Monday
May242010
Iran Document: The Mousavi-Karroubi Meeting (23 May)
Monday, May 24, 2010 at 15:12 
Translation from the Facebook page supporting Mir Hossein Mousavi:On Sunday, 23 May 2010, and on the eve of the first anniversary of the rigged presidential election, Mehdi Karroubi met with Mir Hossein Mousavi and they discussed the important issues of the country.
The Latest from Iran (24 May): Rahnavard’s Statement, Ahmadinejad Heckled
In this meeting these two Green leaders, pointing out the arrival of the month of Khordaad (May-June), emphasized the importance of the significant days of this month including 2 Khordaad (23 May: the day Seyed Mohammad Khatami was elected president in 1997), 3 Khordaad (24 May: the day the city of Khoramshahr in southwest Iran was liberated from occupying Iraqi forces in 1982), 14 Khordaad (4 June: the anniversary of Imam Khomeini's death in 1989) , 15 Khordaad (5 June: the anniversary of Imam Khomeini's speech in 1963 criticizing the Shah, leading to his arrest and major protests), as well as 22 Khordaad (12 June: the anniversary of the rigged presidential election) and the post-election events of 25 and 30 Khordaad (15 and 20 June: the days of mass protests).
In this meeting Mousavi and Karroubi stressed the necessity of reports that precisely document the post-election events: “Clarifying what has happened since 22 Khordaad is very important for the progress of the Green Movement and showing the justice-seeking path of the people.”
In this meeting the Green leaders decided to invite people to participate in a national rally on the anniversary of the rigged presidential election on 22 Khordaad if permission for holding a rally is issued by the Interior Ministry, but if this constitutional right is denied by Ahmadinejad’s administration, they proposed to peacefully continue promoting awareness through the various and numerous social networks.
Karroubi and Mousavi, while emphasizing the ineffectiveness of the violent confrontations against the Green Movement and the expansion of the Green waves of awareness despite all limitations, said that the events of the past week in universities are signs of the ineffectiveness of the violent confrontations against the rightful demands of the people. They asserted that the people are demanding their human rights, which have been stipulated in the Constitution, and free and non-selective elections as well as free media and the release of all the political prisoners.
Referring to the attacks of plainclothes militia...on some figures and some offices, Mousavi and Karroubi stressed, “These actions are organized crimes and are the continuation of the crimes committed in Kahrizak prison and student dormitories which have re-emerged in a different form today.”
Expressing deep sorrow for the brutal beating of Mohammad Nourizad (imprisoned journalist and filmmaker) in prison, Mousavi and Karroubi said that beating and use of violence against an artist with the aim to intimidate him is a cruel and pre-meditated method which pains the heart of anyone who is compassionate about the system.”
Karroubi and Mousavi in this meeting asserted: “All these events are the results of silence in front of oppression. To prevent and end these illegal methods against religion, the rights of the individuals and groups should be defended regardless of their views and the charges they face, because the Islamic approach is to defend the oppressed regardless of their views and opinions.”
Mousavi and Karroubi expressed concern about the widespread expansion of lies in remarks [of government officials] and manipulation of [official] statistics and information. They warned that the expansion of lies, in addition to destroying the economic, political and cultural aspects [of society], will also damage the intellectual foundations. Everyone should be informed that Islam is against lies and corruption and we should tell people that corruption and other inhuman and illegal actions have nothing to do with Islam.
Mousavi and Karroubi exchanged views about the critical economic situation of the country with the decline of national industries, rise in unemployment, and the poor quality of life of tbhe working class and teachers. They emphasised that the efforts to divert the public mind from the actual reasons behind the problems is a tactic to escape from them, and they said the government, instead of making excuses must control the inflation and unemployment rates and support the national economy. Then they will see that many crimes will be reduced.
It was also emphasized that if state-run television and radio stopped their partisan and totalitarian policies, there will be more understanding and unity in the society. Mousavi and Karroubi asked, "What kind of organization is this, which is called the national media but in which there is no sign of news and views of the nation?"
