On the Web: ‘Something must be done’

Information continues to pour from Iran via various Web sites and blogs reporting on what is happening there, despite a government crackdown on such communication. What follows are excerpts from those reports.

The cost of the violence, and its emotional and physical toll, is being shared by some Iranians as they can on the Internet. Indications are the government's tightening noose on communications — cell phones and Web — continues unabated. One Iranian, trying to get to the Web through Yahoo! Mexico's site writes of being warned not to; that it's a "trap" by the government.

An e-mail from a hospital doctor in Tehran is also being shared on the Web, and it speaks of the brutality of the injuries victims have suffered. On another site, an Iranian writes of the surrealistic scene in Tehran while the government television broadcasts "The Lord of the Rings" movie trilogy.

'Dying to entertain us'
"Honestly I am a bit depressed," is one post on TehranBureau.com, an online magazine about Iran.

"It seems they were going to release some of the detainees tonight. Allah o Akbars are going strong… There is a sense that something must be done. It is strange, so strange. I cannot believe this government continues. Even they themselves do not believe it. It is not over. The city is still full of special units, anti riot police and basijis. On television they are showing the latest Hollywood movies, including the Lord of the Rings trilogy all this week. They’re really dying to entertain us.

"Sharif University and University of Tehran are both closed. Sharif is supposed to reopen on Saturday. At Tehran University, the school chancellor, Dr. Rahbar, has asked faculty to sign a letter supporting the Supreme Leader.

"Sorry for my silence; it is hard to focus these days."

From another resident, who lives near the Iranian Parliament, where demonstrators have tried to gather in recent days:

"Just to let you all know, R. was arrested last night in Tehran; I’m not sure where and why. I got a call from his phone by the police who wanted me to confirm details. I had to tell them how long we’d lived in (here), how we met, what he and I do for work, where I work, my nationality, about his family and also where I live.

"He was carrying his laptop, external HD (hard drive) and camera so I’m guessing he’s having that looked though. They told me he’d be released any minute now last night. I doubt that."

Yet another Iranian tries of trying to access Facebook through Yahoo! Mexico. "But everyone says that’s a trap set by authorities to identify us!!!!!

"(X) quarrels with me all the time. He keeps imploring me not to go on the Internet. They even say the phones are monitored!!!

"I’m so frightened I changed my (online) name today.

"I don’t know why. Other than vote for Mousavi I’ve never engaged in a political activity in my entire life. But this is no comfort because (X)’s poor colleague was shot in the eye with a rubber bullet while driving through Vanak Square. After two operations, he’s blind in one eye!!!!!!!!

"They picked up someone else too. Two days after his disappearance they released him near Shahreh Rey with his eyes blindfolded and his mouth gagged."

A doctor's report
An e-mail from a doctor at Rasool Akram hospital in Tehran about the injuries seen from the weekend's violence is being posted on several Web sites, including Payvand News of Iran. This is the site's translation of the message, which was sent in Farsi:

"Yesterday (June 21), they brought in 38 gunshot victims to our hospital. 10 were already dead and the rest had various related injuries.

"From the look of it, these people had suffered automatic weapon fire. Most had more than 2 bullet wounds close to one another.

"A 68 year old man had been shot on the left shoulder and abdomen. Another young man, 18 years old, had been shot in the hand and wrist. According to the injured, they were shot from rooftops. A 32-year-old man had been shot in the back, but the exit wound had been through the front thigh.

"The survivor accounts is that they suddenly came under fire while walking in front of a Basiji base north of Azadi Square. ... A vehicle had been parked in front of the gate to prevent people from entering it which indicates prior planning. According to eyewitness accounts, 4 Basijis started shooting from the roof top of the base in a way that even those trying to help the wounded came under fire and became victims. At this point, the angry mob attacked the vehicle and set it on fire, but were unable to enter the base. Soon, the riot police and more Basijis arrived which resulted in more people getting shot and killed

"Based on the information obtained from physicians at the Emam Khomaini Hospital ... 38 gunshot victims had died there in the previous night.

"It is notable that this morning, regime's security forces had taken the bodies of these victims (by force) from the hospitals and transferred them to an undisclosed location. Most of the families of the dead do not even know that their loved ones have been killed.

"Among the dead are few 15 and 16 year old youngsters as well.

"This morning, between 9-11 AM, there was a gathering of physicians and students from Rasool Akram Hospital. They were disseminating information about the victims and the events described above. This gathering ended with the interference from the riot police."

Uprooting the foundations
According to Al Jazeera June 25, the "Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri, an Iranian religious leader who has fallen out with the current government, has warned that the crackdown could destabilise the government.

" 'If Iranians cannot talk about their legitimate rights at peaceful gatherings and are instead suppressed, complexities will build up which could possibly uproot the foundations of the government, no matter how powerful,' " he said in a statement sent to the AFP news agency.

" ' My recommendation to the great and dear Iranian nation is to pursue its logical and fair demands in complete calm.'

"Baqer Moin, an Iranian author and journalist, told Al Jazeera that there appeared to be a battle of wills between the two sides in Iran.

" 'Nobody would like to make any compromise, naturally the opposition leaders rely on the street pressure on the government, but the government has got the advantage of heavy security pressure everywhere,' he said."

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