be naghlaz site mirhosein
1.
Mir Hossein Mousavi: The elections have revealed the depth of the country’s problems.
Translated by Narges Safavi
Wednesday, 5th August 2009 (14th Mordad 1388)
“The elections have revealed the country’s problems and their depth, which is no small achievement. Acknowledging the problems can be the first step to solving them” said Engineer Mir Hossein Mousavi at a meeting with young people on 12th Mordad (3rd August), coinciding with the birthday of the Holy Ali Akbar. He named the state of the prisons and the quality of trials as two of those problems and said: “There is no cause for pride in subjecting presidential deputies, ministers, people who participated in the taking of the nest of spies (American Embassy), people who for a time were in the spotlight of media attention with their heads held high, who were symbols of our resistance against the great powers, to a mass trial of such a description.”
The young people, representing youth all over the country, met with Engineer Mir Hossein Mousavi on the occasion of the birth of the Holy Ali Akbar and Youth Day. In this amicable meeting, first the young people presented their analysis of the situation of the country, and then Engineer Mousavi explained his views of the current situation. He congratulated them on the birth of Holy Ali Akbar and Youth Day and commented on the bitter events that happened after 22nd Khordad (12th June): “Still there is a valuable result of these events: the fundamental and important problems existing in the country have been set before us. It seems these problems and issues were hidden and we hadn’t been able to see them. This achievement is not a small thing, it is very important. When we were talking about problems before the election we didn’t understand and feel how fundamental and great those problems were, but we do now. Our people are feeling those problems with every fibre in their bodies and everybody is aware of them. Acknowledging those problems can be the first step to solving them. There are times when problems simply get ignored. Before the election, there was such an atmosphere. But after the election it became obvious that we have fundamental problems.”
Referring to the state of the prisons and quality of trials, Engineer Mousavi said: “What is reported about the prisons and methods of arrests, or the trials we have witnessed, demonstrate the depth of the problems existing in this country.
We made a revolution so that if there should be a trial, it would be for delinquents, it would have clear procedures, civil liberties would be respected in it, lawyers would be present and defendants could defend themselves without pressure, judges would rule freely and independently, and everybody would feel that trials were lawful and just.
For the point of a judicial system is that when a defendant has been arrested and it has been proven in a legal and humane way that he is guilty and there is a verdict issued for him, people would feel safe because of it. People would feel that the outcome of the court’s work was equitable and rightful. But now, the foundation of this judicial system is in question, and a new problem has been added to the previously existing problems of the society. Presidential deputies, ministers and persons who had participated in the taking of the nest of spies, people who for a time were in the spotlight of media attention with their heads held high, who were symbols of our resistance against the great powers, are now subjected to a mass trial of such a description. This is no cause for pride.”
The candidate in the 10th presidential election continued, commenting the calamities after the election: “Some people thought that if they arrested the people whom they thought responsible for the protest movement, this would clear the situation. But the movement has stayed alive in the nation, which shows that physical removal and arrest have had no effect. The large network of people protesting against the offenses committed has not been damaged and is living on. This safeguards the continuation of the Green Movement to return to the spirit and constitution of the Islamic Republic. We have to make use of this valuable social capital and integrate all the different currents to ensure the future wellbeing of the country.”
Regarding the differences between the preent social movement and regular, organized political activities, Engineer Mousavi said: “In organizations, total agreement on ideological matters is usually expected to exist among the members. The leadership tries to create total unity in the language and thought of the organization.
What we witnessed in this election, what we need to use and learn from is the conscious agreement on a common denominator. If a group had, say, ten fundamental principles to which it adhered, and one of these ten principles was found among the ten fundamental principles of another group, these two groups would join forces and become a crowd.
The national feeling emerging throughout the country is based on the people’s agreement on some fundamentally important common denominators, such as the colour green which has been attacked and bedeviled so much. Using green, the supporters of the Green Wave tell each other: we belong to your movement, we share the same issues, we share your problems, we share the wish for a progressive Iran. It seems that the way to bring people together and form a movement beneficial to the Islamic Republic and the country’s future is the agreement of the maximum number of people on the lowest common denominator. We have chosen this constitution. The constitution can be taken as a reference in all sectors of society, in the professional associations, in leading groups belonging to different currents. It serves the economic as well as the cultural sector. With respect to human dignity, civil liberties, non-involvement in personal affairs, etc. this constitution is comprehensive.”
The prime minister of the Iran-Iraq war period continued to analyze the society: “Many people in our society have deep religious interests, and they are the majority. We have ethnic minorities, and many different cultures. If we have a pact to which all can agree and around which all can rally, we will be able to support and preserve the great achievements of the revolution and the Islamic Republic. It will be the most expedient way for moving in the desired direction.”
