Iran; Police attack protesters as hardline president prepares to take power

The Guardian ^ | Friday July 22, 2005 | Robert Tait in Tehran

[F14 Pilot]

With bone-cracking brutality, the waves of baton-wielding police seemed to confirm what the already demoralised Iranian reform movement had been dreading: the dawn of a new era of political repression. Several hundred pro-reformists had gathered outside Tehran University to demand the release of a jailed dissident journalist, Akbar Ganji, who is in the fifth week of a hunger strike, when they were confronted by massed ranks of officers.

In the melee, large numbers of demonstrators, including several women, were hurt. Among the injured were a former reformist MP, Mousavi Khoeini, who had a broken rib after being hit with an electric cattle prod, and Hashem Aghajari, a university lecturer and disabled veteran of the Iran-Iraq war.

Attacks on reformists by hardline pro-regime elements have been commonplace during the past few years. But as the ultra-Islamist president-elect, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, prepares to take power next month, protesters have noticed a significant development. "In the past it was plainclothes vigilantes who were beating us, but now it was uniformed law enforcement officers," said Abdullah Momeni, a prominent student leader. "Before, we were attacked by a hidden government, with no one taking responsibility. Now it's all out in the open.

"They [the police] were calling us 'royalist pro-shah agents' and saying we were supported by America and Iranians living in the US."

The attack on the demonstrators has increased the nervousness of reformists, who see it as an ominous harbinger of things to come under Mr Ahmadinejad.

Amid fears of a crackdown on women's clothing, fashion stores are offering panic sales on open-toed sandals and short, tight manteaus, the overcoats that Iranian women must wear outdoors under the country's Islamic dress code.

Shorter, more revealing manteaus became a symbol of increasing liberalisation under the outgoing reformist president, Mohammed Khatami.

"I believe the situation for political activity will become very difficult," said the twice-jailed Mr Momeni, who admitted being concerned about his safety. "My worst fear is that they will impose a complete political blockage and repress critical forces.

"In this way the doors to a foreign attack could be opened, because it would give the Bush administration licence to press for regime change. We appreciate the international pressure for human rights and freedom in Iran, but foreign invasion and imported democracy isn't the answer."

Mr Momeni's fears are mirrored by other liberal-minded Iranians, who are not convinced by Mr Ahmadinejad's assurances that he will tolerate criticism and refrain from rolling back the limited social freedoms introduced during Mr Khatami's presidency.

Worried by Mr Ahmadinejad's staunch Islamist credentials, many saw the public mourning festivals commemorating the death in the seventh century of the Prophet Muhammad's daughter Fatima - an event previously unmarked - as heralding an authoritarian religious atmosphere.

Brain drain

Among the better off, there are fears that the president-elect's redistributive economic policies, which he says are necessary to combat widespread poverty, will scare off foreign investors and reduce living standards.

Reports abound of businessmen and academics preparing to flee abroad, raising concerns of a capital flight and exacerbating a brain drain of educated Iranians which reformist candidates in last month's presidential election pledged to reverse.

"Middle-class people are very concerned," said Mostafa Tajzadeh, a senior figure in the pro-reform Islamic Iran Participation Front. "There definitely will be crackdowns, although the severity depends on the degree of resistance in society. Ahmadinejad's most serious supporters are calling for restrictions and a blocking of the atmosphere. We won't be able to open a new newspaper and holding free and fair elections will be difficult.

Punishment

"They are announcing that they want an Islamic regime. That means they think religious regulations should be put into practice whether people like it or not. These people believe lashing young people in order to punish them is necessary. They think if they keep pushing, after a year or two, society will get used to it.

"If they are going to loosen their extremist supporters, we are going to have a very bad atmosphere, comparable to the Taliban in Afghanistan, though maybe not as bad."

In Jam-e Jam, a western-style food mall in north Tehran frequented by young secular Iranians, two sisters, Ghazal, 29, and Naghmeh, 32, said they were unhappy about the future.

"I would be happy if they tried to close a place like this because that would provoke people to demonstrate in the streets," said Naghmeh, wearing a short green manteau and loose hijab that revealed her fashionable hairstyle. "The Khatami years gave this system a heart bypass operation and kept people silent. But with Ahmadinejad, they might react. It's time this country made up its mind - are we eastern or western?"

