[Peace-discuss] Re: [sf-core] Fw: Vigil Night this Friday [1 Attachment]

[C. G. ESTABROOK]

Or should we instead be working on winning Bob Naiman's $10,000?

Randall Cotton wrote:
> 
> [Attachment(s) <#TopText> from Randall Cotton included below]
> 
> This is from one of the Iranian students that visited us at our weekly 
> meeting last Sunday. Another vigil has been organized like the one last week.
> Again, please consider joining me in solidarity with the local Iranian
> community.
> 
> R
> 
> : : Dear Friends and Colleagues, : : You probaby have heard about the social
> unrest in Iran in the aftermath of : the presidential election which is
> highly suspected to be a terribly : fradulant one(to be academically
> cautious; otherwise, "obviously a fraud : election"). Following the election,
> scores of people poured into the street : *peacefully* protesting the result
> and asking "WHERE IS MY VOTE?". The : demand is very specific: re-election
> under free and fair conditions : guaranteed by unbiased observers. In
> response, the state used the military : to contain the unrest and, among many
> other repressive actions, killed many. : The official report is a little less
> that 20. But the estimates, by foreign : media, is around 150 just on
> Saturday June 20(demostrations started on June : 13). : : We are holding a
> candlelight vigil to mourn and honor those who were killed : in Iran during
> the demonstrations for democracy and freedom. Your : participation is not
> only supporting the Iranian nation in their struggle : for democracy and
> freedom, but also in comforting us who have family and : friends in Iran. : :
> Time: tomorrow, Friday June 26; 8:30-9:15 PM : Location: Alma Mater : poster
> is attached. : : : *Appendix:* : : *A conversation you might wanna read:* : :
> I was on the phone with a couple of my close friends in Iran on Sat :
> afternoon(Iran time) right before they left for the protest in which tens of 
> : people were murdered including *Neda*. I took notes of my last phone :
> conversation with my friend right before she left for the protest. it might :
> be useful to quot a couple of her sentences(my translation of my notes in :
> Farsi). she was at work, and with her colleagues\friends they were about to :
> leave for the protest. : : she: "I'm sure they will be violent." : Me: "What
> if they kill one of your friends?" : she: "I don't wanna think about it." :
> she, continued: "I'm leaving. I'm scared. I'm scared right now. But I go. If 
> : I don't go, they think that they have frightened us. I want to tell them :
> that they can't frightened us, and we stand by our rights to the end." : Me:
> "Why?" : she: "Its very important. because they get their legitimacy from us,
> by out : votes, by this huge turnout. I want to, at least, get back that 
> legitimacy : from them." : : We knew that this can be our last conversation.
> She left the phone in her : office so that if she gets arrested, the security
> forces don't bother her : friends on the contact list. She was lucky that she
> didn't get shot. Neda : and many other protestors whose pictures were never
> taken were not. : : : : *An Introduction to the recent repression actions in
> Iran:* : : The government of Mr. Ahmaninezhad and his allies with the backing
> of the : military(the famous paramilitary force "Basij", the notorious 
> Revolutionary : Guard, Police, Special Security Forces) have been attempting
> to repress the : peaceful demonstrations: : : - widespread censorship
> including interruption to phone services, : blocking the internet
> communication and foreign TV channels, expelling the : foreign media
> reporters,... : - widespread arrest of the protestors, activists, and
> journalists. : - beating, tear gas, raiding home, water cannon, and : -
> *opening fire on the protestors* : - the security forces collect the injured
> and wounded from the hospitals : and move them to special hospitals under
> military control. : - ...and the list goes on :
>