Always, it does direct me to mixed feelings when certain desperate (often in violent) protests are erupted to ‘release’ death toll, or the injured. It’s impressive to observe protest by oppressed population (whosoever in Burma, China, Iran, Nepal, Palestine, South Korea, Thailand – not the ‘Yellow’, who is not oppressed population-etc), but it is disturbing to watch their blood from time to time, at the same time.

Iran, to my memory, is a very energetic society, where full of gorgeous people hang around in general except those machos being ‘ready to commit sexual harassment’. However, the energy has been suppressed not to revolt against the established. It’s been just underground in calm, to my understanding, but not extinguished out. And it spouts when it meets time and catalyst, as we’ve seen in 1999 and 2009 in recent history after the Islamic Revolution in 1979.

Although the country has given the Muslim world and elsewhere kind of pride and confidence, which is generated from a the country’s strong stance on the US-led imperialist powers, a number of people (particularly young generation) inside the country seemed to feel the other way.

The progressive intellectuals have talked about how much they were sick of ‘Mullah’ (as they termed) regime’.

The university students have talked about how they were intimidate by the ‘Guard’, which has often stationed inside the university.

The women have talked about how their lives were ‘controlled’ by the ‘system’ as well as by a male relationship. Girls have been escaping home. Wives have been ‘clashing’ with their husbands to hit the news stand on and off. This has indicated women, who’re highly educated , have expressed their revolt in a way or another. They refused to be ‘controllable’ .  They are very active.

But then, people of Iran whom I met years ago, have emphasized that they wouldn’t welcome outsiders’ intervention, something like the US invasion on Iraq, for their struggle. Ms.Shirin Ebadi, a prominent woman lawyer and Nobel peace prize winner has clarified about “whose help is needed” in an interview with Spiegel Online in 2006. Excerpts from the interview as follows,

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Are you seeking help from the international community?

Ebadi: It’s the people of Iran that have to gain their own freedom and human rights improvements. Military action or other punishments against Iran will make the situation for political reformists and human rights advocates in Iran a lot more difficult. I don’t think that Iranian human rights advocates need help of that sort from the governments of the West. But I expect people in the West to support freedom-seekers in Iran

(Full script of the interview at : http://www.spiegel.de/international/0,1518,434042,00.html)

However, I’ve got a mail from Tehran to be a bit surprised to learn that ‘some’ people there mentioned of “Israel’s attack on Iran’s nuclear facility”. Those ‘some’ are probably & innocently hoping the beginning of the end of the Mullah regime by other’s military intervention. I’ve cautiously judged it has shown nothing but a people’s frustration on the authoritarian regime.

The following text is that mail from Tehran weeks ago (end of June). Regret that I couldn’t timely upload it.

Penseur21

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Dear, Lee

Just yesterday I murmured myself : ‘I wish Lee were here’

The situation is worse than you heard and watch from media. What you said about ‘shooting at people’ was a completely true. I’ve participated in the demonstration as much as I can…. but honestly I feel fear…..

It seems that people are living beneath the shade of fear and horror…. I and my friends turn off the lights, sitting on the floor and shout every night,

“Allah o Akbar” (meaning “GOD is great”-ed)

People feel that the government deceives them and treat them as like goat and sheep. But those in government’s side are very wild with power to control. There are armed forces which have no ‘official’ assignment. People call them “Lebas Shakhsi” (meaning “civilian dressed”). It’s these forces who mainly have beaten up demonstrators. They have had green signs to do it, entitled to do everything, while we have nothing. Very very dangerous. It seems that the telephone is tapped. Satellite does not function well for the most of time. I have never been so much frustrated in my life.

Every single report has started by saying “It is said…”. Because nobody is for sure about what s/he is saying. Much of news spread over mouth to mouth.

The result of counting vote boxes was very funny.

“It is said” in about 50 stations had votes, which was more than the total number of residents of the area. Yet, government has been very tough to just keep the result. The main square in Tehran is like war…. full of solders and Basiji militia.

“It is said” about more than 40 people were killed till now (end of June). But Iran TV mentioned 10 casualties. Everybody has been poured to speak on the TV, while the analysis is very funny……

Yesterday I went to demonstration but they closed all routes, which stretch out to the Parliament. Metro did not stop at the Parliament station. I think if they successfully do force people to get quiet, they will stay as like ‘winner’ for long in future. Whereas people are getting weaker everyday and suppressed….. people in small cities got quiet already. It is only Tehran and some big cities where people keep resisting even by saying “Allah Akbar….”

Some people even say: “the only solution is an attack on nuclear base of Iran by Israel forces and Iran would certainly respond to the Israel’s attack, then other countries come to support Israel…and so on” This saying reflects how much weaken & powerless people are…

Kisses and love