The growing free trade union movement in Iran (sound familiar?)

OP-ED: "Domestic Terror in Iran: Iranians are restive. And it's no coincidence the mullahs have just carried out the largest wave of executions since 1984," by Amir Taheri, Wall Street Journal, 6 August 2007, p. A13.

The money section:

The regime especially fears the growing free trade union movement. In the past four months, free trade unionists have organized 12 major strikes and 47 demonstrations in various parts of the country. They showed their muscle on International Labor Day on May 1 when tens of thousands of workers marched in Tehran and 18 provincial capitals. The regime retaliated by arresting scores of trade unionists and expelling many others.

Observers estimate 1,000 workers or more are losing their jobs daily, and "suspicious deaths" are rising.

Beyond that, we're looking at the "biggest purge of universities since Khomenei launched his 'Islamic Cultural Revolution' in 1980."

Naturally, all of this crackdown is augmented by a huge effort to try and cut off ordinary Iranians from outside sources of information.

Naturally, to make all this seem even close to logical, "the regime is trying to mobilize its shrinking base by claiming that the Islamic Republic is under threat from internal and external foes."

Summary?

Iran today is not only about atomic bombs and Iranian-American hostages. It is also about a growing popular movement that may help bring the nation out of the dangerous impasse created by the mullahs.

Again, what Taheri describes is clearly our biggest asset in this struggle. Ask yourself what helps that movement and what would torpedo it by solidifying the grip of the hard-liners.

I say it now in every brief: We got the Lech Walesas and Vaclav Havels after we provided the diplomatic top-cover to facilitate their rise by shining a light on the subject of human rights in the region.

Where is that diplomatic top-cover in the Middle East? Why do we constantly let ourselves become captive to various bilateral fights that are kept alive by neighbors fighting proxy wars? How do we expect to move the ball?

Comments

[farhad]

to understand the present political situation in iran,you have to lookat the past 200 years history,if you beleive everything is interconnected,in order to find out what is the problem that is preventing iranians to live in a democratic country. is it political islam,as the main reason,or is it when in 1812 the british entered iran andstarted manipulate the corrept kings in order to set back the peopleefforts to gain democracy,so they could rub the country's resources.100 years ago iran had a revouation that stablish one of the verydemocratic constitution(very much like US), and iranians for a periodwere enjoying freedom in every way, specialy during Mosadegh,whonationlized iran oil & kicked out the british. anybody that says the wars in middle east is not about oil,is either unknowlgebal,or tryinggive the people false consiousness(like cheny).but after they topplemosadegh,they brought the shah(right at the same time richard cotton,seeded the next alternative for the shah when the time comes for him to go,in order to curve the people movement again,the one and only Komieni).this is a long story but one day maybe iwrite to you in more depth .