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NEWS & LETTERS, APRIL 2003
Discontented masses shun elections in Iran
Iranians not only have lost their belief in the ballot
and reform efforts of President Khatami, but are also looking for an alternative
outside of the Islamic regime. Low urban voter turnout for the nationwide local
council elections March 1 is evidence of this. While voter turnout was as high as 95% in rural areas,
it was only 10% to 12% of eligible voters in Tehran and other major cities like
Isfahan in central Iran. Low turnout also indicates a serious crisis for the
legitimacy of the conservative Islamic regime which insists that voting is a
religious duty. In short, the low turnout has seriously damaged the Islamic
regime's hope of maintaining power with limited reforms. During the last 24 years the Islamist regime has tried
to blame outsiders, especially U.S. imperialism, for its own failure to respond
to any demands by the Iranian people. It has been suppressing the working people
of Iran. A recent labor law, for instance, exempts workshops of 10 employees or
fewer from the minimal rights stipulated in the labor law, affecting millions. Furthermore political, economic and social conditions
are unalterable for all Iranians. And today almost 70% of the Iranian population
lives in absolute poverty. This fact, along with the lack of any political and
social freedoms, constitutes the main reasons for disbelief in the ballot. People have few illusions about this regime, as many are
mobilizing against it. At the same time, Islamic fundamentalism is a reactionary
force that, unlike in the past, Western powers led by the U.S. are not going to
tolerate. In that context, the Iranian government is trying hard
to maintain its position in the region. That is why they supported the U.S. in
its war against the Taliban in Afghanistan. The Islamist regime in Iran also
does not mind if the U.S. overthrows Saddam Hussein. In fact, they are looking
for a greater role in the next Iraqi regime especially through Iraq's Shi'ites. At the same time that the U.S. government is going to
war against Iraq, Bush's cabinet is keeping a close eye on the Iranian
opposition movement because the recent events can yet affect the whole Middle
East. --Ali |
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