Basij, Green Movement, Social Justice and Freedom

by Julie Jigsawnovich

An Iranian friend said Basij don't just beat people, they also help poor people. He told me the Green Movement should help poor people in Iran--but he thinks they won't. The friend, who I'll call "Sean Yahounson", said this in response to an article I wrote proposing ten things the Iranian Green Movement could do to reach out to people in their country.

Sean: It's really nice to give a poor child shoes--and he is going to remember it for all of his lifetime. But I don't know if people will really do it. I tried to collect blankets for Afghani refugees, but we could only collect four.

There are rich people in Iran who could give shoes and blankets. They don't care?
Sean: No, they don't care. That's why Iran has so many poor people. The waste food of some of those families could feed like eight poor families, but they throw it into garbage.

I heard that Ahmadinejad gave poor people food before the election, so they voted for him. And mothers don't send children to school with no shoes, so children don't learn and then they are easy to manipulate. Poor people go into Basij. America has lots of problems, but school is free for children, and children have food and shoes.
Sean: School is free for children in Iran too, and they give them bread and milk.

Our tour guide in Iran said schools cost a little money.
Sean: Even universities are free. I paid $0.

Wow!
Sean: But, of course, getting into those universities is hard.

And Basij and Sepah pay good money?
Sean: No, they don't pay good money. They pay like $10 per month. And they pay it only to those with higher level, not to everyone. I had many friends there. They were never paid a penny.

You had friends in Basij?
Sean: Yep, I can say, like 50.

Why did they join Basij?
Sean: Because they believe in it. And when you are in Basij you get helped, not financially, but you have better work opportunities. But none of them joined because of the benefits. They joined because they wanted to

Did you see this video? (A former Basij confesses to election fraud, and he reports the rape of detained children.)  
Sean: Yes, I did.

What happened to your friends? Are they still in Basij?
Sean: Yes, they are sent to different areas of the country to help the poor people, like in transportation, piping systems, or health care. Most of them are still there. I know them because they were my classmates.

So if Green Movement people helped poor people, this would be an alternative to Basij.
Sean: Green Movement people won't help poor people.

Why not?
Sean: 1- They are selfish and don't spend money on poor people. 2- Helping poor people needs to go to where they live, and because Green people are mostly "classy", they hesitate to go to such places. 3- Poor people are mostly supporters of the government, and Green people won't help government supporters.

But maybe poor people support the regime because the regime helps them.
Sean: Well, that's a fact. You help someone when that someone helps you. I've lived around, worked with and talked to both Green people and Basijies--and I know poor people and lived amongst them. And poor people don't support the government because of the ideology. They support because they get supported. Ahmadi spends 10 times more in vilages than he spends in big cities.

So, if people want more freedom and more democracy, they have to help poor people, right?
Sean: I agree, because poor people don't care about freedom and democracy, they care about money and support. What kind of freedom does a poor person need? It's stupid.

Well, people need freedom from hunger. You are not free when you are starving. You can not think about much if you are desperate.
Sean: Well, poor people don't even think about freedom. They care more about their life.
They don't read newspapers, they pack their stuff in newspapers.

One of my friends in Tehran came from a poor background, but he loves poetry and he writes poetry. Rap music originated from poor neighborhoods in the U.S., but they love poetry and stories. And they love freedom to say what they want. A lot of black people in the U.S. were poor, but they fought hard for freedom.
Sean: Well, I both have black friends and I had many poor friends in Iran. I don't say they didn't, but they care mostly about money--because they can't eat poetry and survive. They need food. They need healthcare. They need transportation.

So if the Green Movement wants the political support of poor people, they will have to help poor people with food, healthcare and transportation, right? Otherwise the Green Movement will never win. But the election was also fake. If the Green Movement helps poor people, and 90% support the Green Movement, can they still defeat Sepah? Sepah controls all business in Iran.
Sean: True. That's again why they don't help poor people. Anyway, they can't get over Sepah. That's why Green Movement is getting weak. Because, what can they do? And don't forget rich people are those who have businesses--and having a business in Iran requires working with Sepah or the government.

