What other post can be more relevant on "Remembrance day"? 

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Efforts to topple the Shah's regime in the 70s that ended in 1979 went on for years, years long before I was born. During the last months that led to return of Khomeini to Tehran and establishment of the Islamic Republic Regime was accompanied by many songs, revolutionary words, and melodies that touched the heart. Among these songs, a few were eventually abandoned because they spoke more to nationalistic sentiments than regligous. And when I say abandoned, I refer to the government; they no longer were played during anniversaries of important historical revolutionary dates.

In schools, days leading to these important dates were celebrated by competitions, assemblies and a lot of group singing. While we were encouraged to pick from a wide variety of songs a few were discouraged. The reason was never quite explained but it was clear as day even if it was never verbalized: they were too nationalistic, too many references to social problems that were still going on after the revolution, or they were connected to political groups that were active participants in the revolution days but later broke ties with the Islamic regime; were either destroyed or had gone under ground. 

One of these songs (one of my favorites in fact) is "In the name of freedom". Although more or less tolerated during the 8 years of Iran/Iraq war, as it refers heavily to martyrs, it had not been heard for years. 

The sight of people, sitting in a group and singing this song in unison , on 13th of Aban, when outside of the gates of the University of Tehran, the riot police is beating and arresting people is hunting. It gives me goose bumps to hear them sing like this, in such defiance and such courage. Now that reports of deaths in prisons and in demonstrations have reached hundreds with many more still missing, this song is relevant all over again, in the most bitter and heart breaking way.

The song " In the name of Freedom " as it was recorded: 30 years later, scenes that are repeated again.

And here is the translation of the words:

To the Tulip (reference on martyrs) that rests in blood
the martyr that has washed his hand from life
[we] swear by the last roar
by the trembling tear of the mother
that our path, will be, your path
oh martyr (2)
Everyone, march forward!
everyone, march forward!
with one voice
long live our dear Iran

To the Tulip that rests in blood
the martyr that has washed his hand from life
[we] swear by the last roar
by the trembling tear of the mother
that we will follow your path till our last breath, oh martyr

[we] swear by the name of freedom
by the moment you gave up life
by the heart that has been shredded to pieces
by the martyr that has fallen in [a pool of] blood
that our path, will be, your path
oh martyr (2)
Everyone, march forward!
everyone, march forward!
with one voice
long live our dear Iran

[we] swear by the name of freedom
by the moment you gave up life
by the heart that has been shredded to pieces
by the martyr that has fallen in [a pool of] blood
that we will follow your path till our last breath, oh martyr

[we] swear by the will of comrades
by the faithful sufferers
by the weary-hearted that are ready to give up life
by the brave that share the same promise
that our path, will be, your path
oh martyr (2)
Everyone, march forward!
everyone, march forward!
with one voice
long live our dear Iran

Grass root efforts have become a major part of the Green Movement protest in Iran. Since June:

- green paint has been splashed on bill boards

- various slogans have showed up on bills in green ink

- green fabric pieces have showed up in various places

- green wrist bands have appeared on public figures

- green balloons have been released

- Slogans, written in green spray paint have appeared on walls

- At least one bride has discarded the all white gown in favor of a green wedding.

If you know of any other activities, let me know and I will add them here.

Out side of Iran, feeling safer and more protected by laws of their country of their choice, Iranians have been more vocal and obvious in their attempts. From green washes over their tweeter profile picture to the Facebook images , publicized bike trips from Ontario, Canada to New York, USA all the way to the green banner movement that traveled the globe and was finally hung from Eiffel Tower in Paris, France . 

The most recent effort is by Iranians in Holland. Using TNT website , they have used their own images to publish costume made stamps.  Please nose that contrary to the rummer circulating the internet, these stamps were not created by the Holland government as they strive to not get involved or take sides (and in my opinion, justly so). 

One of Iran Green Movement members has a little more to say on the matter. 

As tempting as it may be to use these stamps to send letters inside Iran, it is very likely that the post will never arrive at its destination. The recipient may also face harassment and abuse from authorities so use with caution if you are so inspired. 

