Disclaimer: if you come here by way of a link from Michael Ledeen, please be advised that I am ADAMANTLY opposed to the war mongering views held by this gentleman, and as part of my fight against local and global fascism, I hold his school of thought in utmost contempt. (July 27, 2010)
Today, I came across a report about the aftermath of Zahedan's Jundollah Bombing of the 14th of July, 2010. The report ended with a question asked by the The Iranian Muslims Society in America (not sure what their official name is in English; but they are not the average anti-IRI modernist, secularist, monarchist Iranians you are likely to meet in America: they are 'decidedly' Muslims and in the Islamophobic atmosphere of today's world, you are likely to brand them as "fundamentalist"!):
"Where are the human right defenders in exile to raise an issue about the bombings in Zahedan? Why don't they condemn the attacks? Don't the people of Zahedan fit the same bill for human rights? Are they not Iranian? Then your silence is an indication that your patrons [the West] are responsible for this?" [By many Iranians, Jundollah, like Al Quaeda is considered a CIA offspring]
I admit to guilty feelings about my silence. This bomb has hit close to home for me. I remember a smaller version of such blast from childhood: it was loud, it was smoky, it was bloody, it was in the first year of the Islamic Republic, it scared me; I was a child.
But the reason why I find it hard to blog these days is because Iran seems to have turned into a hodge podge. Criminals are busy killing each other, to satisfy each other's thirst for blood. The IRI kills the Rigi brothers, a few weeks apart, without proper trial, without even considering the possibility that giving Rigi a death penalty together with a pardon and a life term in prison, will have served the country far better than his death. The IRI is behaving like a savage barbarian; one matching the rouge elements of Jundollah; primitive, uncultured, mercurial!
So Jundollah sends suicide bombers and IRI sends thugs to the streets of Zahedan, the city of kind people, open minded people, mountain and desert people, city of smuggled goodies, city of white Sunni mosques, and dusty parks. The thugs, report says, have been knifing people. These knife thrusters would be of the same ilk that was unleashed on Tehranis in Ashura: they are most likely Ahmadinejad's products from the "rehabilitation program" that found "convicted criminals" a useful job in the society.
According to local observers, these knife-pushers are the worst of all: they seem to target Balouchis randomly, and beat them up for no reason--further fueling the ethnic resentments and convictions that the Balouch are discriminated against.
The city seems to be trampled by some uniformed security forces (they must be soldiers doing their compulsory military service, sacrificial sheep ...), plainclothes knife/baton holders, and jundollah 'terrorists'.
Ahmadinejadists are not losing any breath in their comfortable Tehran towers blaming the blast on the West; especially because Abdulmalek Rigi, the Jundollah "hero", confessed within literally hours of being arrested, to being paid by America.
But, what is interesting is that several people have lost their lives in the aftermath of the bombing, to the knife wounds of the plainclothes. Depending on their age or looks, the plainclothes can be called Basiji (more religious looking and young and unlikely to give a damn about anything happening in Zahedan as they are only posed to fight the Westernish opposition in Tehran) or the so called Intelligence forces (more gangster-like; body-builder with a big belly, giant beard, angry bloody eyes, carrying a walky talky and wiggling their ugly asses when they walk and taking jobs in Zahedan because it PAYS WELL--and because the Sissy-boys of official security forces have literally closed shop--with the excuse of fearing further targeted attacks.)
Three parliament members from the province resigned in protest to lack of sufficient security provisions to guarantee the citizen's safety. However, they were "ordered" by the Stalin in chief, Khamenei, to take back their resignation (it's amazing how much this person, the soupreaked leader, is meddling in the affairs of the country. It would be as if the queen of england would be meddling and over ruling every minute decision and action in the house of commons.)
So, to the "American Iranian Muslims": I DO condemn the bombings; but I don't lay the blame on ANYONE other than the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and their CORRUPT security officers (especially the DRUG LORDS OF THE IRGC) for their utter lack of respect for human life, for ethnic rights; and their utter lack of competence, care and wisdom.
