“Unite against the coup, it is now or never!”, say 293 prominent Iranian intellectuals, journalists, and human rights activists to Shia Marjas, Rafsanjani, Khatami, Mousavi, and Karroubi
voteforiran.com by Shervin Nekuee
In a letter signed by 293 prominent Iranian journalists, intellectuals, and human rights activists, an urgent call is made to halt anti-democratic forces. The letter was addressed to Shia Marjas, Hashemi Rafsanjani (Chairman of the Assembly of Experts and Chairman of the Expediency Discernment Council), and the key figures of the Green Movement: Mousavi, Karroubi, and Khatami. It states that there is a critical need to unite and create a collective resistance. Below are some fragments of this letter:
The past 60 days have been one of the darkest chapters of Iran’s history
In the past 60 days we have witnessed nightly attacks on student dormitories and private homes. Demonstrators have been beaten and killed by gunshot. Protestors have been tortured to death in notorious places like Kahrizak. We have witnessed raids against political and civil activists and the arrests of hundreds of elite intellectuals. The past 60 days are indubitably part of the darkest days in Iran’s history. Therefore, it is reasonable for Iranian citizens to expect that their political and religious elite should fulfill their duty and historical role and act.
Fundamentalist forces behind coup want to eliminate democratic aspect of Islamic Republic
“. . . In several statements, many of you have condemned the coup and the harsh measures taken against protesters and political prisoners in the past few weeks and we are thankful for that . . . These statements are still not enough! The anti democratic forces did not stop their aggression against the legitimate protests and demands for civil right by the Iranian people. Through aggression and brute repression, the fundamentalist forces behind the coup intend to exhaust the citizens and move on in their trajectory to eliminate democracy from the Iranian state structure [SN's note: the mean making Iran a Caliphate]”
It is time for the leaders to fulfill their historical responsibility
. . . Any toleration and negotiation with the forces behind the coup is useless. It is the time that you unite. It is time for are civil, political, and religious leaders to fulfill their historical responsibility and, by creating a broad front and by using all potentials and means, make the victory of the Green Movement possible . . . In the recent history of the country we have witnessed how effective and powerful unity between religious, civil, and political elites can be. It made the Constitutional Revolution possible, and it turned the uprising for nationalization of the oil industry [SN's note: led by Dr. Mossadeq] to a success . . . You should unite today. Tomorrow will be too late.
Click here for the complete Persian text and the list of 293 names
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