Learn from our mistakes

Letter from an Iranian to the people of Egypt

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Learn from our mistakes
by aynak
29-Jan-2011
 

The world is watching the heroic uprising of the brave Egyptian people, and their just demand for political freedom, government accountability and a better living standard.

Over 32 years ago, Iranian people did the same against the oppressive regime of the then Shah of Iran, for the same reasons.

My dear Egyptian brothers and sisters,

When we look back in our own lives, sometimes there are situations we wish we handled differently, had we KNOWN more, or had we been wiser. Life of a nation is no different. So I am writing to you, to share our experience, in the hope, the people of Egypt can do better than people of Iran, in dealing with their dictator, and build a better Egypt.

32 years ago, as the emotions of our nation was focused on the immediate removal of the Shah, our mind was not looking forward as to what to replace that old bankrupt system with? Today, not only are Iranian people no closer to a more accountable government nor better living standards, our social freedom along with our political freedom has been taken away from us as well.

Egyptian brothers and sisters,

Today in Iran, we don't have basic political freedom to assemble, as the Islamic Regime of Iran, does not allow freedom of assembly. Today, the Islamic Regime of Iran, does not even allow a candidate that passed its filtering process, and according to their own statistics received over 13 million votes, to hold a simple rally. How much freedom do you think an Iranian have today? Today, we do not have political parties. Even political factions are not tolerated within the Islamic regime.

My dear Egyptian brothers and sisters,

In spite of Iran's vast natural resources, many in Iran live in poverty and those who ask for accountability, are persecuted. So to flee Iran, appears to be the main option. As a result, some of the best and brightest talents of Iran, lives outside Iran, contributing to the host country who sheltered them instead of their own!

Not only books, films, newspapers are routinely censored for not having the same view as the Islamic Regime, their authors are often imprisoned and in many cases even murdered for such attempts.

Under Islamic Regime of Iran today, we do not have freedom of speech, access to unfiltered internet, nor even can we watch news other than what they want us to see on satellite TV in the privacy of our home! For the past 32 years, the Iranian people have faced the threat of a Islamic Regime guard raiding their homes, for the crime of watching something other than appears on their TV's.

Today in Iran, our women are not allowed to wear Hejab if they so choose and not wear the Hejab if they don't. The women are beaten or arrested if they don't abide by Islamic Regime, Talebani version of Islamic code.

But our lessons:

-- Don't bring religion to government. We Iranian people unfortunately did, and the results are far worse than what we had. Fortunately, you do not have a powerful character like Khomanee who said one thing, before reaching power, and the opposite after. But still, avoid those who provide their strict religious belief as the solution, for complex problems that faces us today. Our problems today, require collective cooperation and rational thinking, and the freedom to do so. Do not let political-Islam to make you envy even these dark days of Mobark, 30 years later!

--Don't just focus on removal of that brutal, ignorant dictator Mobark, but also focus on visionary Egyptions that are NOT power hungry, focused on solving the issues, and are not hateful in their speeches.

--When the tyrant Mobarak finally agrees to step down, don't try to destroy your government and start from zero. That would only take you back another 30 years like it has done so for Iran. Every system, has bad but also very good individual that serves it.

--Don't execute or torture anyone, even those who tortured you or executed your loved ones. That's the only way to insure, execution and torture will be eradicated.

--Destruction of headquarters of Mobarks party is valid reaction to his despotic rule, but do not destroy banks, theaters. Those all belong to Egypt not Mobark.

--When you are rewriting you constitution, do not trust closed door sessions. Read every page of the documents and understand their ramifications. It is better to take the time to come up with a great document, than to hurry this process and have to redo it again in 30 years!

--Here's one we should have chanted from day 1 and we did not, Iran for all Iranian. Say, Egypt for all Egyptians! Moslem or Christian, northerner or southerners. Be aware of anyone who tries to do otherwise.

The whole world is watching and we hope you set a better example than our revolution did. We hope we can learn from you. A powerful, democratic Egypt is good for the region. Egypt is now in a unique position to be great both for her own people but also a good example for the region.

