Thursday
Feb112010
Iran: Enduring America's Coverage of 22 Bahman As It Happened
Thursday, February 11, 2010 at 23:58 
UPDATE: Here's what we have for you as 22 Bahman draws to a close. There is our LiveBlog of the day, bringing all the events --- and sometimes trying to anlayse them --- as they happened. (In case this site is running slow, we have a back-up of the LiveBlog on another site.)Scott Lucas has posted a special analysis, looking at the political significance of events not just for today but for weeks and months to come.
Tonight, we have an interview with Hossein Karroubi, reflecting on the attack on his father, Mehdi Karroubi, the arrest of his brother, and other developments.
The day in video has been captured through more than 50 clips in Set 1, Set 2, Set 3, and Set 4. There's the "bonus" of a clip of President Ahmadinejad's speech at Azadi Square as well as a sample from CNN's coverage.
The spirit of the day is captured in the video for A Song for 22 Bahman.
--
Enduring America's coverage of the marches of 22 Bahman, the anniversary of the 1979 Revolution, will start at 0600 GMT (9:30 a.m. in Tehran). We'll have a LiveBlog with the quickest updates on events, the latest videos, and snap analyses throughout the day.
In Britain, Scott Lucas will anchor the coverage, with Ali Yenidunya and Tricia Sutherland keeping an eye on the hot news and video footage. Josh Shahryar will be updating from the US, and our German Bureau will be bringing in other information from their sources. With the help of EA correspondents, Mr Azadi and Mr V, we will be drawing on our sources in Iran to make sure we have the best reading of the developments.
And, of course, we will drawing from our best reporters --- EA's readers --- as they offer information and comments.
(If, for some reason, EA is unavailable on 22 Bahman, please check our Twitter account or Facebook page for directions to a backup site.)
Reader Comments (41)
To protect your facebook account:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/26689464/Protect-Facebook-English
VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV
[...] Iran: Enduring America’s Coverage of 22 Bahman [...]
Green Democracy Movement poem for 22 Bahman with its translation in English
22 Bahmane roze pas gerftaneh mihane (it is 22 Bahman, it is the day of getting back our homeland)
22 Bahmane, roze azadi zane (it is 22 Bahman, it is the day of freedom for women)
22 Bahmane, Akhr tosari khordane (it is 22 Bahman, it is the end being degraded and humiliated)
22 Bahmane, roze Azadi mane (it is 22 Bahman, it is day of my freedom)
22 Bahmane, roze var chidane in doshmane (it is 22 Bahman, it is the day of getting rid of this enemy)
22 Bahmane, roze naa boodi Jomhoori ahrimane (it is 22 Bahman, it is the day of dissolution of Islamic Republic
I can't wait, start already
VVV
EVERYBODY PLEASE CHANGE YOUR FACEBOOK PICTURE TO GREEN!!!! ONE WAY OF SHOWING THE WORLD OUR SIZE.
Godspeed to everyone tomorrow. I hope the setting of the sun finds all the people safely returned to their homes.
Scott, I seem to find time for critique, but do not often enough express the gratitude I know we all share for the work you do. I know that tomorrow will be a very busy time for the whole EA team and you need to be aware that we realize how much work goes into putting out the tremendous content that you deliver day after day. With any luck, tomorrow may be the beginning of the end of this whole sordid affair and you can take a well deserved sabbatical after the triumph of freedom over oppression.
Brìgh gach cluiche gu dheireadh
It's 5am , and since 4.35am I am awake and can't sleep; I think about our people who are awake too; may God secure them, save them ; may today be the last day of their reign, may our people be the strongest; bravo Megan for your poem, and my heart is with everyone of you;
with best wishes for our fellow human beings in Iran... and best of luck to you scott and the EA team tomorrow.
also - you all might want to check out TNR's live blogging, being anchored by one of TehranBearu's best reporters at this link:
http://www.tnr.com/article/politics/live-blogging-the-iranian-protests
ps. Scott, they quoted you and EA @ 3:36pm yesterday on the Raf analysis.
also - they have an "Allah o Akbar" YouTube clip up from last night in Tehran, and they report that their sources have only been able to locate two videos whereas in the past, they could turn up dozens by this point before a protest day...
I think we should all expect to have MINIMAL video and pics today and be prepared to bombard #CNNFAIL (and the others) if this fact alone keeps them from covering the events.
one last comment for now...
this is one of the better 'broad-view' analysis of what to expect that i have come across in the past week. I think some of our more gung-ho green friends on this site might be disappointed by the conclusions, and though I don't particularly agree with all of them either, I do find this to have been one of the most rational and reality-based analysis that has been written:
http://www.insideiran.org/news/understanding-the-situation-in-iran/
i would encourage everyone to consider today as a pivitol marker but not as the end-game... the Green Movement and the people of Iran still have a ways to go I think, this conflict is extremely unlikely to end today.
