Tuesday, July 21, 2009

3-Day Hunger Strike by Iranian Intellectuals in front of the UN, NY.

UPDATE (day 3, photos)

Fatemeh Haghighatjo, Ex-Member of Parliament.

Shirin Neshat, Photographer and filmmaker (left, wearing a green ribbon)

Shahrnoush Parsipour Novelist.

Nehzat Farnoudi, Clinical Psychologist

UPDATE (photo day 1)
Hamid Dabashi left, Akbar Ganji right. (see below for profile)


Source: Akbar Ganji's Website.

The following individuals (hypelink to their contributions to the world of art and intellect provided) are going on hunger strike between 22 to 24 July in front of the UN building in New York. They intend to have the voice of the long-suffering Iranian people to be heard. They ask the responsible members of the world community to demand the release of all political prisoners. Considering the alarming condition of the recent detainees, with their health and even lives in jeopardy, They demand they be visited by representatives of the General Secretary of the UN and immediately freed.

In addition, They the undersigned call on all Iranians living in the United States and people of conscience to join this protest, meeting on the above-mentioned dates in front of the UN to declare their solidarity with Iranian people’s Green Movement during these dangerous and crucial days.

  1. Akbar Ganji,
  2. Fatemeh Haqiqatjoo, (previous member of Iran's parliament. she was tried by Ghazi Mortazavi on charges of 'liberalism'!!!)
  3. Mehrangiz Kar,
  4. Abdol-Ali Bazargan, (architect and member of Mosaddegh's Nationalist movement. His father served as the interim prime minister of Khomeini in 1979-80)
  5. Hamid Dabashi, Professor of Columbia U. DEscribed by some as the next Edward Saeed.
  6. Mansour Farhang, Iran's post-revolution ambassador to the UN.
  7. Mostafa Rokhsefat, Former Founding Editor of Kayhan Farhangi
  8. Majid Mohammadi,
  9. Arash Naraghi, Assistant professor of Philosophy and Religion, Moravian College
  10. Ahmad Sadri, Professor of sociology and anthropology.
  11. Mahmoud Sadri, Assisatnt professior of sociology, Dallas, TX
  12. Hossein Bashiriyeh,
  13. Ali Reza’i,
  14. Kazem Alamdari, Assistant Professor of Sociology at California State University in Los Angeles
  15. Ali Banuazizi,
  16. Mohammad Borghei, (Anthropologist?)
  17. Reza Fani-Yazdi,
  18. Nehzat Farnoody, (Clinical psychologist)
  19. Nader Hashemi,
  20. Abdee Kalantari, (Editor of Nigoon, a Persian online magazine)
  21. Hossein Kamali,
  22. Ahmad Karimi Hakkak,
  23. Mehrdad Mashayekhi,
  24. Ali Mirsepassi,(NYU Provost)
  25. Ebrahim Soltani,
  26. Nayereh Tohidi,
  27. Shireen Neshat
  28. (and I think Noam Chomsky)


To express support:
(720) 317 1016 or iraniandemocracypetition@yahoo.com

The following have already expressed support:
Abdolkarim Soroush, Mohsen Makkmalbaf, Hassan Yousefi Eshkevari, Moussavi Khoeiniha, Ervand Abrahamian, Janet Afary, Taher Ahmadzadeh, Mehrzad Boroujerdi, Mohsen Ghaemmagham, Ali Keshtegar, Reza Moini, Mohammad Reza Nikfar, Shahrnoush Parsipour, Ali Qodsi, Masoumeh Shafiee, Shayla Vahdaty

15 comments:

Pedestrian said...

I realize everyone has the right to be concerned. But I wish people like Googoosh and Ebi weren't going.

Naj said...

Why do you wish that? Why are we "exclusionist" still?

If we have forgiven Hahsemi, if we are seeking unity, then why would we exclude pop singers?

And WHAT is wrong with Ebi and Googoosh? I am a fan of neither, but i think their presence is important for some. It's about raising awareness. And it is about pressuring the UN and the world to NOT give Ahmadinejad legiimacy while poeple are in prisons.

Note that Ganji doesn't list them on his web site.

But also note that a lot of people still consider Ganji to be the Revolutionary Guard that he used to be! Googoosh and Ebi can get the attention of different kind of iranians.

Pedestrian said...

I don't know Ebi or Googoosh's politics, and I don't care to know, BUT I saw pictures of Ebi at a rally with a bunch of monarchist flags.

Those flags are REALLY getting on my nerves. If they are twirled and flown a lot in this upcoming event, it will discredit it entirely. IRIB will JUMP at the chance to show it in detail over and over again.

Naj said...

Discredit it for whom?

You think at this stage there exists ANYONE who will take the monarchists seriously?

They tried so hard to twist Hashemi;s sermon and make it sound like: "people now revolt against hashemi too" and the failed so gloriously that hey have shut he hell up!

Ne need to accept our multiplicity. At this stage, the only discredit is if someone is calling for America to attack Iran! The monarchists or mojahedin have no clout to discredit anyone.
Now the "conservative" slogan in Iran is: "Let people protest legaly, so we can identify who is 'impure' "

As for the politics of Ebi or Googoosh; I don't either, but I also know that they both have been political pop singers. pop culture should be taken VERY seriously in any political/social movement because it is a great powerful tool. We cannot dismiss it.

Pedestrian said...

