Group fights for a free Iran
Organization uses satellite TV to organize peaceful resistance to regime
Posted: November 20, 2004
1:00 a.m. Eastern
By Ron Strom
2004 WorldNetDaily.com
A U.S.-based organization is working with groups and governments around the
globe, as well as Iranians themselves, to effect a regime change in Iran
through strictly peaceful means.
S.O.S Iran, based in Southern California, has a detailed, systematic plan,
outlined on its website, to see the Islamic government of Iran ousted and
replaced with a constitutional monarchy or free republic.
States the group on its homepage: "We support the people of Iran for the
removal of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the establishment of freedom, human
rights and a democratic, secular and modern government in Iran."
While the organization registered as a nonprofit just eight months ago, its
leadership has been working on like-minded projects for two years.
Iman Foroutan, an Iranian-America, is the executive director of S.O.S. Iran. He
explained what kind of government his group would like to see in Tehran.
Whatever actual form a new Iran takes, it must have basic human rights, the
right to vote and other personal freedoms, he told WND.
Most of the recent resistance to the ruling mullahs in Iran has been by
pro-freedom student groups there.
"We have indirect ties with quite a few student organizations inside Iran," he
said. "Most of them are underground."
Foroutan says, however, what is key to attaining freedom in Iran is the
mobilization of the non-students in the country.
"What Iran really needs is for the rest of the people – 80 to 90 percent of
whom are against the existing regime – to be organized and coordinated so
that pretty soon they can come alongside the students and move forward to
basically overthrow the regime," he said.
Foroutan pointed to the fact that only 28 percent of the population voted in
the last election in Iran – proof, he says, that people are not hopeful about
the current system. Though elections are conducted in Iran, the dictatorial
Guardian Council decides who is eligible to actually appear on the ballot, so
anyone opposed to the regime can be easily silenced.
"If you read the constitution of [Iran], basically you start laughing,"
Foroutan said, "because all the powers of the government … are given to one
person, and that's Ayatollah Khamenei, the supreme leader."
Foroutan mentioned Iran's Parliament passed two laws last year, one to bolster
the rights of women and one to outlaw torture, and the Guardian Council
summarily vetoed them both.
"It's all a game," he said. "There is no democracy there."
Foroutan says most Americans and Europeans don't realize how little freedom
there is in Iran, which is why his organization has an aggressive
public-relations campaign to expose what's going on in the country, including
"the torture, the killings, the beatings, the cutting of the hands and gouging
of the eyes and hanging people from a crane," he said.
The activist mentioned that recently a 14-year-old Iranian was given 85 lashes
for failing to fast at the right time during Muslim Ramadan.
"They beat him up so bad he died," Foroutan lamented, "just 14 years old."
Strictly non-violent
Foroutan says there are three options for how to deal with the oppressive
Iranian regime.
One is the status quo – dialoguing with the rulers there to try to effect
positive change. The second is a military invasion, which Foroutan calls
"unacceptable," saying it's not needed.
The third option is the one S.O.S. Iran is advocating: non-violent civil
disobedience.
"We have put together a nine-month plan and have adapted it to the Iranian
culture and the Iranian people," Foroutan explained.
He says the group has studied many civil-disobedience tactics in history and
subsequently has come up with specific programs to implement. Three of those
already have gone into effect.
"The first one is people turning the lights off in the homes Thursday nights
from 9 to 9:30," Foroutan said. "Right now, 30 to 40 percent of the communities
in Iran are turning off their lights."
He says the organization considers the lights-out tactic an S.O.S. distress
signal to the world from Iran – with the message: "We need help."
The second program calls on Iranians to go to parks every Friday afternoon (a
weekend day in Iran) to show the government how many people can gather together
in public on a coordinated basis.
"We're trying to build self-confidence in the Iranian people after 25 years of
torture, death and imprisonment," Foroutan said.
"We have reports the regime forces can hardly control the crowds that are going
to the parks just to have fun. This is totally opposite of the demonstrations
by the students … because once students demonstrate, they are photographed
… and taken to jail."
Continued Foroutan: "But by going to a park, nobody can ask you why you are
coming to a park with your wife and kids."
