IRAN: WE ARE SUFFERING FROM A LACK OF GOOD LEADERSHIP

I am anonymous, because that's safer for me.

I live and work close to the city of Tehran. This is my story of what has happened over the past few days. And my thoughts for the future of the green movement and how I think we should progress to free our Country of Iran and achieve democracy.

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I left Tehran on February 11th and only returned late last night.

I wasn't at the Azadi Square rally, but in another street close-by. I was watching how cowardly the Regime stole our presence, as they had stolen our votes in June 2009.

The people were overcome by a heavy military presence. We had to just "be there". Even simple chanting was difficult us given the number of troops, basijis and plain-clothes on the streets.

The gathering in Azadi Square was a very very exposed. For the Regime it was easy for them to surround people and gain control. Azadi Street itself is very wide - wide enough for security forces to get to the square in minutes! They know how to get to the square, how to surround people, how to intimidate people - especially with all the forces they flooded Tehran with that day! I remember on previous occasions when we were gathering at in other streets like Bazaar, or even 7- tir square, we felt safer. But Azadi is only good when the Regime doesn't have all those troops on standby - like the big rally (Khordad 25th).

February 11 wasn’t a successful day for the greens. And one reason,I think, is that we don't have good leadership. Leadership isn’t just about issuing orders and statements, and then sitting back: giving hopes that every thing is going to be ok!

Let me try to explain my thinking here. During the '79 Revolution Khomenei came back to my country even though he knew there may be some dangers. He was brave enough (I acknowledge he chose his time well) but he at least he showed the bravery to come and that gave his followers (and those who joined his "cause) more power - and so he achieved his victory!

But we are now suffering, suffering and suffering from lack of good leadership. I left Tehran late on 11 February and travelled to another city, a smaller remote city for the holidays. People there were so worried about the movement. They were asking me about the green rally on 11 February. They kept asking me was there any green rally in Tehran? What about the police? What was the chanting? And lots of other questions. I realized that people in this small city are well aware of every step people were making in Tehran on 11 February and thought there was no action on 11 February because of what they'd seen on state TV - they were disappointed! I explained that people were protesting in Tehran that day, but the capital city was pretty much "locked-down" by the sheer numbers of forces on the streets.

It's good to know that people in the small cities (at least this one city I visited) are thinking exactly like the other people in big cities. The only difference is in their demonstrations: they can't show protest to the same extent and there are many reasons for this:

1. The population is smaller, for example less than 300K. Therefore most people know each other. Many people in small cities are work state bureaus and they don't want to risk their job! Don't forget the economy is the number ONE priority in the small cities. so they tend to be more "conservative" than people in big cities.
2. When people are known to each other, they don't dare speak their minds frankly or show their opposition to the Regime. They worry about being watched; if they complain, about being arrested soon. So being "conservative" is the most important reason they don't show their opposition to the Regime.
3. It seems they are sitting and watching us - the ones in the major cities - and even people outside the Country. The people in this small city I was visiting were delighted when I told them I knew many non-Iranian and Iranian people in Europe and the USA who were trying to help.
   

When I arrived there, the very first question I was asked was about the greens. My friends were demanding the real news. They were so disappointed with what when they had heard and watched on the false news on state TV. So they are not indifferent. They are like a “quiet opposition”.

Let me tell you a story: I was talking to a relative, couple of weeks ago. she asked me:

"Are you coming to visit us on Bahman 22 holidays?”

I replied:

“Nope, I have something very important to do on Bahman 22, and then I will come.”

She shouted at me:

“Why would you want to do this? These people who go out, are just the cheap people, hooligans and unemployed ones."

This made me angry… until two days ago when I asked her:

“Why did you name these people, of whom I am one , hooligans and cheap people?”

She replied:

“Why didn’t you understand that we were talking over the phone? I had to talk like that, because all the lines are being monitored…”

This is the level of being "conservative" in the small cities. But when you talk to them in person, you realize how different they are, and how hopefully they follow the green movement's news on satellite tv's and radios.

I guess they need some firm sign. Maybe for us to pour into the streets: for example they kept saying that people in Tehran MUST go to Jaam-e Jam (State TV and Radio Complex in Tehran) and take over control: "And If one day we watch them in the streets, we can claim that the era of dictatorship is over"!!

This movement has the enough force to win any battle, but what happened on 22 Bahman, is something to be surveyed and analysed fully. The coup d'etat Regime stole our presence. They have proven over and over again that they will kill anybody, if they need to. They are not following any moral code. They believe in nothing, they will do anything. It seems to me that they are digging their own graves.

BUT we do need a change in direction and in action. Just going to the streets, and being SILENT is not working. Becoming armed is the worst alternative too!

So what is more important, is that we need to think, all of us, at any capacity we have, and in any level of thinking, how to put more pressure on to the Regime. If gathering people was enough, we would already have beaten them after 8 months of protests! But look around, we are still inviting people to gather at Tehran X street to show our opposition. We have already shown our opposition!

This is the most important step, and I know it’s not going be easy for Mousavi and Karroubi to decide what how to address this issue.

I think we need to read the history of revolutions. I am not the one who must do this, I am a researcher, and I should do my research. But when the leaders are not able to achieve the people's wishes, then the people at ALL levels must decide to what next! This is our problem. Not only the problem of the movement, but also of the Country.