In an effort to humanize the faces of the political prisoners in Iran, I will translate a few posts in the coming days. Heart ache, pain, helplessness yet endless bravery in the face of unknown fears, will help to highlight the injustice of it all. How they cope, I will never know.

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Jila Bani-Yaghoub  a 2009 winner of the IWMF Courage in Journalism Award , was released from Iran’s Evin prison around 11 p.m. local time on Aug. 19, 2009.

Her husband Bahman Ahmadi Amoyee is still inside.

Born in Bandar-e Anzali, near the shores of Caspian Sea, north of Iran, she explains that her grand father and also her father have been politically active, and their love of the written word and their avid interest in following politics were her first influences. Before Islamic Revolution in 1979, when she was about 10 or 11 the political atmosphere in Iran was at an all time high. Attending school, she was also greatly influenced, supported and mentored by her teachers to also were politically active, and who encouraged her to write.

Many of these teachers were soon either fired, or arrested or executed. Many more became widows of martyrs in the Iran/Iraq wars during the 80s. She began to write stories and at 11 her first work about poverty among Iranian children was published in Keyhan newspaper which according to her was a very different and well respected publication. 

When Khatami was elected president, the iron grip of the government somewhat relaxed and many moderate newspapers began actively  publishing articles that were critical of the regime. When the crack downs began a few years after, and the news papers began closing one after another, she had to move from one to another and in all had worked in 10 news papers before each was shut down.

Ten years ago, at 29 she married Bahman Ahmadi Amoee, another journalist two years older than her.

She has written the accounts of her visits with her husband. One is translated . The other you will find bellow. I find it even more heart breaking. She speaks of emotions that those released experience, the "survivor guilt"  and how she has come to get to know her husband in a new light.

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By Jila Bani-Yaghoub, written on Nov. 5th, 2009
Source: We are journalists

Bahman! Why did the interrogator let me go, but not you?

I always thought I know you completely. But these days I have realized I had never known you this well. Behind your calm and humble face, I had never imagined this much patience and fortitude. These days each time I see you from behind the glass of the visiting room in Evin , a deep calm flows from your gaze into me. So very deep that all the anxieties and the uneasiness that I have been feeling because of being away from you, suddenly evaporates. 

This time in the visit I ask you: "Bahman my dearest! Aren't you tired of prison?"

You said: "No! Why should I get tired?"

You said it with so much confidence, and there was such honesty in your words that I believed it and I didn't ask you anything more about it. 

I remember one day, my interrogator who was yours as well, told me and you: "You will leave this place, but only when you have learned your lessons!"

I had forgotten his words till dear Shiva Nazar Ahari was released.  She was free and still some of our friends were in prison. When I congratulated her on her freedom she answered me something different: 

" Jila! these days I keep going over my interrogation sessions. Each time I ask myself maybe I made a mistake somewhere that they let me go sooner than others. What have I done to be released sooner than others?"

And that was when the words of our interrogator came back to me: "You and Bahman will be released from prison when you have learned your lessons."

Dear Bahman, these days this sentence goes around in my head so much that I get tired. As Shiva said, what mistake did I make that the interrogator let me go sooner than you? These days I envy you. You, that must have been stronger than me. Envious of you, that must have made less mistakes in your interrogation sessions. You, that the interrogator can not imagine might be tired of prison, might have learned his lesson and maybe that's why they won't let you free.

I have mixed feelings, good and bad: good because today after ten years of our shared lives together I know you even better and more than ever I am proud of you. I am proud of you because each time I see you, you never ask about your case. You never ask when you will be free and each time I want to talk about the follow ups of your case, right away you change the subject. When you see me insist, you say:" for however long its necessary without weariness or discomfort I will stay here." And then it makes me laugh and I say: "My dear! When you say these things, it means you haven't learned your lesson! Maybe the interrogator will hear you. Please tell them you have had enough. Tell them you have learned your lesson!" And you laugh too. You just laugh. 

And I feel bad too: what have I done that I should be free sooner than you? Why did the interrogator thought I had learned my lesson?

