Iran’s nuclear ambitions, and its support for the Hizbollah and Hamas have been the key obstacles in President Obama’s rapprochement with Ahmadinejad’s government. Iranians who courageously opposed Ahmadinejad and his policies during the June 12th Presidential Election, however, expect a new direction in the rapprochement with Iran, one that shifts the focus to the Iranian people, and their human rights.
The protests that engulfed Iran last summer showed a new face of the country. Millions of highly educated, modern, and politically savvy young Iranians—60% of Iranians are under 30—together with parents and men and women of their generation, created a powerful non-violent movement for rights. Unique in the Middle East and much of the Muslim world, the movement revealed the potential Iran has for becoming a model for non-violent movements for democracy in a region infested by radicalism and violence. It is imperative that the United States and the West reward the Iranian model of social change, not just in words, but also in deed, in concrete policies that make a difference. These are a few examples with far reaching effects.
The clampdown that followed the June elections resulted in one of the largest waves of emigration since the 1979 Revolution. Thousands of journalists, photographers, political activists, and ordinary citizens who took part in demonstrations, or told the world about the atrocities of the government with their photos and stories fled to Turkey, Iraq, Pakistan, and other neighboring countries. They are seeking asylum and safety in the United States, Canada, or the European Union. As political repression continues in Iran, many more will leave in the weeks and months to come.
Those arriving in Turkey, for example, register with the police. They are dispatched to “satellite cities,” small towns often not hospitable to such foreign guest, after applying for protection at a local office of The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). A few high-profile cases will likely be reviewed with speed and leniency; however, many others will face different predicaments.
The asylum procedures are long, tedious, and riddled with preconceived prejudices and political considerations. It can take from months to years. Meanwhile, many asylum seekers live in dire conditions, and in constant fear of being followed by the agents of the Iranian regime, harmed, abducted, and taken back to Iran. The dangers and risks that made them flee their homes follow them in Turkey and other countries on the their journey to freedom.
While traveling in the secret communities of migrants from Iran three years after the nationwide student protests of July 1999, I met young activists living in abandoned buildings, sleeping in city parks, and facing unexpected hardships. Long after fleeing their homes, some were still waiting for asylum. Their conditions defied the claims of human rights protection in the West. A different approach to asylum for the fleeing Iranians is urgent and imperative.
The UNHCR review process, particularly in countries like Turkey and Pakistan, is in dire need for change. At this time of crisis, however, special considerations and expediency are needed in the case of the new Iranian arrivals, those who fear persecution for their contribution to the democracy movement last summer. In addition, the United States and EU countries can give the process a boost by allowing direct asylum applications with their embassies in Turkey and other transit countries, while also changing the conventional thinking that every Iranian applicant is a potential security threat. A constructive rapprochement will not be possible without a change in this mindset. Past practice has only hurt the chances of improved relations.
Iranians wishing to visit the United States on student or tourist visas, or scientific and cultural exchanges, have been subjected to humiliating profiling and treated with extra suspicion in recent years. The mistreatment worsened after September 11, 2001. Many would be visitors were denied visa solely for being born in Iran. Elderly parents wishing for a brief reunion with their children after long years of painful separation were denied visa. Science students with scholarship from American universities were denied entry on the fear of “using their new knowledge against America.”
The street protests last summer revealed the error in the prevailing understanding of the Iranians. For the past thirty years, Iranian people were seen through the prism of their government and its foreign policy. Their opposition to that government was largely ignored. While President Obama and other high-ranking officials have remarked on the great political and cultural divide between the people and the government of Iran, the American policy is yet to reflect this reality. Here too, concrete steps can go a long way in reaching out to the Iranians who long for inclusion and acceptance in the world.
The rapprochement requires widespread cultural exchange programs, and new facilities to initiate and expand visits by Iranian scholars, artists, intellectuals, and journalists. Relaxing tourist and student visa requirements, and granting scholarship to young Iranians will be instrumental in normalizing the relationship with the people of Iran, and gaining their respect and trust. These and similar actions will prove a lot more effective than the current funding of pro-American opposition forces, or the anti-government radio and television stations.
Although it may require an Operation Iran Liberation, we can look forward to the day when Iranian government will join Egypt, Iraq, Afghanistan, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait Israel and its conquered territories to be govern by free world, democrats. Each one whose democratic rule is guaranteed the protections of the American military, CIA and government against all enemies, internal or external.
The author does not offer any evidence whatsoever for its claims that the movement involves millions of iranians, who are now fleeing in the thousand.
