October 10, 2003
Significant Shirin
Beating considerable odds of 21/1, Shirin Ebadi became the first Iranian as well as the first Muslim woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Her recognition in this fashion is significant in many different ways and here are some of them;
An Activist - Up to yesterday, Shirin Ebadi was an internationally unknown and little appreciated lawyer and human rights activists. Unlike some of the other nominees, she isn't a former politician, religious leader or anyone that has had the eye of the world's media on her before. Hundreds, thousands or even millions of others all over the world work towards similar goals of democracy and freedom, yet are never praised for their efforts. So, when one of them is actually recognized this way, it is a victory for all others who also deserve the highest accolades.
Human Rights - The award is named for peace but didn't go to anyone known primarily for their actual creation of peace or opposition to war. This is a victory for all those who believe basic human rights is an essential component of global justice, freedom and yes peace.
Iranian - As a people, Iranians have probably struggled just as much, if not more than any other nation in their struggle towards freedom. Now for the first time an Iranian is acclaimed for this common crusade. Her award, as acknowledged by her, most certainly belongs to all Iranians who have taken part in this unfinished project.
Women - Us men, we have run this planet more or less by ourselves over the past few thousand years and have surely managed to make a pretty good mess of tings. Women on the other hand, are rarely applauded for their contribution, never mind the fact that they hardly ever get to be in charge. This is surely another step towards a more equitable and evenly balanced approach to things.
Iranian Woman - The current Iranian regime has thrived on abuse and persecution of most Iranians, but in particular the women, religious and ethnic minorities, political dissenters and intellectuals. For a woman who is also a nonconformist and an intellectual to become such huge celebrity and on the front page of newspapers world-wide, is a triumph for the resistance movement the Iranian women have led for a long time and in particular for the most recent quarter of a century.
Non-Violence - A firm opponent of violence and advocate of passive and peaceful negative resistance, Ebadi's win is yet another confirmation of a better way to make progress.
Religion - Her very timely and important first few words were key in establishing how to be an activist and to be an opponent of the religious tyranny in Iran, does not necessary mean being anti-religion or in this case anti-Islam. I hope more and more of our intellectuals get this point and don't fall into the Monarchist/Conservative/Oppressive trap, most evident amongst some of our brightest minds.
Non-Sectarian - Of course Shirin Ebadi's work has been hugely political, but she never fell into the sectarian, limiting, divisive and unproductive natural reaction of associating with various factions and branches with fashionable labels (did you say "reformer"?). This has added tremendously to her effectiveness and success in her work.
Her Voice - Iran is not the isolated and secluded Myanmar/Burma and Ebadi won't be another Aung San Suu Kyi. It will be impossible for the regime to quiet her down now, at least officially (which makes me very worried about her safety, they can always make-up a crazy lone man scenario to take her life and dispose of the trouble right away). I have no doubt she will use her new found voice and access to world media (can you imagine if even 5 years from today she contacted a 60 minutes producer to cover her latest project? they'd jump all over the Noble Laureate) to further the cause of democracy and human rights in Iran.
It is with those thoughts that I think this was indeed a great day for Iran and Iranians. It may even be the dawn of a new opposition forming under the banner of a non-violent, human-rights-above-all, democratic new union.
After all, the Norwegian Nobel Committee may have not only chosen the first Iranian Nobel Peace Prize winner, but also the first candidate of Iran's first free presidential election, ever.
I appraciate your efforts in your weblog to brighten our minds about news and facts and also I'm very pleased to hear about Mrs.shirin Ebadi's
winning the Nobel Peace Prize.
pooyeh.
Human rights are a controverted field, especially in Third World countries, where they are sometimes a mask of good intentions covering the spread of western values and culture. Before the Nobel Prize, I had never heard about Mrs. Shirin Ebadi, who I suppose is a very honoured woman, but I am usually cautious when dealing with human rights issues. Arabian women don´t have to be like american ones, as many people believe. All of us want to be free, but sometimes escaping may be just jumpping into a larger cage, and a larger cage is not freedom at all.
Posted by: Rodrigo at October 11, 2003 07:50 AMRodrigo - I think you may have made the common mistake of thinking everyone in the middle-east or any Muslim in general is an Arab. I think you could make a much better argument by replacing "Arabian" with either one of the other terms above.
Posted by: Naser at October 11, 2003 09:09 AMMy sincere congratulations to all Iranians, particularly the women.
Posted by: Irene at October 11, 2003 03:27 PMI share many of your thoughts Pedram: my first and foremost concern was for her safety. Who can forget the Forouhars? The infamous "Vagebi" incident? The students who were thrown down from the roof? Who can dispute Zahra Kazemi's death? And yet ... the killers and the boss go free. Its not like its a big conspiracy and they go out of their way to hide the truth all that much, they are simply above the law. How easily this could happen to her and how very powerless we will all be if anything happens.
When is she going back home? Who can stop anyone from charging her with crimes against the Islamic Republic? Have we forgotten the "Berlin Conference"? Where are they now? The oh so very satisfying images of her on TV without a head scarf, how easily they can be used as weapons against her. How very sad it would be for Iran and Iranians if she has to choose to remain outside of Iran …
Also, for years I have always wondered at our drive as a nation to follow a hero of some kind, to honour our fathers in the form of our leaders, from Shah to Mosadegh to Khomeini to Rafsanjani (for a while!) to Khatami and so on. The idea of following a "ruling party" per se does not seem to sit well with our patriotic society. That is why after the announcement, I had a sudden vision of Shirin running for presidency and women specially rallying behind her ... of course I dismissed it as a crazy idea but imagine my surprise to read your post and now I think perhaps I am not the only one who thinks this way! How very refreshing to imagine to a world in which women actually have a say in how things are run … (Of course the pressure to prove they are just as tough as men should be removed first). Value of life would be elevated beyond profit and power. There will be no wars. Health, education and food for all would be on top of all agendas, followed closely by environmental preservation.
Too optimistic? Maybe. But after this day, for once, as an Iranian I am starting to think perhaps all hope is not lost after all. Shirin Ebadi single-handedly has been able to restore some dignity to a nation so deeply wounded and humiliated, having to always explain, defend and even shrink from our stories. Thank you Shirin. Every time I think about it I close my eyes, smile and my heart fills with emotion. Thank you so much. May your God keep you safe from all harm so you continue to shine a beacon on the fog.
Posted by: bargeboo at October 11, 2003 05:30 PMNo, my friend. I didn´t say "arabian" to mean iranian woman. I know the difference between persian and arabian, but it was just an example. I could have said "indian", "chinese" or whatelse, could what i menat was "non western". In fact, too many people think everyone in the middle-east is an Arab, but I would appreciate more if you comment my arguments, not one single word, even if I had misused it.
Posted by: Rodrigo at October 12, 2003 10:16 AMummm... Pedram, dont you mean the odds of 1/21 ? ;)
- Babak
Posted by: Babak at October 12, 2003 10:55 PMok, well I guess I never was good at math anyway :)
thanks!
I guess Babak doesn't gamble much. Not that I do either! :)
Posted by: visitor at October 13, 2003 04:24 PM