May 25, 2006
Dovvome Khordad!!
I wrote this three days ago, but I was hesitant to publish it because I couldn’t express myself as well as I wished. But then I thought who cares! This might show how confused and frustrated I am that I can’t even write a clear post about how I really feel. Let it be!
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Nine years ago, on this day, Khatami was elected for the first round of his presidency. We were happy; we thought our dreams would finally come true. But it was just a dream!
Some Persian blogs have written nostalgic posts about Dovvome Khordad (May 23, 1997) today, but you can see bitterness in almost all of them. Nikahang who has criticized the “reformists” vigorously in the last two years have written that he would vote again for Khatami had he returned to nine years ago, but this time he would bombard Khatami’s government with his criticism to make them understand what responsibility really means. Dreamland has written:
“Khatami couldn’t reform this sick ugly situation with the support of 22 million votes. The future of this country is undetermined, but our nine-year experience tells us not to be hopeful for Iran’s freedom and prosperity. Our fathers never saw Iran’s freedom and prosperity; our generation might not see it either.”
Today I reviewed my own writings about Dovvome Khordad, and what I have written in the past about the reform movement in Iran. I have to confess that I’m not optimistic any more. Until even last year I would passionately talk about the need for a gradual change (reform), but now I don’t think that would ever happen. I see no solution for this fucked-up situation Iran is in. I honestly think even a regime change might not make it any better. We have no unity. Each opposition group is thinking about its own agenda and none approves other groups. Anybody who thinks differently from us should be eliminated. And there is no group who has the support of the majority. We act like terrorists of each other’s personality. Even those active in social movements are like this; students’ movement, women’s movement…
And then there are the supporters of a war on Iran who think a US attack on Iran will change the regime and bring democracy. What democracy when the possibility of a civil war is so high, much higher than what happened in Iraq? There are different ethnic minorities in Iran, many of which have been oppressed all these years (as well as religious minorities). Meanwhile, there are some suspicious groups that try to take advantage of the ethnic minorities’ dissatisfactions to invoke an ethnic war. If a war happens, all these groups will riot, and god knows when peace will ever come back to Iran.
So all this prevent me from getting nostalgic for the ninth anniversary of Dovvome Khordad. We are stuck between a rock and a hard place. I wish I would be able not to think about these issues, but I can’t help thinking and thinking and coming up with no solution…
| Sina @ 11:32 AM | May 25, 2006 |
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Check this out: |
| Homayoun @ 10:44 AM | May 26, 2006 |
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You might want to read what I have written about dovvom e khorda on my blog. You might find it interesting. |
| David @ 11:25 AM | May 26, 2006 |
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It is a bit sad to hear that the reform movement in Iran is so fractured. I am sure that the ruling Mullahs are quite happy about that! It seems similar to the ancient Roman "divide and conquer" method. The reformists need a theme or a personality to unite them. A single person probably wouldn't have much of a chance though, as she/he would just be arrested (although Mandela was a powerful influence from behind his prison walls!). I know that many Iranians are quite disaffected with the Mullahs shoving their version of totalitarian Islam down the country's throat. Is there any interest among young people in the ancient Persian religion of Zoroastrianism? I know this may seem like a dumb question, but I am just trying to think of some way to give a large segment of Iranian society a common understanding and purpose. Of course, I realize that a new religion (or an old one) might present its own set of problems in the future! I am curious, what is Khatami doing these days? Is he just resting on his failed laurels or is he still working for some positive changes in Iran? |
| ayaala @ 01:43 PM | May 26, 2006 |
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I was going ot write something for 3rd of khordad but didn't really get around to it. a=Apparently, Iran is just not meant to have freedom. But what i wonder about the most is, if everyone is unhappy with the status quo now and has been for many years, the WHO THE HELL voted for AN? WHO I ask you? |
| Maryam @ 02:53 PM | May 26, 2006 |
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I think nothing went wrong with 2th Khordad. may be we moved slowly but I believe we are still moving, does not matter how slow , we are still moving forward. I know this does not sound hopeful to the guys living in Iran, but this is the way it works. all that pushy waves are gone fortunatlly! we move deep and slow this time. |
| LondonCaspian @ 07:09 PM | May 28, 2006 |
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Lady Sun... you've expressed yourself perfectly. The answer in my opinion is time. Iran needs time, democracy doesn't happen overnight. It too the British many many years to get to where they are now. As our generation grows older we will help Iran become more modern. I know that this is not the answer but it's just what I think. |
| ghanbari @ 11:17 PM | May 29, 2006 |
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hi ,it is very interesting to see your English web-log |
| anti sunlady @ 03:51 PM | May 31, 2006 |
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soooooooooooooooo sad that u have come back again with all your stupid ideas! --- |
| Seyed S Mansouri @ 03:09 AM | June 1, 2006 |
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hey lady sun!! It was a cool post! tanx |
| Ali Abroad @ 02:33 PM | June 2, 2006 |
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I've just come across ur blog, good work! I was origionally against the invasion in Iraq, but initally once I saw how the majority of the Iraqi people welcomed them, I thought I wonder if this could work in Iran, but of course the chaos that has followed those early days have changed my mind. |
| sirous @ 03:26 PM | June 3, 2006 |
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I am not agrre with u in the debate of civil war and its possibility in Iran, whereas i believe in a different aspect of ethnicity divercity in Iran. We were not persued to integrate in last 300 years and in my opinion tne main reason of ethincal protests were governments and states. I realy think that a serious civil war even throughout an instability of government is too far away to become concerning. Although I have my own reasons to condemn any activity in order to invade Iran. |
| Mohammad @ 11:05 PM | June 3, 2006 |
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Khorshid khaanoom, man mesle to naa-omid nistam. hamoonjoor ke gofti hattaa taghir e regime ham vaz'iat e iran ro dorost nemikone; tanhaa chizi ke mitoone vaz'e iran ro behtar kone aamoozesh va parvareshe farhang e democracy va ehteraam be aghaayed e mokhaalef e, ke in kaar tanhaa az tabaghe-ye tahsil-karde va roshanfekr barmiaad. chizi ke man o omidvaar mikone didane aadamaayi mesle to e, ke be nazaram mitoonan kheili behtar az roshanfekraaye nasle ghablemoon az ohdeye in kaar bar biaan. pirooz va shaad baashi. |
| Saeed @ 12:25 AM | June 5, 2006 |
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"...Well, who knows, maybe someone will come to my archive and read these lines in future!..." --- |