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Vahshi Bafqi
Fiction
Cut from the source
The Shah seeks advice from intellectuals, but it's too late
Excerpt from Saideh Pakravan's "The Arrest of Hoveyda"
(Blind Owl Press, 1998). The following is a fictional account from Ebrahim
Moradi (playwright; died in Paris a few years after the revolution). It
is one of five accounts loosely based on events and characters surrounding
the events which led to the fall of the Pahlavi monarchy in 1979.
I had just been released from jail when I was blackmailed into taking
part in these meetings. In fact, I was told it was that or else. I don't
think the Shah was aware of that, or even knew I had recently been in jail.
He knew of my existence -- I was well-known -- and I thought he wanted
to add legitimacy to the newly-granted freedoms by having someone like
me participate in his sessions.
I soon realized, though, that they were not held for propaganda purposes
and were not to be publicized but, on the contrary, to remain quite private,
almost secret. Actually, he wanted to hear the views of an intellectual.
That I should live to see the day! God knows he had tried hard enough to
stifle us. He had even coined a word for us, or had it attributed to him,
a play on the first syllable of the word intellectual. In Persian, it's
pronounced an, which means shit. He substituted a synonym, goh,
and called us gohtellectuals. Nice. Gives you a sense of the man's
way of thinking ... GO TO FEATURE
Outlook
Pro-Khatami students rally against political violence
TEHRAN, Jan 12 (AFP) - About 300 Iranian students staged a rally here
on Tuesday accusing opponents of President Mohammad Khatami of trying to
obstruct his investigation into the recent murders of writers and dissidents.
The protestors gathered inside the Tehran University campus, shouting
slogans in support of Khatami and calling for the resignation of conservative
Intelligence Minister Ghorban-Ali Dorrie Najafabadi, witnesses said ...
FULL
TEXT
Shatalaqqqqqq!
The only way to deal with Microsoft OS problems
This
film footage at an office in the U.S shows a guy having a problem with
Windows 98. I'm sure many share his feelings. (in MPG format. May take
1 to 5 minutes to download).
Forwarded by Zahra Mahloudji
More Letters
* Rajavi & his "lunatic cult"
Mahmoud-Reza Hussaini writes: [In reply to Roshanravan's
letter]: After reading your
letter posted in The Iranian, I was astonished to notice your
mentioning of the so-called "egg-throwers." You see, the Iranian
people are not stupid. There is a distinction between traitors that cozy
up with Saddam (during the war years and even today) and the people that
are struggling to change the nature of Iranian society.
We have a chance with Khatami, we have our hopes with Khatami. No matter
how much the Iranian exile community today hates the Islamic Republic,
we will never ever consider Rajavi, his lunatic cult, and their Iraqi overlords
as a possible alternative.
* Wonderful "Scenes"
D. B. Little writes: I just received Tabrizi Zadeh's "Scenes".
I bought his CD after listening to the RealAudio
clips you have on the music page, so thanks for the recommendation.
It's a wonderful album.
* Art: Yari Ostovany in group show,
Berkeley
Yari Ostovany in group show at Berkeley Art Center on January 17 - February
21, 1999.
- Artists' Reception: Sunday, January 17, 2 to 4 pm
- Gallery Hours: Wednesday - Sunday, noon to 5 pm
- Address: 1275 Walnut Street, Berkeley, California (in Live Park)
Also
in Washington DC
Book of the Week
The Arrest of Hoveyda
Stories of the Iranian Revolution
By Saideh Pakravan
"Besides evoking Iran's unique atmosphere [The Arrest of Hoveyda]... proves that history
can most tellingly be told when the key syllables of the word are taken
as the last two: story... This book is essential for all who want to understand
Iran." -- Peter Avery
"... a remarkable fiction. The author comes to political maturity
in the midst of the absurd and tragic events leading up to the overthrow
of the Pahlavi monarchy, the murder of her father, and the consolidation
of the power of Ayatollah Khomeini." -- Marvin Zonis
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news
FULL COVERAGE OF NEWS ON INVESTIGATIONS INTO RECENT MURDERS IN
IRAN
10 arrested for murders of dissidents
TEHRAN, Jan 12 (AFP) - Ten people have been arrested in connection
with the murders of intellectuals and dissidents in Iran in which the intelligence
ministry has been implicated, a committee probing the killings said Tuesday.
