Rap around the elections

Many unsual (and good) things have happened with the elections, here's one I could not but post:

Things one has to hear -- or say...

There are no juvenile executions in Iran, we are just applying the law of Qisas. Implying what can we do if the families of the victims want the perpetrator to be executed?

I cannot understand why, rather than choosing to remain silent, the government of the IRI chooses to ridicule itself by saying such absurdities (scroll down to find Iran). And also to then have to hear Philip Alston (scroll down to the very end), the Special Raporteur on Summary and Arbitrary Executions, mock them even further saying: "Iran is is the only country that seems to have this problem, surely, it can find a solution." (implying there are other Islamic countries in the world).

I would not want to be an Iranian diplomat with two bits of sense and some self-respect.

Whisper

I went back to an old CD of mine that I love: Mohammad Reza Aligholi's Earth Whisper and particularly it's track with Rahim Moazzen Zadeh Ardabili's azan.

It is strange how the call to prayer can raise diverse feelings. A friend of mine was recently telling me how it brought back a sentiment of oppression. I remember in Sudan, where mosques were being built at literally every corner thanks to Saudi money and every morning it felt like 2-3 guys we shouting in your ears from different sides of your bed, it certainly was not spiritually uplifting.

But this one is different, and it is not only an azan:




not really a shōmyō either...

Tell me lies, tell me sweet little lies

I don't know if it is because the situation in Iran has deteriorated, or if his statement was far worse than the usual, or just because I am depressed, but Mr. Mottaki's address to the UN Human Rights Council gave me a bad migraine.

I mean, he started with "I would like to reiterate our firm commitment to work towards making the Human Rights Council a strong, effective and efficient body capable of promoting and protecting all human rights for all on the basis of inclusion, equality and human dignity..."

-- as if all human rights for all, inclusion, equality and human dignity existed in Iran --

and then he ended with: "Our commitment to human rights stems from our firm belief and it is aimed at realizing our goal which is the "inherent dignity of man".

Of course, it is dignified to be beaten so hard that you lose your hearing, it is dignified to have your face plunged into excrement, it is dignified to be flogged...

Just as a footnote, just before the quote, our Minister said that Iran's commitment was based on the Divine Teaching of Islam and in accordance with its International obligations...

Perhaps while writing all this his assistants should have sought help from the Japanese.

Abysmal

Looks like we have entered a descending whirlwind, which is slowly encompassing all Iranians. It reminds me of Brecht's "first they came for the communists, ... , then they came for the trade-unionists, ... , then they came for the jews, ... , then they came for me..."

Now they have come after two doctors who ran a very successful anti-AIDS programme. Yeah, right, they were attempting a "velvet revolution".

They arrest anyone who is speaking up for human rights, they close down offices of human rights defenders.

They arrest young Iranians who were doing some project for the children in poor suburbs -- oh! but I forgot, they are Bahais!...

And now, doctors who help drug addicts.

And who are "they" exactly? Ah yes! Those who are supposed to bring justice and well-being to the people of Iran.

And in the meantime some eat sushi...

Where did it go wrong?

71-81... that's a pretty bad margin when last year it was 78-79. I am talking about the vote that defeated the no-action motion that Iran put forward at the UN so that its violation of human rights not be discussed.

After all the efforts (and money) our government spent on this, it is pretty bad, particularly because our economy is blooming and we are all happy campers.

Makes us all forget why there was a resolution in the first place, particularly if one listens to the statements of the Iranian representative (sorry this one is in Persian), so you may want to peruse the UN Secretary General's report about it (then scroll down to A/C3/459).

The man

I have not been blogging in a long time because things are so much the same (but in a worse manner) in Iran that I feel the only thing I would be doing is reapeating myself over and over again.

But Mr. Qaddafi came out with such a surprising statement (I know, he is good at doing that but hey...) that I had to post it.