Regrouping Against Repression in Iran

From Andrew Sullivan, here's the translation of the chant in the video:

"natarseen, natarsee, ma hameh baham hasteem."

"be not afraid, be not afraid, we are all together."
And then at the end they shout "down with the dictator."

I am just amazed to see the heart and soul and determination of the Iranians hour after hour now for more than a week.  I am so thankful that Obama is President or this would have been another thing the U.S. under McCain would have royally screwed up by getting in the middle of it.

NLinStPaul - thank you for the translation - the words to the chant are so moving (and as a chant the words flow better in Farsi than English)

Keep up the good work.

Deutsche Welle: Beginning of partial summary: Ayatollah Montazeri has declared three days of mourning starting on Wednesday. He has attacked the Ahmadinejad government's reaction to protests and declared resistance to people's demands to be against the Sharia.  Montazeri is one of the architects of the Islamic revolution and the republic. End of partial summary.

 

According to the Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA), Ahmadinejad in a meeting of Tehran's religious leaders warns against foreign intervention: "Referring to intervention by some foreign western powers in our internal affairs, he said, 'they want to belittle the power and special position that has been created for the Iranian people domestically and abroad. And of course they have again committed a mistake and have shown that they do not know the people of Iran. Without a doubt, the recent events will increase the greatness and power of the Islamic Republic."  He also responded to the recent statements by the British prime minister and the U.S. president: "With your rash comments, you will certainly not become friends of the Iranian nation. Therefore, I advise you to correct your interventionist positions."

Notes: The tight censorship of ISNA seems to have been slightly loosened. Along with the news report about Ahmadinejad, other headlines include a statement by one of the two politicians who were attacked by Ahmadinejad and defended by Khamenei during the Friday prayers, and a relatively mild statement (as these statements go) from the head of the greater Tehran security services to the effect that today things are calm and except for the arrested leaders of recent instabilities all others will be released shortly.

Important June 21 Statement from Khatami posted on Mowj.ir (Campaign for the Support of Khatami and Mousavi). Here is a rush translation: http://iranfacts.blogspot.com/

 

Is this for real that the streets are calm and the regime has it under control?? I just read this on MSNBC--I do not trust this information...

This from Huffington Post:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/13/iran-demonstrations-viole_n_215...

12:57 PM ET -- Understanding Ayatollah Montazeri's statement. A reader who has been very helpful over the last week sends in this note about today's statement (highlighted below at 12:28 PM) by dissident cleric Grand Ayatollah Montazeri (slightly edited for clarity):

Just had call with Iranians who read the whole Montazzeri statement (I have not myself - note - my farsi is not good enough to get all the nuances of the thing). But the main point I think you should be aware of is that he's asking people this coming Wed-Fri to mourn the people who have died. The people I talk to suggest it's his covert way of asking people to strike.

As point of reference - in the '79 Revolution, it was the strikes that did it. This is super important - because roughly right now you have some of the population that are hitting the streets, while others are Ahmadinejad people -- and it's the silent 30-40% they are after. Each day this silent majority is slowly stepping towards the reformists.

One important point with strikes -- they cannot shoot people who are striking. That will leave them in a bind -- and more people dare to strike than hit the streets. Again, this is in reference with what happened in '79 - strikes are the most potent weapon.

Also - what is happening now with regards to spreading information to the people. They are going back to 79 strategies. basically they are printing papers having people distribute them all over the country. twitter/net etc is not effective right now - they are going back to old-fashioned style.

It's encouraging to see these tactics. Yes Gandhi preferred violence to running away in cowardice. But he always said that for those with the strength and wisdom noncooperative nonviolent resistance was the preferred approach by far. Same as you Al.

Gandhi: "I cannot teach you violence, as I do not myself believe in it. I can only teach you not to bow your heads before any one even at the cost of your life."

His approach was anything but reactive or passive. (One of my favorite photos of MLK is in his office with a photo of Gandhi over his shoulder. )

From BBC Farsi, via Andrew Sullivan.Watch at the end.  The police turn and run.  The people shout, "Hurrah."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/iran/2009/06/090621_ag_street_clashes.shtml

 

Tonight people around Tehran will light candles in remembrance of the martyrs.

Farhad Rahbar, Tehran University president, announced inaccurately that all students have been released. This statement is a complete lie.

Tehran is profoundly inflamed, especially near Baharestan, Valiasr, and Enghelab, and there is a gathering in front of the United Nations office.

