Mousavi & Karroubi call for demonstrations on 12 June coup anniversary

GVF -- 2009 presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi met with fellow candidate Mahdi Karroubi on Monday, April 26. During the meeting which lasted for an hour, the two leaders of the Green Movement discussed latest issues in the country ranging from Iran’s foreign policy as well as the situation of political prisoners and called for demonstrations on 12 June, marking the first anniversary of the monumental fraud that took place during last year's presidential election. 

During the meeting which was reported by Saham News, Mousavi complained that the current policies in the country were unstable and passive and that there was no clear and precise agenda for the future. “We must think about the long-run,” He said.

The former prime minister said that those currently in power were unable to understand the realities in the country, “They don’t understand what we say. In our statements and speeches, they only look for words, but not meanings,” Mousavi said.

“Unfortunately, this is the problem with an ideological system. They repeat the very illusions and rumours that they themselves have created and they believe them too ... This is why they don’t want to listen to the truth.”

Mir Hossein Mousavi touched on issues such as Iran’s foreign policy, the economic situation, internal issues and corruption: “We believe that the people have a collective memory. The state thinks that people forget their actions and behaviours, but this is not the case.”

He named the recent exposure of the massive corruption ring and the crimes committed in Tehran University dormitory following the June election as examples of how the issues were being swept under the carpet. “These acts are anti-Islamic. Every day they label people as apostates, infidels and etc, just because they speak against the views and opinions of the [authorities]. I truly don’t understand how they will answer to God,” Mousavi said.

“The condition of the workers, their firing and delaying the payment of their wages, the slump in investment, etc ... These are all the weak points of the economic and management system in the country. The people will not forget these promises and events.”

The 68-year-old reformer slammed the current trends in the country’s management system because individuals with great experience were not being used in service to the country. “All experienced expert have been chased away from the system for political reasons and their alignments!”

“I do not see a bright future for any improvements in the country’s economic situation,” he added. “They have no regard for experts. Even if a person from the conservatives speaks up, they will brand him a hypocrite.”

Former parliament speaker Mahdi Karroubi concurred with Mousavi’s criticisms and said what was being done in the name of Islam in the country was harming the religion. He said that the authorities “say what they want, they slander and insult anyone when they wish, they release whatever statistics they imagine, and all of this is because they assume that no one can hear the other side; but they don’t realise that the people do hear, and they see the economic and political situation and the grim prospects that await them.”

The uncompromising politician spoke of the threats and pressures he faced when he tried to expose the horrific post-election abuse that had taken place. “They stopped at nothing in order to pressure me and after all the controversy; they presented a report that showed what had taken place in Kahrizak prison ... the silenced the case and didn’t pay any attention to the parliament’s probe.”

Karroubi launched a series of criticisms towards the conduct of the security forces and their interference in the people’s personal affairs. “They have contacted the spouse of a prisoner and told her to separate from her husband! What kind of a law is this? What kind of citizen’s right or human right allows for an interrogator to interfere in the personal affairs of a prisoner? ... Is this the agent of an Islamic state? Is this the greatness they speak of?”

Also during the meeting, Karroubi ridiculed the government’s claims of greatness and bringing honour and respect to the country by referring to Ahmadinejad’s recent state visit to Zimbabwe. “Is this what it means when they speak of greatness? Zimbabwe and a number of countries of such calibre?” Karroubi asked. “Is it a sign of honour when they compare you to ‘a mosquito’ or ‘the butcher of opposition’?

Karroubi was referring to statements by Zimbabwe’s MDC party regarding Ahmadinejad’s visit to the country. “Choice of friends defines character and inviting the Iranian strongman to an investment forum is like inviting a mosquito to cure malaria," the party had said. “Hobnobbing with dubious political leaders confirms stereotypes that we are a banana republic.”

“Do they have to belittle the country like this?” Karroubi said, referring to the government’s choice for foreign visits.

Iran’s terrible human rights record and prison abuse was also the topic of discussion during the meeting. Karroubi asked “how is it that when human rights groups pressured Iranian prisons they were considered good during the Shah’s era, but when the same organisations investigate the situation of political prisoners and their families and the shocking conditions of our prisons, they are condemned, and considered as criminals and ill-intentioned?”

“Weren’t you once thrilled by the prison reports of some of these media which you now brand as agents of CIA?”

Mousavi on the other hand spoke again about the importance of informing the population and raising the awareness of the people. He maintained that the people’s awareness towards social and political issues had improved. “This awareness is expanding every day and with increased rapidity. Our people’s analyses [of the situation] have deepened.”

In the end, the two leaders of the Green Movement reiterated their call for holding demonstrations in the country on the first anniversary of the electoral coup of 12 June 2009 based on article 27 of the Iranian constitution which guarantees freedom of assembly, provided arms are not carried and the assemblies are not detrimental to the fundamental principles of Islam.

The two men called for all political groups and factions as well as reformist parties to make formal requests to the Iranian Ministry of Interior for authorisation for the rallies on 12 June.  

Footages of yesterday’s meeting can be found on this Youtube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0vt8hq3ci0