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Dr.
Arash Irandoost
The Many Shades of Iran’s Green Movement
December 5, 2009
As Iranian
demonstrators are quietly gearing up for the next
uprising and as the regime is nervously and secretly
devising strategies and scare tactics to keep
demonstrations under control for the upcoming
December 7th, the color Green manifests itself in
various forms by various groups to signify their
cause.
Green was the color chosen by Mr.
Mir Hossein Mousavi during the 2009 presidential elections. However
the "Green Movement” refers to uprisings which have been taking place
since June12th elections in Iran.
In part, the Green
Movement was conceived after hundreds of thousands of supporters of Mr.
Mousavi took to the streets to protest their votes. Demonstrations were
met with a brutal crackdown and Khamenei,
instead of deferring to the demands of the people, resorted to violence,
giving birth to the Real Green Movement of Iran.
True that there might have been strong
initial support for Mousavi and his Green campaign. But seizing the
opportunity, the campaign quickly transformed itself to the real
aspirations of the Iranian people and can no longer be considered as an
expression of support for Mr. Mousavi. Mousavi’s Green officially came
to an end when he formed a new social front called the "the
Green Path of Hope.” Several Mousavi sympathizers have been trying
to resurrect the Mousavi Green, but it seems that it has lost traction
among the Iranians.
Notwithstanding, there are still many shades of Green lurking inside and
outside of Iran, but can be categorized into three:
1) There are those (so-called
Greens) who advocate a theocratic political system, and do not want
to see the current "regime" overthrown, but "reformed" through peaceful
means and by using the current system's constitution to effect change.
Last thing people like
Moussavi, Karuubi, and
Khatami, who are deeply loyal
to the ideals of Khomeini and were themselves leaders of the 1979
revolution that resulted in the creation of the current political
system, want is for the system to collapse. They think that the current
system, specifically the current constitution, has enough tools in it to
allow the system to reform itself. In their view, power needs to be
transferred to the people gradually. What should be noted here is that
the so-called Green leaders are concerned with correcting the wrong
direction the revolution has taken.
There's good reason for the so-called Green leaders to seek a gradual
transformation of power. The fact is, they, at one time or another, have
taken part in brutal repression of the Iranian people themselves and are
worried that their own criminal activities will be exposed once the
regime is toppled. As the people who helped shape the current
constitution, the so-called Greens fully believe in Islamic republic and
are fully aware that Islamic republic has intentional safeguards to
prevent any meaningful reform and return to democratic rule.
A question for Iranians to ponder is whether real
reform can take place by the so-called Green leaders. To answer it, a
critical examination of Mr. Mousavi’s
background is a must. Even if Mousavi had come into office following the
June 12 presidential election, he would not have challenged the
political order. Like other reformist, Mr. Khatami, he would have tried
to fix the Islamic republic's internal and external crises through
slight policy tweaks. Mousavi's rivalry with Ahmadinejad has more to do
with internal power struggles and economic policy. No Iranian president
could fundamentally change Iran's position on nuclear policy or its
regional role because it is fully understood that foreign-policy
decisions fall to Iran's supreme leader. Furthermore, Mr. Mousavi
advocates "the full execution of the constitution and a return to the
Islamic Republic's original ethics (Khomeinism). He demands "Islamic
republic, not a word less; not a word more." Some of Mr. Khomeini’s
"original ethics might be useful here:
[T]hose who study jihad will
understand why Islam wants to conquer the whole world. All the countries
conquered by Islam or to be conquered in the future will be marked for
everlasting salvation. For they shall live under [God's law]. Khomeini:
Islam Is Not a Religion of Pacifists (1942)
Those who know nothing of Islam
pretend that Islam counsels against war. Those are witless. Islam says:
Kill all the unbelievers just as they would kill you all! … Islam says:
Kill them, put them to the sword. People cannot be made obedient except
with the sword! Khomeini: Islam Is Not a Religion of Pacifists (1942)
Those who have blindly joined the
so-called Green are strongly advised to examine Mousavi’s past before
they jump on his band wagon, otherwise they will be greatly disappointed
as many 1979 demonstrators have been after witnessing 30 years of broken
promises.
2) There are
Iran’s Pro democracy Movement (Real
Greens) that completely oppose the totality of the Islamic republic
and a theocratic regime. For them, the idea of "the Islamic Republic" is
repulsive, and they advocate nothing short of total eradication of the
Islamic republic. They believe that Islamic republic cannot be reformed
and regime change is the only viable option. A significant
characteristic of the Real Green Movement is that it does not have any
specific leader. Its leaders are men and women on the streets. The
alternative that these groups propose is quite diverse, and includes the
monarchists, leftists, socialists, plus some religious and minority
groups. There is no consensus amongst these groups on how they think the
regime should fall and what form the new government should take. Some
advocate a bloody revolution and mass uprisings while others see it
through non-violent means.
3) Finally, there are those who believe in a true Islamic
(Caliphate) state, and return to 7th century pure Islamic
principles. Ahmadinejad and Khamenei belong to this shade of Green.
Despite the fact that
Amnesty International has ranked Iran second to China in human
rights violations, they constantly brag about the liberties bestowed to
Iranian women under the banner of the Shariia law, and hope for
exporting their system of theocracy to other countries. The color green
is deceptively used by the Islamic Republic’s Ministry of Intelligence
and plain clothes Basij militia not as a separate movement but to
infiltrate demonstrators in order to identify and arrest its leaders,
subvert the movement and prevent it from gaining strength.
Since June 12th, the political leaders in Iran for a variety of reasons
have belonged to either of the three opposition groups at one time or
another and have switched sides to suit their purpose.
Today's demonstrations, the people who come to the streets are Iranian
youths, university students, women, human rights and political activists
who form 70% of the Iranian population and are desirous of a free,
independent and secular Iran. They are conscious of failures of past
reforms and do not believe that Islamic republic under a supreme
leadership that controls both the Islamic and national law can be
reformed. The Real Green movement is fueled by the desire for democracy,
human rights and secularism, all absent in Iran current constitution.
This is why both Ahmadinejad and Mousavi who pretend to lead their
respective greens fear the success of the Real Green Movement.
A true democracy and
reform cannot be realistically achieved under the Islamic republic
banner and by those who give pretence of reform and see Khomeini as the
ultimate revolutionary and source of aspiration. It seems that the
Islamic regime has entered a phase that whatever tactics it adopts and
whatever shade it puts on, it only brings its demise closer. This is the
beginning of the end of one of the most brutal, heinous regimes of the
21th century. No doubt its demise will have far-reaching effect on the
Middle East and political Islam.
About Dr.
Arash Irandoost
Dr. Arash Irandoost is a pro-democracy activist
who advocates Regime Change in Iran. He denounces those who have
corrupted the religion of
Islam and make
war with all free nations and intend to dominate the world with their
theocracy. He has
been published in numerous magazines around the world as well as
hundreds of Internet magazines, websites and blogs. He is also a
researcher and literary translator and has become a strong voice for the
struggling people of Iran. Click
here for Dr. Irandoost's blog. |
