Iran crushes teachers' pay protest

[cali]

Robert Tait in Tehran
Saturday March 17, 2007
The Guardian


The authorities in Iran have arrested up to 1,000 teachers in a brutal crackdown that signals their determination to break a pay revolt.
Riot police beat demonstrators with batons as they tried to gather outside Iran's parliament and education ministry and herded them into police vans and buses before transporting them to detention centres across Tehran.

Around 150 of those arrested in Wednesday's protest are still in custody, with the ringleaders believed to be in the capital's notorious Evin prison. Others were released after signing a commitment not to participate in "illegal" demonstrations.

<snip>

http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,2036009,00.html#article_continue

*Standard disclaimer to posting an article critical of Iran: NO. I do not support any attack on Iran.

[Name removed]

1. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

2. Sounds like their riot police took lessons from our riot police. n/t

MKJ

[cali]

3. Yeah, right.

Because of course, things like this happen so regularly in the U.S., and because brutality is solely in the purview of western culture. God, your remark is predictable.

[Omaha Steve]

4. I'm proud to say the AFL-CIO broke this story in the press and on the DU

http://blog.aflcio.org/2007/03/17/iranian-teachers-seeking-better-wages-beaten-during-rally/

It didn't get much attention here as an editorial.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x269429

[ShortnFiery]

5. If our teachers didn't have a strong union in place, they'd be living in poverty too.

Saint Reagan has started the USA toward a path to totalitarianism (like Iran) by busting Unions. Pay attention because if you don't have an organized counter to the power of the Corporations, you will be living off of the scraps that "Big Brother" CHOOSES to give you.

[cali]

6. But they do have a strong union and they're not

in danger of being brutally beaten and shipped off to prison for demonstrating- and sorry we're still a long way off from the type of theocratic totalitarianism in Iran.

[ShortnFiery]

7. But they are "at risk" as we all are in this ever increasing "unitary executive" run Nation.

Hey, we all know that Iran is a totalitarian theocracy BUT, you know what? They are a SOVEREIGN COUNTRY!

With all of the horrible events that are going on presently in OUR GOVERNMENT, I don't think it's appropriate to get all wrapped around the axle about A SEPARATE COUNTRY's internal affairs. :shrug:

Sure, it's horrible, but we've had some remarkable examples of recent Police Brutality right here in the good ole USA.

Why does the term, "Nations living in Glass Houses should not throw stones"? ... well unless we (the USA) wish to be The World's Bully Boy?

[Name removed]

15. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

8. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[KAZ]

18. May I suggest some reading on this topic....

... which may help some folks reformulate their "long way off" sentiments. A People's History of the United States", by Howard Zinn. Specifically, the sections related to the labor movement in this country. Educating one's self on the history of their own country before posting, may help in avoiding future posting embarrassments.

[cali]

19. Gee, golly whiz. Thank you soo much for stooping to

address me. I just adore your condecention and oh so touching concern for my embarassment. Just so happens I've read Zinn. We're not talking about the history of the labor movement in this country. We're talking about NOW. Duh.

[brentspeak]

29. Where in Zinn's book does he say the USA suffered under a totalitarian theocracy?

The index doesn't seem to mention it...

[oblivious]

9. The Guardian says up to 1000 arrested, 150 in custody. Amnesty says far fewer.

- scores if not hundreds arrested
- 22 still detained, though it's not clear about 18 of the 22

Iran : Arrests of demonstrators continue
16 March 2007

...Dozens of teachers are reported to remain in custody following a peaceful demonstration on 14 March in front of the Majles (Iran’s parliament). Scores, if not hundreds, are believed to have been arrested. Many were quickly released but several teachers’ leaders continue to be detained, including AliAkbar Baghani, Secretary General of the Teacher’s Union; Mahmoud Beheshti Langaroudi, the union’s spokesperson; and Alireza Hashemi, Secretary General of the Teacher’s Organization. Amnesty International has received the names of eighteen others arrested on 14 March: it is not clear if they are still detained. Reports indicate that at least some may have been summoned to appear before the Revolutionary Court on 19 March.

The teachers announced that they would begin a nationwide strike on 6 March 2007 in support of their demand for implementation of a law which would increase their pay, and held several large-scale demonstrations in the following days. On 8 March AliAkbar Baghani, Mahmoud Beheshti Langaroudi, Alireza Hashemi and up to 17 others were detained briefly in the middle of the night in Tehran. On 13 March, three teachers’ activists were reportedly arrested in the city of Kermanshah in western Iran.
http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGMDE130302007

[JohnLocke]

10. Wow. Brutal.

Mugabe-style.