At the end, Mousavi and Karroubi, pointing out the imminent anniversary of Imam Khomeini’s passing, referred to the damaging consequences of the government, IRIB [state broadcasting],and foreign media distorting his political beliefs, manner, and approach....
Reader Comments (8)
[...] dem Jahrestag der gefälschten Wahlen in 2009 haben sich Karroubi und Moussavi getroffen und ein gemeinsames Statement verfasst, das recht interessant zu lesen [...]
"...if permission for holding a rally is issued by the Interior Ministry, but if this constitutional right is denied by Ahmadinejad’s administration, they proposed to peacefully continue promoting awareness through the various and numerous social networks."
I don't expect much of a turnout on June 12th. Why? Most of the Iranians I've been in touch with basically say that they don't see the point in going out and risking their lives for the likes of Mousavi, Karroubi and Khatami, who make impotent statements like the one above, and stubbornly fail to acknowledge the deep discontent with the blueprint of the system itself.
I'm still trying to understand the full meaning of the "if permission for holding a rally is issued by the Interior Ministry" thing, because it is abundantly clear that such permission will not be provided as it has not once been provided since the election last year.
At the same time, they are stressing the importance of the month of Khordaad by pointing out the significance of various days within the month, so clearly they want *something* to happen.
Do Mousavi and Karroubi now believe the Green Movement will be victorious without street protests? Or do they know that the protests are going to happen regardless of whether the Interior Ministry grants permission, like they did last year, and perhaps they are distancing themselves from the protests to the extent that if they do take place they can say, "well look, we didn't ask people to go out into the streets if official permission wasn't granted."?
I don't know the answers, but I wonder if a statement like that, combined with the government sanctioned violence and intimidation against the people, could dampen the mood for protests.
In this dance, the protests do play at least one very crucial role: they open a space in the minds of people, inside and outside the country--a space where it is okay to depart from the narrative painted by the regime and mainstream media, that the nuclear program is the most important story on Iran.
The most important story in Iran is the story of the people's struggle for freedom against the most brutal, insular, backward of tyrannies. The story of the people of Iran facing their monster and showing to the world that it is not as strong as it pretends to be, that it is more about the roar than anything else. The story of a people shedding the last vestiges of a revolution gone wrong.
That story will continue, regardless of whether the world stays aware of it and tuned into it.
But it remains to be seen if the thunder of the roar of the Iranian people will be heard as loudly and clearly as it was last June. Either way, it is our duty to make sure that the story continues to be told, because it is in fact the most important story about Iran. Bar none.
I'm chatting on Yahoo with a friend in Tehran who tells me that what the original article in Farsi, on http://Kaleme.com" rel="nofollow">Kaleme.com, says is that if the permit is not given, then instructions for the march will be disseminated via Twitter, Facebooks, SMS, etc., not that the rally/march/demo will not be held. On the contrary, in the original Farsi both Mousavi and Karroubi state that the demonstration will be held regardless.
the Chuck Hamilton's comment is true and confirmed. according to Kaleme website: if the permit is not given, then instructions for the march will be disseminated via SOCIAL NETWORKS --> در این جلسه همچنین تصمیم گرفته شد تا در صورت دادن مجوز راهپیمایی،در سطح ملی مردم به شرکت در این راهپیمایی دعوت شوند و در غیر این صورت برای اطلاع رسانی و آگاهی بخشی با تنوع و تکثری که شبکه های اجتماعی دارند به صورت مسالمت آمیز جریان اطلاع رسانی صورت گیرد
that Farsi text adapted from orginal article on Kaleme website in this address: http://www.kaleme.com/1389/03/03/klm-20365" rel="nofollow">http://www.kaleme.com/1389/03/03/klm-20365
I have to admit that after reading the English translation posted on Radio Zameneh and Mousavi's Facebook page I had the same reaction you did, Scott. I think the difference between that and what Mousavi and Karroubi actually said is something that got lost in translation.
Thanks, friend.