by Admin | June 17th, 2009
Demonstrators in the streets of Tehran
Observations on the course of events of 15th
June 2009 in Tehran
I left my home in Tajrish along with my family at 3 p.m. We went down
Valiast Street which is the main northern-southern avenue in Tehran and
entered the Evin Exp’way which leads to Enghelab Street. We knew that
people are supposed to gather in Enghelab Sq. (Revolution Sq.) at 4 and
march toward Azadi Sq. (Freedom Sq.). From Gisha Bridge onwards, we saw
people walking down. Cars were blowing their horns and people were showing
victory sign. We went to Navvab Street and parked our car at the end of
the street. Then we took a taxi to bring us back to the Enghelab Street.
On our way, near Jomhouri Sq. (Republic Sq.), I saw a group of about 20
militia with long beards and batons on motorbikes. My hand was out of the
car window with a little green ribbon (the sign of reformists) around my
finger. One of the militia told me to throw that ribbon away. I showed him
a finger. All of a sudden, about 15 people attacked me inside the car.
They beat me with their batons and wanted to pull me out. My wife and my
daughter who were sitting in the back seat cried and hold me tight. I also
hold myself tight on the chair. They wanted to shatter the car windows.
The driver went out and explained that he is a taxi and we are his
passengers and he has no fault. After about 5 minutes,they left. My elbow
hurts severely. Then, a young man from their group came and kissed my
elbow! I told him: You know, I don’t hate you. I am like you with the only
difference that I know more and you are ignorant. He apologized and left.
We joined the crowd in Enghelab Street.
Read carefully: What I saw today was the most elegant scene I had ever
witnessed in my life. The huge number of people were marching hand in hand
in full peace. Silence. Silence was everywhere. There was no slogan. No
violence. Hands were up in victory sign with green ribbons. People carried
placards which read: Silence. Old and young, man and woman of all social
groups were marching cheerfully. This was a magnificent show of
solidarity. Enghelab Street which is the widest avenue in Tehran was full
of people. I was told that the march has begun in Ferdowsi Sq. and the end
of the march was now in Imam Hossein Sq. to the further east of Tehran
while on the other end people had already gathered in Azadi Sq. The length
of this street is about 6 kilometers. The estimate is about 2 million
people. On the way, we passed a police department and a militia (Baseej)
base. In both places, the doors were closed and we could see fully-armed
riot police and militia watching the people from behind the fences. Near
Sharif University of Technology where the students had chased away
Ahmadinejad a few days ago, Mirhossein Mousavi (the reformist elect
president) and Karrubi (the other reformist candidate spoke to people for
a few minutes which was received by cries of praise and applause. I felt
proud to find myself among such a huge number of passionate people who
were showing the most reasonable act of protest. Frankly, I didn’t expect
such a political maturity from emotional Iranians who easily get excited.
My family and I had put stickers on our mouths to represent the
suppression. Placards that people carried were different; from poems by
the national poet Ahmad Shamlu to light-hearted slogans against
Ahmadinejad. Examples include: ” To slaughter us/ why did you need to
invite us / to such an elegant party” (Poem by Shamlu). ” Hello! Hello!
999? / Our votes were stolen” or ” The Miracle of the Third Millenium: 2 x
2 = 24 millions” (alluding to the claim by Government that Ahmadinejad
obtained 24 million votes) , “Where is my vote?” , ” Give me back my vote”
and many other. We arrived in Azadi Square where the entire square was
full of population. It is said that around 500,000 people can be
accommodated in this huge square and it was full. Suddenly we saw smoke
from Jenah Freeway and heard the gunshot. People were scared at first but
then went forward. I just heard the gunshots but my sister who had been on
the scene at that part told me later that she saw 4 militia came out from
a house and shot a girl. Then they shot a young boy in his eye and the
bullet came out of his ear. She said that 4 people were shot. At least one
person dead has been confirmed. People arrested one of the Baseeji militia
but the three others ran away when they ran out of bullet. At around 8 we
went back on foot. On the way back people were still in the street and
were chanting Allah Akbar (God is Great). I was coming home at around 2
a.m. In parkway, I saw about ten buses full of armed riot police parked on
the side of the street. Then I saw scattered militia in civil clothes with
clubs in hand patroling the empty streets. In Tajrish Square, I saw a very
young boy (around 16) with a club who was looking at the cars to see if he
can find something to attack. I don’t know how and under what teachings
can young boys change into militia. I came home. Tomorrow, people will
gather again in Valiasr Square for another peaceful march toward the IRIB
building which controls all the media and which spreads filthy lies. The
day before Yesterday, Ahmadinejad had hold his victory ceremony.
Government buses had transported all his supporters from nearby cities.
There was full coverage of that ceremony where fruit juice and cake was
plenty. A maximum of 100,000 had gathered to hear his speech. These
included all the militia and the soldiers and all supporters he could
gather by the use of free TV publicity. Today, at least 2 million came
only relying on word of mouth while reformists have no newspaper, no
radio, no TV. All their internet sites are filtered as well as social
networks such as facebook. Text messaging and mobile communication was
also cut off during the demonstration. Since yesterday, the Iranian TV was
announcing that there is no license for any gathering and riot police will
severely punish anybody who may demonstrates. Ahmadinejad called the
opposition as a bunch of insignificant dirt who try to make the taste of
victory bitter to the nation. He also called the western leaders as a
bunch of “filthy homosexuals”. All these disgusting remarks was today
answered by that largest demonstration ever. Older people compared the
demonstration of today with the Ashura Demonstration of 1979 which marks
the downfall of the Shah regime and even said that it outnumbered that
event. The militia burnt a house themselves to find the excuse to commit
violence. People neutralized their tactic to a large degree by their
solidarity, their wisdom and their denial to enage in any violent act. I
feel sad for the loss of those young girls and boys. It is said that they
also killed 3 students last night in their attack at Tehran University
residence halls. I heard that a number of professors of Sharif University
and AmirKabir University (Tehran Polytechnic) have resigned. Democracy is
a long way ahead. I may not be alive to see that day. With eyes full of
tear in these early hours of Tuesday 16th June 2009, I glorify the courage
and bravery of those martyrs and I hope that their blood will make every
one of us more committed to freedom, to democracy and to human rights.
Viva Freedom, Viva Democracy, Viva Iran
p.s.: If you find this report of any value, please share it with as many
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