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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Sporadic clashes in Iran |
| 2005-03-16 |
| Serious but sporadic clashes opposed Tuesday many young Iranians to security and police forces, leaving several injured, according to eyewitnesses. "Young boys and girls, angry at the decision of the Prosecutor for Tehran and the Islamic Revolution tribunals to ban traditional and popular festivities of "chahar shanbeh souri", or the last Wednesday of the Iranian Year, fought with Law Enforcement Forces in several areas of Tehran, shouting slogans against the Islamic Republic and some of the regime's senior leaders like Ayatollah Ali Khameneh'i", witnesses reported. A pre-Islamic tradition, the "chahr shanbeh souri", meaning the Wednesday Festivity is celebrated throughout the nation by all Iranians of all ethnic and religions by preparing bonfires in the streets or in public parks and houses, jumping over the fire chanting "my yellowishness to you, your reddishness to me", meaning one throw all its misfortunes, miseries, bad health and troubles, represented with the yellow colour, -- that of illness — met in the past year to the fire in exchange of the red colour, that represents health, wealth and good luck etc.. Immediately after the victory of the Islamic Revolution of 1979, the new clerical masters of Iran, in order to islamise the nation banned all pre-Islamic traditions, including the Now Rooz, or the New Year. The decision met with a national resistance from the population and after years of unabated efforts coupled with uninterrupted propaganda, the clerics softened their attitude and let people celebrate the festivities by closing their eyes. Witness said eth the exception of some major cities like Shiraz, where the local authorities had arranged and prepared special places for the bonfires, there were clashes between the population with the LEF and other forces urged by the officials to stop people from performing the ceremonies. In the north eastern city of Tabriz, at least 100 demonstrators were rounded up and arrested by plainclothes men belonging to the Ansar Hezbollah pressure group, sources reported, adding that at least two young girls were badly beaten up. According to some witnesses from different places in the capital, the population prepared bonfires in the streets and exploded fire crackers, some of them as strong as hand grenade from early as in the afternoon. The authorities said as a result of the fire crackers and bonfires, at least 2 people were killed and more than 40 others were taken to hospitals, with injuries due to the fire. But informed sources said most of the injured had been beaten up by plain clothes security men dispatched by the Judiciary. "The result was clashes with the police resulting in huge traffic jams, allowing people, mostly young ones, to chant anti-regime and anti-clerics slogans, with "Referendum, this is the wish of the people" as the main leitmotiv", one eyewitness told Iran Press Service. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #5 ..the Persian New Year celebrations included people holding pictures of anti-mullarky figures and many people chanting for a referendum (essentially a yes/no vote on the current system). If these people honestly believe that voting no en masse is going to result in the Mullahs voluntarily relinquishing their hold on the country, they're in for a big disappointment. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2005-03-16 12:42:29 PM |
| #4 great pictures of the anti Mullarky uprising at: http://www.activistchat.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=5398 |
| Posted by: mhw 2005-03-16 11:48:51 AM |
| #3 Perhaps most important part of this story (overlooked in this account but not in the account at: http://www.iranfocus.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=1698) is that, this year, the Persian New Year celebrations included people holding pictures of anti-mullarky figures and many people chanting for a referendum (essentially a yes/no vote on the current system). Having something positive to be for, as well as potential leaders of a new govt. is very, very good news. As far as the CIA's job, probably for now if they just made sure the opposition has cell phones and that opposition radio gets good reception, that might be enough to take the opposition to the next level. |
| Posted by: mhw 2005-03-16 10:41:18 AM |
| #2 Lol - the Mullahs are the most clueless 'tards ever to try to rule a large population. Total fools. This "tradition" sounds incredibly benign - but they just can't seem to STFU, these days. Keep it up. Beat up lots of people. Every single beating victim will make you 50 enemies - at least, with these extended family thingys, it might be 5x that. 99% of those you beat up will heal - except for the burning hatred for the New Savak. For every one that dies, well now, there will be hundreds in that clan who hear about it and take offense... maybe even the blood oath variety. Hard-earned mannah from heaven. If time allows - and they continue to be themselves, i.e. petty dictatorial morons, they will, indeed, be swinging from the lampposts - sooner or later. They could not be more helpful to our efforts to find Persians who want them toppled. I hope we're busy hooking up with these people. Goss, baby -- spend some time on this - it will be very important very soon. tick... tock... MullahWankers... |
| Posted by: .com 2005-03-16 3:02:19 AM |
| #1 Faster, please. |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet 0’ Doom 2005-03-16 2:23:27 AM |