You say: "Maybe my imprisonment is more useful for futures of little Amirs and all the little Amirs than my freedom. (*bargeboo: Amir is possibly their child - I could not find a reference to their children anywhere).

And then right there I remember something similar to these words from a woman prisoner. I am talking about Shabnam who is still jailed. And according to her released friends who were in prison with her, when Shabnam prays, she never prays for her freedom. Instead she says: "God! If my imprisonment helps Iran, then may I still remain in prison, and if my freedom helps the advancement of my country then help me go free."

Each time you say, life in prison is full of various experiences, and you speak about these experience in a way that I realize, even in prison you are still a journalist. Even two months in solitary confinement has been full of interesting moments. You say you would not have been able to experience the solitude of solitary confinement anywhere else in the world. You say you have gone over all the moments of your life in the darkness of your lone cell and now you feel lighter and calmer. You say when you had reflected back on your life, that was when you had arrived at the conclusion that you need to be kinder, more patient and tolerant. You say you have decided that after you are free, the first thing you will do is to visit those who one day even for smallest of reasons might be upset with you; that you plan to show affection to those who do not agree with you. These are the things you say, you that among your friends, co-workers and your family are known for your patience. 

My dear Bahman, now I can thank the interrogator for making it possible for me to get to know you far better and feel proud of you.

Mr. interrogator! Thank you. 

The list of those detained on November 4th or the few days leading to this special day is growing rapidly. Add these names to all those who have already been arrested since the unrest began back in June of this year.

Keep in mind, that the names we hear of the most are those who are relatively well known, either journalists , or those some how or another connected to people that hold top positions in the political scene in Iran, or sadly we hear of them only after the fact: either killed (a few brave families have not caved under the pressure of keeping scilence) or those few who have decided to come forward with reports of abuse and rape. Its only logical to assume there are many many more that we know nothing of. 

Many are not heard from for months and months, many are held with no charges, their families are either frantically searching for them or if they are the "lucky" ones that have been told their sons or daughters are indeed held captive, of these many have no visitation rights. In fact, there have been more than one report that the family has finally learned the fate of their loved one only after they had appeared in the orchesterated "confession" and "trial" shows televised on state TV.

I have been hunted by thoughts of all these men and women - (or should I say boys and girls, as most are so so so young), thoughts of what their families must be enduring, and also how similar the situation seems like the 80s in Iran when wave after wave of political prisoners many under 18 were executed, quietly and under the radar.

Listen to this song from Siyavash Ghomeishi, old school, highly respected. song writer, singer, guitarist famous for his beautiful poetic lyrics and his warm velvet voice.  Translation follows. I have been listening to this song often, thinking of walls that separate families from their loved ones. If you still pray, think of them. 

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I sing for you
still from this side of the wall
where ever in your mourning you are
hold on to your memories

you don't know my dearest
about how we fair
in memory of the mirror, keep count
of each and every event

they have taken the sun from us
thanks to the night, stars are visible
from our gaze, there are sparks
that alight hundreds of lanterns for a dream
I sing for you
the best of songs
bring fear to the hear of the wall
freshen our solitude

you that share my sorrow, sing with me
in this endless prison
Damned be red light
Damned be green light

13th of Aban demonstrations were NOT just in Tehran - eye witness accounts and videos are pouring in from Shiraz , Esfahan , Tabriz , Mazandaran(Nov. 3rd) , Mashhad , Ghom, Rasht , Ghazvin, Ahwaz , Kerman, Shahre Kord, Kashan(Nov. 3rd), Yasouj (Nov. 3rd), Arak, Zahedan, Kermanshah, and I am sure many more.

Protesting and being politically active is much harder in cities other than Tehran. Bellow is a translation from Alireza's blog. He writes beautifully, with dark, and  tongue in cheek humor - a pleasure to read, not so easy to translate but certainly worth the try. 