Iranians in the tens of millions did not go on the streets and did not do it in almost every city of Iran, but northern Tehran.
Most of those who leaved the delusion of election fraud, soon came to realize that the claim was just that, a claim with no proof.
Hey, this is democracy, and people in the majority said Ahmadinejad. Democratically, the others should just wait for another four years.
Thank you anyway for another piece of junky propaganda
The author does not offer any evidence whatsoever for its claims that the movement involves millions of iranians, who are now fleeing in the thousand.
I published this piece because I think it makes an important point about discrimination against Iranians. But I don’t know of any evidence for this either. Readers should be skeptical.
To make things clear,
my last line was referred specifically to the article and aimed at its author.
I think FPJ is an excellent analysis journal.
Thank you for the efforts and your reply.
Regards
Fiq,
The facts about the number of protestors are among historic facts that even the Islamic Republic agencies are accepting that in one of the protests there were more than three million people. And you have to consider that at least, based on official numbers, thirteen million people voted for Mossavi. There many reports and films about other cities than Tehran that had protests and arrests.
There is no critical mind who accepts the election result as it reported, we don’t know who won the election, but the result is not representing the will of people, I really encourage you to read more about the factual discrepancies in regards to the election, I am sure you will come out doubtful.
Junky propaganda is what produced by State run television in Iran. Amazing is Mossavi had no airtime after the election. Who is covering the lie?
Most of the claims of election fraud have been spurious, in some cases amounting to outright fabrications. If anyone thinks the election was stolen, you’re welcome to provide evidence for us here.
While you are reading these articles, I want to include that when there is no investigation by an independent investigator, the lack of hard evidence doesnt mean there was no faud… these facts are came out of strict block of information by government of Iran. The fact is there has been a doubt about election, but this doubt never answered by government.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/20/AR2009062000004.html
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~wmebane/note18jun2009.pdf
http://www.usnews.com/science/articles/2009/07/14/statistical-tests-suggestive-of-fraud-in-irans-election.html
There are better sources in Farsi that I’m sure are useless here.
Since westerners are looking for numbers, these articles are based on reported numbers by Government, and no more fact is put to account. But there are much more evidence for investigation.
At last, since there is no court or investigation in Iran to investigate this matter, in eyes of Iranian (at least those who didn’t vote for Ahamadinejad) this election is rigged unless proven otherwise.
thank you for your time and interests in Iran’s affairs.
You’re arguing that the absence of evidence isn’t evidence of absence. True enough, but also irrelevant. There’s a principle of logic known as burden of proof, and the burden is not to prove the negative.
Also, you said the government never answered the charges of fraud. That is just not so. The Guardian Council put out an extensive discussion of the charges — or at least those actually presented. As they noted in their report, they had asked the opposition to present their evidence and little by way of evidence was actually presented. But they duly addressed matters like the claim that high voter turnout in some areas was evidence of fraud, etc. With other matters, their report simply observed that they couldn’t address the charges when the opposition refused to actually present any evidence to support their charges. So if that’s what you mean by saying the government didn’t answer the questions, then that would be an accurate statement.
Jeremy,
Your well aware of the type of regime we are dealing with. How can anyone be expected to be able prove a point when the regime does not allow anything out that they don’t first approve. As I have stated in other posts, I have friends in Iran and they have all stated it is has turned into a police state largely controlled by the IRGC. The IRGC just bought the controlling interest in Iran main telecommunications company–now why would they do that? They said no rapes occured but two of those who vanished turned up in Turkey and aired their ordeal. Of course the regime stated it was lies and at the behest of outside influences. Are you aware they are starting to purge the universities again? Please go visit this site for some more information: http://english.mowjcamp.com/. They are obviously biased but take note of the thousands who literally risked their lives to get information out to sites like this. The scale of the protests, audacity of ordinary Iranians risking their lives to get news out , and the regimes draconian crackdown is very powerful body of evidence that the election was fixed.
Thx
Bill
Bill, the fact that Iranian security forces cracked down hard on protesters, as condemnable as it may be, is not evidence the election was fixed. Nor was the scale of the protests any indication. The largest demonstration I saw was a pro-Ahmadinejad rally. Opinion polls both before and after the election show strong support for Ahmadinejad. Every charge made to support the assertion of a stolen election has proven spurious. And when the Guardian Council pleaded with Mousavi and the opposition to present their evidence to support their charges, they were unwilling or unable to produce any credible evidence.