Military helicopters continue to fly above the city.

Fars News [Iraj's Note: Ultraconservative, confirmed distributor of Ahmadinejad faction disinformation] in an inane report says the members of the family of Rafsanjani were arrested to protect them from those creating instability.

. . . .

Filtering of sites continue. The most recent are Ayandeh News and Jomhuriat.

Three days of mourning, then three days of strike, then more mourning for those who died in the hospital, then school's out, then another strike-then everybody stocks up for a day and stays home again-only government workers are working-they can be bullied into it-everyone else is home.

Do you know if the merchants or large corporations are willing to go along with a general strike? People may hesitate if it means losing their livelihood.

A personal rant. There is an army of trolls going around the internet running down the rebellion and downing people's efforts to help by saying it's useless, that Dinnerjacket and Moussavi are just two peas in a pod, and so on. Isn't this supposed to be on the Iranian people's terms? I don't live there, so I can't use my criteria for judging whether or not Moussavi really is a better deal or not. Democracy is supposed to be about what the people want, and if Moussavi is what they want, then that's their decision to make.

Some don't like the fact that it's within the framework of the Islamic Republic. But if the power of the mullahs are curbed, and a true democracy emerges, so what? If they can reform their system to be more humane and representative, so be it. America wasn't all that liberal 30 years after the Revolution either: still had slavery, was beastly to the native Americans, and so fort. Freedom is like soup cooking in a crockpot, it takes  cooking time to get the full flavor.

http://www.tabnak.ir/fa/pages/?cid=52572

 

Let's say you think I have been felled!

And my young branches are hacked with your axes!

What will you do with the roots?

Let's say you sit on the walls of this garden in hunt of birds!

You have planted no-fly signs!

What will you do with the chicks in the nests?

Let's say you kill!

Let's say you cut!

Let's say you beat!

What will you do with the unavoidable shoots?

 

Posted on Jebhe Melli Iran-US (Jebhe.org)

Al, I totally agree with your comments under the heading "Thought for the Day". I have stopped watching all these so-called news shows because of the bs that is being spewed as if it is truth. Thank you for all you do in assisting us to bear witness as to what is going in Iran. Courage is not bluster. Courage is what is being demonstrated by the Iranian people and courage is the thoughtfulness with which President Obama speaks in these troubling times. The past history dictates a voice of reason and respect and my hat off to President Obama for walking that fine line so as not to add fuel to the fire. Even Mr. Netanyhu had the common sense to state "I won't second guess Obama on Iran". Courage is also taking the time to report truth. Thanks again for your excellent reporting and for providing us a chance to comment.

The punditry on this issue definitely left me a bit jaded. I figured the one thing I'd be able to find common ground with conservatives on would be this issue.

But leading up to the election Iran was either ignored or only spoken of in the context of preempting an "obama effect" narrative. Immediately after the election it was all "told ya so" things about how corrupt Ahmadenijad is while dismissing the protests. THEN when the protests were obviously a big deal, all of a sudden it's "where's obama" rather than coverage on the movement. Maybe I was naive before but damn, I really wasn't expecting that. I like to make presumptions of good faith.

Hey Al -- thanks for all of this reporting on Iran. Just chipped another $25 into the kitty.

For those interested, here is an insightful book re: modern Iranian culture, Hooman Majd's "The Ayatollah Begs to Differ: The Paradox of Modern Iran."

On the IranElection Twitter feed, there are requests to

change your timezone setting to Tehran.  Anyone know if

this is truly helpful?

Hey Al, saw this linked to over at the Huffington post.

Reporters Without Borders says that 33 bloggers and journalists in Iran are in govt. custody, with 23 or 24 arrested since the protests began.

Corollary to this is news that Nokia Simens Networks sold equipment to the Iranian govt. giving it the means to track down journalists and bloggers.

 

Hi Al,

Thanks so much for your insight into these matters - always enlightening and inpiring to get your perspective!  Wanted to pass along a tweet from Oxfordgirl as I thought you might have some good pointers:

 

oxfordgirlMousavi: We are( Independently) working on a gerneral Strike plan. Please help us with your ideas if you have expertise #Iranelections

Interesting Iranian leftist site; lists names of students arrested, missing, and released, so may be of use to people in country. Seem to have good links to Iranian workers' movement, with info about current thinking of key sectors. Provides analysis of regional contexts too. http://hopinewsfromiran.wordpress.com/

Because some of the corporate media seems to have bought the line that the protesters have supposedly been silenced. Are they just reporting what Iranian state-run TV tells them? Thank goodness for citizen media like blogs to learn the truth. As for the circus clown "pundits", I don't understand why they weren't discredited long ago for getting everything wrong.

