[Marxism] What does Moussavi claim to represent in Iran? His June 21 letter

["Fred Feldman" <ffeldman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I have been asked what evidence there is that democratic rights are a
central issue in the opposition movement in Iran. I actually consider this
self-evident. People are asserting their right to demonstrate. The
government is attacking it. People are speaking out. Some are being arrested
for this. 

At any rate, here is Moussavi presenting his version of where he places in
the tradition of the 1979 revolution and Islamic Republic, including the
issue of the right to speak out and debate. The comments by Professor Mark
Jensen of the Washington-State Snow-News list are useful.
Fred Feldman


DOCUMENT: Mousavi's letter to the Iranian people: 'I remain undeterred'

[The document below is a revision (for stylistic reasons) of an online
translation of a letter addressed to the Iranian people by Mir Hossein
Mousavi on June 21, 2009, and posted on his web site.[1] -- 

In it,
Mousavi presents himself as a savior of the Islamic Republic, claiming to
represent the authentic Islamic revolutionary heritage of the Iranian
Revolution against those who have corrupted it with "deception and lies." 
-- 

"I have come to say that evading the law leads to dictatorship; and to
recall that paying attention to people?s dignity does not diminish the
foundations of the régime, but strengthens it. I have come to say that
people wish honesty and integrity from their servants, and that many of
our perils have arisen from lies. I have come to say that poverty and
backwardness, corruption and injustice are not our destiny. I have come
to invite you once again to the Islamic Revolution, as it had to be, and
Islamic Republic as it has to be." -- 

COMMENT: Western media tend to
present Mousavi as a reformer, but they rarely mention that he promises
not modernity in the Western sense but rather social development that was
forged in the struggle to liberate Iran from that influence and is
specifically non-Western. -- Mousavi attributes the popular support his
movement has developed not to his own appeal but to the attractiveness of
"the core message of revolution." --Mark]

http://www.ufppc.org/content/view/8773/

1.

[Translation of Mir Hossein Mousavi's letter to the Iranian people, June
21, 2009]

http://iranfacts.blogspot.com/2009/06/my-translation-of-mousavis-latest.html

In the name of God, the kind and the merciful

Indeed God demands you to safe keep what people entrust to you, and to
rule them with justice. [Koran]

Respectable and intelligent people of Iran,

These nights and days, a pivotal moment in our history is taking place. 
People ask each other: What should we do? Which way should we go? It is
my duty to share with you what I believe, and to learn from you, that we
may never forget our historical task and not give up on the duty we are
given by the destiny of our times and of past generations.

Thirty years ago in this country a revolution conquered in the name of
Islam, a revolution for freedom, a revolution for reviving the dignity of
men, a revolution for truth and justice. In those times, especially when
our enlightened Imam [Khomeini] was alive, many lives and many resources
were sacrificed to legitimize this foundation and many valuable
achievements were attained. An unprecedented enlightenment took hold of
our society, and our people achieved a new life in which they endured the
hardest of hardships with a sweet taste. What this people gained was
dignity and freedom and a gift from the life of the pure ones [the Twelve
Imams of Shiism]. I am certain that those who saw those days will never
be satisfied with anything less.

Have we as a people lost certain abilities and are we no longer able to
experience that early spirituality? I have come to say that that is not
so. It is not yet too late, we are not yet too far away from that
enlightened space. I have come to show that it is possible to live
spiritually while living in a modern world. I have come to repeat the
Imam?s warnings about fundamentalism. I have come to say that evading the
law leads to dictatorship; and to recall that paying attention to the
dignity of the people does not diminish the foundations of the régime, but
strengthens them. I have come to say that people wish for honesty and
integrity from their servants, and that many of our perils have arisen
from lies. I have come to say that poverty and backwardness, corruption
and injustice are not our destiny. I have come to invite you once again
to the Islamic Revolution, as it had to be, and Islamic Republic as it has
to be.

In this invitation, I have not been charismatic, but the core message of
revolution was so appealing that it outdid my ability to articulate it,
prompting a younger generation that has not seen those days to recreate
scenes that we have not seen since the days of the revolution and the
sacred defense of the nation. The people?s movement chose green as its
symbol. I confess that in this, it was I who followed them. And a
generation that was accused of being removed from religion has now adopted
?God is Great,? ?Victory?s of God and victory?s near,? and ?Ya Hossein? as
their chants in order to prove that when this tree bears fruit, each piece
of fruit is alike. No one taught them these slogans, they were taught
them by instinct. How unfair are those whose petty privileges lead them
to call this a ?velvet revolution? staged by foreigners!