As Paul Craig Roberts, myself, and others have observed, there was very clearly a major propaganda campaign designed to make Iranians and us believe the election was fraudulent. Many Iranians no doubt protested honestly believing this to be true. But there’s just no convincing evidence to support that claim.
Now, you can argue no evidence has been produced because the regime won’t let it be. But you just pointed out how people have gotten the word out about the protests and crackdown. The regime couldn’t stop the information coming out claiming a fraudulent election. Why should we believe that there’s some argument or some evidence that we haven’t already seen being hidden away somewhere? Every argument that’s come out has proven spurious, and there were all kinds of claims supposedly “proving” fraud. If there was a smoking gun, there’s no reason to believe we wouldn’t have seen it by now.
Jeremy,
Thank you for your response. I won’t argue with you about the scientific validity of the elections because frankly their is no way to objectively to prove it either way. My point was that the deck is stacked. How can one prove their case when offices are raided, people are arrested, and any reports taken? The whole rape saga is a perfect example. Right after Karroubi brought it up they raided and closed his office and declared it all a lie. It was only until weeks later that two of the victims surfaced in Turkey that we heard the truth.
I think a problem many have when looking at the issue is trying be objective not realizing they are comparing apples to oranges. We are dealing with a closed society that has a totally different set of dynamics than what we deal with in the west. You cannot take the IRGC at their word just as I would caution those taking Bush at his word! They have alterior objectives and in Iran’s case it is holding onto power.
I do agree with your point on people getting information out but I think your over simplfying it. The people I was referring to were common citizens who in most cases probably had no to little access to any meaningful evidence. Those who would have access were almost all rounded up. My friends brother did not even protest but because he worked for a closed reform paper he was picked up in June and is still in Evin. My point about the common citizen was this was an act of suicidal desperation. What motivates a person to do this. Iran controls the media so it was not foreign propoganda but what they saw before their eyes. No doubt outside forces were at work but if you remember this whole movement took the world by surprise including our government.
In my mind the proof is the Green Wave movement still chugging along despite the oppresion that proves this was a stolen election. Not scientific but I hae a hard time believing this was orchestrated knowing the level of censorhips(http://www.rsf.org/en-classement1003-2009.html) and control Iran’s government has over the country. This is very much Akin to old soviet block states and I have quite a few “fun” stories my relatives can tell from Lithuania. Always appreciate your comments and look forward to more.
Thx
Bill
My point was that the deck is stacked.
Certainly. The candidates were all necessarily approved by Khameini and so on. It’s a very limited exercise in “democracy”. Not unlike what we have in the U.S., actually.
It was only until weeks later that two of the victims surfaced in Turkey that we heard the truth.
I don’t know that we know the truth on that matter. I’ve seen the allegations, but no evidence.
Iran controls the media so it was not foreign propoganda but what they saw before their eyes.
Actually, although satellite dishes are technically illegal, that law is not really enforced and they are widespread. Many Iranians rely on BBC Persian, VOA, Radio Farda, and other media the Iranian regime has no control over. Yes, “foreign propaganda” is an appropriate term for much of it.
In my mind the proof is the Green Wave movement still chugging along despite the oppresion that proves this was a stolen election.
Again, that opposition remains does not constitute evidence, much less proof, of a stolen election. Not in the least bit.
Of course, you’re right; it’s theoretically possible the election was stolen and no one can prove it wasn’t. But we must recognize the logical truism that burden of proof lies not in proving the negative. And the fact is that the arguments employed to support the allegation of fraud were spurious and demonstrably fallacious or, in some cases, outright fabrications.
This was a major propaganda campaign. The fact that the opposition continues doesn’t prove electoral fraud — but it is evidence of the success of that propaganda campaign.
