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Rumi
Cover story
The spark
... that ignited nation-wide student protests
July 12, 1999
The Iranian
An eyewitness account of the scene of an incident that sparked nation-wide
protests at universities. On Thursday July 8 the security forces backed
by hardline thugs clashed with student protesters at Tehran University's
dorms in Amirabad. The students were protesting against the closure of
the moderate Salam newspaper when they were attacked. Scores of
students were injured and hundreds were arrested. The unconfirmed death
toll is at least three. (See
photo index)
The attack began at the dorms closest to the main gate. Some students
ran to a set of dorms further inside the compound, and they were pursued.
The worst damage was to the inner dorms -- dorm 20, particularly. Room
40 in that building was completely burned. I mean BURNED! It
was a horrific site.
In the corridors, my eyes felt irritated. Tear gas! Most
rooms were trashed. Windows broken, doors
kicked in. There were signs of fire in the corridors -- the size that
one would expect for the purpose of fighting off tear gas. Around the campus
there was plenty of broken
glass ... GO
TO FEATURE
Outlook
Reactions to student movement
- Ayatollah
Hossein-Ali Montazeri
- Nehzat Azadi
- Iranian
security council statement
- BBC
analysis: Strength of student movement
- Daily Neshat's
photos of student demonstrations (PDF)
Marg bar piyaadeh ro
Tehran Times
July 12, 1999
I was personally there [at the student protest gathering] when a passerby
was pushed by the crowd, his head was broken due to hitting the pavement.
A number of newspapers published his bloody face on the front page of their
newspapers claiming that he had been a victim of violence, Mohammadi,
a reporter, said ... FULL
TEXT
Thanks to Mehdi Sharif
More Letters
* Embrace global community
Farhad writes: The writer of
this article speaks of one losing their Iranian identity as though that
would be such a tragedy ["After
all, I am Iranian"]!
When I look at the Iranian community all I see is a people obsessed
with appearance and intolerant of diversity. What few things there are
to be proud of, such as the Persian empire, date back a good 2000.
It is time for Iranians to let down their guard and embrace the global
community. Maybe then we could have new things to be proud of.
And for their readers who are gonna be writing to me criticizing my
parents for not bringing me up in an Iranian environment, let me just say
that I grew up in Iran, not America.
* Still Iranian
Behnam Farahpour writes:
I was going through The Iranian and I read "After
all, I am Iranian". It was writen so nicely and true.
Even though I have only been in the U.S. five years I have grown so
much in here. I don't dare call myself Iranian American cuz I am still
an Iranian. I feel the same pride
It was so obvious that my roomate this past year called me a complete
nationalist. He was telling me how I get so excited about every other news
or event about Iran.
I guess we all have that pride in us that no one has the power to take
away.
* Reading: Nahai's reading in Los Angeles
Gina B. Nahai, author of the best-selling "Moonlight on the Avenue
of Faith" will be reading at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles
on Tuesday, July 13, 7:30 p.m. (2701 North Sepulveda Blvd. 405 Freeway:
Exit Skirball Center Drive). Tel: (310) 440-4500. This will be her last
reading before the Fall.
Book of the Week
 The Stone
A Persia Legend of the Magi
By y Dianne Hofmeyr, Jude Daly (Illustrator)
This exquisitely illustrated story spins anew the famous tale of the
Magi. It is a retelling of the Persian legend, as told to Marco Polo in
the 13th century, whereupon three astronomers, Jasper, Melchior, and Balthasar,
who are also healers and holy men, follow a bright star in the sky to witness
the birth of a king. Upon greeting the child, the three men present gifts
of gold, incense, and myrrh. The child accepts their gifts, but also endows
the three men with his own offeringa stone. It proves to be a solid symbol
of belief that gives off a fervor of fire. Daly's illustrations perfectly
capture the arid landscapes and the starry night sky, and her intriguing
perspectives and inventive use of the page combine ancient, simplified
forms with more elegant lines. The book has broad appeal, giving a fresh
new shape and texture to a familiar story -- Kirkus Reviews ...
GO TO BOOK
Recent
featured books
THE IRANIAN
Bookstore
Video of the Week
Ragbaar
Bahram Bayzaie's unforgettable love story starring Parviz Fannizadeh,
Parvaneh Ma'sumi and Ali Keshavarz.
THE IRANIAN
Video Store
Copyright © Abadan Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved.
