Free spirited women of the world!

The dimensions of the disaster were more widespread than we thought; protesters of the election results came to the streets of Tehran and other cities to express their objection in a peaceful manner, and yet the only response they received were bullets , sticks and batons , and the ones who survived were later arrested.

State radio and TV first announced that 8 people were killed , and this figure was later raised to 11 ! But still , after more than 25 days, there are many missing whose names neither appear among those killed nor as ones who have been detained.

Mothers searched wherever they might find any clues about their lost children, but there were no answers and now when mothers gradually receive the bodies of their beloved , it becomes evident that the number of those killed are in fact much higher than what has been officially announced by the government of the Islamic Republic. Furthermore, families are being forbidden from talking about the date and the reason of their beloved’s death.

However, it’s impossible to deny the truth and to keep such a pain locked up in your heart for ever, and so the dimensions of the disaster are unfolding daily before the eyes of Iranian people.

Mothers who lost their children or whose loved ones are still in prison or missing, formed “The Iranian Mourning Mothers Committee”

Members of this committee - and other women who sympathize with them - gather dressed in black, every Saturday from 7 to 8 P.M. in local parks to silently express their grief.

While stating condolences to mothers who have lost their loved ones for the sake of liberty and democracy , and declaring sympathy with those who are still searching for their children , as well as expressing a deep sorrow for the fact that many Iranian youths continue to be kept in jail only because of their peaceful activities, I invite all freedom loving women of the world to gather in one of their local parks on every Saturday evening between 7 and 8 P.M. - wearing black clothes , in sympathy with Iranian mothers in mourning and to thus help amplify their voices so that it can be heard by all – the world over.

Shirin Ebadi

July 18,2009

Free spirited women of the world!

The dimensions of the disaster were more widespread than we thought; protesters of the election results came to the streets of Tehran and other cities to express their objection in a peaceful manner, and yet the only response they received were bullets , sticks and batons , and the ones who survived were later arrested.

State radio and TV first announced that 8 people were killed , and this figure was later raised to 11 ! But still , after more than 25 days, there are many missing whose names neither appear among those killed nor as ones who have been detained.

Mothers searched wherever they might find any clues about their lost children, but there were no answers and now when mothers gradually receive the bodies of their beloved , it becomes evident that the number of those killed are in fact much higher than what has been officially announced by the government of the Islamic Republic. Furthermore, families are being forbidden from talking about the date and the reason of their beloved’s death.

However, it’s impossible to deny the truth and to keep such a pain locked up in your heart for ever, and so the dimensions of the disaster are unfolding daily before the eyes of Iranian people.

Mothers who lost their children or whose loved ones are still in prison or missing, formed “The Iranian Mourning Mothers Committee”

Members of this committee - and other women who sympathize with them - gather dressed in black, every Saturday from 7 to 8 P.M. in local parks to silently express their grief.

While stating condolences to mothers who have lost their loved ones for the sake of liberty and democracy , and declaring sympathy with those who are still searching for their children , as well as expressing a deep sorrow for the fact that many Iranian youths continue to be kept in jail only because of their peaceful activities, I invite all freedom loving women of the world to gather in one of their local parks on every Saturday evening between 7 and 8 P.M. - wearing black clothes , in sympathy with Iranian mothers in mourning and to thus help amplify their voices so that it can be heard by all – the world over.

Shirin Ebadi

July 18,2009

from: http://www.zanschool.net/english/spip.php?article321

Liebe Freundinnen und Freunde des Frauenmuseums,

Herzliche Einladung zum 26.7.2009!

Eine sehr gut besuchte und viele Besucher bewegende und aufrüttelnde (für den ser sich drauf einlässt) Ausstellung neigt sich dem Ende zu.

Wir wollen uns noch einmal  zusammenfinden und ein bisschen Bilanz ziehen und feiern -und freuen uns, wenn ihr am 26. Juli ins Museum Frauenkultur Regional International im Marstall des Schlosses Burgfarrnbach kommen wollt.

Detailprogramm sieihe Anlage!

Bitte leitet die Einladung auch an Freunde, Interessierten und Wohlgesinnte weiter.

Bertrun Jeitner-Hartmann im namen von Frauen in der Einen Welt

PS: Die Kuratorinnen werden anwesend sein!

Feminist school:My mother went through the depressing and frustrating aftermaths of shameful 1953 coup ran after the 1979 revolution with hope and cheer.

My mother and I bore the despair and hopelessness of the period of the Iraq –Iran war and will not forget, but somewhat forgive the frustrating years of suppression in the decade of 80s, for the joyful presence of people in June 1997, and the hope of promises.

My mother and I and many others of our people in our land and country, turned our disappointments resulting from eight years of reformist government into a silent isolation in the 2005 election.

My mother and I and many of the women of our land and country, by passing four years full of horror, brought our civil tolerance to the social awareness and action under severe pressure and limitations and took the difficult journey, in the enthusiastic presence, to demand our just and legal rights in the 2009 election.

Many of our parents, along with their brave daughters and bold sons of our land and country, walked through the forgotten streets of happiness and security of the days prior to the election, dancing, and singing, but ended up in the blood-spattered and murderous streets after the election, shocked, fearful, and dumbfounded, seeing the violence and brutality of the police forces in the spring of 2009, but still stayed in streets! We would never forget these bitter days of our history even if we forgive!

Yes, we will never forget and nor forgive how they answered the voice, “Neda”, of the movement, which was heading for life, with death and the natural movement which was based on law and justice, was treated as unlawful and injustice. The happy and youthful presence of the young men and women of our land and country was met with the presence of grim armored men who dragged this happiness through the mud and blood.

Yes, we will neither forgive nor forget those who deliberately diverted the natural movement towards life and civil society those women and men, old and young, or our land and country to a fate heading for suicide and death.

Yes, we will not forget the behavior of those who do not survive except through repressing popular protest movements, whether the movement is headed for life or for death.

Yes, once more they chose violence as their policy, and we, who do not know any other way but to continue our civil and natural and independent way… This time, again, we will continue our legal and civil movement side by side, without doubts, independently. This time we have said all we had to say. This time no woman will get lost among the protestors. They will be found and be seen among their fellows who seek to achieve the demands which they have been screaming for years, and particularly these past four years, in different ways and confirm their independent presence in the midst of popular and activist groups of the civil movement, the mothers, wives, sisters, and groups of millions of people of the alleys and streets.

People rushed to the voting booths in pursuit of their demands and cast their ballots in accordance with their own ideas. Their insecurity set in motion a surging wave of independent protests of various women, men, students, blue-collar and white-collar workers, and craftsmen.

This time it is no longer the 1953 coup, which left behind the name of only a few women associated with struggle of that generation, nor February 1979, in which women were in separate ranks, usually behind the men, and were dragged into the streets in an imposed, involuntary appearance, in a movement which did not pay any attention to their civil rights and received, as their reward for their participation, cooperation, and sacrifices during all those years only more suppression and more denial of their rights.

This time millions of women, young and old, have their independent presence not behind the men but side by side with them; their presence was not imposed on them, but quite voluntary. This time women willingly, of their own volition, independently, and freely, in body and soul, raised their voice against the present situation, and the lost vote which they had cast in the hope of diminishing their inequality.

This time the symbol of this vast public protest is a young woman, “Neda”, the Voice for freedom and justice to proclaim and reaches the deaf ears, with the hope that eventually a suitable response.

“ One day that there will be nothing left for writing, or for reading, except for untranslatable things about the life of this youth who died so young, a youth who was prepared to scream.” (1)

(1) Doras, Margaret, death of a young pilot,

from : http://zanschool.net/english/spip.php?article313