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more from aynak
 
MM

CNN - Mubarak announced new elections & he won't run

by MM on

when will it be in Iran?


masoudA

Dear Siavash1000

by masoudA on

I understand where you are coming from and agree with most of what you said in your last post - However, please understand the following:

The biggest lie about our history is that Persian civilization started with the medes or the arians moving into Iran some 3000 years ago from other places, etc.........  Buddy - science has proven Iranians made wine 5000 years ago!! that means civil people had to have lived there centuries prior to that.   Archeologists have found 4000 years old houses around Hamedan using premitive glass on windows......  The truth (best theory up to date) is that Persia was in fact the "craddle of civilization" which started around the central lake of Iran (today Kavir Markazi) some 10-12000 years ago.   With some very few exceptions, nobody ever migrated into Iran - just like you and I, everybody moved away from Iran.   The Irish, Croats, Bulgarians, Germans.........all once resided in Persia.   They all left, just as we did, and for the same reason too!!!   Yep - uncivilized nomads/Arabs/Touranis in search of fire, food, wealth,.....have a history of attacking peaceful and civil settlers in Persia.     


Nader Vanaki

shutruk is Sargord Pirouz

by Nader Vanaki on

the psychological profile matches 100% and to prove it just post a comment to him in Farsi and he will not respond. His vocabulary is identical to that of Sargord Pirouz. It is good to have him back!  I missed his twisted views.


siavash1000

shutruck poison for our Aryan Land

by siavash1000 on

Iran had been first settlement for Maad (mendes) Aryan tribe. The invasion of Turks, Arab had little impact on the main structure of our society. As far as Arab concerned, We lost the battle of Ghadesayeh to them. As the result, we had half breed Arabs bastards. In order these children to be accepted in our Persian society we call them "Sayyid" ,means, they are related to prophet Mohammad. In other word, we legitimatized them by saying "through Mohammad they were related to God". But in realtiy they were illegitimate children of Arabs. Their offsprings also acquired that title "Sayyid" such as Sayyid Ali Khaminie. The same story happened in India where Hindu women, who didn't want to convert to Islam, they were being either raped or beheaded. The feature of muslim indians are clearly and distictively different from Hindus who lived in platu of India for thousand years before Arabs invaded them and kill their men and rape their women. The same story happened in North China. Islamic army Arabs invaded in northern China and big genocide took place in that region. Their features are distinctively different with typical Chinesse people with slanted eyes. They look like middle easterns or rather Arabs.  Because these people are illegitimate children of Arab decendant, they have been trouble makers throughout history. Chinese central goverment still have problem with this crowd in northern China. But in Iran, the brutality of the Islamic invasion of Iran 1400 years ago faced heroic struggle of my ancestors against Islam. From the last Sassanid King Yazdgerd III to the heroes Babak and Maziyar and many other heroes, who got tortured and murdered by Islam in my country, Iran had never been will never be Arabized!

I don't know your ethnic background, but it doesn't matter if you're Arab or half breed Arab bastard as I decribed, you're enemy of my people. you are the one who destroyed my beautiful Iran for last 31 years and raped my sisters the night before their execution in Iran prisons. you have to face the concequences of all crimes that you and your buddies did against my people. Soon you and your buddies such as Sayyid Ali Khamenie will dance with devil on the other side. That is devine ordaine. you can't fight against God's will.  

 


vildemose

More than half of Egyptian

by vildemose on

More than half of Egyptian live on $2 a day. How long will it take the MB to draw them into it's own sphere. They already act pretty much like Hizballah in Lebanon providing basic human services.

Unless, the new Egyptian Constitution explicity states the Separation of Church and State.


marhoum Kharmagas

time to read Sahimi's!

by marhoum Kharmagas on

It is the time to read Sahimi's article instead of some aabdough khiaari analysis:

 

//www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tehranbure...

 


Shutruk

Aryan land?

by Shutruk on

 

Iran is a *multi-ethnic* country. The idea that it is a pure Aryan nation is fascisto-racist talk. Iran is a mix of Persian, Turkic, Lor, Arab, Khuzi, Gilak and other cultures. Tat is the beauty of the country.

Half the words in the Persian language are derived from Arabic, as is the script.


Mash Ghasem

لینکی مربوط به تظاهرات مصر که بطور مستقیم پخش میشود

Mash Ghasem


لینکی مربوط به تظاهرات مصر که بطور مستقیم پخش میشود


//www.ustream.tv/channel/cairodowntown

siavash1000

Thanks C.O.P for your comment

by siavash1000 on

Thanks for your comment about this idiot shutruck. I can't believe we have such a retarded person on this site. He is really "az bekh arab". Look what kind of people took power in our Aryan Land with such a rich histoy. A bunch of the half breed arab bastard so called "Sayyid" such as sayyid Ali khamenie. These are result of our battle with Arabs. That battle was called "Ghadesayeh". It is unfortunate we lost that war and these half breed bastards were born. That is sad.


aynak

Couple of notes

by aynak on

First thanks all for all the feed backs.   There was a suggestion to add to original list, which I can't do as it is an article and can not be modified.

