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Random Opinions & Observations by; Pedram Moallemian

Lost In Opposition

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One of the many problems with the primarily “in-exile” opposition to the Iranian government is their choice to detach themselves from the day-to-day lives of their compatriots back home. I say choice, as with the state of today’s technology, distance is an almost non-existing barrier and they could certainly connect to current issues and hot topics within Iran if they wanted to.

The latest example is a piece of legislation that has already passed primary screening procedures of the appropriate committee and is about to be presented to the Iranian parliament, Majles. Introduced and backed by both the judiciary as well as cabinet and under the title of “Family Assistance Bill” [layehe-hamayat-az-khanevadeh], it will become law if passed by the greater chamber and then ratified by the Guardian Council to ensure its compatibility with the constitution as well as Islamic law and traditions.

Some of the most troublesome sections of the new bill further restrict the rights of women, in particular as it relates to various areas under family law. Proposed changes have set the alarms off already for many activists inside Iran, including Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi who is threatening to stage a sit-in in front of the Majles if it is passed.

Section 48 of the new legislation, for example, provides for a father that has already lost custody but refuses to hand over the child to the mother to avoid current penalty of a prison sentence by replacing it with a cash fine.

Section 23 not only validates polygamy, it also lifts the current restriction that requires men to obtain permission of their first wife to be able to marry again, as long as they are able to financially support the new family.

There are a number of other examples but I haven’t been able to find any serious attempt by any group opposing the Iranian regime to organize a campaign abroad to contradict the bill, resist its passage and certainly reach out and educate those inside Iran with its closed system of government that may not even be aware of the its impending passage.

There is little doubt they could do it if they wanted to. Presently, there are at least 12 television stations broadcasting 24/7 programming in Farsi to Iran from Southern California alone. Not to mention other TV and radio stations, plus thousands of webcasts, blogs and websites. So, why don’t they? That is when I need to stress again, how they have chosen to remove themselves from the realities of today’s Iran and Iranians.

The very few people who still run these groups as they always have been for the last 28+ years, like to busy themselves with grand visions, real or imagined. These supposed visionaries are too preoccupied with images of an “overthrow” and the glorious rescue of the beloved country to welcome them to her bosoms to worry too much about the women that will be affected immediately after this bill passes.

By continually refusing to address the most immediate but smaller issues, their message and attitude towards the Iranians who have had to deal with this regime for every day of the last (close to) three decades is condescending if not audacious and disrespectful. And as long as they decline to demonstrate more reverence for their people, they will generally be ignored, the way they have been this far.

For further information on the proposed legislation in Farsi, please visit here.

Written by Pedram

August 11th, 2008 at 12:45 am

Posted in Iran & Iranians

Tagged with ,

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4 Responses to 'Lost In Opposition'

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  1. Pedram…

    well noted.

    This is a huge problem in the diaspora ‘opposition’ and you hit the nail on the head. But the fact remains that much of the ‘opposition’ has so little legitimacy inside Iran that there is good reason they don’t try to engage with internal pro-democracy forces.

    From dozens of personal contacts with those who left Iran for their activism (many working at the VOA and even right-of-center and neo-con think tanks in DC) these forces outside of Iran are considered a joke by almost all activists inside the country.

    The worst part is this - these ‘opposition’ groups have been SO ineffective (and counter-productive) these last 29 years that those inside Iran have lost hope that ANYONE outside can be of any help at all.

    To me, that is the biggest indictment against them.

    Thanks for the great insight.

    Babak Talebi

    12 Aug 08 at 6:55 am

  2. [...] This post first appeared at eyeranian.net: [...]

    Guest Post: “Lost in Opposition” « niacINsight

    12 Aug 08 at 1:01 pm

  3. I agree wholeheartedly… Well said.

    Nobody...

    13 Aug 08 at 4:10 am

  4. Exile politics have always been a morass. People who have become detached from the possibility of wielding, or influencing, state power in their home countries, seem to try to compensate for this by becoming little emperors in their diaspora.

    But this is a tendency, not an iron law.

    What Iranian democrats need — or so it seems to this non-Iranian democrat — is a loose network of people concerned about the expansion of democratic rights in their own country, where events like the imminent passage of this reactionary bill can be quickly publicized. An email tree could be formed, and some other mechanisms which use a divison of labor among supporters and an orientation towards taking advantage of the new possibilities for international communication and publicity opened up by the internet.

    This shouldn’t be so hard to set up. Two or three activists, harboring no political ambitions and able to work with people of varying political views, ought to be able to get it started, possibly with a website dedicated to this function.

    Douglas

    23 Aug 08 at 9:13 am

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