But as you know, we were all faced with deception and cheating when we
proposed to revitalize our nation and realize dreams that are rooted in
the hearts of young and old. And that which we had predicted would stem
from evading law [i.e. dictatorship] soon came to pass in its worst
manifestation.

The large voter turnout in recent election was the result of hard work to
create hope and confidence in people, to create a deserving response to
those whose broad dissatisfaction with the existing management of the
crisis could have targeted the foundations of the regime. If this good
will and trust of the poeple is not addressed via protecting their votes,
or if they cannot respond in a civil manner to claim their rights, the
responsibility for the dangers of the road ahead will be on the shoulders
of those who do not tolerate civil protests.

If the large volume of cheating and vote-rigging, which has lit the
bonfires of the people?s anger, is cited as evidence of its fairness, the
republican nature of the state will be killed, and it will amount to a
proof of the view that Islam and Republicanism are incompatible.

Such an outcome will make two groups happy. First, those who since the
beginning of revolution stood against the Imam and called the Islamic
state a dictatorship of an élite that wants to take people to heaven by
force. Second, those who in defending the human rights, consider religion
and Islam to be opposed to republicanism. The Imam?s amazing art was to
neutralize these dichotomies. I have come in order to focus on the Imam?s
approach to neutralizing their growing spell. By confirming the results
of election, by limiting the extent of investigation in such a way that
the outcome will not be changed even though in more than 170 districts the
number of cast votes exceeded 100% of the eligible voters, the heads of
the state have now accepted responsibility for what has happened during
the election.

In these conditions, we are asked to submit our complaints via the
Guardian Council. But this council has proved its bias, not only before
and during but also after the election. The first principle of judgment
is to be impartial.

I continue to believe strongly that the request for annulling the vote and
repeating the election is a definite right that must be considered by an
impartial and nationally trusted body. The results of this investigation
are not to be dismissed a priori, nor are people to be prevented from
demonstrating by threatening them with bloodshed. Nor are the
Intelligence Ministry?s plainclothes forces to be unleashed on people?s
lives in order to disperse crowds by intimidation and inflammation instead
of responding to people?s legitimate questions, and then to blame the
bloodshed on others.

In my view, the scene is set for advancing a new political agenda that
spreads beyond the objective of installing an unwanted government. As a
companion who has seen the beauties of your green wave, I will never allow
anyone?s life to be endangered because of my actions. At the same time, I
remain undeterred in my demand for annulling the election and demanding
people?s rights. Despite my limited abilities, I believe that your
motivation and creativity can pursue your legitimate demands by new, civil
means. Be sure that I shall always stand with you. What this brother of
yours recommends, especially to our dear youth, in terms of finding new
solutions, is to not allow liars and cheaters to steal your flag of
defense of the Islamic state, and to allow foreigners steal the treasures
of the Islamic Republic which are your inheritance by the blood of your
virtuous fathers. Through trust in God and hope for the future, and by
leaning on the strength of social movements, claim your rights in the
frameworks of the existing constitution, based on the principle of
nonviolence.

In doing this, we are not challenging the Basij. Basijis are our
brothers. In this we are not challenging the Revolutionary Guard. The
guard is the keeper of our revolution. We are not challenging the Army. 
The Army is the keeper of our borders. These organs are the keepers of
our independence, our freedom, and our Islamic Republic. We are
challenging deception and lies. We want to reform them, a reform by
returning to the pure principles of revolution.

We advise the authorities to bring peace to the streets. Under Article 27
of the Constitution, they must not only provide space for peaceful
protest, but also facilitate such gatherings. The state TV should stop
badmouthing and taking sides. Before voices turn to shouting, let them be
heard in reasonable debates. Let the press criticize and write the news
as it happens. In a word, create a free space for people to express their
agreements and disagreements. Let those who want, say ?takbeer? [in the
act of raising one?s hands to the shoulders in the act of prayer] and
without it being considered an act of opposition. It is evident that such
an approach will eliminate the need for security forces on the streets,
and we shall not have to hear news and face pictures that break the heart
of everyone who loves the country and the revolution.

Your brother and companion

Mir Hossein Mousavi  



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