When I lived in that city, it had a reputation for having a high density of 'elite' population, because the Shah's government of the time followed a policy to send "experts", political scientists, historians, lawyers, engineers, and the better ones of the army to this "volatile" region (this province has been volatile for 200 years, at least) to manage it out of trouble, to educate it, to bring prosperity to its harbour (Chahbahar), to its agriculture (Mirjaveh, Sarbaaz). Balouchestan was to get attention by the queen wearing Balouchi patterns, and by the King building a royal residence in this poorest of the provinces to allow him frequent visits. Alas, all the rush to modernity was too much to take for the traditional Iranians, and it looked too capitalist to the university-educated lefties. Revolution happened; and Khomeini stole it and turned it into a fundamentalist battle of egos East vs West. And then, Iran and its people were forgotten, and remain forgotten, in the cacophony of headless heartless politicians of the East and the West.
What is interesting is that revolution didn't come to Zahedan, really. (I remember distributing colourful slips with Khomeni messages on behalf of my university student uncle, and I remember my father bailing him out of trouble a few times, but that was it. I never saw or heard of a rally; and the Wall writings were so few and so mediocre that no one bothered to do anything about.) Revolution came only after it was declared victorious, and only then did the people pull down the Shah's statue from the statue of his horse), I watched both the palace and the province being robbed of all potential in the first years of the IRI. Some of those old blueprints have been put back on the table during the Reform era; but they are now peripheral (remind me to tell you the story of Banana) and what dominates is the corruption of the revolutionary guards, who together with their accomplice (drug) lords of the province are the targets of the Jundollah attacks. What is ironic, is that apparently, after Abdulmalek Rigi was arrested, a bit of confidence was returning to the province, luring investments and development projects. But now, people are afraid of "being Balouch" again; and investors run away from trouble.
Don't blame our miseries on the western patrons: WE are accountable for our OWN lost opportunities and for any loss that comes to us, of life and of fortune.
=====Translation of Mousavi's message on the 3rd day of the event, stressing that both the internal and the external agitators are eager to use the event to muddy waters for their gain.
In the name of Allah, the giver and the forgiver.
The atrocious act that took place in Zahedan, was clearly intended to create a rift between the Sunni and the Shiite brothers; a despicable act against the national unity. Of such actions benefit, both the foreigners and also those whose profits lay in the chasm of cultures and ethnicities.
In the critical times we are living today, be careful of conspiracies, across the country, targeting the unity of the people.
I express my condolences to the families of the victims; and to all my brothers and sisters in Sistan & Balouchistan. I hope the alertness, the fraternity and the national unite of the brave people of our country will neutralize the malicious intentions of their enemies.
Mir Hossein Mousavi
=========Excerpt from Khamenei's message on the 7th day of the event, stressing that the external enemies are eager to spread terrorism in the middle east to gain control of the region.
"Blind, ignorant, and murderous fundamentalists have given their hearts to corrupt powers who have repeatedly demonstrated their hatred for Islam and Muslims; and have delivered a blow to them when ever a chance has presented itself. Their animosity with Iran is because of the flowing flag of Islam in this country, and its perpetual call to Islamic unity, dignity and power. In this bloody event, and many alike, one of the aims of the enemy is to generate rifts between Muslims. The Islamic Republic of Iran, who has for years supported the [Sunni] people of Gaza, Afghanistan and Kashmir, is now the target of the Intelligence agencies of the US and Israel, who have delusions of dragging [Iran] into the conspiracy of Sunni/Shiite clash. Unaware, are they, of the fact that the Sunnis of Iran, like their Shiite brothers, have frequently proven their loyalty to this sacred Nezam [yes they have, but not to the Nezam, but to the country, dude! Since Nezam is the one who is conspiring with the "enemy" in wronging them] and have stood up against Imperialism in defending the Islamic Republic.
In our region [Middle East], the emergence and the growth of blind and savage terrorism, is born out of the malicious American and British policies. It is up to all Muslims to stand up against and fight this ominous and unfortunate offspring.
[...]
The Shiite and Sunni elite, across the Muslim and Arab world, must illuminate the intentions of the enemies in spreading and strengthening sectarian terrorism, and alert them of the dangers of the enemy's dream of religious conspiracy.
[and then condolences]
Seyed Ali Khamenei"