Iran now reminds me of the US in 1890's, when Capitalism had no laws regulating it, but Iran is also a little bit like Soviet Union plus Islam.
Sean: I think it's different from both. It has a unique environment.

Well, Iran has a really long business history going back thousands of years,
and long family histories.

What would your Basij friends think of increasing women's rights? There are some women Basij?
Sean: Yes, sure. There are. I knew some.

What were they like?
Sean: All of them were wise and smart. They are like normal people.

Were they extra religious?
Sean: They just wear hejab. They are religious, but not more than others.

Do you think the Iran government wants to go to war? Some people here in the U.S. are so scared of them getting nuclear bombs.
Sean: I dont know. I think they are observing how the world is treating them.

In some ways, Basij and Southern U.S. Christian military people sound similar. Christians also worry about poor people, and a lot of U.S. soldiers come from religious families. In some ways Iran and US seem completely different, but some things remind me of each other.
Sean: I think they are completely different, because Basij is not only those in street--they are military basijis. We also have Basiji doctors, Basiji nurses, Basiji engeeners, Basiji teachers, Basiji students, Basiji farmers--Basiji whatever you think.

Why didn't you join Basij?
Sean: Because I didn't believe in it.

Is Basij belief basically Islam plus nationalism--or something else too?
Sean: I can say their first goal is to bring justice and help poor people, and then Islam and nationalism.

Then, when Basij were told to beat everyone in the street, young and old, Green or not, after the election on some days--if they really believed in justice, it must have been hard for them. Maybe there are a lot of basij who feel bad now?
Sean: Well, as I told you they were military Basijs. They don't call doctor Basijies to do street jobs. And also the government says these are the rich people, and labels Green people as "rich people who are abondoning justice".

Basijs invaded hospitals and took out protesters who were being treated. I wonder if Basij doctors were treating protesters.
Sean: I think a doctor treats everyone because they promise to do so even to enemies.

Are you religious?
Sean: I am extremely religious.

Well, you seem to care about justice and poor people, and you are religious. But are you Shia?
Sean: No. I have my own religion.

Kheyli khub! (Very good!) What do you believe?
Sean: Pyramids of material level, living level, souls, "gods of souls", "gods of gods of souls"--and this pyramid has unknown levels. And on top where all gods collide, there is a point which I say is The Power of the Universe. This is the ideology, basically.

If your religion has a pyramid in it, is it influenced at all by Egyptian religion or by Freemasons?
Sean: No, it's my own religion. Freemasons are thinking like me, but not totally.

How are they different?
Sean: They just recognize seven levels of the pyramids, and they recognize the soul level as the "god".

What do you believe happens after people's bodies die?
Sean: It dissapears in the pyramid, the body goes to a lower level of material level, and the mind, which is the lower contactor of the upper level soul, goes up to one level, to the soul level.

How do you practice your religion?
Sean: It's super hard, but it depends how religious you want to be. It's super hard for me because I am super religious. Like, I don't eat meat for ten days. I don't eat anything but fruits for four days.

That is hard to do in Iran! (They eat a lot of meat.)
Sean: I am not in Iran anymore, I am in California…and to help anyone you can, wisely! And when I don't eat meat, I buy food for someone else who deserves it.

Are you still friends with people in Basij?
Sean: I don't see them because I am not in Iran, they were my classmates.

I wonder what they think about you going to the U.S.?
Sean: I don't know.

Was it a culture shock coming to the U.S., or was it easy to get used to?
Sean: It was worse than what I had imagined. Way worse. But no cultural shock.

Worse in what way?
Sean: In their life, in their structure, in their beliefs, in their society. They are going to collapse so soon.

The U.S. is going to collapse?
Sean: I mean in 50 years! Sure.

What will cause the collapse?
Sean: The fake feeling of happiness the materialism is injecting into the people.

I think Iran has a culture of sadness and beauty. In America everyone is supposed to be happy all the time.
Sean: You are happy when you have money in the U.S. And when the economy collapse, you no longer recieve happiness and respect, and you become aware of the fake situation that exists. And half of the country is poor and receives no respect and this half is extending.