He says "hundreds of thousands of people" are going to Iranian parks on
Fridays.
The third program is called "Pashiz," Farsi for "small change." The effort
calls on Iranians to keep coins and small bills out of circulation, which,
Foroutan says, is playing havoc with the economy.
"There's no change," he explained, "and it's totally bringing down the
economy."
The program, which has been in effect for six weeks, means goods that are
purchased with small change are not bought at the same level as before, causing
inestimable economic ripples.
"They cannot do their business because there is no change," Foroutan said.
The activist says the organization has 18 departments, each having a specific
role in helping with the ultimate ousting of the mullahs. Plans also include
how to transition the nation to freedom beginning the day after the regime
comes down.
Foroutan says there's no way to know how long a transition will take, but he
said he is hopeful it will happen within the next year. He emphasized the time
line for winning freedom for Iran depends greatly on how much "moral support"
the effort gets from the U.S. and other countries – one reason he is enthused
about the nomination of Condoleezza Rice as secretary of state.
Foroutan criticized Secretary of State Colin Powell for not wanting to "rock
the boat" in Iran and relying on dialogue, but he sees Rice as more willing to
push for regime change.
From its base in Southern California, S.O.S. Iran broadcasts 24-hour-a-day
satellite television to the U.S., Canada, Europe and, most importantly, Iran.
Foroutan estimates up to 30 percent of Iranians have access at some point to
see the broadcasts, even though satellite TV connections are illegal in Iran.
Said a hopeful Foroutan: "They're hearing us."
The activist encourages people concerned about Iran to donate to the efforts of
S.O.S. Iran, which can be done via the "Support" link on its website.
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| User: "bollogs" |
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| Title: Re: Group fights for a free Iran |
21 Nov 2004 07:36:41 AM |
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(TonyZ2001) wrote in message news:<20041120103442.11588.00001037@mb-m29.aol.com>...
Group fights for a free Iran
Organization uses satellite TV to organize peaceful resistance to regime
Posted: November 20, 2004
1:00 a.m. Eastern
By Ron Strom
2004 WorldNetDaily.com
A U.S.-based organization is working with groups and governments around the
globe, as well as Iranians themselves, to effect a regime change in Iran
through strictly peaceful means.
Oh *****-off will ya!!!
WH
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| User: "TonyZ2001" |
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| Title: Re: Group fights for a free Iran |
22 Nov 2004 09:18:55 AM |
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bollogs@hotmail.com
wrote:
Oh *****-off will ya!!!
WH
I see that the thought of a free Iran or free Iraq upsets you greatly.
A free Libya would drive you over the edge, wouldn't it? No more visits to
Uncle Mohammar, eh?
Tony
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| User: "Thelasian" |
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| Title: Re: Group fights for a free Iran |
22 Nov 2004 07:38:18 PM |
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(TonyZ2001) wrote in message news:<20041122101855.15969.00000940@mb-m02.aol.com>...
bollogs@hotmail.com
wrote:
Oh *****-off will ya!!!
WH
I see that the thought of a free Iran or free Iraq upsets you greatly.
A free Libya would drive you over the edge, wouldn't it? No more visits to
Uncle Mohammar, eh?
Tony
there are many groups in LA claiming to be working for "peace" and
"love" and "democracy" and "fuzzy puppies" etc... IRanian are well
aware of them, and know the behind all the pretty words are just
another bunch of Monarchists, Marxists, etc. Its called PR. That's why
the Iranians ignore them.
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| User: "Michael Johnathan McDonald" |
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| Title: Re: Group fights for a free Iran |
22 Nov 2004 07:04:27 PM |
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(TonyZ2001) wrote in message news:<20041122101855.15969.00000940@mb-m02.aol.com>...
bollogs@hotmail.com
wrote:
Oh *****-off will ya!!!
WH
I see that the thought of a free Iran or free Iraq upsets you greatly.
Well his terror buddy is quite upset at this news article ;) But, what
the heck, great minds work alike ;)
A free Libya would drive you over the edge,
BWWWWWWWWWWWWWahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahhaah
ahahahahahahhahahaaha
:-)
wouldn't it? No more visits to
Uncle Mohammar, eh?
***** my stomach ;)
Tony
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