As far as the atmosphere  of Egypt, please note that some of the experts in the field are all scratching their heads, at how quickly this all started and advancing, but also the UNCERTAIN future.  So it would be simplistic, on the base of someone mingling with people or living there, to make sweeping statement on how things WILL turn out, when an Egyption expert like Shibley Telhami, is not as certain.   This he said 4 days ago and today, he was even more uncertain, (I will seek thet text of his more recent interview, and post later)

//www.usip.org/publications/the-issues-egypts...

Talhami says above: "On the other hand, it is hard to know how long these demonstrations
can be sustained, or what is the threshold of pain for the public when
casualties mount (and whether or not the barrier of fear is really
broken). And what group will exploit these apparently spontaneous
demonstrations in a manner that taints them, and whether or not you have
counter-demonstrations from supporters of the regime.

Each country is different, both in terms of public determination and
attitudes, and the structure and roles of its security services. But
for now, what is clear is that the information revolution and the
explosion of the use of social media have become not only instruments of
spreading news, but also instruments of mobilization. In that sense,
there are new elements that make the environment far more unpredictable
than in the past."

The biggest similarity I see between Egypt and Iran, is that both had a system where NO other form of opposition and organization was allowed.   That is the definition of despotism.   People may not agree because of their love for the  Shah, but the truth is, only mosques had the chance of organizing, and becoming the center of political activities.  

In Egypt as well, even though Moselm brotherhood is a minority, but absent any other organized group, it will have a much better chance to operate in a vaccum.  (This Talhami alluded to today).  As a result, when Mobark is eventually brought down, and comes the time for policital seats, we saw what happened in Iraq, we saw what happened in Iran, and I am affraid you be all in for a big surprise if you overlook the impact of a well organzied group, absent any competition.

May we all have good dreams.


gitdoun ver.2.0

in a Nutshell ! ~ well Said !!!

by gitdoun ver.2.0 on

" Don't bring religion to government. We Iranian people unfortunately did, and the results are far worse than what we had. Fortunately, you do not have a powerful character like Khomanee who said one thing, before reaching power, and the opposite after. But still, avoid those who provide their strict religious belief as the solution, for complex problems that faces us today. Our problems today, require collective cooperation and rational thinking, and the freedom to do so. Do not let political-Islam to make you envy even these dark days of Mobark, 30 years later!  "

 that paragraph sums up hours of my research in the library. In a nutshell it explains what the heck was going on during my parent's generation. nicely said !!


vildemose

Thank you COP jan. He is

by vildemose on

Thank you COP jan. He is hopeless and beyond redemption...lol


Cost-of-Progress

Vildemose - LOL

by Cost-of-Progress on

"Shturak: Your reply eases my mind a great deal for your dreams of delusional grandure will forever stay hallucination of a diseased bigotted, inhumane mind of a wild-eyed religious nut and will never materialize in the 21st century."

Could this have been said any better? I don't think so.  And:

"....create a New Islamic Empire that rules the region."

So much for islamic democracy. Ahh this dude is literally az beekh arab.

____________

IRAN FIRST

____________


masoudA

Good Post Aynak, although

by masoudA on

The system in Iran was not bankrupt or oppressive - sorry it did not meet your standards but it was the best under the circumstances. 

and I add:
Whatever you do - don't listen to or follow the idiot Jimmy and his clan...

//www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/30/jimmy-carter-egypt_n_816088.html

BTW - let me also add  - There are two wetsern views of the rest of the world - one is capitalism the other is colonialism.   A capitalist tries to increase the GDP in every country they enter, while trying to take the most benefits out of the markets and buying powers.   The colonialist looks at others GDP's and wonders how it can reduce it further!!!  These days, after succeeding to place their man in the White Houes,  the Euro colonialist are on the Roll!! they look at the following GDP's and wonder how they can reduce it in half or even more...they wonder why Egypt and Tunisia, Iran,...should not be more like Afghanistan... 