V
Based on our values, shaped in democratic systems, Iranian protestors' deaths are unacceptable, and their quest for Democracy, Liberty, and Freedom of Speech is their basic rights.
However, for Islamic hardliners in power in Iran, democracy is what you are allowed to think, freedom of speech is what is permitted to say, and liberty is what is tolerable in the imposed framework of their dictatorship.
Tonight we are supporting the ones who are still alive, and are fighting with courage because they know something else is more important than their fears.
Finally because we refuse to believe that the bank of human rights in the world is bankrupt, we will fight until the last drop of our blood. Ma bishomarim and it is why Iran will never die.
epersianradio.com ris reporting live. One of its reporter from Azadi Sq. called. Green Movement is there and you could hear Marg Br Dictator.
I tuned into IRIB channel, they dont seem to be covering alot of area and no I haven't spotted greens yet
Megan
Did they report about how many people have showed up?
Megan,
Thanks a lot for these fine Green slogans.
Here comes a small tribute to Scott and the whole unfatiguing EA team:
Rule Bahmania, Bahmania rules Green waves :-)
Merci for your support!
ma bishomarim
Shangool,
that report was at 9:17 Iraan time. The person who called said there were lots of people but did not give any number. He left his cell phone on and you could hear the chant. It sounded like a lot of people.
Another Person called from Enghlab and she said regime people were fighting each other for free food. She also said all streets to Enghlab were full of Basiji and she was about to be arrested. After that she was disconnected. I hopr she is safe.
10:23 AM
A call to epersianradio.com, a caller says she was in Aria Shahr and there were lots of people chanting Allah-o- Akbar. She was out of breath and running. She was disconnected. I do not know if they were being attacked.
Reports of Karoubi being attacked and his car windows broken.
Sadeghe streets toward Azadi people were being attacked.
Near Sadeghe Metro toward Sadeghe streets, lots of Greens were waiting for Karroubi.
This group did not know Karroubi had been attacked and had left.
Who cares? Who really gives a hoot?
why are you trolling here? Go away please.
megan
there was no such a report from Azadi , square , in fact it seems quite certain that the idea to take over azadi was a disaster , they had filled the azadi square and azadi street , if the greens were among them ( which few eyewitnesses say they were ) they could not get together and they were not numerous( in 100 thousands range) , there have been only reports of sporadic clashes , there has not been a single video out yet showing more than 200-300 people protesting , the eyewitnesses at Sadeghiyeh square said the number were around 500 there , it seems if the greens came out ( which I think they did ) they were in azadi square among the normal crowd , details should come out as what happened , but it seems the event really went as the government desired and did not turn as protesters wished.
like I said it is too soon to judge , but the mood on the internet does not seem to be cheerful . the virtual world seems to becoming completely disconnected from the real capabilities of the green movement and it is limitations. I think it is time to stop thinking that this movement is within the scale that it could topple to the system , it really is not , for some of us our best hope was that the state would hear the voice of protesters , but they have chosen to ignore them , and as long as they have considerable support (not majority I think , but even I could be wrong) they can choose to ignore them. I don't feel good about the days that lie ahead , I hope I am wrong
Amir,
Thanks for your comment. I partly agree with you, especially on the Azadi square takeover: because of heavy security measures (Bassiji occupying the area since last night, control of surrounding streets etc.) any attempt to outnumber the regime's supporters had to fail.
But the Greens adopted another cute tactic: shouting anti-regime slogans during AN's speech. It got suddenly cut off several times on IRIB as this clip shows: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsZ-fTLt56M
And a blog reports that people started shouting "marg bar Khamenei", "marg bar diktator" and "doroughgoo" during the speech http://onvaredonya.blogspot.com/2010/02/blog-post_9674.html
The movement has just started to organise itself, and is getting stronger from day to day. Meanwhile it has installed its units all over the country and in most major cities. On the other hand AN and the SL have no idea how to handle the crisis other than by arresting and menacing the opposition, they are embattled by moderate hardliners, and the economic record of AN's first term is a disaster.
I therefore believe the tactic “feshar az paeen, chaneh-zani az bala”, i.e. pressure from below, negotiations at the top will be successful in the long run.
The Greens don't want another revolution, but a fundamental change aiming at genuine democratic participation. That may take some time...