THE GUARDIAN: Not only is the green movement alive, it is also showing resilience and stamina and making progress
With the world's attention focused on the protests in Libya, and indeed to some extent still on other Arab countries, there is a risk that the revival of streets protests in Iran is ignored. But it is real, and has worried the regime of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei enough that a show of unity has been orchestrated among politicians and the loyal masses. Scores of members of parliament shouted "death to Mousavi" and "death to Karrubi" during a parliamentary session on 15 February. On the 16th, people were bussed in and given free lunch and drinks to participate in pro-government demonstrations.
However, away from these scenes, the arrests, killings and abuses of human rights continue unabated.
During demonstrations on 14 February in solidarity with the people of Egypt and Tunisia, two people were killed and 1,500 people were arrested by government forces. On 20 February, Iranians returned to the streets in different parts of the country to mourn the death of the two young demonstrators who were killed on the 14th. This time they were outnumbered by security personnel. Again, scores were beaten and arrested.
The resurgence of demonstrations in Iran seem to have caught Iran's leaders by surprise. Many of them had thought that the green movement was dead. But the demonstrations have shown that they are wrong. Not only is the green movement alive, it is also showing resilience and stamina and making progress, from launching demonstrations to strikes, a notable one taking place at the oil refinery installation at Abadan. Read on and comment >>> Meir Javedanfar | Tuesday, February 22, 2011