I agree entirely. STFU. The President has shown spectacualr judgment, in my humble view.

Also, congrats on gettng to your goal, Al - well done, indeed.

Off-topic, but I have to say (even in this all-Iranian sector, sorry) - what about healthcare? Not exactly a bunch of visionaries in Congress, and like many, I'm worried that the administration has left it too long. I know Tehran is compelling, but I think Obama's top priority is in serious peril. What happened to OFA? Seems to be retrenching at the worst possible time...too late to organize the public option?

Hi Lisa,

It seems that changing one's Twitter location is not helpful in the technical sense.  Some people seem to feel it's useful in terms of a show of solidarity, but it does not provide any sort of "cover" as some tweeters are assuming.  For a thorough explanation on the how and why, click on the following article:

@flaptor: Twitter, #iranelection and confusion, or why changing your timezone doesn’t help: http://bit.ly/irantz

Tom, I am stiil active with OFA.  I posted today concerning the Public Option. Very active conversation and determination on this part of Healthcare reform. 

25 June 09 in DC there will be a March for Public Option and also Single Payer people marching as well. 

27 June 09 is National Day of Healthcare Service.

Hope you get a chance to link over there.  

http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/hqblog

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/13/iran-demonstrations-viole_n_215...

An incredible scene. Normally it's the crowd that's running away:

 

 

@Lorie Cavin--our meetup group (north suburban Cook County, IL) hosted someone from OFA on Thursday night and it was terrible--she was very young and unprepared.  It was billed as a listening tour, she divided us into two group and asked US what we wanted to do!  We all expected this to be more like Obama for America when they would tell us what was needed and we would volunteer to work on this.  Do you know any more about this?  If this is the organization they have for healthcare reform, I'm quite concerned!

Aside from writing to our Congressperson and Senators, what else can we do to ensure that we get the health care package that's needed?  Thanks for any and all suggestions!

This came from a very reputable person who we worked with in the campaign...

If you use Twitter, set your location to Tehran & your time zone to GMT +3.30. Iranian security forces are hunting for bloggers using location/timezone searches. The more people at this location, the more of a logjam it creates for forces trying to shut down Iranians' access to the internet.

Sarah Loving just posted about this a few comments above yours. She links to a website that explains that changing your settings to Iran, while a way of showing solidarity, is not something that is going to protect anyone from security forces.

http://flaptor.com/blog/twitter-iranelection-and-confusion-or-why-changi...

The best thing we can do at this point is bear witness, as President Obama said.

Update: The comment I referred too hadn't been approved yet! Oops, sorry about that!

I have a thought...I'd love to see anyone ask what they plan for a NEXT step would be after making grand claims about how illegitimate Iran's government is and how they better stop the violence and hold a re-election and blah blah blah.

Ok, what if we say all that?

They then blame the US for the protests - continue the violence and refuse to hold a re-election.  And we...what?  Invade?  Write a stern letter?  Talk more smack on TV?  What's the plan for AFTER make some grand condemnation of Iran's current regime?

They don't have one.  And it's way past time for someone to point this fact out.

Hi - I don't see a link other than to someone's Twitters. At any rate I know it won't protect someone but if it slows things down for the security forces it seems worthwhile.

From Al Arabiya:

http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2009/06/21/76567.html

There's one paragraph in there that is strange,

Iran's religious clerks in Qom and members of the Assembly of Experts, headed by former President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, are mulling the formation of an alternative collective leadership to replace that of the supreme leader, sources in Qom told Al Arabiya on condition of anonymity.

My guess is that's a translation typo since they referred to "former President...Rasfanjani" in the previous paragraph. I highly doubt they'd be so cavalier about it if the CURRENT president was now out of a job.

EDIT: Yeah, the typo is actually the name, because it's Rasjanjani who is the head of the Assembly of Experts. Maybe it was just wishful thinking (I.e., a Freudian slip) on the part of the translator to mix up their names.

I keep thinking, how easy do you think it's gonna be to sell the American people on the idea of bombing Iran after they've seen all these images of real Iranians, really fighting for democracy, really dying, actual individuals. I might be dreaming but I hope and pray the stream of imagery the last few days has shot that idea to hell. Remember the effect of televising the Vietnam war. And then how the US gov't suppressed all imagery from Panama, Iraq. Someone said this is like Anne Frank's diary. Live. Multiplied by millions.

