Not So Fast
By Phil Wilayto, AlterNet. Posted June 14, 2009.
The real clash between Mousavi and Ahmadinejad is based on who their
supporters are and, crucially, different approaches to the economy.
As this is being written, official announcements in Iran today of a
landslide victory by incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad are being met
with cries of “fraud” by supporters of his principal challenger, former
Prime Minister Mir-Hossein Mousavi.
The New York Times is reporting that “at least one person had been shot
dead in clashes with the police in Vanak Square in Tehran. Smoke from
burning vehicles and tires hung over the city late Saturday.”
It seems clear which side has started the violence. From Sunday''s Times:
“'Death to the coup d’état!' chanted a surging crowd of several
thousand protesters, many of whom wore Mr. Moussavi’s [sic] signature
bright green campaign colors, as they marched in central Tehran on Saturday
afternoon. 'Death to the dictator!' Farther down the street, clusters of
young men hurled rocks at a phalanx of riot police officers, and the police
used their batons to beat back protesters. There were reports of
demonstrations in other major Iranian cities as well. ... As night settled
in, the streets in northern Tehran that recently had been the scene of
pre-election euphoria were lit by the flames of trash fires and blocked by
tipped trash bins and at least one charred bus. Young men ran through the
streets throwing paving stones at shop windows, and the police pursued
them.”
(Note: Northern Tehran is the more affluent part of the city. There were no
reports of protest in the much poorer southern part of the capital.
Lees verder: http://www.alternet.org/world/140636/
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