Iran Document: The Authors of "New Green Manifesto" Issue Another Statement

UPDATE 1920 GMT: insideIRAN has posted a copy of the Persian version of the "New Green Manifesto"
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Last week insideIRAN.org, based in the US and France, published a document in English (see separate entry) from representatives of "dozens of groups in Iran" which "offer[ed] several recommendations for the reform and strengthening of the Green Movement". The representatives sought a Green Movement which would be an umbrella for those seeking the rights of workers, the impoverished, women, and ethnic and religious minorities, and declared, "We believe that [the] goal of the complete subordination of all government and state posts to direct popular sovereignty needs to be clearly and repeatedly stated."

The document has gotten some attention, but it is still shrouded in mystery --- who are these groups in Iran which have chosen to issue a new manifesto? And why have opposition outlets such as Rah-e Sabz and Kalemeh declined to publish the Persian text?

Meanwhile, there have been some responses to the document prompting discussion and debate. For example, the activist "Lissnup" replied (see separate entry), "What has always been missing is a clear understanding and definition of what the Green Movement is, and an accepted goal. The initial declaration of pluralism and the rejection of leadership in the classic or accepted sense created a dilemma: protecting individuals with actual authority, but leaving the movement vulnerable to manipulation by insinuation." He/she challenged the authors to refine their approach towards "leadership" and towards those whom they hoped to reach inside Iran, notably people outside Tehran.

Yesterday, insideIRAN published a follow-up letter from the authors of the "new Green manifesto". We will have a special analysis later, but for now we will note that the reply is not so much to the points on strategy and approach raised by Lissnup --- instead, it is a general response to those outside Iran whom the authors feel have damaged or side-tracked the movement: "We should listen to the voice of Greens on the streets rather than the ever-present voice of Greens on the Internet or lecture circuit in Washington or London."

A couple of weeks ago, we sent a written piece to several outlets, including JARAS and Kalameh (neither got back in touch with us or posted it), touching on the weaknesses that we felt were afflicting our Green Movement, as well as some recommendations for its reform in the hope of protecting and enlarging the great social capital it gained in 2009 and of preventing its demise. Instead of prompting a discussion about the current state and dynamics of the Green Movement, Western so-called analysts of the Green Movement, along with some self-styled Green activists and/or leaders abroad, questioned whether we, who have remained in Iran and have been active in the movement since 2009, were genuine Greens or not. While rejecting the idea that, ultimately, such people have the right to determine whether we are true Greens or not, we will make a few remarks in this regard.

First, as we mentioned, we are heads of Green cells that emerged during the painful events of 2009. The majority of us worked in one capacity or another in campaigns of Mir Hossein Moussavi or Mehdi Karroubi. The activities of our cells has included propagation of demonstrations within each cell’s locality as well as various forms of Green news and activity, such as participation in demonstrations, or just simply spraying Green paint on public signs, amongst other activities.

Second, four of us have been in prison since 2009, including long stints in solitary confinement. Another three of our leaders have been picked up at one time or another for questioning and then released. The majority of us have endured vicious beatings at the hands of security forces during demonstrations, including 30 Khordad and the demonstrations of Ashura. Two of us were so badly beaten that they both had hospital stays to deal with serious head injuries.

Third, the Green Movement currently is suffering from at least three major divisions. One division is between those inside and outside the country (and we think those outside the country have little right to talk for those of us inside the country without some form of consultation). Another division is between those Greens who support Khatami’s position and those who do not (we do not). Lastly, a division between those Greens, both inside and outside the country, who primarily engage in endless discussion, analysis, and recollections, or who participate in struggles primarily among themselves over personality and/or ego issues, and those who shun these types of squabbles and instead try to accomplish something for the movement. We are on the ground; we have deeply thought about and fought for this movement, only to see it endure a slow death due to lack of leadership, a program, and direction. The movement as a whole is losing people on the ground—this was one of the reasons we decided to write a piece that might trigger a unifying response. Political games, personality issues, egos, and endless prattle must be put to the side, leadership established, organization imposed, and forms generated to channel the growing public political and economic discontent.

Those of us on the ground in Iran who have hard experience in this struggle made some suggestions to help the movement. The result was not a discussion as to whether any of these suggestions were useful or insightful or whether they should be adapted. No one asked whether, perhaps, we should listen to the voice of Greens on the streets rather than the ever-present voice of Greens on the Internet or lecture circuit in Washington or London. Instead, guns are aimed at us. We find it rather outrageous that those abroad question our “Greenness.”

We are not out to establish a fringe movement or to obtain some form of leadership of this movement. One goal was to give a warning that those of us on the ground here in Iran see that the Green Movement is fading, and rather quickly. The other goal was to stress that there is more to the Green Movement than the Internet sites and chat rooms—there are some cells on the ground that need to be expanded. These cells—under some form of leadership based outside the country—and not these endless Internet chats, will be the backbone of the movement and create the conditions for transformation of our constitution so that all institutions are directly elected by the people.