On July 5th 2009 Mir Hossein Mousavi announced that he is filing papers to start a new political party. This move comes three weeks in advance to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad taking the oath of office and being declared the President of Iran, It is clearly a strategic move to a) force the radical factions within the system to retreat and b) to show the disenchanted people of Iran that the reform camp is serious about bringing pragmatic change to Iran’s political system. A system that has finally shown its true identity to its own people and to the world.
Now the question is can Mousavi pull it off in light of the new militarized climate that has gripped Iran with an iron fist and is adamant in the words of Keyhan Newspaper’s Managing-Editor Hossein Shariyat Madari “to blind and gauge out the eyes of anyone who is against the flow of the regime”.
It is certainly a race against time, but it’s a race that can be won for the following reasons.
First, throughout the world history has proven that when people mobilize as a collective force against those who abuse power nothing, not even their guns can stop the will of the people. And if anything, history is on Iran’s side as in 1979 the Iranians took to the streets in protest and overthrew the Shah.
Second, in an effort to form a political party, Mousavi is in fact creating a united front and building up a national network of supporters that up until now had no rights to form independent political groups. So even if we take the number of votes cast for Mousavi as quoted by the Ministry of Interior, a 12 million man / women strong network will still be powerful enough force to bring about change. And
Third, in using a political party as a backbone to streamline a national movement, Mousavi will be in a position to assert himself as a national leader much like what Mosadegh was in 1953 when he stood against the British. With a well oiled and well funded political machine with distributed centers of leadership it would be virtually impossible for the hardliners to confront and challenge the will of the people.
Will Mousavi be successful in forming this political party? We will know soon.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
A positive analysis which I sincerely hope will give the people of Iran the strength to follow this through to a successful outcome. These young people wish to engage with the world and the world will be very welcoming. Once this is all over and Iran has a new leader nations must start to trust each other. With the right hearts and minds I truly believe this can happen. Best wishes from someone who lives in the west.
ReplyDeleteA move thats time has come. Well written.
ReplyDelete