The Iran Election and Why Iranians Are Protesting in 2009
I heard from my sister in Iran this week . She told me many things and among them were these.
The overwhelming majority of people she knows voted for the opposition leader, Mousavi. She says this is not at all surprising given that the people of Iran have lived under crushing oppression and poverty for the 30 years since the Islamic Revolution of 1979. Over the years young men and women have been snatched off the streets of Iran never to be seen or heard from again. The Basij (government funded militia aka goons) can grab anyone for any reason. They wear plain clothes and no one knows who is in the Basij. Your next door neighbor could be a Basij member or a “committee” member, people who are used to snitch on others and arrest them surreptitiously. My sister says the people of Iran have had it with living in fear, poverty and shame in front of the world community and that this unrest is about more than simple election results. The people of Iran sense that this is their moment to overthrow the mullahs’ government of oppression, and they are not about to back down. She says more people have been killed than the government of Iran says, but no one knows exactly how many. She says that the Basij people are committing acts of terror and looting while wearing green and claiming to be Mousavi supporters, thus manufacturing “crimes” giving the government an ostensible excuse to crack down on demonstrators.
The most poignant thing she told me was that Iranians are hoping for some sign of solidarity from the American President. She told me they are hanging on his every word hoping to hear some vestige of support. She said Iranians did not understand why Obama is being so circumspect and not outwardly and firmly supporting them in his speeches.
Regardless she assured me they would fight on despite the danger to life and limb because they are tired of the crushing oppression perpetrated by the mullahs. The people of Iran have been living in abject fear and poverty and they know who is responsible and surprise surprise, it is NOT America! They know that Ahamadinejad and the mullahs are the ones who have taken away everything they have and embarrassed them in front of the world community.
God Be With the People of Iran and help them to succeed. All they want is their freedom.
Please pray for them with me or just hold good thoughts if you are not a believer in God.