Jeremy,
Your assumption is that outside propoganda was the cause. I guess we will agree to disagree. Years ago I would have believed you but the spontaneity of the movement shows otherwise. Instead of me ranting I would like you to read this post from http://enduringamerica.com/2009/11/02/iran-an-american-asks-what-if-the-green-movement-isnt-ours/. His name is Hosseing and he lives in Iran. Her is what he had to say:
“Dear Ange,
Thanks. To Kevin: Thanks, but I am also sad, this tells me that the 30 years rule of fundamentalist Islam has so isolated us from the world that when one of us makes a statement that makes sense you are impressed. There are hundreds of thousands like us, and we all strive for justice and for what you have in the West. We see through the lies of the IR and we have now been shaken to our core this summer. This has given birth to a delicate new life, and we know we must cherish it and nurture it. You can certainly give us moral support, you can inform your pundits to see the reality and not to dwell on their own outdated guilt-driven sentiments that call for total surrender of the West against Islam. Believe this will not get us anywhere. Bowing to the IR, for example, and repeating thousands of times how sorry the U.S. and GB must be for what the did in 1953 and so on and so forth. 1953 is long gone, please inform your intellectual friends that your guilt driven apologies are outdated, they don’t serve anything anymore, and that is NOT what we want. We want you to recognize our new birth, that we are not different from you in aspiring for democracy and for decency and for truth and for, yes, morality. The “enemy” invoked by the IR and by the Leader is NOT you. We know that. Pass it on. In fact your views on democracy and your ways of bringing about a judicial system that works in the great majority of cases are among the top most list of things we want. We are learning that the West has a lot to offer us beyond the cliche Coca Cola and Jeans and now rock and punk, etc., the IR and all other obscurantist ideologies want to emphasize solely. We want the same moral base in your system that teaches people to tolerate differences and to uphold the law, and yes that justice has meaning and democracy works for the benefit of all of us, even the minority.
Dear Kevin, indeed inform people we don’t want outdated guilt of how a long time ago westerners oppressed people in the ME. This is a new day. We want to be equals in all domains starting with education and morality and so on. Did you ever stop to think why it is that people in the IR lie more than say in GB or U.S. or Swedan? I will tell you. It is our Islamic upbringing now intensified in folds by the Islamic revolution. I can say this. Firstly I was brought up in a Muslim home, devout at that, secondly I am a strong opponent of political correctness. We must state the facts as we see them. T he amount of lies in the IR is more than anywhere in the western world by folds. We must recognize this and we must stop this. Your guilt trips of yesteryears and western distorted political correctness will not get us anywhere. There is no way to justify the harsh and violent nature of fundamentalist Islam. We must recognize the roots and we must teach our children to avoid it. To learn to tell the truth no matter what. This we must learn and must teach our children. We must not white wash it. Violence has roots in basic Islamic teachings where there is no tolerance for non Muslims, so called kafer. This is amoral, and we Muslims must put an END TO IT. This radical behavior by especially Muslims in GB, e.g., must stop. Ther eis no way for British leftist radicals to justify the nonesense uttered by Muslim leaders asking for the death of kafers. No. This must end. And her is the glimmer of hope. We have observed the birth of a new life in Iran this past summer. A precious new life. We must nourish it. FOr it has gret potential. THis may turn out to be the very esswence of what we need. End of the culute of death, end of hate mongers. End of the ideology of kill this and throw that ot hte ocean. And, certainly the end of the culture that does not allow any right sof “minorities”; just look at he horrible behavior of Muslims in this and the past century against minorities. This is awful. We are learning that this is not what we want. The Green is all this and more. Dear Kevin, this is what we request of you. Inform your western thinkers and intellectuals and journalists and the common folk that the Green has been born to end the culture of hate and seeks to do way with the slogan of “death to!” Our slogan is “love to!” and in fact what a long time ago did define Islam, SALAM! (peace!), but Muslims have forgotten this and are clinging on to the formal side while they are being fooled by false meanings, such as “kill!”; “infidel!” “western immorality”; and all such false meanings that have taken over the life of all Muslims. The Green, at least in Iran, will replace our ancient mythos, the culture of tolerance and of compassion and of truth. I am passionate about all of this. So, PEACE! now.”
No doubt outside influence was at work but is it wrong to espouse the basic human rights this person is screaming for? I think not.
Thx
bill
Your assumption is that outside propoganda was the cause.
I never said it was THE cause. I said it contributed to it. The propaganda is a fact. Do you think it had no effect whatsoever? It managed to convince people in the U.S. Ahmadinejad “stole” the election. Why wouldn’t it also convince Iranians?
No doubt outside influence was at work but is it wrong to espouse the basic human rights this person is screaming for? I think not.
Glad we agree. On both points. However, the protests weren’t about achieving basic human rights. They were about the belief that the election was stolen, a belief for which there is no solid evidence propagated as fact by the media. Nobody is arguing Iranians shouldn’t have human rights here, Bill.
Jeremy,
My bad I made an assumption based on the tone of the article instead of the facts. I apologize for that. I do believe the propoganda played a part as it did with the fall of the Soviet Union. Was it bad? Depends on who you talk to. I do agree the reform movement started because of the perception the election was stolen. I would only argue that the propoganda the US put out did not have as much of a bearing on the movement as some would think. After the election we have another story and I believe outside propoganda did play a part. However, again we have the arguement is it propoganda or objective journalism?