But Ghazal was unsure. "Coming to places like this is one of my biggest hobbies and entertainments," she said. "I'm really worried that they will shut it. Then what should I do? Stay at home and become mentally ill and depressed?"

[EQAndyBuzz]

Maybe they should start blowing up things. Singing Kumbayah and hoping that the Mullahs will see the folly in all of this and step down is pretty remote.

I do not favor violence. I do favor a couple of hundred hard line mullahs being dragged from their homes and shot with bullets dipped in pig fat.

oops... maybe I am a bit in favor of violence. But just a tad.

[clearsight]

Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely, whether it is absolute secular power or absolute religious power. Those who can, should get out, since the hand writing in already on the wall..........

[F14 Pilot]

Regime's days are numbered!

[F14 Pilot]

PING!

[nuconvert]

On Wednesday afternoon outside Tehran University, students gathered to protest the continued imprisonment of journalist Akbar Ganji, who is in his fourth week of a hunger strike. He has been in jail for 62 months. The secretary general of Advare Tahkime Vahdat the organization that led the protest, Mousavi Khoeeni, was also present. He was a legislator in the sixth parliament.

The sound of old protest songs sung by protestors filled the air that afternoon, as did the shouts from the police (in green and navy uniforms) who were using force to try to break up the demonstration. Note the man with the video camera, who is an intelligence agent filming all the protestor's faces. The man in the foreground is being dragged off to jail and an unknown fate."

[nuconvert]

More photos here................

http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?no=237387&rel_no=1

[F14 Pilot]

A protest will be held in Tehran in this coming Sunday

[monday]

"Regime's days are numbered!"

Not likely. Iran's reformers are faced with a fundamental dilemma. To become more westernized is to become less Islamic. To become more Islamic is to become less westernized.

Even the most fervent westernized reformer cannot state this fundamental truth out loud because to want become less Islamic is something no one could admit to even if they wanted it. The truth is many Iranian reformers want their cake and eat it too.

They want anti Islamic westernized reforms while at the same time being seen as good and proper Muslims. It is impossible. Islam and westernized democratic government are incompatible.

[F14 Pilot]

The majority of Iranian people want a secular government, that is a fact!

And what you mentioned is called Conflict between Traditions and Modernity which exists in the Iranian society.

But what we are sure about is that Iranian people need to be freed in order to have a fair election and choose who they want as their next Government.

[monday]

"And what you mentioned is called Conflict between Traditions and Modernity which exists in the Iranian society."

Call it anything you want. Ask any Muslim which is more important, Islam or democracy. All will say Islam. Any who choose democracy are not true Muslims.

[F14 Pilot]

Ask any Muslim...

Well you are saying "Ask Any Muslim"... It is right but

most Iranians I know, do not consider themselves as Muslims

You might be interested in talking to some of them.

Iranians want to be called Persians or Iranians and they try to keep away from their Islamic identity!

[monday]

"You might be interested in talking to some of them."

I tutored several of them in college.

[F14 Pilot]

Good For You!

[Reborn]

Attacks on reformists by hardline pro-regime elements have been commonplace during the past few years. But as the ultra-Islamist president-elect, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, prepares to take power next month, protesters have noticed a significant development. "In the past it was plainclothes vigilantes who were beating us, but now it was uniformed law enforcement officers," said Abdullah Momeni, a prominent student leader. "Before, we were attacked by a hidden government, with no one taking responsibility. Now it's all out in the open.

Exactly! We are about to come to the point where the average Iranian is going to have to make a serious choice. Once this "king of thugs" takes office in August, LOOK OUT! Man, my heart aches for the folks in Iran who want change. But FReedom has never come easy, never. I do believe though, that the folks of Persia have what it takes to rise up and cry havoc. The "spark" that will ignite the fuse is taking office in August. My only concern is Israel. You can bet that Israel is keeping tabs on that nuke plant. Someone is gonna have to do something. For all our sakes I hope it is the people of Iran, taking to the streets. (ongoing prayers for our Ganji)