Posted on 06/10/2003 10:11:46 PM PDT by DoctorZIn
Students and a number of Tehrani clashed late Tuesday night with Law Enforcement Forces (LEF) backed by plainclothes men from pressure groups at Tehran University dormitory and neighbouring areas, leaving an undisclosed number of wounded, according to eyewitnesses.
The clashes occurred after some 1.000 to 2.000 students protested to plans aiming at privatising universities, according to the independent students news agency ISNA.
"LEF and thugs charged the students with chains, electric cable and clubs, after slogans saying death to Khameneh'i, death to Rafsanjani were chanted", one eyewitness told Iran Press Service, adding that hundreds of ordinary people had joined the demonstrators.
The clerical regime is nearing its end"., the protesters chanted. "Oh Islamic dictatorship, the anniversary of the dormitory attacks is approaching", they shouted, referring to 9 July 1999 students rebellion against the Mullahrchy.
"The demonstrations started at about 20.30 local time (17.00 GMT) from in front of the student’s main dormitory, with more than 2.000 students marching peacefully towards Amir Abad cross roads, chanting songs concerning their protests and returned to their dormitory after a while", ISNA reported
Eyewitnesses told IPS that as the number of marcher increased because of many people joining, slogans also changed, to become political, with people chanting "death to Khameneh'i" and "down with Islamic Republic".
Demonstrators also called for the powerless President Mohammad Khatami to resign.
"Justice, freedom, this is the slogan of the nation" and "Khatami resign", the crowd chanted.
Angry demonstrators attacked public buildings, banks, set fire on buses and smashed shops and buildings windows, one eyewitness reported, while another, joined on his mobile phone, assured that those who attacked shops and looted where plainclothes thugs brought in to back the security forces.
"Students resisted the brutal attack of the Islamic regime's special units sent in rush to put an end to their peaceful gathering", reported the Los Angeles-based Students Movement Coordination Committee for Democracy in Iran (SMCCDI), which has branches inside the country.
Clubs, chains and tear gas were used against the students who shouted "Down with Repression" and "Referendum, Referendum", the SMCCDI said, confirming that thousands of local residents had rushed to the help of the students and several people have been injured and arrested.
"Many late drivers created traffic jam's to avoid the fast circulation of the regime's patrol car bringing in security forces", it added.
The brutal confrontation followed a resolution adopted earlier in the morning by the Office for Consolidating Unity (OCU), Iranian students largest union, harshly criticising ayatollah Ali Khameneh'i, the leader of the Islamic Republic.
This was the third open letter to Mr. Khameneh'i in the past two weeks, urging him to "choose between "continuing the present policy of dictatorship and oppression, a path that would lead to the collapse of the regime and eventually the interference of foreign powers, or to heed the voice and aspirations of the people for real changes, democracy and human rights".
"The signatories have reached the conclusion that Mr. Khameneh'i and the un-elected organs under his direct control are the main cause and root for the problems the nation faces. Either the leader changes course and policy, he submits himself to the people’s will and stop organs and institutions that suppresses people’s demands from abusing their unconstitutional powers or he could face the same fate as Saddam Hoseyn", one member of the OCU commented on the resolution. ENDS STUDENTS LEF CLASHES 10603
Hold on to your hats... the winds of change are coming to Iran, finally.
Yes.... The winds of change are blowing
This is interesting news
Bump!
It takes time, but it's been shown to work in non-Islamic totalitarian regimes. It just might work in this one.
If it causes a part of the Iranian military to side with protesters a la Romania in '89. The military may be the only ones who can take on LEF who would be increasingly brutal.
I can never get his name right either :-)
Apparently the correct spelling is "Ceausescu"
Not Islamic to be sure, but Poland, Czechoslovakia et. al. present a hopeful precedent.
That was not a religious dictatorship, with a decent percentage of the people thinking that it is Gods will to prop up and defend the mullahs.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.