International   

Iran protesters hold out as crackdown intensifies

DUBAI: Faced with a massive crackdown, Iran’s opposition is looking for new ways to keep up the momentum of its on-going protests against the results of the recent presidential poll.

In a statement posted on his website late on Sunday, opposition leader Mir Hosain Mousavi told his supporters to continue with the protests.

“Protesting against lies and fraud [in the election] is your right,” he said. He, however, told his backers “to show restraint” during the protests. The former President, Mohammad Khatami, also issued a call for staging protests, in defiance of the directive by the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who in his Friday sermon had warned against further street demonstrations.

Mr. Mousavi’s supporters urged people to carry black candles and green ribbons as a mark of solidarity for those who had fallen to the crackdown. Black is the colour of mourning in Shia Islam and the green colour of Mr. Mousavi’s campaign also carries deep religious symbolism. Mr. Mousavi’s camp followers asked motorists to turn on their headlights during the day to “show their solidarity with families of martyrs killed in recent events”.

The opposition is also focusing on Neda Agha Soltan, a young woman who was killed during Saturday’s protests after an unidentified gunman shot her, as a rallying symbol of the revolt. The horrifying video of the incident has been circulating in social network sites as well as YouTube.

Iranian authorities have continued with their attempts to instil fear to discourage protests. At least 24 journalists have been arrested since June 12. The powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) warned people of adverse consequences in case they participated in protests. The IRGC website said protesters would face “revolutionary confrontation” .

Despite the warning, an agency report quoting a witness said that around 1,000 protesters had assembled at a Tehran square on Monday.

Authorities say the protests are not homegrown. Instead they are foreign instigated, and “terrorists” have infiltrated their ranks. Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Qashqavi blamed Western powers and news organisations of spreading unacceptable “anarchy and vandalism”. Authorities say on Saturday, a day of violent protests, “terrorist elements” had infiltrated the rallies and set fire to a mosque, two gas stations, besides killing a number of people.

Meanwhile, the supervisory Guardian Council, which has played a lead role in organising the disputed elections, has said in 50 cities, the total number of votes cast exceeded the numerical strength of the voters. However, a Council spokesman said a turnout which exceeded the registered voting list was “normal”.

He explained the discrepancy by saying that under Iranian electoral law, people were free to vote in areas other than those in which they were registered.

Stories in this Section

Iran protesters hold out as crackdown intensifies
A feel-good victory for Pakistan
New forum to discuss IDPs’ needs
Swat operations in “final stages”
Bomb attack on Ingush President
China tests A(H1N1) vaccine
It was Mujib who proclaimed independence, rules court
Indian immigrants allege harassment
Sotheby’s to auction letters of Gandhiji, Nehru

Copyright © 2009, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu