The trial of Iran's protesters has renewed the urgency of a clear condemnation of Torture in the West. Mousavi, who is championed by the West, is accusing the regime of torturing the protesters before the trial and declared the statements of the accused as invalid because they were extracted under torture.
Mousavi knows very well what he is talking about. He presided, with the same techniques, over the trials of Iranian leftists at the hands of the new Mollahs regime, after the overthrow of the Shah.
This is an occasion for those in the West who champion democracy and regime change in Iran: will they condemn the torture of the protesters or will they remian silent ? Or will they, once again, try to justify torture for some and condemn it for others ?
A portrait of Mousavi and an analysis of the current inside struggle for power among Iran's religious elite.
Showing posts with label Mousavi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mousavi. Show all posts
27.6.09
Iran's present turmoil: Opportunism or Reformism ?
A dissident note in the chorus of western condemnations of Iran is necessary, and what if it is true ? Reading this critique from an Iranian American scholar who is an expert in vote fraud and was on the board of NGOs overseeing votes in many countries worldwide, it appears that the story of vote fraud in Iran is somehow twisted and overblown. Mousavi is more of an opportunist than a reformist. He is betting on western influence and the present uproar to do what he is unable to do hismself: win the elections in Iran or at least destabilise his opponent. This is the Lebanonisation of Iranian politics.
The point of view I have expressed here does not entail that I take sides. I am merely stating that western coverage of post elections Iran is a large scale interference used as a pressure on the regime by those who oppose AhmadiNejad. It is clear that what is going on is an internal struggle inside the regime between hardliners and 'reformists'. But comments from an Iranian blogger (Naj) here confirmed what I suspect is at the bottom of this struggle, the identity of the country: AhmadiNejad and his supporters in the religious hierarchy want a regional and political leadership for Iran focused on current Middle East problems: Palestine and sunni-shia political rivalries and that's a direction that goes against Israel's and the US will for the middle east, while those who oppose AhmadiNejad have set their priority in separating Iran from regional conflicts, namely conflicts in the Arab world. But in my opinion, and although AhmadiNejad and his supporters are labeled as conservatives, and although vote fraud may have taken place, the present turmoil has nothing to do with reforms, at least not from the perspective of Mousavi and some inside the religious hierarchy, but it is certainly for reform that most Iranians are demonstrating in the streets.
I wish Iranian people the best and most of all to be able to resolve the present turmoil in a peaceful manner.
From Le Monde Diplomatique: Betqeen religious and democratic legitimacy: Iran's stolen elections
The point of view I have expressed here does not entail that I take sides. I am merely stating that western coverage of post elections Iran is a large scale interference used as a pressure on the regime by those who oppose AhmadiNejad. It is clear that what is going on is an internal struggle inside the regime between hardliners and 'reformists'. But comments from an Iranian blogger (Naj) here confirmed what I suspect is at the bottom of this struggle, the identity of the country: AhmadiNejad and his supporters in the religious hierarchy want a regional and political leadership for Iran focused on current Middle East problems: Palestine and sunni-shia political rivalries and that's a direction that goes against Israel's and the US will for the middle east, while those who oppose AhmadiNejad have set their priority in separating Iran from regional conflicts, namely conflicts in the Arab world. But in my opinion, and although AhmadiNejad and his supporters are labeled as conservatives, and although vote fraud may have taken place, the present turmoil has nothing to do with reforms, at least not from the perspective of Mousavi and some inside the religious hierarchy, but it is certainly for reform that most Iranians are demonstrating in the streets.
I wish Iranian people the best and most of all to be able to resolve the present turmoil in a peaceful manner.
From Le Monde Diplomatique: Betqeen religious and democratic legitimacy: Iran's stolen elections
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Since March 29th 2006