I Will Take Back My Iranian Flag

I’m standing on the spot where Neda was shot dead. I hear the voices of a young man and woman from behind. They are discussing whether this was the exact location or not. Sareh S. studies nutrition at Azad University and Emad K. studies physics at the Amirkabir University. They say they just happened to pass by when they noticed the spot.

“What has it come to?” This recurring question has recently replaced another: “What will it come to?” This question comes to mind for many Iranians who hesitantly joined the Green Movement in the aftermath of presidential election in June 2009. Taraneh F. is one of those who participated in the protests despite her doubts.  She says, “Before the election, I did not have any hope for change in the country’s public sphere. But when the electoral campaigns began and particularly with the revelation of the government’s lies I decided to participate in the election despite my doubts over whether my vote alone could prevent his re-election. Then when all the charges of fraud were exposed and with the start of protests, particularly when I saw that personalities such as Mr. Musavi and Mr. Karrubi did not quit in the face of all the obstacles, I realized that I had made the right decision.” Taraneh so far has been present in many demonstrations and believes that the people’s demands have been legitimate. However, she cannot hide her worries about where these protests could lead, taking into consideration all the problems since last year and the killing and imprisonment of so many fellow citizens. She says, “The situation remains very blurred and ambiguous. It seems that they succeeded at suppressing the movement by use of excessive force against the people. Can you see that after the 22nd of Bahman, the anniversary of 1979 Revolution, less people dare to demonstrate?” Despite all this, she believes she will continue to participate in future demonstrations.

My sister! I will take back your vote*

I’m standing on the spot where Neda was shot dead. I hear the voices of a young man and woman from behind. They are discussing whether this was the exact location or not. Sareh S. studies nutrition at Azad University and Emad K. studies physics at the Amirkabir University. They say they just happened to pass by when they noticed the spot. Emad says, “the tragic death of Neda captured on camera moved many but as if the supporters of the coup d’état did not see it?” I want to say something but Sarah interjects, “if they were supposed to be moved by it they would not have killed so many.” I ask for their opinion on the Green Movement and the people’s uprising. Sareh is very hopeful like so many others that I had talked to about this and thinks one has to demand her right in order to have it. She says, “I think we should keep doing whatever we can until our demands are met.” But Emad disagrees. He says: “each protest should be launched in a proper way. We can’t get all our demands just by protesting on the streets—we must reach our demands through non-violent means.” Sareh disagrees, “but when violence is used against us we should use violence in return. Do you think Neda Agha Soltan or Sohrab Arabi or all those killed during the protests believed in violence? No. They too, like us, believed in democratic ways. But when faced with non-democrats, you have to be like them too.” Emad, who thinks most of our problems originated in the 1979 Revolution, says, “do you think how many more generations should pay for coup d’états and revolutions? What would guarantee that this movement will not end up like the 1979 Revolution, from which the dictatorship of Ahmadinejad and Khamenei originated?”

My green vote was not cast for your dark name*

The taxi is driving from Vali Asr intersection to Vali Asr square when my eyes fixate on a massive force of security agents deployed to the four corners of the street armed with various types of arms, spears, and batons. A young passenger, seemingly a bank employee, is opposed to public protests. He says: “last year’s demonstrations have gravely hurt the financial status of Iranians.” Another man, middle-aged, does not think so. He says: “this abominable financial situation is due to government mismanagement. Which of the government’s financial plans has had positive effects?” Another passenger adds: “do they want to manage the whole world? They spend the oil revenue to pay Russia and China ransom and our own people are kept hungry.” The old man agrees. When some  kids who sell stuff on the streets hang on to our car ignoring the presence of the special security forces, a woman says: “look at these children, they are out on the streets because they are hungry.” Her view is confirmed by the same middle-aged man. She then continues, “these days their number is increasing. You can see a few of these working children at each intersection. I think we should question the legitimacy of the government that claims to be the so-called ‘Government of Compassion’ but has caused so much poverty.”

All this commotion, where is the national media?*

Parvin S. is a neighbor at the residential complex where I live. She and her family have not watched official state television channels for over a year. They believe the national media of the coup d’état regime must be boycotted. In addition to participating in demonstrations, she has been active in negative protests against what she calls the coup d’état regime: by not using SMS messages, boycotting the state television and radio, and blacklisting products that are advertised in these media outlets. She even participated in the energy protests for a while, where people turned on high-consumption electric appliances at a specific time, the so called “electric iron movement.” Parvin has been beaten by baton-wielding thugs numerous times over the past year and was almost arrested once. Nevertheless, when I ask her if she really thought things would change by boycotting SMS messaging and state television, she answered: “It is not ineffective. But when the national media spreads lies under the direct supervision of the leader why should one watch it at all?” She believes this is one way of fighting, “we must try different methods.”

You are the dust and dirt!*

“The most important crisis facing the Islamic Republic government and its leader,” claims a university professor, “is the legitimacy crisis. In my opinion the Green Movement has importantly achieved not only questioning the legitimacy but also debunking the aura of sanctity the regime tried to impose on certain issues, such as chanting slogans against the supreme leader of Iran.” This professor, like many more, expects to be fired in the next wave of retributions. He believes that, “throughout the demonstrations, the leaders of the government suddenly realized that the protests addressed to the Supreme Leader, and that by calling him a dictator, all the blame was placed on his shoulders.” According to this university professor, the Supreme Leader was asking for it: on the one hand, by ratifying the results of the election without the approval of supervisory bodies and refusing to address the complaints of the other candidates, and on the other hand, by delivering inflammatory speeches against several political personalities and remaining silent when the head of the government and his allies started to attack some well-known political figures, and by signing decrees in favor of the executive branch of the government and against the legislative and judiciary branches.
But this doesn’t mean that people will accept the legitimacy of Ahmadinejad’s second government either. It was his performance both before and after the elections that touched the nerves of society.
This university professor, in contrast to those who are not very hopeful about the future of the movement, says “the movement that was formed by Iranian people protesting the election results has matured so much that no amount of suppression can hinder its development. In the past year, people--particularly the youth--without any prior experience of civil protest developed their moves very well. This shows that the movement is so well-rooted that even if it cannot produce any changes in the next couple of years, it will fulfill its goal the end.

*The titles and subtitles are examples of the slogans used by the people.