Source: SahamNews
Date: Monday, February 22, 2010

I deeply appreciate the huge turnout on the rally for the 22nd of Bahman [February 11, the anniversary of the revolution] despite all the security pressure and the restrained political atmosphere. The ceremonies this year were held at a time when all political factions, prominent figures and grand Ayatollahs had invited people to participate in the hopes of moving toward a resolution t the current crisis. Nevertheless, the brutal totalitarian forces are using state-run television, as well as official and unofficial media outlets to hijack the rallies; to present them as a show of their own supporters while unethically ignoring the brutalities and violence that occurred on the sidelines as well as the extreme security measures that were in place that day, thus offering an impression completely opposite to what had actually happened. Those responsible for these brutalities want to use the rallies that would not have been possible without the widespread presence of the supporters of reformists and conservatives alike, to clear their record of [illegal] arrests, tortures, street killings and other crimes. They want to conceal their crimes, violence and cruelty with fallacies and misrepresentations. This year, the police and armed forces had turned the streets of Tehran into a military base during the 22 Bahman rally. They severely attacked and silenced anyone who showed the slightest sign of nonconformity. Interestingly enough, not a single scene showing the presence of all those forces, their assaults with teargas, or their beatings was reflected in the domestic media! It seems like their eyes were covered with a veil of [their] wrongdoings. How else could they think that they have succeeded in erasing the people’s collective memory and totally appropriating this national, religious, and revolutionary ceremony for their own benefit, so they can continue “depriving people of their most essential rights.” This is notwithstanding the fact that were it not for the invitations of various political groups as well as the people’s [acive] participation, the 22 Bahman rallies would have turned out to be an unenthusiastic rally of armed and paramilitary forces. Moreover, they would have had no opportunity for this political exploitation.

We all know that your attendance in 22nd of Bahman rally was not in support for the repressive policies that have taken so many political prisoners but for your love of Iran, the Islamic Revolution, and Imam Khomeini. You good people of Iran did not attend the Islamic Revolutions anniversary rally to swear allegiance to those who beat people. My pious countrymen, You know better than anyone that spilling the blood of the innocent is against your religion and morals. Did Ali (peace be upon him) fill his prisons to strengthen his government? You who have given Martyrs, are not satisfied with concealment of the crimes committed in Kahrizak, Sobhan Complex, and university dormitories and disrespecting the senior religious figures. Your attendance in 22nd of Bahman rally is not a token of support for such villainy. Regardless, those who have done their uttermost to engineer the 22nd of Bahmanrally by utilizing hundreds of buses and trains to bring in support, must explain why the Azadi square was so empty during the speech despite having used so many resources and engaging the police and armed forces. Is it possible to think that intelligent people of Iran would not know the reason behind the presence of tens of thousands of police and armed forces on the streets? Do they think that people have not seen all the pressure being exerted by the police and plain-cloth forces who use daggers, clubs, and pepper sprays on the servants of Iran and Islamic Republic to stop them from joining the crowd. Do they think that people have not noticed their fear and weakness?

Dear nation, your presence in the rallies of the February 11 are beyond analysis, unless it is looked at from the prospective of dichotomy of the two currents organizing against one another. We have two political inclinations in our society. One is an inclination that is afraid of rights to gather in peaceful demonstrations, and rallies according to the Article 27 of the constitution. It is this fear that motivates them to turn Tehran into a military base on the day of national rallies. This stream is the one that only tolerates its own supporters in rallies, and understands the nation as a set of groups who are advocates and supporters of its commands. It sees the rest of the people, even if the rest of the people constitute a majority, as a ‘dirt and dust’. On the other side there is the other inclination which recognizes you regardless of your variety, colorful range of beliefs, and without favoring on one gender, class, culture or race. This is an inclination that calls people not only to attend the rallies in Freedom Sq. but also to sit together around the same table and share their freedom. As such, based on teachings of Imam Khomeini I have two suggestions to take away the veil of ignorance that has blinded the sights of totalitarian currents. My first suggestion is that just like Imam Khomeini had asked: “The government should organize a meeting in Tehran in one of the big squares, and allow us to organize a meeting in the deserts close to Qom.” I want to ask for a permit to organize a rally based on the article 27 of the constitution in one of the squares of Tehran so that we can see the minority and the majority.

We will provide security for the rally ourselves and guarantee that it will be conducted without any slogans directed at the regime. Once and for all, a demonstration free of threats and suppression to show the weight of each group in the society.

But the second suggestion: While the authoritarian factions have turned the 22nd Bahman rally into a referendum to endorse their violent and anti-public policies , I propose a referendum based on the article 59 of the constitution to solve this crisis and end the reign of the guardian council. Interfering with the rule of people in the name of approbation supervision that has even surpassed [their own definition of ] approbation supervision . It is these interventions that inhibit holding a free presidential elections and forming an independent Guardian Council and parliament. In what sort of independent parliament are members forced –out of the fear of guardian council – to sign every statement against people who care for this country? The record of 10th presidential election shows that only a referendum can free us from these difficulties. [Only] in presence of an independent parliament will the principles related to interests of people and their fundamental rights such as freedom of press, fair trial and so on be observed. It is such a parliament, free from the rule of Guardian Council, that will clarify the weight of various political forces in the society not spending millions of dollars in government preparations and forcing a [pro-government ] atmosphere as we saw in 22nd of Bahman.