GDP = Gross domestic Product - 2008 GPD's

2008 GPD's:  Egypt: $2,031, Tunisia: $3,876, and Jordan: $3,466, Afghanistan: $466. 

Mark my words - in 5 years, Egypt and Tunisis will experience a 50% reduction in GDP!!!   no matter how much advice they take from us!!

 

 

 

 


default

Doostan

by Doctor mohandes on

Marvelousley put Vildemose:))

Nader jan : sab Kon. Let us anaanaalyze dees shaall vee???:)

Do you notice how he puts everything in quotation marks? What does that tell you?

There are two forms of opposing here: active and passive! if you do it actively then you are a gonner buddy... adios vato/homie...but if you do go the passive route... Then.. Welcome to Vegas babyyyyyyyyyyy...

What is Bil arz?? Turki bilimiram? It is Fil arz baba jan.

You see. You will be confronted! and the Forced...Until you submit...all the prominant features of a true democracy. Rad khor nadare joone haji:)

Egypt minus mobarak LOL. sure. Creation of a empire is good i guess. It creates jobs!! It is like a merger between Bill gates and steve jobs!! question is how many will be peeenked - essleeeped though???

 


yolanda

............

by yolanda on

Anyone who actively opposes God's government is mufsid b'il arz. They must be confronted with reason, and if necessary by force, until they submit to divine law. .... by Shutruk

That tells me that why IRI is so brutal and has executed 110 people in one month! IRI is more brutal than Egypt! IRI wants to theocratize the entire ME!


vildemose

from Juan cole:

by vildemose on

 

 Take heed IRI:

""The failure of the regime to connect with the rapidly growing new urban working and middle classes, and its inability to provide jobs to the masses of college graduates it was creating, set the stage for last week’s events. Educated, white collar people need a rule of law as the framework for their economic activities, and Mubarak’s arbitrary rule is seen as a drag here. While the economy has been growing 5 and 6 percent in the past decade, what government impetus there was to this development remained relatively hidden– unlike its role in the land reform of the 1950s and 1960s. Moreover, the income gained from increased trade largely went to a small class of investors. For instance, from 1991 the government sold 150 of 314 state factories it put on the block, but the benefit of the sales went to a narrow sliver of people.

The world economy’s [pdf] setback in 2008-2009 had a direct and horrible effect on Egyptians living on the edge. Many of the poor got hungrier. Then the downturn in petroleum prices and revenues caused many Egyptian guest workers to [pdf] lose their economic cushion. They either could no longer send their accustomed remittances, or they had to come back in humiliation.

The Nasserist state, for all its flaws, gained legitimacy because it was seen as a state for the mass of Egyptians, whether abroad or domestically. The present regime is widely seen in Egypt as a state for the others– for the US, Israel, France and the UK– and as a state for the few– the Neoliberal nouveau riche. Islam plays no role in this analysis because it is not an independent variable. Muslim movements have served to protest the withdrawal of the state from its responsibilities, and to provide services. But they are a symptom, not the cause. All this is why Mubarak’s appointment of military men as vice president and prime minister cannot in and of itself tamp down the crisis. They, as men of the System, do not have more legitimacy than does the president– and perhaps less.

//www.juancole.com/2011/01/egypts-class-conflict.html

//

vildemose

@shuturk ----->Anatomy of radical religious loser

by vildemose on

Egypt will get rid of Mubarak like Iran got rid of the Shah. Then both Egypt and Iran will create a New Islamic Empire that rules the region.


Shturak: Your reply eases my mind a great deal for your dreams of delusional grandure will forever stay hallucination of a diseased bigotted, inhumane mind of a wild-eyed religious nut and will never materialize in the 21st century.

Your ignorance is profound


G. Rahmanian

جناب شراب سرخ عزيز:

G. Rahmanian


با عرض سلام وبا تشكر از زحمات شماجهت مطلع ساختن انهايي كه مطالب شما را با دقت بيشتر مخوانند. ساعاتي قبل متوجه شدم كه ترافيك در "اي سي" يكدفعه و بشكل انقلابي زيادشده. بدنبال علت رفتم تا به مقاله حاضر رسيدم. بعد از مطالعه ان فهميدم كه بعد از درج اين مقاله مصريان كه بيكار نشسته بودند ودر انتظار كمي نصيحت از جانب برادران و خواهران ايراني بودند همه بطور دستجمعي به اين سايت هجوم اورده وباعث مشكلات فني بيشماري شده اند. موفق باشيد.  