All you say is correct. But do you remember the pictures of the protests in New York with Mohsen Kadivar? Those photos were "nazi-proof" ... There was NOTHING IRIB could do to them. In fact, those were pretty much the only photos of demonstrations that WEREN'T shown on state TV (call me crazy, I've never watched as much IRIB as I am doing daily now)

To be more accurate, I think outside of Iran we should try harder to come up with that kind of scenery ... at least some of the time.

And my friend was just released from prison after 27 days. He got to see the photos of monarchist demonstrations daily. He probably saw more than I did. For hours each day they were shown these photos in proof that "the demonstrators are working to topple the regime". He was as angry at them as he was of the prison interrogators.

Sure, the child torturers could come up with any excuse, but there is no reason to give them one ripe & ready.

Naj said...

So your solution is to leave Ganji and Dabashi (who defended that asshole Ahmadinejad in his visit to columbia U) alone with the Ebi-supporting Monarchists?!!!

Or your solution is to create an Iran in which we are excluding some because they are monarchists because we want the right kind of an image? Like we want to hide our crippled retarded cousin from the suitors?!

This regime has operated ENOUGh on notions of Khodi & Na-Khodi. We want to play that game too??

Aren't Monarchists Iranians too?!

And why is it that the country should only belong to Kadivar?!

I personally think this is a great opportunity as a nation to lower our noses at eachother and stop drawing these lines.

Yes, we may have neo-con Iranians; but everyone IS entitled to a view and at some point instead of hiding the reality of our nation, we need to embrace it!

Naj said...

and speaking of IRIB: since when are we trusting them to provide correct news?!

They INVERTED hashemi's sermon! They are discredited! What we need to do is to be talking about the iMPORTANCE of multiplicity. We need to work to offer COUNTER arguments to those who want to draw lines between us. Not to help thicken those lines ourselves.

Pedestrian said...

HUH? When did I say Iran only belongs to Kadivar or that the Monarchists aren't Iranian? Or that we should exclude people? Or that we should leave Dabashi and Ganji to fend for themselves?

I'm saying they AREN'T HELPING BY parading those flags around constantly. Monarchist flags, apples, Nike shoes .. whatever that can HARM the protesters in Iran should be kept out for NOW while they can do serious harm to people IN Iran.

I always thought this, but even more so, after that short, 2 minute conversation with my friend today which for me is PROOF that these photos are really hurting people.

That's all I'm saying.

Naj said...

I know what you mean. But these people want phony confessions. Really! I have been laughing my heart out at how some people i know have confessed to their "intention to topple the regime" ... I mean 18 years old kids toppling the regime!!!

We can argue that Ganji should also not go to protest in NY because then it is a proof that he is an American agent!

BUT, when U2 and Madonna and Italiam models are doing it, then at least we can stand behind our intellectuals like Dabashi and Neshat. That's all I'm saying!

And, GAnji is not even listing googoosh and Ebi in his supporters. But this is America and people move where they want.

To add non-monarchist support to Ganji, we are helping Iranians by making it known to the regime that it is ALL of us who is ANGRY!

Pedestrian said...

Ok, fair enough ... I guess we've reached an agreement ;-)

Just one thing: Madonna and U2 aren't Iranian. We are. We have leagues more responsibility - in general I mean. And I completely agree that we SHOULD support Ganji.

Anonymous said...

I will be attending the protest on Saturday even though I have no relationship with Iran other than one of my teachers being Iranian.

For those of us in American who have been following the news from Iran the last couple of weeks have been profoundly affected by the brutality of the Khamenei regime. For the first time, a lot of Americans were given the chance to see Iran beyond Ahmadinejad and the mullahs.

I have also been inspired by the thousands of Iranians who are putting their lifes at a great risk by defying the authorities and protesting openly with some paying the ultimate prize. And all the women who are out knowing that they will pay the heavier price if this movement does not win.

I am surprised Mousavi (and Khatami (he is probably making up for the fact that he promised so much but delivered so little, so perhaps, this has given him the opportunity to finally deliver on his promises) and Karroubi) have stood their ground up till now.

Hoping for a freer Iran

Naj said...

Anonymous, I too will join the rally. I never did; I never supported any protest AGAINST the government of my country, no matter how critical of it I was.

But they have crossed a RED LINE by not only opening fire on people, but also threatening that they will kill IF their orders are not carried out.

I never voted, but I voted this time because I too was inspired by all the desperate hope in the youth of my country who had convinced themselves to vote for a super-conservative, Mousavi, despite his many flaws.

There was, and still is a simple solution to this mess, but khamenei-Ahmadinejad are adamant in acting "above people's wish".

They are both somewhat schizophrenic and megalomanic at the same time! It's my imperative to join my country in protesting this messof a country Khamenei and ahmadinejad are leaving us.

Thanks for your care.

Khatami, Hashemi, and Mousai are driven by the people. KAroubi's the only one who was the way he is since before. They know history's on the side of the people; and they know people will love them again for trying to make up for the lost opportunities of the past.

Gene said...

It says here that Chomsky will be there.

Pedestrian said...

Naj, you don't have to publish this! Hamintori goftam begam:

The first pic is not Fatemeh Haghighatjou, it's Masoomeh Shafei, Ganji's wife.

Naj said...

well that what the web page where I got the pictures from said. That this is shafei. BUT it was haghighatjoo who was striking; and this lady looked like haghoghatjoo pictures I found. So, if you are sure it is shafei let me know and I will change it.