“Natarsid! Natarsid! Mah hameh bah ham hastim!” – Another day of defiance in Iran

Defiance

Thousands of people defied bullets, batons and death and came out onto the streets shouting “Natarsid! Natarsid! Mah hameh bah ham hastim!”  (Don’t be scared! Don’t be scared! We are all together!). June 20 saw the mass murder of demonstrators by security forces, it is unclear how many people are dead as estimates range from 11 to 150. With media outlets severely restricted it could be some time until we are given the true number. State organs such as Press TV have described the murdered protesters as “terrorists”. HOPI received an eye witness report of  yesterday’s violence which can be found here. We will try to acquire eye witness reports of today’s events, until then below is a brief outline of some of today’s events.

Around 50,000 people converged on the United Nations office where the police attempted to disperse the crowd, however, they were met with rocks and barricades.  A candle lit vigil for those killed yesterday in Hafte Tir Square was attacked by police.  Fights and demonstrations broke out across Tehran, protestors in the South of Tehran on Fallah Street were attacked by special officers. It has been called a middle class rebellion by some commentators, as the South of Tehran has been quiet compared to the more affluent North of Tehran, today proved them wrong as young people and workers gathered in Eslamshahr to march towards the centre of Tehran. All across the South of Tehran fights broke out with today as thousands marched against the brutality of the Islamic Republic.

In the squares of Tehran security forces were again waiting for demonstrators, at Vanak and Enqelab demonstrators were viscously attacked by police and Basij, whilst outside of Tehran in Sanandaj, Saqz, Kermanshah and others, thousands of people have fought running battles with the police. As the night drew in, people took to their roofs and shouted “Marg Bar Diktator” (Death to the dictator) and “Allah Akhbar” (God is great).

From Nawal El Saadawi to Iranian men and women demonstrating in the the streets

Egyptian feminist writer, activist and physician

این انقلاب مردم ایران است علیه دیکتاتورهای داخلی و خارجی و علیه استثمار، انقلابی علیه قدرت های محلی و جهانی، قدرت های سیاسی، اقتصادی و مذهبی. زنان و مردان ایرانی، پیر و جوان، علیه سرکوب، نابرابری، بی عدالتی و سلطه می رزمند.

این صدای مردم ایران است. صدایی که به روشنی در سراسر دنیا طنین انداخته و شنیده می شود. هیچ قدرتی نمی تواند آنها را ازرسیدن به اهدافشان بازدارد. هیچ قدرتی نمی تواند خون آنها را پایمال کند.

نوال السعداوی بیست و یک جون

سی و یکم خرداد (ترجمه: نشریه آوای زن)

From Nawal El Saadawi to Iranian men and women demonstrating in the the streets

( 21 June 2009 )

This is a revolution of the Iranian people against internal and external dictatorships and exploitation, against local and global powers, political , economic and religious powers .  Iranian men and women, young and old, are fighting against oppression, inequality, injustices and domination. This is the voice of Iranian people. It is heard clearly all over the world. No power can stop them before they achieve their goals, No power can erase their blood.

Nawal El Saadawi

21 June 2001

Videos from the Hopi Emergency Solidarity Meeting on June 20

Here are the videos of yesterday’s solidarity meeting, which was attended by over 40 people and raised 230 pounds for our comrades struggling in Iran. The Speakers were Yassamine Mather and Moshe Machover with the Green Party’s Jim Jepps in the Chair. To find out more about upcoming HOPI meetings, or to request a speaker for your organisation, campaign or union – please get in touch with us at office@hopoi.info or on 07590429226.

Yassamine Mather opened up proceedings:

Moshe Machover placed the developments in Iran in a regional context, looking at the Israeli government’s reaction in particular:

Both speakers then responded to questions from the floor:

And then summed up proceedings:

Solidarity Message from Carré Rouge to June 20 London HOPI Meeting

French Marxist Journal Carré Rouge

The journal Carré Rouge wishes to express its support to all those present in your meeting and through them to all those fighting in Iran at this moment.

We supported the founding of Hands Off the People of Iran and the stand it has taken against imperialism, against the threat of war and for the overthrow of Iran’s Islamic regime. The political struggle against military and economic intervention by major imperialist powers against Iran must go in hand with the fight against a system of economic and political domination which makes the regime, whatever its utterances one of the pillar of world class domination.

As Obama made it very clear, the real threat in Iran to the world capitalist order is the mass democratic movement of which the students are today the spearhead. The victory of such a movement in Iran would shake per se the foundations of this part capitalist order throughout the Near and Middle East and on into the Indian peninsula. It would also open up, as it had started to do in 1979, on political demands bearing on the conditions of everyday life for the masses and so on capitalist property relationships. This is why Obama has sent the message that he prefers to go on dealing with the capitalist-theocratic regime, whoever are its leaders. His position is that of all “world leaders”. Their priority is “law and order” whatever the price to be paid by students and workers.

We are particularly concerned by the brutality of regime’s attack on university campuses, where the opposition to it is strongest. We will join in the campaigns you be deciding on at your meeting in support of your own comrades and all fighting capitalist-theocracy in Iran.