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Rural mates, Iran is not just Tehran you know!  (by Alirza Rezayee)

Me, your unworthy servant (paraphrasing!) first off kiss all your hands because of all the things you have done under pressure that is a hundred times worse than Tehran, and all that you continue to do. Many years of living and working and studying in rural cities has given me the experience to know that movements in the very closed atmosphere of small cities is never an easy task. I know there are cities in which all the inhabitants share no more than five family names. And if they are not all cousins, they are still somehow or another related. Even if that is not the case, in a small city, even if they don't want to, people still see each other a thousand times everywhere and many general acquaintances form this way.

I know that if they grab the first person by the collar, if he doesn't have the exact directions to your house, for sure he will know twenty people who do. I know very well that selling people is many people's second occupation ... and considering all this, I also know that when ten basijis in a small street in Tehran can not control people, how open their hands are for enforcing control in other cities.

Maybe this is why, when something happens in rural cities, that incident echos ten times louder. Maybe that is the reason one action in other cities rattles the ground more than ten of those actions combined in Tehran. I have seen this and I know it too. If acquaintances and local connections sometimes restrict you, know that you are not alone. The big names in your city are filled with fear and paranoia, exactly for the same reason. That if they conduct themselves wrong how easily they will be recognized and found. How easy they can be looked up. How easily their reputation will be tarnished all over the city. How easy it would be when necessary to spread the news of their wrong doings everywhere. How simply they will have no choice to leave behind their posts and run away from that city ...

My mates from rural cities! Iran is not just Tehran. The grand 13th of Aban is also one of those days that we expect support from all of you ...

13th of the month of Aban (November 4th) is the official student day in Iran. It marks the anniversary of the attack of the American embassy on the early days of Islamic Revolution in Iran back in 1979 by university students, the hostage taking and the subsequent open hostility between US and Iran. There is no lack of documented details about that day. Pedestrian wrote two articles (one , two)  on the subject in the days leading to this years November 4th which is just as I remember the day when I was growing up in Iran as well so its worth a read. The images in her article also relate well to what I am about to translate bellow - eye witness accounts of the events today, some describing the conducts of the younge school children who were bussed in from their schools.

------ UPDATE!

I was in the middle of preparing a whole bunch of posts, including translations of Agha Bahman's first hand accounts of today. But seeing Pedestrian's numerous posts , including her translation of one of the posts I was going to write about, I have decided to only give a few links here as she has done a very fine job of it already.

*  Iran Unrest - A site, with many photos, videos and also the constantly updated twitter feeds from Iran.

*  Petit girl beaten by riot police even when she tries to convince him other wise - the man speaking on the video instructs the videographer to take the footage and do it well (perhaps to make sure its worthy of youtube)

 *Another girl is attacked brutally - when a man goes to help her, he is treated with violence as well. Note the man in plain clothes video taping the incident. Often these tapes are used as evidence once the protesters are arrested. 

UPDATE!! both videos above were JUST removed from youtube. My guess is due to their sensitive subject matter they were hacked and removed. I hope the ones who posted them are able to find a way to post them again.

* A group gathered and chanting slogans - they are attaked by a wave of riot police.

---------- ANOTHER UPDATE!

I just found the removed videos here and here . Perhaps because its embedded it was not removed. For the first one, on the right side of the page, click on the word "Video" and choose the fourth. Guess no matter how hard the sensor machine tries, they cant be fast enough. There are MANY good videos in the second website, Frontline from PBS all with English headings.

* Frontline website   - more eyewitness accounts, translated. Thank you PBS!

* People chanting, hiding in a construction site, two arrested and eventually discovered - note the older gentleman with a hand crotch marching in the group.

* Plain clothed government agent is booed and eventually swarmed.

So it has come to pass that the alleged falsely appointed president of Iran, Ahmaninejad was officially sworn in . 

Many have written on the matter, the protests went on as planned even though heavy military presence was everywhere, and more people were beaten and arrested. I have found Alireza’s writing bellow refreshing.
Alireza write from inside Iran. His writing, humorous and often directly to the point, is the embodiment of the term bitter comedy.

He is fond of writing lists. Bellow is a list of 15 comparisons between Obama’s rise and Inauguration and that of Ahmadinejad's on Aug 5th, 2009.