[daleo]

11. Teachers' strikes are pretty common around the world

It's not uncommon for union leaders to be fined and/or jailed when they ignore return to work orders. There is a teachers' strike in the suburbs of my city (in Canada) now. The letters to the editor are generally in favor of a return to work order, and I have no doubt most people would be fine with jailing union leaders if they don't go along.

Teachers make pretty good money here, but from the article it seems that they are underpaid in Iran. The article didn't mention any particular political or religious angle to the story - just wages.

[The Stranger]

12. So is this supposed to rally support for another illegal invasion and catastrophic war?

Tell me, please.

[cali]

14. LOL!

I guess you didn't read the disclaimer? Once again:


NO.

I am adamently opposed to any invasion or attack on Iran. I am not concerned about their nuclear program. That clear enough for you?

Why I posted this:

1. I have no use for Iran's brutal theocracy. I consider it every fucking bit as legitimate to criticize Iran as it is to criticize the U.S. or Israel or Sudan.

2. It is always amusing to post something that doesn't cast Iran's government in a rosie light and watch you folks flock to defend or hasten to compare to the U.S.

[nadinbrzezinski]

16. Taht last statement goes for ANY darling of the lcoals

not only Iran.

[The Stranger]

31. "Folks" don't "flock to defend." Rather, they see the context and the massive propaganda campaign

seeking to foment yet another illegal war in the Middle East. In context, what happened in Iran is not nearly as important as what some people are using what happened in Iran to create -- another illegal war in contradiction of U.S. national interests.

[leftynyc]

41. You got the predictable response

I'll never understand people on a progressive board defending Iran or minimizing it's actions. It must drive them crazy that people risk their lives every day to come to the US even with all our issues.

[cigsandcoffee]

13. Shhh. Iran's fine.

Nothing to see here, folks. Move along. If we say anything bad about them, Bush may invade and kill even more Americans and Middle Easterners. Don't you know that? Good Lord.


The text above paraphrases a sentiment I see on these threads all the time. It's spooky.

Here's the scoop:

For social progressives, Iran is a real shithole. An ultra-conservative dump.

Should we invade them? No. Does their government suck beyond words? Absofuckinglutely.

[ShortnFiery]

17. Yes, for the average Iranian, life sucks and I sympathize with their plight.

However, excuse me if I don't believe HYPING up the USA populace into a self-righteous fervor in order to bomb the shit out of the country of Iran, IS THE ANSWER. :eyes:

We are experiencing a Constitutional Crisis right here in the USA. It's about time we choose to regain our focus. - Keep our own house in order?

[ohio2007]

20. Women and their rights groups should wake up to the plight of women in MOST

of the world.
http://kamangir.net/2007/03/08/campaign-to-free-womens-rights-defenders-in-iran-press-release/
It won't be long before the rights of women are eroded back into the dark ages if people pretend issues of the average Iranian could someday spill out into the western world.

[otherlander]

32. I don't see why we should all have

a U.S. centered view. Especially since the Guardian isn't even an American newspaper, but a British one. And we ARE progressives, which means, as you've said, we don't rabidly follow bad leaders into imperialist wars in the name of nationalism. But moving beyond nationalism also means focusing on the struggles of people everywhere, not just "our own house".

[otherlander]

33. delete dupe

[Orrin_73]

21. Notice that now there are preperations for a war

with Iran, the MSM is full of anti-Iran news. They are trying to demonize Iran and it people and to a certain degree its history (300).

[cali]

22. Yeah right. The Guardian is really agitating for war with

Iran. And this article in no fucking way demonizes the people of Iran.

[Orrin_73]

23. During the run up to the war against iraq

the same thing happened. I dont trust any one of them.

[Amused Musings]

25. I am guessing you are unfamilar with the Guardian

then, right?

[Orrin_73]

26. Guardian or no guardian

I stand firm in my believe.

[brentspeak]

30. Wait, Hold on. During the run up to the war against Iraq, what was the Guardian saying?

I'm not talking about any other paper; I specifically want to know what kinds of reports were coming from the Guardian.

[oblivious]

34. I think you're right to be concerned about the Guardian in this case.

I couldn't understand why this report is so exaggerated compared to the Amnesty report, so I googled Robert Tait.

Turns out he has been the Guardian correspondent for two years and this is only the second article the Guardian shows from him. That seems a bit weird.

http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/robert_tait/index.html

It turns out that he previously worked for Rupert Murdoch in Jerusalem with the Times.
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/robert_tait/profile.html

[ShortnFiery]

36. "It turns out that (Robert Tait) previously worked for Rupert Murdoch in Jerusalem with the Times."

