The Greens NEED a Medium
Sep 30th, 2009 by pedestrian
In the weeks leading up to the Quds day rallies, Mohsen Sazegara, a veteran of VOA (Voice of America Persian Service) who now gives daily messages to the “greens” in Iran via Youtube and the VOA, emphasized the following slogan to be shouted in the Quds Day rallies: “Na Ghazeh, na Lobnan, janam fadayeh Iran” (My life belongs to neither Gaza or Lebanon – but Iran.)
Here’s my personal opinion on this statement and I repeat, it’s ONLY a personal opinion:
- This was Quds day after all, and no matter what other reasons the protesters had for being there, there was no reason to be indifferent, or to intentionally snide the Palestinian cause. In fact, these two struggles could be tied together in many ways, rather than alienated.
- At the same time, the Palestinians have always been vocal about the fact that their plight is mis(used) by all factions within the Middle East, there was no reason to play into that criticism.
- And lastly, I think the slogan was simply arrogant.
Now, the main green websites, Mowj, Mowjcamp, Bahman Agha and some others came up with an alternative: Che Ghazeh, Che Iran Margh/Nangh bar Zaleman (whether in Iran or Gaza, down with tyrants).
But it did not become as popular.
And quite obviously so. Hell of a lot more people have access to satellite dishes in Iran than they do the internet.
Out of the minority of Iranians who do happen to have computers in their home, the majority have to deal with disruptive dial-up services that are practically impossible to use when the authorities crack down on cyberspace.
VOA has now become the main medium for the green movement within Iran. Ayatollah Montazeri’s family, Shajarian, prisoners’ families, etc gave interviews to this network. Anyone with a satellite dish tunes into the network for their news every single day. Even people who previously never did.
The leading contender is BBC Persian Service but it is only offered 3 hours a day, and is constantly disrupted by authorities. The channel is currently experiencing interference on its satellite broadcasts due to a jamming signal originating from within Iran As many have pointed out, it makes you wonder why sometimes, VOA is the ONLY functional Persian satellite news service.
Quite knowingly, it has cut back on the “crazy”: it is no longer a place for crazy analysis and lunatic hosts as it used to be and presents itself as a much more “respectable” news agency. It no longer even features as many monarchists.
That is scary. Because it knows its target audience. It knows that it has many more subscribers now and has toned down the rhetoric as not to alienate them.
Perhaps it is a triumph of the greens that even a nutty channel like the VOA has caught on to their message. And more shameful for IRIB that it still has not.
Despite this, I think it is absolutely imperative that the greens secure their own television station sometime soon. Satellite dishes are much more available in Iran and have a much larger audience than the internet.
Of course, if the Iranian authorities had a shred of decency or foresight, they’d see why they should, for their own sake, give the reform movement a chance to print its newspapers and get a slice of IRIB (state TV).
They frankly don’t have either (decency or foresight).
Ahmad Tavakoli wrote a letter to Mousavi after the rallies criticizing him for the “slogans his supporters shouted in the demonstrations, which were dictated straight from Washington D.C.” (basically implying that his supporters were getting orders from Sazegara in Washington for chanting Sazegara’s slogans). And Beheshti, Mousavi’s adviser replied: “Who is the responsible party here?” So long as the reformists don’t have a voice in Iran, anyone can come along and pull the strings on the listeners.
New questions come up of course: “Who” are the greens? How will we define them to then be able to define their media? While Mousavi/Khatami and Karoubi propose working within the frameworks of the IRI, how can directly or indirectly they run a satellite TV station?
I don’t claim to have answers to these questions … I just think the greens NEED their own media outlet, and they need one fast.
I guess the greatest barrier to make this green medium is our differences. The ‘greens’ as they like to call themselves (myself included) consist of too many different opinions and ideologies, the only common ground is wanting change. I mean they really do range from monarchists to communists to anarchists – and to young people like us just wanting a little bit of freedom and a little bit of change. And since this (expressing such opinions) would only be possible from outside Iran as of now, it’s just going to be like 10 different channels, broadcast from California all crying for money to finance their “struggles to free iran” – if that hasn’t happened already.
And if it’s going to happen in the framework of the IRIB – well then I’m not sure that’s going to be any different from the other already existing IRIB stations.
It is a predicament indeed – but we sure do need an “offical” channel soon, however that will be achieved….
Pedestrian, you may have seen these already. Palestinian activist Mubarak Awad’s support for Iran’s green movement here:
http://nonviolentaction.net/?p=280
and here:
http://azarmehr.blogspot.com/2009/09/message-of-solidarity-to-people-of-iran.html
Enough is enough!
Lebanon and Palestine issues belong to them and Islamic republic only stirred the muddy waters in that region to gain some level in ME since 1979. If you are going to support Lebanon or Gaza cause, it is gonna be your personal cause! And please don’t mix it with our cause in Iran.