***********************************

I had said all this one more time when Obama was sworn in. But today it felt appropriate that I should rewrite part of these passages.

Inaguration of a president in 400-year-old America and that of a president, from 4000-year-old Iran:

1. The world watched Obama’s inauguration with mouths hanging open. How is it possible for a country to reach that level of democracy where a slave born can be the president. In Ahmadinejad’s Inauguration, the jaws dropped to the floor! How is it possible for one of the first counties of the world to get to a place where their president is a slave.

2. in Obama’s inauguration, thousands of police were in charge of taking care of a people who were watching the results of their hard work. Here, thousands of policemen are charged with watching over a people who see anything BUT the fruits of their labor.

3. In American elections, role of the media in conveying the truth was seen and felt very well. Here we have no real media but YouTube ‘s role in showing the truth is clearly noticeable.

4. In American elections, a woman using her strengths can reach for presidency almost to the very last step. Here Fatemeh Rajabi, (*) a few steps removed form presidency is still dealing with issues such as polygamy and the number of wives allowed, so god forbid that women may have the chance to actually work.

5.  In American elections, all the officials confessed that this much democracy can never be found anywhere else but in America. In here to, yesterday they took half our officials away so they could confess the same thing. The rest once they have had enough beating will also offer the same confessions.

6. A little bit after [Obama’s] election, the leader of the Catholics sent his congratulations.  Here, the person who calls himself the leader of all Moslems did the same thing, except that he did it a little bit before the actual election.

7. When Obama was elected, the role of the people in determining the path of their country and their own future became clear. Here Russia’s role in laying down the path for our people has become quite evident.

8. Obama rose to power by leaning and relying on philosophies of historical American figures. Here this one gets to power by stepping over the thoughts of all the historical intellectuals of our country.

9. When an American general speaks about American election he feels pride for being a soldier for that country. Here when Firouzabadi speaks about the elections, even the 12th Emam  feels nauseous that his country has a soldier like him.

10. Obama’s spouse representing a woman, who has slave’s blood in her genes, became the first lady once Obama was elected.  Here the blood of an Iranian girl needs to be spilled onto the street so when Ahmadinejad is elected, black girls in African countries can have bride money. That girl (Neda Aghasoltan ) is the first lady of Iran.

11.  During Obama’s election the relaying of information was so transparent that no one was surprised to learn about details of his life. Here everyone was in shock when someone (Moussavi vs. Ahmadinejad debates) finally was brave enough to allude in a very general way to Ahmadinejad as a liar.

12. After Obama was elected people used every chance to celebrate along side their loved ones. Here people try to seize every opportunity to conduct memorial services for their killed loved ones.

13. For the occasion, all the people of the world celebrated along side the Americans to show them their support.  After Ahmadinejad, all over the world people supported Iranians by wearing green bracelets and marching.

14. After Obama was elected, he closed up the Guantanamo Bay prison facilities as soon as someone had a nose bleed, to show how much he respect public opinion.  Here after the murder of Mohsen Roholamini, they closed up Kahrizak prison , and then afterwards they order the public opinion to: hurry up and respect us.

15. After the election in Iran, the supreme leader ripped his throat out by screaming that people have voted for the establishment. In America, Obama yelled up and down to tell people, hey I am one of the establishment, you have voted for me too!

* One of the most notable is Fatemeh Rajabi, the journalist wife of Gholam Hossein Elham, a government spokesman and one of Ahmadinejad’s most trusted confidants. Rajabi sometimes appears in the press more often than her husband. Furthermore, she has openly attacked Rafsanjani’s allies for being corrupt and Ayatollah Khatami for being too liberal and friendly toward the West. She even called for the defrocking of  Khatami. Although many male members of Iran’s political elite have done the same, Rajabi is the first female critic in Iran’s post-revolution history to go so far in her criticism of senior politicians. This has earned her several nicknames. One is “Fatti Arreh,” meaning “Fatemeh the hacksaw.” The other is “Shamsi Pahlevoon,” a nickname given to physically rough women in Iran. (source )