Covering the green wristbands: an outcry for freedom in IranWhat started as a non-violent protest against an obviously fraudulent presidential election in Iran quickly became a cry for human rights as protesters literally fill the streets of Tehran. Voting fraud is obvious, given the fact that in 50 cities there were more votes counted than there were residents (more than 100% turnout). So many millions of votes were somehow counted in just one hour. Candidate Mir Hossein Moussavis request to consider the results null and void was denied. Not technically an uprising, but massive in number; Some walk by giving the peace sign. Some shout Communications have been sporadic, as the Iranian govt does whatever it can to crack down on communications, banning social networking sites first, and all internet access later on, cutting phone lines last. On the weekend, the regime closed down the Al-Arabiya bureau. Misinformation makes confirmation difficult (but it hasnt stopped news networks from running some of the text postings and cell phone camera footage pouring out). Protests can be seen all over Iran, not just in the cities, but in the provincial areas as well. Head counts are made difficult, due to the fact that the bodies of those that were killed are dragged off by the regime, and its supporters. Countries around the world reflect on the protests in support with green wristbands. These countries include France (Paris), Australia (Sydney), Germany and Hungary. Assemblies in the United States have also erupted in Pennsylvania, Los Angles, and at the University of Columbia, where M. Ahmedinejad spoke twice. In Washington D.C., some are calling for tougher response by the White House; President Obamas only words so far on the matter come down to The role of the U.S. should be minimized, say many regional experts, as direct involvement would be seen as an excuse to crush the opposition. State propaganda has already cited such The role of women says a lot about this: in Arab and Muslim countries, women are normally treated as second or third-class citizens. In about how this is more about rights than regime change, one woman says, Theyre calling for a civil rights movement, not a revolution. As result of the appearance of women in all of this, and the claims of the west being involved, the Arab world has been scrutinizing everything going on in the state of Iran. This picture gets bloodier, and bloodier each day, as journalists, and relatives of journalists have been arrested and beaten; water cannons have been used on crowds using boiling water or acid; a possible home invasion shows security forces storming a house, where screams in Farsi translate to Theyre coming, theyre coming from the terrace! Some of the Basij in civilian clothing have attacked Iranian security forces to provoke violence. Civilian casualties, since protests began, range from 26 to 200. State-run media projected a count of 10 for Saturday, and by Sunday, 17. It is Things really started to pick up on Saturday, as the death of Neda Agha-Soltan became a rallying cry for the movement. Being shot in the chest by a sniper, cell phone camera footage details Nedas last breaths in a pool of her own blood, before blood pours out of the mouth and nose, and into her left eye. Most news networks in the U.S. ran the footage with the face blurred out, due to the disturbing nature just described. The city of Isfahan also marks a bloody scene, where a man was shot, and blood pooled, and pooled. Then, there was a rare suicide bombing outside of the Khomeini shrine. I only heard it reported twice, and it was said to be important to mention. How rare this event was isnt the half of it. Everybody is trying to grab attention, and many are becoming martyrs on purpose. Delayed until Sunday, Moussavi is seen waving in footage, days after government generated silence, telling people to strike if, or when he is assassinated. Dont let them raise your temper. Trying to calm the situation as much as possible before clamping down completely, the state-run press conference Monday at 10AM Tehran time (5:30 GMT), where EU decisions to control black-headed immigrants, and the 2000 U.S. presidential election were used as examples (they didnt spur violence). Note that many of the seats in the room are filled, despite the fact that journalists have been barred from reporting on anything in the country. Laws that arent based in freedom. Over 400 people have been arrested, including 24 journalists. Theres no telling what theyll do to the bloggers and freelance writers. The release of the daughter of former president Rafsjani and four relatives, and the detainment of a Newsweek reporter isnt going to stop the movement. The movement may not be a revolution (yet), but there is certainly a technological revolution at play. The level of outpouring information for such a short amount of time is unprecedented. With certain clerics now siding with the people of Iran, the people may not need the many months of time it took for the 1979 revolution. But with ayatollah Ali Khamenei already warning the protestors to The Iranian people, young and old, rich and poor, are fighting for every little bit of freedom they can muster in a theocracy, with a support system that puts the people below a President, below a level of experts, below the clerics, below a council of guardians to protect the ayatollah, and lastly the ayatollah at the top who dictates what God says (as if God speaks to people). |