Engineer Mousavi then spoke about the accusations of “velvet revolution” and “relations with foreigners” leveled at the people’s movement and said: “These are baseless. We have confirmed many times that our issues are national and domestic issues and have no connection to foreigners. Even Iranians living abroad have not joined foreign forces in their support of the popular movement in the country. This feeling is very strong in our movement and we have to reinforce it, because it is the way to strengthen our national identity, which will not take shape based on foreign models. The experiences of the last 200 years show that it is necessary to be vigilant in this respect. This does not mean that we should not know the world and learn from what is going around us it. No! These are matters we can put to good use. In view of the great movement that has begun we have to be clear on the national and on the international level. We will invite creative minds and good people and good groups from around the world and make use of their contributions. But we have to distance ourselves from all kinds of surrender to the colonial influences of great countries, you know what I mean.”
Regarding the toleration of opposing point of views, Engineer Mousavi said: “With persons who do not agree with us we have to have clear and peaceable relations. In the country there are some, maybe many, who do not agree with our opinions, and neither are they supposed to. It would not be desirable to have a national movement where everybody agreed on everything. We have to try to engage the forces who oppose us and listen to their views, explain ourselves and listen to their explanations. In some parts of the election process this valuable spirit could be witnessed. In the streets and even on the national level people defended their views, speaking together, discussing without quarrelling or grabbing each other’s shirt collars. No-one cut off the other’s words, and the people were moving along together. This perspicacity is a sign of a progressive society, reasonable and intelligent. However, some were spreading hate, some were trying to create trouble, some were trying to sow discord, but we must not let ourselves be caught up in such projects. We are all connected, it is possible to have different views, but they won’t prevent us from being a united nation. We are united in a holy goal which is Islam and a progressive Iran. For this we strive, and this should be reflected in our speeches, writings and movements.”
The prime minister of Emam Khomeini’s time said about the role of young people in the promotion of national action: “Before and after the elections, young people played a fundamental part and will continue to do so. The country belongs to you and resistance and perseverance will develop from your spirit. We have made great achievements and hopefully will progress while preserving the same attitude.
I hope that the hysterical atmosphere they are trying to create around us will not influence our equanimity, and we continue our work with a healthy spirit.”
In the meeting, Engineer Mousavi spoke of the birth of a strong national feeling during the election process: “During the election process, I have witnessed the birth of a strong national feeling in our country, which connected people to each other. When the young people gathered and chanted their slogans, their energy galvanized other social strata and created a feeling of connection between the strata, whose strength we have to appreciate. I now see a national unity between different provinces and cultures and strata that is much stronger than before the election. This is a gift we have to appreciate and make use of.”
A note from the editor of Kalameh-ye-Sabz (The Green Word), Mirhossein Mousavi’s campaign publication:
Translated by: Rahavard
2.
Alireza Beheshti: The Unwise Take Command
Ghalam – I was in detention when one of the interrogators asked me a question; in his response I had to name the Supreme Leader. Although I had taken the usual measures of courtesy, two of those people became seriously upset. They claimed that my mouth was filthy and that I should not have spelled out his name.
Some unreasonable people have taken the command. I do not offend the dignified people whose companionship used to be my pride. However, I feel that these days whoever from the opposite front says anything reasonable he is accused of infidelity. The unreasonable people are eliminating the wisdom. It has been two months. Which one of the policies they had suggested resulted in anything other than worsening the situation? However, they are still in command. The probably justify their failures by saying that if they had not adopted such policies the situation would have been even worse today…
In The Name of God, The Compassionate and The Merciful,
I was in detention when one of the interrogators asked me a question; in his response I had to name the Supreme Leader. Although I had taken the usual measures of courtesy, two of those people became seriously upset. They claimed that my mouth was filthy and that I should have not spelled out his name. Then they cursed me with words that would truly pollute their own mouths. They said that if the Supreme Leader ordered …. I am so sorry, I cannot repeat those vulgar words to show their impression of the Supreme Leader; an impression very far from the reality. I deny that the beholders of such impressions have ever had a taste of reason. However, they have the command these days; the same people who offend the wife of the martyred war commander in their morning lineup.