I think Iran’s future might have been a little different if mullahs wouldn’t fantasize about exporting revolution although still I am skeptical about mullahs’ true intention. Now it might give you a hint that you need to slow down there!
We had an old saying in Persian “Cherghai ke khane ravast be Masjed haramast”!
Shaghayegh, a reformist channel can never happen in the frameworks of IRIB – exactly because IRIB won’t allow them on its turf. But I guess I meant those greens which plan to work in the frameworks of the IRI, who aren’t looking for immediate regime change, they need a medium.
Kellie, had not seen those links, thank you!
RG, I realize we have very different views about the Palestinian issue, and that’s fine. Where did I say I want to make it your cause as well? Where do I need to “slow” down? And that’s my point exactly: no matter what your views on the Palestinian issue, that slogan was condescending, and arrogant and quite unnecessary when there is a substitute. My life only for Iran – that’s the point and that’s quite true. There are other ways of saying it without bringing up other nations.
Yup we have but this is not about me or you. It is about Iran and what is good for Iran. We need to focus on that.
“Where did I say I want to make it your cause as well?”
ha ha well, you didn’t but I merely criticized your point of view about the slogan which I know Iranians have every right to come up with such incredible slogan. You need to put yourself in their shoes to notice that Palestine cause has been #1 priority for Islamic Iran while many Iranians struggling to make ends meet. Of course people are angry and they are right on it, against theocratic regime and everything mullahs has been put forward.
The only priority should be for Iran
“Where do I need to “slow” down?”
when you said it is arrogant because it is not. Slogans made out of necessity and circumstances surrounding the issue and this slogan in particular, praised by most (almost %99) of Iranian bloggers that I am in contact with.
And I don’t wanna play patriotic card here at all, just being considerate about our situation at the moment in Iran and usefulness of these sorts of slogans. How this slogan would be useful?
At the time that regime propaganda machine call protesters “spy, manipulated by west, backed by foreign powers, destroyer of revolution and nation” these kind of slogans proves wrong. It sends message to armed forces and basij militia on the other side of street that we care for this country more than what you think you care for other nations and we care this much to come on streets and shout it out loud in your face.
This is my point of view and by the way, it is just an exchange of thoughts between two bloggers. no hard feelings?
Happy blogging
Rotten Gods
ps. Some might make a huge mistake thinking RG stands for Revolutionary Guards
Ped, I understand the sensitivity of the very important issues you have raised in this post and I think you are right – not good for Iran’s “greens” to become dependent on Voa for obvious reasons, an independent reformist-movement sat channel would be a good solution.
Thinking back to my own country’s recent past (cold-war years, very strong left-right polarizations within the country, catholic party as big “centrist” balancing- zone, violent extremist fringes on both left and right plus foreign intrigues (CIA vs KGB) feeding terrorism – not an easy situation! ): … we ended up with the state-run media being shared out by agreement amongst the 3 main political “areas” loyal to our constitution- so instead of 1 big state TV channel we had 3, one channel each but with main one to centralist zone – all pledged to operate within shared rules and strictly-constitutional “limits”, with vigilance by oversight committee within the state-tv system on which all areas had representatives. Could be relevant – as way to counter both extremization and foreign-intrigue perils?
Wow, that’s pretty shameful that slogan came from Washington DC. It almost sounds Zionist inspired. Gives the authorities proof that the green movement is a product of Western manipulation.
You’re right, Ped. This is a problem. It can be argued that the unrepresented segment of Iran’s political spectrum is being taken advantage of by the West.
Rotten Gods, I’m sorry about that. I didn’t even think about what other things “RG” stands for! … no hard feelings of course! just a debate of sorts … I understand that this slogan hit RIGHT where it hurts: the hypocrisy of the IRI to constantly too chesm koneh – blind everyone with the situation in Palestine while barbarically silencing its own population. It hits target SO well that it almost scares me that whoever came up with it knows Iranians and can pinpoint their emotions so well. My problem is that it came from the outside. And that’s why I said I think the greens inside Iran need their own media.
That’s funny, because I can say the same thing for bloggers I spoke to (they were in favor of the other slogan) … I guess birds of a feather, flock together
parvati_roma, really interesting to hear about the channel sharing story. So how does Berlusconi’s media empire fit into this?
Priouz, as long as the reformists don’t have a medium, ANYONE, from Reza Aslan, to Mohsen Sazegara, etc can claim to represent them. I’m not saying these individuals aren’t allowed to speak! Of course they are! But so should the reform movement inside Iran be given an independent voice of its own too! A monthly letter by Mousavi and Karoubi isn’t going to do the job!
Ped, I give it a guess that the way s/he talks abt recent state of home affairs, parvati_roma is romanian
Why Paleene? Are they similar?
http://www.rahesabz.net/donation/text/ Rah-e Sabz is fundraising.