May not be duplicated or distributed in any form
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More
news
Pressure mounts on Iran's supreme leader
TEHRAN, July 11 (Reuters) - Pressure mounted on Sunday on Iran's
supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to step in and end four days of
protest rallies touched off by an attack on pro-democracy students by police
and hardline vigilantes. Thousands of angry students at Tehran University's
main dormitory complex called on Khamenei -- who under Iran's Islamic system
has final say in all matters of state -- to guarantee personally the arrest
and prosecution of those responsible for the assault, abetted by elements
of the police, on Thursday night and early Friday morning ... FULL TEXT
Students prepare for wider protests
TEHRAN, July 11 (Reuters) - Thousands of angry Iranian students
prepared on Sunday to take their protest to the streets of Tehran, turning
up the heat on political and religious leaders. ``Either Islam and the
law, or another revolution,'' chanted the students. Their demands included
the execution of the police chief, who reports to Iran's dominant clergy
... FULL TEXT
Iran sacks police officials after protests
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran said Sunday it had sacked two senior police
officers for ordering a bloody crackdown against pro-democracy students
which sparked widespread protests against political and religious leaders.
In a statement read on state media, the Supreme National Security Council
said the sacked officers, a brigadier general and his aide, would also be
prosecuted over raids on student dormitories late Thursday ... FULL TEXT
Iran papers to strike to protest at Salam
closure
TEHRAN, July 11 (Reuters) - Iranian journalists plan to stage a
one-day strike on Tuesday to protest against the closure of the pro-reform
Salam newspaper, newspapers reported on Sunday. ``We will lay down our pens
on Tuesday...and invite our colleagues throughout the country to do likewise,''
said the statement signed by 583 journalists and carried by leading reformist
newspapers ... FULL TEXT
Iran, UAE ministers in separate talks on
dispute
DUBAI, July 11 (Reuters) - The foreign ministers of Iran and the
United Arab Emirates (UAE) are to hold separate talks on Sunday with officials
from a regional committee trying to end a territorial row between the two
states. Qatar's Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabr al-Thani
said Iran's Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi would meet Saudi Foreign Minister
Prince Saud al-Faisal in the kingdom ... FULL TEXT
Saudi Arabia says Iran must resolve islands
dispute
KUWAIT, July 10 (Reuters) - Saudi Defence Minister Prince Sultan
said on Saturday that improved Gulf Arab ties with Iran hinged on Tehran
resolving a territorial dispute with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Gulf
news agencies reported. Iran should consider settling the long-standing
dispute over three strategic Gulf islands as ``the basis for improved cooperation
with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC),'' the agencies quoted the prince
as saying, after he arrived in Kuwait for an official visit ... FULL TEXT
Iran presents candidate for OPEC's top
post
TEHRAN, July 10 (Reuters) - Iran said on Saturday it would nominate
its OPEC governor, Hossein Kazempour Ardebili, as candidate for the oil
producer group's secretary-general post. ``The Islamic Republic of Iran
considers it to be its right to obtain the post of secretary-general of
OPEC and officially presents Hossein Kazempour Ardebili as its candidate,''
IRNA quoted oil ministry spokesman Mohammad Sohofi as saying ... FULL TEXT
Orang Khezraie: Disrespect
Tehran,
(Neshat) - The family of the poet Orang Khezraie who died last week, was
not able to bury him at the special cemetery for literrary personalities
in Isfahan. Municipality officials were demaning a million tomans ... FULL
TEXT IN PERSIAN
What's playing in Tehran?
Tehran,
(Neshat) - There are at least a dozen plays currently on stage in Tehran.
Here's a list of their names, directors and ... FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN
Persepolis wins second cup
Tehran,
(Neshat) - Perseplois defeated Esteqlal 2-1 in the finals of the elimination
cup, winning its second soccer title of the year. Any doubts on Iran's best
team? Qermezeteh! ... FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN
What went on the side
Tehran,
(Iran daily) - There were 100,000 at Azadi stadium three hours before the
match started ... Ticket prices for premium seats soared outside the fates
before the Perspolis-Esteqlal match... blue and red balloons ... some fans
had come from the provices ... ... FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN
BBC
Persian Service
$ Rate
Updated July 9
Buying: 880-915 tomans per dollar
Selling: 920 tomans per dollar
Source: Sehaty Exchange (U.S.) Tel: 602-595-0777
Mention this code for a better rate:
FA 37 B
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Quote Unquote
Slogan
Ansaar jenaayat mikonad, rahbar hemaayat mikonad
(The Ansar commits crimes and the Leader, i.e. Ayatollah Khamenei, protects
them).
-- Slogan chanted by Tehran University student protesters
"The
spark"
The Iranian
July 12, 1999
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