I think there is more social mobility here than in some countries. Poor people come here from other countries and make money.
Sean: But they are considered poor here, I am talking domestically. Poor people are increasing. I truly see a collapse, I guarantee it.

Poor people are increasing partly because U.S. tax laws currently favor super rich people.
Sean: It's one reason.

Strategies for Green Outreach in Iran

by Julie Jigsawnovich

An Iranian friend asked me, "What do you think is the best method to get the Green Movement's aims across? The outreach is to get less well-off people in Iran to support the movement. If they do, we will succeed". I answered:

1. Give children's shoes to poor people. kafsh-e bachche be mardom faqir dahid.
2. Volunteer to teach people to read. mardom khaandan aamuzesh daad.
3. Volunteer in health clinics. dar darmangah ha nirooye davtalab begirid.
4. Volunteer in shelters for people at risk. dar panaahgah ha baraye mardom nirooye davtalab begirid.
Charity work matters a lot. Some mothers in Iran don't send their children to school because they don't have money to buy shoes for their children. And some mothers enroll their children in religious schools because they don't have enough money for other schools. Basij recruits are often from poor neighborhoods. There seems to be a lot of class snobbery in Iran. Maybe poor people are frustrated, and think the only way they can enjoy a reasonable standard of living is if they work for the security forces. Show them alternatives. Show how the Green Movement would improve their education, etc. for a better life--so they don't have to brutalize their fellow Iranians as their job. Another Iranian friend pointed out that, "Ahmadinejad gave poor people some foods and fruits before the election--then they submited their vote for him".

5. Show a plan for how the Green Movement would manage the resources and economy better. tarhi baraye inke chetor jonbeshe sabz betavanad eghtesad ra edare konad erae dahid.

6.Show people how they could make more money if trade sanctions were removed and normal trade relations established. be mardom neshan dahid ke agar tahrim ha bardashte shavad chegoone mitavanand poole bishtary be dast aavarand.

7. Show that Green Movement is against Israel building on East Jerusalem. That's a big selling point for the regime to attract the attention of Muslims. And they are correct on that point, anyway. It's not a radical position. Israel should not be building on Palestinian land. It's illegal and it must stop--even the chief of the United Nations said that.

8. Show Muslims and secular people working together and respecting each other. neshan dahid ke mardome secular va mardome mosalman mitavanand dar kenare ham zendegi konand va be yekdigar ehteram begzarand. Have secular Green Movement talk about the beauty of mosque architecture. Find Muslims living in secular countries who lead happy lives, do good works and practice their religion--and have them talk about what it is like for them living in a country with no Sharia laws.

9. Show people that the Green Movement is proud of Iranian history, and Eastern culture. be mardom neshan dahid ke jonbeshe sabz eftekhare tarikhe iranian va farhange shargh ast. And bring up the fact that the great Iranian leader Soroush (Cyrus) wrote the first human rights document, allowed people of different religions to practice their religions, and he freed slaves.

10. Show how laws must be reformed so that women's rights increase. neshan dahid ke chegoone ghavanin bayad dobare tadvin shavand agar hoghooghe zanaan bishtar shavad. Show which laws the Green Movement wants to reform so that women have more freedom not only in terms of what they choose to wear, but whether they want their children to live with them after a divorce, how much their testimony counts in court, whether they can be exonerated if they kill someone in self-defense, and whether they have access to abortion and to the morning after pill--at minimum in the case of rape. Address employment discrimination against women. There are more female college graduates than male, but fewer of them are hired. Plus, I've heard there are 100,000 prostitutes in Tehran, maybe more in Qom. Show them how the Green Movement could create opportunities for better jobs.

2nd UPDATE: I've received many responses to the ideas in this article, and will publish more of them soon in an upcoming article. Here's a lengthy response: http://jigsawnovich.blogspot.com/2010/04/basij-green-movement-social-justice-and.html

UPDATE: My friend Dalir said, "I'm all for the aforementioned ideas on how The Green Movement can reach Iranians. I would add: an overhaul of the judicial system, invest in education, technology (non-military), agriculture and medical related issues."