Excellent research oblivious.

I'm not implying that those (save for a few political/theological elites) living in Iran are suffering greatly under such totalitarian rule.

Yes, their plight has my greatest sympathy since I have LIVED THERE as a child of an American Military Adviser under The Shah's Rule.

However, and this is important, we must ask ourselves, "Why is this information being OVER-PLAYED?"

I would suggest that Mr. Robert Tait just may have a hidden agenda?

Again, I'm not minimizing the suffering of the Iranian people under a Theocratic Government, but NOW is the time for us to keep our *focus* on what the media is attempting to do with manipulating the people's sentiments.

Forgive me if this assumption is in error, but even the Brits have those who manipulate the facts to sway opinion ... they even do it in fairly progressive publications. In other words, we have no Fourth Estate so we must question EVERYTHING from the M$M. :shrug:

[Amused Musings]

24. As we all know,

the Guardian is a bastion for the international supporters of Bush and everything he stands for. A shining beacon of war, if you will.


Facetiousness aside, both the brutal crackdown and the demands of the protesters are symptoms of the terminally ill regime in Tehran. Their policies have ruined their country and and their tactics in suppressing those who point it out merely serve to prove the point. I think that the moderate and progressive parties will not boycott elections for a second time, even if it means electing Rafsanjani again.

[Orrin_73]

27. Regime change is the business of the iranians

and not that of the bush junta and its cronies in the media.

[Amused Musings]

28. Well that is fine and dandy

but the Guardian would probably be the last newspaper on Earth to be one of Bush's "cronies in the media." You give the US administration the attributes of a god. Bad things can happen that are not his fault. Did I miss the Guardian editorial where they implore Bush to invade Iran?

[hogwyld]

37. Nor of some of our fellow DUers

Leave Iran alone and let them take care of their own problems. We have enough of our own.

[ShortnFiery]

42. Far from "terminally ill"

When I lived with my parents as Military Guests under the Shah's regime, this type of brutality was COMMON place. Hands were cut off for stealing and the Shah's secret police would have put the Nazi SS to shame. :scared:

Far from ill, it shows the health of an "authoritarian government."

Like Saddam's Iron fist, all uprisings are put down on the spot.

It's horrid, brutal but the typical day-to-day goings on within governments functioning ONLY via centralized control.

[Amused Musings]

43. The regime may hold on for another decade

but their economic situation reminds me of the Soviet Union circa 1987. Besides, the revolutionaries of 1979 are getting very old and much of the post revolution generation hate them (ahmedinejad comes from the war generation who fought for ten years against Iraq defending their revolution. They do not like the old guard talking to America and trying to reform and they do not like the younger generation for throwing away everything they fought for).

[ShortnFiery]

44. Yes, but young and old will band together under the banner of "nationalism"

if we pose a threat to their country. If you wish to see the Iranian right wing religious enjoy a FULL come back, let Dear Leader bomb Iran. :(

You're correct in the fact that the more we let "nature take it's course" that the Iranian people will enjoy more moderate leadership.

However, I hope fellow Americans do NOT fall into the trap of believing that "the youth" of Iran would take arms up against their elders ... or in other words support the USA take over or rise up after bombing over their elders. :thumbsdown:

Blood kin and nationalism is much thicker than vapid promises of blue jeans and modern music ... especially when the bombs are dropping.

[Name removed]

35. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ShortnFiery]

38. Like Christianity, Islamic faith can be manipulated into absurdity.

Every religion can be abused, that does NOT mean that the FAITH itself is not for peace.

[blitzen]

39. what does this have to do with religion? not much

[oblivious]

40. OK, let's take a look at the various reports of this protest.

OP from the Guardian - March 17
- up to 1,000 teachers arrested
- a brutal crackdown
- Riot police beat demonstrators with batons
- 150 still in custody as of March 17 (date article posted)

Amnesty - March 16
- scores if not hundreds arrested
- many quickly released
- 21 still detained
- no mention of police violence or brutality
http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGMDE130302007

Iranian Workers' Solidarity Network - March 14
- 50 to 60 teachers arrested
- no mention of violence
http://www.iwsn.org/labour/teachers-140307.htm
http://www.ww4report.com/node/3346

Radio Farda report (with material from advarnews.us) - March 15
- dozens of protesters arrested
- Education Minister says he is not aware of any arrests
- no mention of violence
http://www.payvand.com/news/07/mar/1204.html