Voices of Chile

Photo essay: I see parallels with my home country, Iran

by Cyrus Omoomian
12-Oct-2011
 
Voices of Chile, tells a story in one country but speaks volumes for many who are on the path towards democracy, as we've recently witnessed in North Africa and the Middle East. As an Iranian-American I see parallel issues in my home country: 1) The repercussions of a long standing dictatorship, 2) Censorship in the media, 3) Lack of equal opportunity for a quality education, especially with a large population of youth. These are all crucial fundamentals for measuring the progress of democracy in any country >>> video
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hamsade ghadimi

mortal fear basics

by hamsade ghadimi on

abarmard, what you failed to grasp from jj's description is that rioting in chile is like a day in the park compared to the fear that demonstrators feel in iran.

here are some examples of seeing mortal fears in someone's eyes:

//racismandnationalconsciousnessnews.wordpress.com/2009/06/17/protests-in-iran-not-just-about-stolen-votes-shourideh-molavi///kurdishrights.org/temp/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/iran-protest2.jpg//www.permanentrevolution.net/entry/2741

//static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2009/6/22/1245664651894/Screengrab-from-a-video-o-001.jpg


Abarmard

I had visited Iran during those days

by Abarmard on

And people were camping around, singing songs. So what? Again my question, the Iranian revolt lasted eight months, how long was this? Just started?

In one of the neighborhoods kids were skate boarding with music while demonstrating at the same time. We focus on those pictures I posted when it comes to Iran, and to many who fight, those are the images that matter.

Revisit the early days of Iranian revolt and see how people were calm and kids were playing...Short memory we got don't we?

Very festive: (It does matter how long "festivities" last, same as Iran)
//news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/6511667.stm

//www.buzzfeed.com/stevev91/chilean-riot-police-arrests-10-year-old-boy-2w8e

 


Jahanshah Javid

festive rage

by Jahanshah Javid on

These are really interesting pictures. You're a true photo-journalist. Most of your shots could interest major news organizations. I noticed that one of the most iconic images of the green movement in Iran has become a symbol of popular revolt in Chile!
//iranian.com/main/image/161219

You mentioned you had noticed parallels between protests in Chile and Iran. Your photos conveyed that. They seem like scenes right out of Tehran after the 09 elections. But there's a crucial difference. The protests in Chile have something close to a festive atmosphere. They don't look like people with mortal fear in their eyes. They have gained the right, the freedom to express rage without being treated like enemies of the state. That is what's missing in Iran.

Thank you for sharing. Looking forward to watching your documentary.