"Ten people have been arrested and questioned over the affair,"
said the committee set up by President Mohammad Khatami in a statement read
on state radio and television. "The case, very complicated, has taken
on a national dimension and conducting a correct and healthy investigation
is a heavy duty," it said ... FULL TEXT
Intelligence chief faulted
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - More than 500 students
demonstrated Tuesday to demand the dismissal of Iran's intelligence chief
following the disclosure that 10 agents were arrested in the killings of
five dissidents. The slain dissidents were critical of Iran's ruling clergy
and sympathetic to the political and social reforms of President Mohammad
Khatami, who faces opposition from hard-liners. The students chanted slogans
and carried banners seeking the resignation of Intelligence Minister Ghorbanali
Dorri Najafabadi ... FULL TEXT
Councils elections: 326888 men & 7251
women sign up
Tehran, jan. 11, IRNA - Islamic councils elections will not be
held in six percent of the country's villages because of insufficient number
of candidates, it was announced here sunday. javad qadimi zakeri, interior
ministry director general in charge of elections affairs said that 268,123
applicants have enrolled for islamic councils elections at villages ...
FULL TEXT
U.S. punishes 3 Russia institutions
Jan 12, WASHINGTON (AP) - The United States
imposed penalties on a Moscow university and two other Russian institutions
Tuesday, accusing Russia of failing to stop its scientists from helping
Iran and other states develop nuclear weapons. National Security adviser
Sandy Berger, in announcing the economic sanctions, said Russia needs an
export control system that is ``designed to work and does.'' ... FULL TEXT
Iran draft budget based on $10/barrel oil-deputy
TEHRAN, Jan 12 (Reuters) - Iran's 1999/2000
draft budget bill is based on an ``optimistic'' crude oil price forecast
of $10 per barrel, the head of a parliament commission was on Tuesday quoted
as saying. ``The commission has ratified the optimistic assumption of $10
per barrel of oil,'' the Iranian news agency IRNA quoted Morteza Nabavi,
head of one of the commissions which handled the budget bill, as saying
... FULL TEXT
Oldest cemetery in Iran found
Tehran (Hamshahri) - A cemetery dating 4000 years
"before the iron age" has been discovered in the Talesh region
of Gilan Province ... FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN
Piruzi & Esteqlal
Tehran (Hamshahri) - Piruzi is doing much better
in the Azadegan League matches than Esteqlal. Why? Read a commentary from
Hamshahri's sports desk ... FULL TEXT IN PERSIAN
Human Rights
New mailing list
I have started a new mailing list called "Ascent." The aim
is to address humanitarian issues on the verge of the 21st century. I am
trying to promote it and attract members.
To subscribe, send an email to majordomo@im-ins.com
and type "subscribe ascent" in the body of the message.
Camelia Akbari
$ Rate
Updated Jan 11
The
dollar now offered at up to 713-715 tomans
Source: Sehaty Exchange (U.S.) Tel: 602-595-0777
Business
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The Web
Iran
Safineh
Iran's "cheapest" Internet server (WWW access,
ftp and email: 110,000 tomans or $150 per year PLUS usage fee).
Beyond Iran
Hollywood Online Trailer Awards
The folks at Hollywood Online have inaugurated the Golden
Hitch awards--to reward excellence in movie trailerdom.
More
web sites
Quote Unquote
Observation
If you don't know how the people think, you cannot rule over them. Iranians
are interesting people. Pragmatic and at the same time poets, total dreamers.
You can learn so much by simply observing them. Of course, if you have only
contempt for them, as the Shah did, you don't observe, which is a shame.
Cut yourself off from the source and you're dead.
Saideh Pakravan
"Cut from the source"
The Iranian
January 12, 1999
Photo of the Day
Iranian girl in Yazd
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Music
Musician of the Week
Parivash
The Queen of "Koocheh Bazaari" music in the 1950s
and 1960s.
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