The building of Kalameh-ye-Sabz newspaper used to be the office of council for restoring the works of Martyr Beheshti and his beloved son had gathered a complete collection of his personal books including early Revolution charters of Islamic and anti-revolutionary forces both. When it was decided to relocate to a new neighborhood, due to shortage of space some of these books were left behind in the newspaper [office] and they were found by the security forces during their invasion [of the office]. One of the two people whom I mentioned above explained to me during our conversation that they had found books by Monafeghin [The Hypocrites: nickname given by the Islamic Republic regime to the “People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran”, an armed organization in exile in Iraq who has conducted several armed attacks against Iran] and this is the proof of our newspaper’s affiliation with this organization. He said that he had made footage from these books which he would broadcast in the state TV to shame us. Later I heard that Khabar Channel [the news channel of the state TV] had broadcast this footage with the same captions. I wanted to ask him not to do so. I wanted to tell him that many of the young people do not know Monafeghin and are not acquainted with their nefarious acts. Those who know them will never believe that Martyr Beheshti’s son would be affiliated with the murderers of his own father, but ones who have not read about their dishonorable records, or have only heard about them through the official media may consider them [Monafeghin] the innocent victims of your propaganda, just like Mousavi, and this may purify their ugly face. I would like to say: “don’t be unreasonable and don’t make a feast for Monafeghin out of the current incidents.”
Even until now I still review that scene in my mind sometimes and I wish I could tell them this or that, including asking the question that how they were planning to administer the country and pass this crisis with this [low] level of wisdom and intellect.
The command is taken by such people these days. Do not take the show of punishing the prison guards too seriously. It is very obvious that the same people are directing that [show] – since it is directed so poorly. If they are telling the truth why don’t they name one of the executioners in Kahrizak [the horrifying detention center in which many post-election protesters were beaten to death or severely injured, finally closed by the order of the supreme leader due to “low standards”] so that his children spit on his face and when later on he is appointed as the intelligence commander of such and such [military] force people identify him and object. They boo their own opponents attending court in pajamas, but they don’t even introduce the foes of the people.
These days the command is taken by the unreasonable people, more than ever. They still claim that Rajavi [head of Monafeghin] is backing Mousavi. So what?!! On one hand, according to you, five groups are tasked to assassinate Mousave, of which you have arrested four. Why has he [Rajavi] done so? Because he knows that it is Mousavi who does not let the country fall into chaos in favor of Monafeghin. On the other hand, according to you again, he has backed him up to take the most advantage of your stupidity. [He backs Mousavi] to pretend that he is the friend of beaten and offended youth and then make a pitfall for them. What do you do to prevent him? You broadcast his message even to those who haven’t heard it. I should add that, according to a friend who has searched Monafeghin’s websites, there is no news of Rajavi backing Mousavi and the only source of this news is the Islamic Republic News Agency.
Is there even a tidbit of wisdom in this? They only think about passing today to tomorrow, even if it requires sacrificing the whole regime and the Revolution.
Some unreasonable people have taken the command. I do not offend the dignified people whose companionship used to be my pride. However, I feel that these days whoever from the opposite front says anything reasonable is accused of infidelity. The unreasonable people are eliminating reason from the scene. It has been two months. Which one of the policies they had suggested resulted in anything other than worsening the situation? However, they are still in command. The probably justify their failures by saying that if they had not adopted such policies the situation would have been even worse today.
Of course if we were at war with them we would have welcomed such a disaster; but we are not. The truth is that most of the great achievements by people during the past two months have been the result of mistakes made by the other side. However, we do not welcome this magnitude of fault, because we are worried for its consequences in the country. Should we let the country become the prey of Monafeghin? Should we wait until the foreigners trust people for getting the actual news? Should we let the foreign governments take advantage of their mistakes in the negotiations? Or ignore peoples’ demand and leave them alone until they ignore everything?
A little bit of wisdom will prevent tons of suffering.
If you want to suspect, suspect those who are extremists. [A saying from Quran] “Do not obey those whom we have made ignorant of our [God’s] remembrance and those who follow their lust and are extremists.” Those are the same people who take the bribe money of four or six or seven million Toomans [Iranian unofficial currency – each million Tooman roughly equals one thousand dollars] to make contact between people and their children [in detention]; this is how opportunist and greedy they are. If you do not believe me believe Dr. Rouh-al-Amini’s word [father of one of the martyrs in Kahrizak – A University of Tehran professor, advisor to the health minister and head of the Pastor Institute as well as a political activist advising Mohsen Rezaee, one of the candidates of the current presidential election]. For their own future benefits they have no way other than making you suspicious of loyalty of those who have the wisdom to take office.
And the world is like a dream; it happens the same way that we interpret it, especially if we interpret it in negatively. If today I run into my neighbor in the stairways and he does not say hi to me I can interpret it as his being busy and ignore it or I can interpret it as being rude and base my future actions on this judgment and truly lead him to rudeness; let’s not interpret friends’ goodwill as their unfaithfulness.