In Iran, One Woman’s Death May Have Many Consequences
21 June 2009 4:16 pm by psychodrew
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1906049,00.html
According to Time, the shooting death of an anonymous Iranian woman, known to the world as “Neda,” may have serious consequences for the regime.
Iran’s revolution has now run through a full cycle. A gruesomely captivating video of a young woman — laid out on a Tehran street after apparently being shot, blood pouring from her mouth and then across her face — swept Twitter, Facebook and other websites this weekend. The woman rapidly became a symbol of Iran’s escalating crisis, from a political confrontation to far more ominous physical clashes. Some sites refer to her as “Neda,” Farsi for the voice or the call. Tributes that incorporate startlingly upclose footage of her dying have started to spring up on YouTube.
Although it is not yet clear who shot “Neda” (a soldier? pro-government militant? an accidental misfiring?), her death may have changed everything. For the cycles of mourning in Shiite Islam actually provide a schedule for political combat — a way to generate or revive momentum. Shiite Muslims mourn their dead on the third, seventh and 40th days after a death, and these commemorations are a pivotal part of Iran’s rich history. During the revolution, the pattern of confrontations between the shah’s security forces and the revolutionaries often played out in 40-day cycles.
It’s a short article, well worth a read. The footage of Neda’s death is very difficult to watch. I had to turn my head, but the screams of the bystanders–one of them is her father, according to some on Twitter–brought tears to my eyes.
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This film makes it personal and heartbreaking. I had seen a portion of it on CNN this am but they had fogged out the young woman’s face. I’m really horrified.
Truly heartbreaking. And just one of so many…………
Hey psychodrew, Robin Wright is always good, catches it just right today.
Neda is now martyred, a symbol of Iran herself right now.
I don’t know how these people do it. I’ve had to just walk away from this coverage a bit because it is getting to be too difficult for me to watch. I don’t think I’m as strong as these people are.
Did you “see”, which was actually sound, of the video played on CNN that captured the night carnage of the Basiji? One of the most harrowing videos I have ever witnessed, imagining what plays out there in the dark right now.
Warning, this video isn’t for those afraid on night:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xv60QkqpAIE
That was one terrifying, horrifying video. What they do under the cover of darkness is criminal.
Did anyone else hear the scream in English, Please, don’t shoot?
I know, AliceP, it’s just haunting.
fyi… I posted one part of Zakaria’s show today. Infuriated that he didn’t have one Iranian female on today. Amanpour was on last week, and this week was equally important to have a woman on, as JA’s diaries attest. I’ve written him on it yet again. Deaf. Ears.
Yes, it’s horrible.
I brought up the English because there must have been an American or Brit in that house. Why would an Iranian scream in English?
I just pray that all of the carnage will be worth it in the end. These people are so brave and strong. I really admire the Iranian people, and especially the Iranian women. What inspirations they are.
AliceP: One reason an Iranian would scream in english is Iranians know the world is watching. What started out as protests against the election has know become revolution. Iranians know that the pictures of “Neda” have went around the world. She has now become the symbol of the revolution. If the regime continues on its violent coarse to silence the people, it will be the regime that will have brought about revolution.
Have read some tweets comming out of Terhan, that protesters have been changing the street signs of Amirabad Ave to “Neda” by spray painting them.
angels81 is right again
Does the government of Iran fear women?
They obviously feared this woman enough to martyr her.
on a side note to this tragedy:
6:09 PM ET — Guardian Council admits: more votes than voters. Another fairly shocking report given that it comes from Iran’s state-funded PressTV:
Iran’s Guardian Council has admitted that the number of votes collected in 50 cities surpass the number of those eligible to cast ballot in those areas.
Taylor Marsh says:
21 June 2009 at 5:14 pm
I saw the CNN footage last night and it haunted me. It was very difficult for me to listen to it and I just can’t watch Neda’s death. There was some footage recently on youtube of a woman being stoned to death by the Taliban and it was so hard to watch I just can’t watch any more of these things. It bothers me so much.
I understand
But we have to watch
I hope Neda’s death is the catalyst Iranians use to force regime change. They can start with stripping Ayatollah Khamenei of his title and allow public opinion to decide his fate.