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Saturday, February 14, 2004
Regime Anniversary Highlights Divided Society
February 12, 2004
Inter Press Service
Ramin Mostaghim
TEHRAN -- The 25th anniversary of the revolution that ousted the Shah and ushered in Islamic rule has served to highlight deep divisions within Iranian society.
The crowd assembled Wednesday for the country's main observances at Azadi, or "Freedom", Square near the capital's international airport had been bussed in specifically yet was smaller than in recent years. And although it was made up mainly of regime loyalists and state employees, there was plenty of dissent to be heard.
Rallies here and in other major cities took place against the backdrop of bitter wrangling over upcoming legislative elections and complaints by reformists that conservative hardliners were thwarting efforts to loosen the grip that clerics have had over Iran since the Shah's overthrow in 1979.
"The regime left no stone unturned to muster as many people as possible in Azadi Square but in vain. It is disgraceful, fewer than 50,000," Ali Abbsai, a bus driver assigned to transport loyalists to the capital rally, said on Wednesday.
"It is 10:30 a.m.," he added. "By this time last year the square and nearby streets had been full of supporters of the Islamic revolution."
Authorities had gone to lengths to ensure a big turnout.
"A week ahead of the anniversary, lots of booths were erected by Tehran municipality and dozens of government organizations to hand out Salavati (free of charge) refreshments among participants of marches leading to the square," said Hussain Hassani, a taxi driver who lives a five-minute walk from Azadi, which is made up of an Eiffel-like tower surrounded by vast lawns.
The crowd was slow to grow, forcing state-run television, which covered the event live, to string along commentary for an extra hour to allow more celebrants to arrive.
On the ground, the mood was mixed.
"This is a parody of pre-revolutionary era demonstrations," said a physical education teacher who had been charged by government officials with bussing in a hand-picked squad of junior high school students to sing revolutionary songs at the rally. He asked not to be identified by name.
"I have to pretend to be a supporter of the system to guarantee my employment in the education ministry," he said.
Ahmad Tawazoee, a retired biology teacher, faced no such constraint. "Ironically, the eye catching number of minders and the regime's faceless informants are replacing the grassroots in such demonstrations," he said as he waited on a bench for the rally to end so he could catch a bus to buy groceries.
Even so, many demonstrators proclaimed loyalty to the country's hard-line supreme leader, Ayatullah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and the conservative and traditionalist factions allied with him.
They carried signs that read: "We are obedient to the commands of the supreme leader", "We should not permit the revolution to be seized by non-believers", and "We are fully prepared to be martyred for the sake of the grand leader".
Said loyalist Bagher Golnari: "Our young people may face unemployment or some economic pressure but do not be confused, they keep on supporting our beloved revolution wholeheartedly."
The Islamic Mosharekat ("Participation") Party shunned the rally, as did other political groups, as conservatives vowed a strong turnout at polls scheduled for Feb. 20.
"We take part ... to punch the faces of our archenemies, the U.S. and U.K. governments, and to prove that our Islamic revolution is still popular," said Ahmadreza Hashemi who sported a few days' stubble on his face to demonstrate his allegiance to Islamic rule. He said he belonged to the hardline Basij militia at the university of science and technology.
Around them, the crowd included Hazarejats, Shiites from Bamiyan province in northwest Afghanistan who earn a living here as labourers and farm hands, as well as some women whose clothing was not in strict adherence with the Islamic dress code.
The women's presence, said one cleric, "proves our revolutionary cause, which includes supporting Palestinian people, is shared by all walks of our society."
From on board a bus that took passengers away from the square free of charge, the streets and sidewalks looked as if they had been carpeted with discarded disposable teacups and conservative campaign leaflets.
Ne'mat Tabri, who drove the bus, expressed disapproval.
"These apparently revolutionary people do not know how to live in a metropolis. They leave a trail of litter behind them," said Tabri.
At the other end of the bus ride, near Tehran University, crowds of young people had assembled. Rather than mark the revolution's anniversary, they had come to the local cinemas, which were screening Iranian as well as European and U.S. art films.
"I don't have enough time to waste on the anniversary," said one moviegoer, Dadbeh Hormozi, a student of civil engineering at Sharif University. "I entertain myself with art and film and literature. I hate politics."
Asked whether this disengagement had the effect of allowing 50,000 people at Azadi Square to speak for a nation of 70 million, a young woman waiting to buy a ticket said on condition of anonymity: "These 50,000 people are the tip of an iceberg. The whole military, police, intelligence and militia forces are completely ready to crack down heavy-handedly whenever they wish or find it necessary."
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