "Touba", "Gilaneh", "Forough", "Narges", "Seema" and ... [names of female protagonists of her films]I am the mother of all those who have opened their homes to me; who have told me their suppressed pains of years, such that I can depict their life sufferings on film.Out of respect for the trust of all my audience, I feel entitled to the right of seek justice for all these mothers who, in the chaos of this crisis, are helpless and vulnerable, either having lost their children, or frantically and frightened seek the missing ones in the four corners of the city. [I feel entitled] to writing this open letter to say that no law, no concern, and no politics justify the pain they are suffering.In a condition that no media is there to report the truth and no official takes the responsibility of helping the killer anxiety of these parents, how can we not tremble on every rumor of the torture of killing of a young son or daughter?Give my camera a break to provide you a naked picture, perhaps you do not know what is really happening under the skin of the city.
And here is a translation of her first public statement on this matter:
We are documentary filmmakers.
Our job is to uncover and express truth. expressing truth from several points of view. In the events of the past few days, by hiding reality, the national media is making it impossible for the members of the society to have access to the reality.
We are documentary filmmakers, our job is communication.
Iranian national TV belongs to the whole of the country and is obliged to reflect the opinions and the events of society, hence it must not be the mouth peace of a specific faction and exclude a large portion of the society.
We are documentary filmmakers, and our job is art, committed to culture and the language of our country. Reporting language has to be the guardian of the dignity of the nation. By censoring, spinning and using an inappropriate reporting languahe, the national TV has on the one hand, made lying a norm in the society, and on the other uses disrespectful language against people and in so doing provokes people into chaos and revolt.
We warn you that at the current inflamed situation, depriving the society from ability from peaceful expression of their demands draws the society into violent reactions in people who prior to election were expressing their opinions on their favorite candidates, peacefully side by side.
We warn that these actions [of the national TV, Seda o Seema] lead to violence and unrest and makes them liable for any massacre and chaos in the society and endangers a country that if guaranteed of justice, can reach a true national unity.
Every single one of these people, in every single day of every single year of the past 30 years have been compassionate to each other's sorrow and happiness. They have fought next to each other and have given martyrs and victims.
We are a people of thousand years of history. We are all together, we all share the history of this land.
Don't break us apart!
June 16, 2009
Translated from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2VFBWRJfAQ
IMPORTANT: Voice of The "security" and intelligence forces! DISGUSTING!!!
http://www.zandiq.com/pandiq/files/persian%20-%20hamayeshe%20kousar%20-%20sader3-21_22.mp3
This is in Persian; but it shows the characer of the THUG who is heading the security forces.
(Listen to his intonation, listen to his vulgar jokes, his condescending behavior towards his own subordinates.)
This also shows that the extent of protests has gone far beyond Tehran.
This is also illustrating that they are trying to intimidate people to prevent gathering of large crowds again. They were caught by surprise on Friday.
They keep repeating the term "psychological warfare" ...
A suggestion by a Kurdish "Oppressor" (who happens to be the MOST intelligent of them all):
"Leave people channels to run away; and beat and arrest their leaders! Crowds are usually just curious observers who can get emotional, when these people see their leaders are arrested, they will run away. If they are caught in a corner, like a cornered cat, then can claw your eyes out ... Don't bruise their emotions by insulting them ... Don't bring out the special forces to give photo-ops of oppression ..."
The Turkish one: "We used Taxis to listen to people's sentiments to know how to control; the other tactic was to send women in the university and hospitals to give us information; locations of detention should be secret and spread to avoid a central locus of crisis!"
Sigh ... Kurds versus Turks ... why don't we let Kurds run our country??!
All Persians, LISTEN to this. ESSENTIAL! PLEASE LISTEN!
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
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