Who says that there is no democracy and freedom in Iran? By Saybhan Samat

One fact has emerged in the running brouhaha before, in and after the presidential elections of June 12th in the Islamic Republic of Iran. For long the Western mass media has projected Iran and its Islamic government as a despotic rule of obscurantist mullahs, with no freedom and democracy whatsoever. In addition they demonized the Islamic government of denying human-rights and imposing a system of the dark-ages on its people.

The June 12th elections belied all these scandalous accusation by the Western powers. Over 3000 journalists including CNN, BBC and Reuters were permitted to report the proceedings of the election in Iran. Western television screens were also permitted to highlight and show the opposition demonstrations. The government permitted Iranian citizens who fled Iran after the 1979 revolution, now living in foreign countries like the US, UK and Europe to vote, knowing very well that they would vote for the opposition. All polling stations had representatives of the four candidates to overseer the voting. Free lively television debates between the candidates received high profile publicity on state television. No Western power can deny these features in the June 12th presidential election. For those who can see, it is obvious that freedom and democracy is an intrinsic and indispensable ingredient in the unique system of government in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Presently there is censorship of Western reporters on account of  false reporting.

Why this unbounded interest in Iran? How much attention do elections in Japan, India, Argentina, or any other country, get from the Western media? How many Western journalists even know who is in political office in other countries besides England, France and Germany? Who can name the political leaders of Switzerland, Holland, Brazil, Japan or even China? Why are not the Western powers with their kept media not questioning Arab governments monarchs & dictators of not holding elections? Why is the western media responding to the re-election of Ahamadinejad with non-stop reports of violent Iranian protest to a stolen election? A stolen election is presented as a fact, even though there is no evidence whatsoever.

There are obvious signs of orchestration in the streets of Tehran. The protestors, primarily young people, especially young women opposed to the dress codes (hijab), carry signs written in English: “Where is my vote?” The signs are intended for the Western media, not for the Iranian government.

More evidence of orchestration is provided by the protestor’s chant, “death to the dictator, death to Ahamadinejad.” No Iranian, and no informed westerners could possibly believe that  Ahamadinejad is a dictator. Even the supreme leader Seyed Ali –Khameini, is not a dictator as he is appointed by a government body that can remove him.

The demonstrations like those in 1953, where prime-minister Mossadegh was overthrown and the Shah installed are intended to discredit the Iranian government and to established for western opinion that the government is a repressive regime that does not have the support of the Iranian people. The manipulation of opinion sets up Iran as another Iraq ruled by a dictator who must be overthrown by sanctions or an invasion..

On western T.V channels, the protestors who are interviewed speak perfect English. They are either westernized secular Iranians who were allied with the Shah and fled to the West during the 1978-1979 Iranian revolution or they are young westernized residents of northern Tehran who hate Islamic moral codes.

The often repeated charges by the opposition were that Ahamadinejad had mismanaged the economy, had unnecessarily confronted the Western powers to antagonize them and questioned the Holocaust, which was useless and counter productive.

Regarding the economy the International Monetary Fund projects that Iran’s economy will actually grow modestly this year when the economies of most Persian Gulf states are in recession. A significant number of Iranians including the religiously pious, lower income groups, civil-servants  and pensioners believe that Ahamadinejad’s policies have benefited them.

Ahamadinejad  cannot be blamed for the down-turn in the world economy which has to a certain extent affected  the Iranian economy. As for unemployment the figure is comparatively very modest while on a daily basis tens of  thousands of workers in Western countries are laid-off. As for the Holocaust Ahamadinejad has not denied it, he claims that it has been exaggerated and asks why when Western intellectuals in European  countries question it they are arrested and put in prison. He also questions as to why European countries have passed legislation to prevent their people from questioning the Holocaust. Where is the freedom of expression in Europe he demands.

Freedom and democracy are alive and kicking in Iran as demonstrated by a 82.6% voter turn –over, the highest in elections in the world in recent history. The June 12th elections was Iran’s tenth for the office of president: Altogether  Iran has had 31 elections since the victory of the Islamic revolution in February 1979. It is only the Western powers who demonize Iran that are claiming that the Iranian government is dictatorial and denying freedom to the people. Great powers like Russia, China nor India have never charged Iran of being dictatorial nor will they ever do so.

The Western powers did the same in Sri-Lanka, after the defeat of the L.T.T.E when they claimed that tens of thousands of civilians were killed by the Sri Lankan Army in violation of International Humanitarian Law to demonize the government of President Rajapakse, because like Ahamadinejad, Rajapakse refuses to kneel before the Western powers.

All the high-profile hype given to the opposition led by Mir Hussien Mousavi is to bring Ahamadinejad down. Ahamadinejad is anathema to the West. He has refused to bow and kneel to the Western powers. He has shown the West that Iran is the most independent nation in the world and he has won the respect of the third world countries. He is extremely popular for his austere life style and his care for the poor at home. He has emerged as the spokesman for the world’s poverty stricken masses and he is determined to re-vitalize the non-Aligned movement. His policies are a threat to the vested interests of the Western powers. So, Western powers pounce on any opportunity to undermine him and get rid of him.

The currant crisis in Iran is being played – out to remove Ahamadinejad, in fact to bring down the government. The opposition led by Mir Hussien Mousavi is playing into the hands of the US, Israel and the Western powers. The opposition should heed the words of the supreme Leader Seyed Ali-Khameini who at Friday prayers on 19th June said that “elections are held in ballot boxes and not in the streets. Any violation of election law could be brought before the election authorities or judicial authorities.”

If the protests do not stop the government will have no option but to use force to restore law and order in the country.