Free Lantern » Politics

We’re going Green

admin — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 10:41:38 +0000

12th of June will mark the first anniversary of the rigged Iranian election. Some activists in Iran have made a beautiful English song entitles Going Green. I haven’t had a good chance to update here regularly but I have to share this with you and will try to keep here updated with the news during this time:
Listen and read the beautiful lyrics, If you want you can also watch the video here in YouTube (attention the video contains grafic images)

Through all those fears and dreads, that let me down
Is there still a road for me to stay on…to go on…

I thought I would be lone tonight, But I’m not
Voices out there calling me “Here’s the fight”…

Things have changed, hope’s growing in veins
Hands in hands will stand to the end…

The time has come to break the chains
Send love and peace to the world again
Getting our pride back, once we lost
We’re gonna win, We’re going green

Maybe they could choke a cry, burn, deny…
But the choir rises up, roaring “Not giving up”…

Things have changed, hope’s growing in veins
Hands in hands will stand to the end…

The time has come to break the chains
Send love and peace to the world again
Getting our pride back, once we lost
We’re gonna win, We’re going green

We’re going green… We’re going green…We’ll be free again… We’re going green

Video exposes Iran crackdown

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 12:01:08 +0000

A video shot by a security personnel (or basiji member) has been released after 8 months showing security forces crackdown on the University of Tehran campus (15th of June 2009, 3 days after the disputed election). The video shows how violent the security forces attack, beat up and arrest the students. In almost all the video you can hear swear words from the “Police” at students and you can hear that someone is constantly showting “dont’ hit” which seems to be between the few people in these forces that has a sign of humanity. Watch CNN report on this video in the rest of this post and for a complete video on YouTube click here (18 min) (contains graphic images).

Now if you want to see what was left from the student hostels after this attack, you can watch these two videos which were taken by students (1, 2).

Maziar Bahari’s letter to Khamenei

admin — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 08:39:17 +0000

Maziar Bahari’s letter to Khamenei (NYT):

Your government issued me a press card. But I was coerced to make a false televised confession admitting that I was acting as an agent of evil Western media. I was forced to say the media are trying to overthrow the Islamic government. I was beaten and threatened with execution to make that confession. I was beaten again after the show because I did not perform as well as my interrogator would have liked. Yes, Ayatollah Khamenei, I had to apologize to you on television to stop my torturer from punching me in the head.

Iranian demonstrations 4th of July

admin — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:13:43 +0000

Yesterday’s demonstrations showed the world that the Green movement is alive and despite all the suppression, imprisonments and killings that the regime did to people they’re still out there fighting the dictatorship. Instead of writing too much I share some links where you can read and see more about these demonstrations:

- CNN’s report showing the people bringing down Khamenei’s picture and wipping their foot on his face.
- A collection of videos from the demonstrations showing police brutality towards thee green people.
- The green movment lives (in German), German news paper Die Zeit report on the new demonstrations.
- CNN’s interview with Neda’s mother, She was an Angel. (at the moment it is on the first page of CNN)

Fareed Zakaria on Iran’s trials

admin — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 13:55:29 +0000

Fareed Zakaria compares Iran’s show trials to Stalin’s similar trials:

Ahmadidn’t win

admin — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 19:38:08 +0000

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c

Ahmadidn’t Win

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show
Full Episodes

Political Humor

Spinal Tap Performance

The little dictator Sworn in

admin — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 08:22:31 +0000

With riot police out in force on the streets of Tehran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad took the oath of office Wednesday and began a second term as Iran’s president.
Meanwhile more and more arrests and “confessions” are on the way as yesterday, Mir Hamid Hassanzadeh, who now is an advisor to the general manager of ISNA, was involved in Moussavi’s reformist presidential campaign and the candidate’s Web site, Ghalam News, has been arrested.

Red Carpet, By Mana Neyestani

Gibbs said yesterday that the white house will recognize Ahmadinejad as Iran’s president. He calls the clashes a “debate”, in What kind of debate people disappear and then turn up to be DEAD? Does Mr. Obama’s Change, mean he’ll get involved with a little dictator (knowing what he’s done to his people)?

I’m not afraid Anymore

admin — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 14:26:07 +0000

I just read (in Persian) a beautiful description of what happened yesterday in Tehran’s cemetery to the people that were planning to go to Neda’s grave. The description is so poetic and beautiful that I decided to translate it to English to share with you. (read the original text in Persian here)

It is hot. I am tired. It has been two nights that I haven’t had proper sleep. I just came directly from my village next to Isfahan to Beheshte Zahra. I’m still wearing green scarf and haven’t had a proper meal since morning.
Sun is shinning on our head and we are chanting slogans, but we are late…
The riot police have surrounded section 257 [where Neda’s grave is]. Riot police is standing in front of us. We are a lot, we are chanting slogans and going forward and the Police are retreating. We have the good feeling of Victory.

I tell my friend:
Who are all these people? How is it that they’re not getting tired? How is it they have so much energy?
A lady next to me was shouting: “Government of Coup, Resign, Resign”
I am feeling so tired, tell my friend: “I’m not planning to get martyred today, shall we go home?”
She asks me: “are you afraid?”
I reply: Maybe, since the day that I saw the police hitting that young man on the head with baton and seeing the blood from his head, I got afraid. These days when I get home midnight, until I hear that all my friends have also got home safe I feel my heart in my mouth.

What time was it, Yeah it was around 6. Suddenly they started attacking us. I was still wondering if I’m afraid or not. They started hitting us with their batons. My friend and I are now separated.
I’m standing, suddenly I’m feeling calm. I don’t feel like running away. The black dressed riot police come towards me, moving their batons and swearing.
I’m still standing. A riot police stands in front of me and shouts: “Piss off”, but I’m still standing. It is the 254th section.
I’m all alone. They fired tear gas in the next section. Smoke and dust makes it difficult to see. I look around me. Look into the eyes of the riot police that is staring at me behind his mask. Hatred is in my eyes. I’m not afraid. I don’t “piss off”.
I’m standing here. In 254th section of Beheshte Zahra. The police spray pepper in my eyes. Someone shoots tear gas towards us.
I’m still standing, I’m still standing. My face is burning. Someone grabs my hand and pull me.
BUT I’m NOT AFRAID ANYMORE….

Bella Ciao, Goodbye beautiful

admin — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 15:18:02 +0000

Bella Ciao, dedicated to the martyrs of Green movement of Iran, Video with Persian and English translation and pictures of Iranian Green movement.

40 Days since Neda’s death, Police attacked people in the memorial

admin — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 14:53:06 +0000

*Today has been 40 days since Neda was killed, Marking this day memorial was planned on the side of her burial. They didn’t let Mousavi and Karrubi to enter the cemetery and clashed with people using tear gas and baton.
*Watch this video on YouTube where Fareed Zakaria has an interview with a Prof. from Iran who is the moutpiece of the government.
*My good friend Jadi has translated a Poem from Persian to English I thought I’ll share it here too.

You are afraid of Green
You are afraid of RED
You are afraid of voice
You are afraid of Silence
You are afraid of darkness
You are afraid of light
You are afraid of speech
And you are afraid of un-speakable

You are afraid of poem
You are afraid of thought
You are afraid of writings
and you are afraid of what I can not write.

Why should we,
be afraid of YOU?