Nuclear Concerns and Sanctions: New Yorker Talks with Tehrani Friend

 

by Julie Jigsawnovich

New York--Amid growing international concern over Iran's nuclear ambitions, and renewed talk of not only strengthening sanctions, but bombing Iran, I spoke with my 21yr old Iranian friend who lives in Tehran. We met on the internet through our shared enthusiasm for certain kinds of music, and have found that we can also talk about religion and politics without fighting. In accordance with his wishes and those of another Tehrani friend who created the illustration for this article, I will not publish their names. 

JJ: I went to a panel discussion about Iran recently where an American General talked about bombing Iran. My American friend asked what we can do to support human rights in Iran, but the General avoided the question at first. He returned to it, mentioning that for awhile it looked like Iran's Green Movement might topple the regime--but the Iranian regime cracked down hard. I wondered to myself--the US is worried about Iran getting nuclear bombs, but what if Iran already has nuclear bombs and hasn't used them? What do you think, doost-e man?

They have bombs called Shahab 3, but not the uranium to put on them. 

Iran has the missiles, but not the enriched uranium to make them nuclear?

Yes. 

When they get it, do you think they will bomb the "Zionist regime" of Israel?

I don't know if they're looking to get nuclear bombs. I don't know. 

If Mousavi was Iran's president, would Iran be less dangerous than with Ahmadinejad as president--if Iran did get nuclear bombs?

Really there is no big difference between Ahmadi or Mousavi, because everything is in the hands of Ayatollah Khamenei--Supreme Leader. 

And Sepah. Some people here think Sepah, the Revolutionary Guards Corps, have more power than Khamenei now.

Yeah, they have. They have a lot of money, a lot of forces, and a lot of men. 

What do you think of the conflict in Yemen--and the Saudis against Iran?

I'm not interested! But in religion, Saudis are Vahhabi. And Vahhabis think that Shia's are Moshrik. Do you know what Moshrik is?

Moshrik = heretic?

 

Mmm, it's hard... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirk_%28Islam%29 And I've heard that Vahhabis believe that if they kill two Shia's in life they will go to heaven. I don't know exactly, but it must be something like this. This is not a modern war. I say it's the old fashioned Islam War.

Do Shia's believe that if they kill people, they will go to heaven?

I've never heard of it. But in Quran there are a lot of ayes about killing.

Ayes?

Ayeh. Ayat. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayah

Some people here in the US say Islam is a religion that supports violence. But some Muslims here say, "No, it supports love." What do you think?

Quran is so complicated. You can have both impressions of Quran.

The Christian Bible is complicated too. The Old Testament seems to support violence. But Jesus supported non-violence.

Creed people do violent things.

Creed people?

People that believe in religions--like hard Muslims or Jews or Christians.

Religion can make people into tools.

Yeah, exactly.

The US is worried about Iran getting nuclear bombs, partly because Iran is religious--more religious than the US.

Yeah.

Are you worried about Iran getting nuclear bombs?
 

Of course. People will die. War is not a good thing. Ayatollah Khomeini has a quote, "War is a good thing."

The US has been trying to negotiate with Iran, but Iran is taking so much time. Some people in the US think Iran is just stalling in order to get time to get nuclear bombs.

But if the US is going to bomb Iran, they will just bomb the nuclear facilities in Esfehan and Ghom. 

And Natanz and Bushehr. Maybe more, if the US or Israel know about more. This could make a radiation problem.

Yeah, a lot of people will die--maybe me too.

What should the US do?

Be more diplomatic. Stop sanctions.

How would stopping sanctions help?

Then the Islamic Republic couldn't say the US is not showing good will and is not being honest.

What is the relationship between sanctions and honesty?

Look, today Obama said, "We will talk and negotiate with Iran." Tomorrow they do more sanctions. What would you do if you were Iran? 

Well, Ahmadinejad said he might negotiate, bu the Iranian Parliament said, "No negotiation to send uranium to Russia to be enriched."

No, it's not like this. They just have the problem of HOW the trade will be done.

I hope so. I read something different. But maybe it changed again.

But if I was a politician, I would do what the IR is doing right now. It's not a good way--talking about negotiation and doing more sanctions at the same time.