Regarding the reform movement I hope you had a chance to digest the post I provided. While the movement started because of a flash point I believe facts show it was simmering for some time. Western propoganda had its effects but I believe the erosion of basic human rights, enforced morality codes, selections instead of real elections, and open persecution of disent was the true driving force behind the movement. The election was a just catalyst that made it pop. This story of Iran is not so different of any people who perceived they were being oppressed and rebelled.
Thx
Bill
Was it bad? Well, I don’t believe trying to deceive people in an attempt to undermine the popular will of a nation or otherwise sabotaging efforts of a people to exercise self-determination is a good thing. Yes, I think that is a bad thing to do.
And, yes, it’s propaganda if it consists of deceptions geared towards a preconceived goal (in this case, undermining Ahmadinejad). Nothing objective about this kind of “journalism”, if we may even fairly call it that. Also, blogs had a big role in it. Even the major papers (NYT, etc) cited Andrew Sullivan at the Atlantic and Nico Pitney at Huffington Post, whose blogs were basically anti-Ahmadeinajad propaganda outlets, propagating numerous falsehoods and rumors, unverified claims from anonymous sources, etc. That is not journalism, either, but it was taken quite seriously by even the mainstream.
I agree with you totally that the protests had been simmering for some time. I think it’s too bad that instead of trying to encourage those Iranian sentiments to come out to fight for civil rights, etc., the West instead tried to use that to direct it against Ahmadinejad to protest his election just because we don’t like him. Because that only served to undermine and delegitimize the protesters (since no solid evidence was ever produced that the election was stolen), and swept the rug out from under any efforts that might have otherwise have been made to protest legitimate grievances.
Another reason I think U.S. propaganda efforts are “bad”. We should stop interfering in other countries’ internal affairs.
Ali,
your passion about the subject is understandable.
It was indeed a highly passionate election, with a lot of anticipation and bad blood running between the two camps.
Unfortunately, when the atmosphere is too charged, it is easy to stir emotions and from there down the spiral of violence.
Let me point out, not to get too technical, to certain elements as they showed…
A charged atmosphere as mentioned above,
An anonymous early call from an unknown person inside the interior ministry telling Moussavi he had won
The early (polls barely closed) announcement of victory from Moussavi and subsequent rejection outright of any result different from his victory
The plethora of ‘evidence’ of fraud brought forth immediately that soon after revealed to have no relevance at all in the way of proving the claim
The immediate flight to Paris of Makhmalbaf with numbers and evidence of the rigging going on, as a self-styled spokesperson of what was immediately painted as the legitimate goverment of Iran subjected to a coup by the evil establishment (do you remember?)
And for the foreign Governments and media the feast begun …
Some may have easily overlooked the presence or the relevance of these FACTS. The informed, that know how it happened in Ukraine and Georgia (for instance), do not.
Here is a well though out post on the subject (it also mentions the Mebane study you refer to). It is not flawless or written by a professional, but it is worth reading.
http://www.shiachat.com/forum/index.php?/topic/234965751-analyses-of-all-alleged-rigging-proofs-in-election/
In the end, Iran is no California. Factionalities, nepotism, corruption, mismanagement (of, why not, elections as well) are endemic, as they are in most of the world. Some countries are just a bit better in having people look the other way (there are plenty of distractions, particularly in Western Countries). All people, including Iraninas, should move to end these cancers, maybe just not at the expenses of all the rest.
My humble opinion is that a powerful mix of discontent, hope, need for change, lingering in (a certain part of) the society, was artfully manipulated and ignited by certain political figures for factional gains and power play, a scenario that the enemies of Iran were quick to foment and exploit. Where do you think that the (official) 400 m. USD earmarked by Bush towards regime change in Iran went to? Conventions and commercials?
More could be said, but this post is already too long…
Regards
Regardless of the debate and power struggle between the hardliners and reformists, people should understand that the life span of a revolution especially a religious one is short and is replaced by some other form of governance which in Iran’s case is authoritarianism. The Mullahs in Tehran and Qom should understand that their Shia revolution has lived its life and now its time for a change that can accommodate the masses and save them from the pits of disenchantment and misery. Seriously growing lawlessness in the south east and rebelling middle class can only put the country’s integrity at stake to say the least. A more moderate and modern approach is the only way forward. Having said that, Iran has got the right to nuclear technology like any other nation in this world.
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