This is a fascinating account:

http://niacblog.wordpress.com/2009/06/21/a-day-in-the-life/

from the comfort of McLean, Va., that the Iranian opposition has to offer their bodies to the bullets.  Thanks a lot.

I don't see how you stop Netanyahu from striking at Iran now.  So much easier to attack a nation whose government is despised by all, one impossible to deal with diplomatically.

I just hope he gives the Iranian ayatollahs some time to sort this out by themselves, because an attack might just drive Iranians back together.

 

Bob H - While I agree that Thomas Friedman is one of those special kinds of blowhards, I couldn't disagree more with your analysis that these events somehow make it easier for Netanyahu or anyone else to "bomb Iran" or even contemplate it.

One of the changes that the protests have already accomplished is they have changed the perception of the world (particularly the Western, capitalist, world) of who would be on the receiving end of any bombing attacks.

These protests have etched the image of millions of Iranians that seek justice in such admirable and courageous ways. They generate widespread sympathy.

I think one of the main reasons so many neoconservatives (including in Netanyahu's government - his defense minister and the Mossad chief) have expressed upset in recent days is that these earthshaking events now make it near impossible to attack the country of Iran without generating total repudiation across the globe toward any such attacker. Wars are only cheered when those on the receiving end of the bombs can be demonized or marginalized. The Iranian people have accomplished, already, making that now impossible.

Sorry you ran into an OFA dud; OFA is just one avenue. Down in Indiana we took it on ourselves to gather a group (unaffiliated with anyone) to canvas for HR. 676 (the single payer bill that has gotten no attention). The aim here was to get signatures of people who wanted (ideally) a single payer system or (practically) a robust public option. We got several hundred. But, though we spoke directly to our representative and an aid to one of our senators about this, one ulterior aim was to give people the numbers of their representatives and urge folks to call them asap to support serious reform. There are groups that are working all summer on this--google HR676. OFA is not the only game in town.

"The only thing the rulers have to fear is no fear itself!"

 

Beauty.

Michelle, Thanks for the comment.  The blog threads at OFA are very focused on healthcare, especially the Public Option.  

I, too, see some of the problems with "The Listening Tour". I attended one of these OFA Meetings and found it to be somewhat lacking in actual here's how you do this information.  Most was self generated actions:  calling elected officials, talk to neighbors, are you available for volunteering, etc.  The newly selected staff of OFA in MO were young vets of the campaign.  

The website has many links to finding events in your area. My noted OFA Day of Healthcare Service (27 Jun 09) is coming up quickly.  The March in DC (25 Jun 09) is as far as I can tell, an assembly of different groups supporting a Public Option for citizens.  Single Payer will be represented as well.  

My take on OFA is this:  Barack Obama's name is still attached to this.  I know he is well aware of the history of this moment for ten's of millions of American citizens.  I may not be as active or hand held through this part of the effort, but I am standing, supporting and calling for change in healthcare freedom for all. I have a few health issues that prevent me from the trip to DC at this time.  My kids wanted to go.

One more thing.  Community Organizing is a skill that I am honing here at The Field.  Obama is counting on us to take the lead.  Maybe you could do something with some of the like-minded people in your community.  What skills can you bring to your community table?  

Keep coming to The Field. I guarantee you will learn and share your successes and questions.

I hope this article helps.  

http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-a1_5obama.6931473jun22,0,1086456.sto...

I found it on the OFA Blog.

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/obamaforamerica/gGGGQv/com...

hat tip: jamie ahmad

who has a recommended diary at dkos about it, Sun Jun 21, 2009

The Iran Guardian Council's Spokesman Abbas-Ali Kadkhodaei, who was speaking on the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) Channel 2 on Sunday stated that over 100% turnout occured in 50 cities. A few notes:

1. He claimed that over 3 million votes were affected.
2. He claimed that oposition candidate Moussavi claimed it was 160 cities, but infact it was "only" 50 cities.
3. link:  http://www.presstv.ir/...

Well worth the read (I've re-posted the article on CorpWatch): Siemens AG, Nokia Corp helped Iranian regime develop deep packet inspection capability, which enables authorities to not only block communication but to monitor it to gather information about individuals, as well as alter it for disinformation purposes.

http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=15390