Ashura violence and the green network reaction

The green network of the Iranian Socio-political movement is now involved in a widespread discussion about the scales and boundaries that should be set to distinguish between measures of legitimate self defence and violent means of protest. In other words, the Iranian green movement is about to set up its rules of engagement.

There are some groups and individuals who ask people to get armed and bring the government forcibly down. There have also been rumors and calls for the Iranian Army to intervene and disarm IRGC and Basij troops. But from the viewpoints of the main body, it is clear that an escalation of blind violence and terror would be the last thing they want; Violence is morally unacceptable and beside that, the goal is not a transition of power, but to achieve a new "truly" democratic system and allowing justice to be done.

Fractions closer to the formerly legal reformist parties usually avoid direct comments about a radical change and argue that the current constitution has already "potential" elements that can lead to democracy. However no one can deny the fact that the supreme leader Khamenei has brought himself and "the rule of clergy" to an indefensible point so that a change in Iran's political structure has become unavoidable.

In this situation, the ruling elite around Khamenei and Ahmadinejad and other conservative IRGC high ranking officials have chosen a simple Machiavellianistic method: Terror and heavy pressure on any Opponent they find to a present a forced renunciation of the movement.

Mousavi, Karoubi and Khatami (main leaders of the formerly legal opposition) are specially targeted, then the military state knows that it is yet not ready to deal with the social consequences of their arrest. A round-the-clock propaganda accusing them of being behind this "conspiracy" is going on in the all-state-owned media and people up to almost every second ranking reformist activists, human rights activists, students and journalist have been arrested. A close relative of Mr. Mousavi has been killed.

The discussion about the aspects of using violence is a key question for the survival of the movement. In a scenario of bloody confrontations, the state is more prepared and organized and such a move also makes the green movement to lose its moral high ground which is its main strength.

For this reason, the prominent figures and intellectuals from various political spectrum involved in green movement rapidly send messages of warning and ask people not to get violent. On the other hand, the younger members and specially those who have been continuously subject to the brutality of state suppression on the streets and in detention argue that they should legitimately defend their lives and those of their comrades.

Both opinions seem to have right and the only reasonable solution seems to be an equilibrium of non violent means of protest and natural and legitimate self defence.

Shobeir Irani is another member of the (Green) Iranian Democratic Movement