Nader Vanaki

mufsid b'il arz

by Nader Vanaki on

بابا شوتک گرفتی مارو؟ توکه از بیخ شوتی. اینهم شد سوادت؟ یه دوست دختر پیدا کنی از این رو به اون رو میشی!


Shutruk

The whole word is Dar-al-Islam

by Shutruk on

 

People have "freedom" only in that they can willingly to submit to God's will and his representative on earth, Imam Khamenei, or they can do so unwillingly and resisting as the Shaitan urges.

There is no "pluralism" or "difference of opinion" in the divine ordinance. There is one will, one destiny and one God.

Anyone who actively opposes God's government is mufsid b'il arz. They must be confronted with reason, and if necessary by force, until they submit to divine law.

Egypt will get rid of Mubarak like Iran got rid of the Shah. Then both Egypt and Iran will create a New Islamic Empire that rules the region.


vildemose

 If the only organized

by vildemose on

 If the only organized forces are the Islamic Brotherhoo­d and the Military, a coalition between the two could produce a rogue state in a matter of weeks.

There is no firm tradition of democracy in the Middle East on which to rely but there is a tradition of theocracy and strongman rule that may become the template.


siavash1000

Egypt is a good model for overthrowing mullahs in Iran

by siavash1000 on

Democracy is on it's way for all nations in middle east.


Raoul1955

Imam Shutruk

by Raoul1955 on

Ayatallah Raoul wants you to confirm that you actually reside in one of those wonderful islamic nations?  If not, then you better explain why not, or allah will use you as one of those virgins in his paradise for the courageous islamic men who need 72 virgins, wether you are male or female won't matter to your fellow muslims.  :-)


vildemose

NV: I really hope

by vildemose on

NV: I really hope so.

 @shturak

You cannot oppose God's will or that of the believers.

What is the will of God and the believers?? Islamic Caliphate ruled by Khameni??? Please enlighten us, non-believers????


Nader Vanaki

vildemose

by Nader Vanaki on

خیالت راحت از این خبرهای ناگوار نخواهی شنید.  اونقدر هم مثل "شوتوک" قاطی پاتی نیستن.  بالاخره داشگاهی بنام الازهار داشتن که مسائل رو آزادانه تدریس کرده و از توی قیف مسائل رو نیگاه می کنن بجای نیٍ نوشابه!

Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime

"The Islamic Republic of Egypt is being born..."

by Everybody Loves Somebody ... on

That's why I hope Israelis add Ciro to their potetnial nuke target list:

1)Mecca

2) Medina

3) Qombolazim (All the way from Khomeini's shrine to Qom)

4) Mashhad

5) Damascus

6) Ciro

7) ...

 

 


vildemose

Here's what I

by vildemose on

Here's what I see happening:
The protests won't wind down, as some seem to think (or hope)
Mubarak won't go willingly. He may order the troops to fire.
Sadly, there may be mass casualties before he leaves.
The new leadership will be from the junior officers in the Army supporting a civilian leadership­.
The Muslim Brotherhoo­d will make political gains, and we'll have to accept that.
And perhaps that is the real agenda; Radicalize/Islamacize  the enitre  region so you will have "legitimate" excuse to carpet bomb the entire region into smitherines.

Shutruk

The Islamic Republic of Egypt is being born

by Shutruk on

 

I am so happy at what is happening.

With Islamic governments installed in Iraq and Afghanistan, and with Islamic parties holding sway in Lebanon and Turkey,  it seems that a government led by the Muslim Brotherhood will eventually take shape in Egypt. The Islamic revolution that began in Iran is being spread to all corners of the region and beyond - as was divinely ordained.

To all you taghootis: You cannot oppose God's will or that of the believers. Your evil will be confronted and defeated and you will eat of the bitter fruit of the Zaqqum in this life and the hereafter.

Enqelab Eslami ye Mesr zendeh bash!


Nader Vanaki

aynak add this if you agree:

by Nader Vanaki on

-All military, police, and other armed forces personnel and commanders to report to duty at all times, no matter what government is in power.
Everybody Loves Somebody: Agree with you up until your last paragraph.
Vildemose: ٍExcellent capture of Red Wine's Sweet&Sour writings

And Red Wine:خیالم رو راحت کردی