Iran doesn't trust Russia so much, because Russia is taking too long with the Bushehr nuclear facility.

Russia messed up Iran a lot of times throughout history.

What about China?

We have good relations in our history with China. Do you know about negar gari?

No, what is negar gari?
 

It's an art form, a very well known Persian art form. Kamal Edin Behzad is one of the most famous artists. Negar gari miniatures are inspired by Chinese paintings.

Persian culture is influenced by Chinese art?

Yeah.

For hundreds of years?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persian_miniature

What effect have US sanctions had on Iran?

They've had a lot of effects on airplanes and airline industries.

Because Iran used to buy US airplanes?

Yeah, and they need parts. And the sanctions effected the oil industry, and a lot of things. But Iranians have found ways to get out of them.

Ways to get out of sanctions?

Yeah.

How?

By making them not work. They make companies in Malaysia. 

 

What kinds of companies?

I don't know exactly.

Some people here say sanctions hurt poor people the most.

Yeah, that's true.

Do you think that if the US dropped sanctions, it would stop Iran from making nuclear bombs? Or is it possible that Iran would still make nuclear bombs, plus the Iranian economy would be stronger?

Dropping sanctions would open the way to better negotiations with Iran. They can't negotiate with people who sanction. 

 











Putin and Khamenei  photo: www.kremlin.ru

You've said before that Iran is just trying to figure out HOW the uranium enrichment with Russia would happen. That is negotiation, isn't it?

Yeah, it is, but it makes it complicated when new sanctions are brought by the US. 

The US may make new sanctions because Iran is taking too long to negotiate.

Maybe, but I just saw the news on the BBC. The headline was "Obama said, 'We will negotiate with Iran.'" The third headline was, "New Sanctions." It's not good.

If US makes new sanctions against Iran, what will happen?

They won't negotiate.

What effect would stronger sanctions have on Iranian people?

You saw the airplane crash last year? That's because of sanctions.

If that is true, flying inside Iran will be very dangerous. This will effect Iranians, and also tourists. I flew from Tehran to Yazd.

Thank God that didn't crash.

Mersi, azizam. If planes crash in Iran because of sanctions, does this make Iranians mad at the US or at the Iranian government?

Iranians mostly don't know about these things.

.........................

In closing, US trade sanctions against Iran have been in place for so long, my friend's suggestion that we drop them altogether seemed quite shocking. This is a good time to closely examine the sanctions already in place. I must add that although I am concerned that innocent air passengers' safety may be jeopardized by sanctions, I also realize that passenger planes can be used for violent purposes. 

The panel discussion I mentioned in this article was presented by United Against Nuclear Iran and Bipartisan Policy Center, on November 23rd at the 92nd Street Y in New York. It included speakers General Chuck Wald (Ret.) USAF, Senator Charles Robb (D-VA), Senator Daniel Coats (R-IN), and was moderated by Dr. Leslie Gelb. UANI literature distributed at this event advocates boycotting companies who do business with Iran, while the UANI website additionally advocates sanctions that reportedly seek to prevent US taxpayer money from going to companies that do business with Iran.

I realize that boycotts could also be performed by consumers who do not support legislated trade sanctions against Iran. For instance, many Iranian Green Movement supporters requested an international boycott of Nokia-Siemens after it was discovered that they sold spy technology to the Islamic Republic of Iran which facilitated the regime in tracking down cell phone users' locations and also opening private emails. The regime exploited these new capabilities during their violent crackdown on voters questioning the "official" results of the 2009 Iranian presidential election.

Julie Jigsawnovich is a writer, artist and musician living in New York City. She is currently trading English lessons for Persian lessons. She's hopes to be able to read Iranian poetry in the original script in the future. Contact her at: jigsawnovich1@gmail.com

This article was originally published at: http://iranian.com/main/blog/jigsawnovich/new-yorker-talks-tehrani-friend-about-nuclear-concerns-and-sanctions

Iran opposition to apologise to US for embassy siege

This is huge.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/6488799/Iran-opposition-to-apologise-to-US-for-embassy-siege.html
http://www.iranian.com/main/news/2009/11/03/iran-opposition-apologise-us-embassy-siege